Information and communication are important and powerful tools for helping enhance population health. Generally speaking, health information that is carefully designed for a specific group or individual is more effective in capturing attention and motivating changes in health-related attitudes and behaviors than information designed for a generalized audience or with no particular audience in mind. The two most common types of health information customized for specific audiences are targeted and tailored communication.

Both targeted and tailored health communication are audience-centered approaches driven by a careful analysis of intended recipients. Both approaches use what is learned from this analysis to customize health messages, sources of information, and channels of information delivery to maximize the reach and effectiveness of a health communication to a particular audience. In targeted ...