State health policy makers: what's the message and who's listening?

This article is based on a white paper commissioned by the Directors of Health Promotion and Education, a national organization representing state health agency directors and practitioners in health promotion and education initiatives. The work reflects an assessment of current understanding of how state-level policy makers receive and use information related to health promotion and chronic disease prevention. Although health education practitioners are routinely encouraged to use policy and environmental change strategies, a systematic approach to communication with policy leaders is not readily available. This work describes the current knowledge of the relationship and offers recommendations for research and practice.