Designing Print Materials: A Communications Guide for Breast Cancer Screening

This guide is designed to improve the quality of information provided by breast cancer screening programmes to consumers. A result of collaborative efforts by the International Cancer Screening Network, it offers a summary of informational materials and decision tools used internationally by breast cancer screening programmes to communicate with women about mammography. Designing Print Materials describes the tasks involved in designing print materials including planning, audience assessment, and message and materials testing, and assists the user in identifying appropriate communications media for maximising audience reach. As stated in the resource "[t]aking time to follow the principles and suggestions in this guide can significantly improve the quality and appeal of... print education and information materials.[It is] hope that these efforts will translate into increased participation by all eligible women in ... [a] screening program.”

Chapters include planning the development of materials, assessing the needs of the audience, developing and testing the messages and the materials, and maintaining the materials, along with future applications to other types of cancer screening and health communication.

Additional resources found in the appendices of the guide include the “do’s and don’ts” of materials development, planning worksheets and checklists, and references, under the following headings: Appendix 1 Choosing the Right Communications Medium Appendix 2 Methods for Assessing Audiences and PreTesting Materials Appendix 3 References and Resources on Key Audience Characteristics Appendix 4 Blank Forms for Materials Development Planning

This document is available at no charge in both PDF format (see link below) and in a paper copy. To order a paper copy, click here.