Placement of health promotion columns in suburban newspapers--an analysis

In the fall of 1982, the Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Public Health Service, engaged the services of the North American Precis Syndicate, Inc., to distribute two columns on health promotion to suburban newspapers. An analysis of the placement of these two health promotion columns in local newspapers was undertaken to determine if this method of disseminating health information to the public is effective and cost-conscious. The information gained from this analysis, though limited in scope, provides information to decision makers responsible for disseminating health information to the public. North American Precis Syndicate, Inc. (NAPS), distributes public information through various channels. One service NAPS provides is a clip sheet of publication-ready newspaper columns complete with artwork which an editor can "clip" and use directly in a newspaper. NAPS is able to use existing information and artwork to develop its columns, so agency staff time is minimal in developing material. NAPS also provides clippings of the articles as they actually appear in the 3,800 suburban newspapers it services. It is the information from the NAPS "clipping service" on which this report is based.