Using Participatory Design to Develop Statewide Health Communication Programs for Diverse and Vulnerable Populations

Two decades of research document the critical problem that, overall, US health communication is not well matched to the literacy levels, languages, and cultures of the intended audiences. The National Action Plan to Improve Health Literacy and Healthy People 2020, and other national mandates provide important guidance to health practitioners and policy-makers to address this problem. Participatory, or “user-centered” design processes are powerful ways to create mass communication that is aligned with people's needs. This presentation will focus on specific steps to design, implement and evaluate mass communication programs on a statewide level in California, Arizona, Pennsylvania and other states. Program examples will include communication developed by and for people with limited health literacy, people with disabilities, and people who speak languages other than English.