Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #109922

William E. Pollard, PhD, Office of Communication, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1600 Clifton Rd., N.E, Mail Stop D42, Atlanta, GA 30333, (404) 639-7295, bdp4@cdc.gov

Providing information on health to the general public is an important function of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The public's use of the CDC as an information source is mediated by knowledge and attitudes concerning the CDC. This paper examines data on public awareness of CDC program areas and activities, and on perceptions of the CDC as a source of information. The data are from the annual HealthStyles survey conducted by Porter Novelli as part of its Styles survey program and were collected over the period of 1999 to 2004. This is a mail panel survey with a nationally representative sample of approximately 4,000 adults conducted annually. The survey addresses health information, attitudes, conditions, and behaviors, and contains items concerning the CDC and other health organizations. Differences in awareness levels for CDC work in various health areas are noted, and attitudes concerning CDC as an information source described. Specific audience segments are examined, and trends related to health events since 2001 are described. Implications for enhancing CDC's use as an information source for the public are discussed.

Learning Objectives:

• Describe differences in public awareness levels for CDC work in various health areas.
• Describe one trend in attitudes toward the CDC as a source of health informtion over time.

Keywords: Health Communications,

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.