Evaluating health communication programs to enhance health care and health promotion.

Health communication programs are essential and ubiquitous tools in the delivery of care and promotion of health. Yet, health promotion experts are not always well informed about the influences communication programs have on the audiences they are designed to help. Too often health communication programs evoke unintended, and even negative, responses from diverse audiences. It is critically important to conduct regular, rigorous, ongoing, and strategic evaluation of health communication programs to assess their effectiveness. Evaluation data should guide program refinements and strategic planning. This article outlines key strategies for conducting meaningful evaluation research for guiding the development, implementation, refinement, and institutionalization of effective health communication programs.