Use of Consumer Panel Survey Data for Public Health Communication Planning: an Evaluation of Survey Results

The Office of Communication at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention licenses syndicated market research data for understanding audiences in health communication planning. Market research data bases are widely used in the commercial sector to analyze audiences and develop messages to promote products and services to potential customers. They contain proprietary and public information on sociodemographic characteristics, consumer behavior, lifestyle activities, and media habits of potential customers, and are available, with individual identifying information removed, through licensing and contractual agreements. These data can be used to identify population segments to target with a message, and to identify audience segments that may differ in interests, lifestyle, and media habits in order to design messages with appropriate design, content, and media channels.