Readiness Assessments

Readiness in health communication research is a concept that reflects both the motivation (intention) and ability (efficacy) of an individual, group, or community to enact a health behavior change (such as quitting smoking), continue an existing health behavior (such as getting a flu shot each year), or adopt a new health behavior practice or innovation (such as starting a new exercise regimen or utilizing new health technology). The assessment of readiness can occur at the individual, group, and/or community levels. It is critical to evaluate readiness prior to the implementation of a health campaign or health intervention to ensure its success. If the target audience is either not motivated (low in cognitive readiness) or not able (low in behavioral readiness) to enact a given behavior, ...