Health education and marketing processes: 2 related methods for achieving health behavior change.

OBJECTIVE To make salient the striking similarities between the program planning processes used in both health education and contemporary marketing. METHOD Through a discussion of the analogous nature of both processes and a review of the literature, the authors (1) illustrate why marketing principles should be embraced and (2) suggest how marketing strategies can be integrated into health education needs assessments. RESULTS Core health-marketing concepts are proposed along with 4 recommendations for future marketing activities in health education. CONCLUSION To facilitate an advance in health education process and practice, scholars and practitioners should adopt a more consumer-centered, marketing mind-set.