[Health education. Power of information for purposes of public interest]

Just as publicity contributes to develop the economic activities, so must do social propaganda for the health field also. But the latter has its own particular constraints. Used along, information reaches rapidly its limits, as long as it is not backed up by changes in regulations, specific to each relevant theme. On the other hand, a deliberate policy involving both information and new regulations can yield the most rapid and spectacular results. As for any investment, it is needed to try to evaluate the efficiency of information campaigns; some indicators must be chosen in order to follow up adequately individual changes in terms of knowledges, opinions and behaviour regarding the topic presented; explorations, surveys and analyses of quantitative and qualitative data have to yield major results, to be integrated in a synopsis. As an example, an a priori study done by the author is presented dealing with the effectiveness of a national scale anti smoking campaign developped in France (in 1976), the effects of which having been consistent with the forcasting ones.