The purpose of this contract is to provide professional communication and marketing services to further the goals of the national education programs coordinated by the Office of Prevention, Education, and Control (OPEC). Within the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), OPEC holds the lead responsibility for initiating educational activities and for transferring research findings for use by a diverse audience of health care providers, public health practitioners, and the general public. OPEC is the nexus for the translation of research findings and scientific consensus into programs and products for professionals, patients, and other audiences. OPEC uses a variety of mechanisms to carry out this research translation function. One mechanism that it has used successfully for more than 20 years is the science-based national education programs. These programs include the National High Blood Pressure Education Program, the national Cholesterol Education Program, the National Asthma Education and Prevention Program, and the National Heart Attack Alert Program as well as the Obesity Education Initiative and the National Center on Sleep Disorders. These programs/initiatives vary in purpose, intensity, duration, target audience, and desired outcome. Yet all apply sophisticated communications and marketing strategies to achieve their public education goals. The objective of this project is to test, develop, disseminate and evaluate health messages and products for specific audiences. NHLBI has long had a commitment to developing programs and products with and for minority audiences and this emphasis will continue in this contract. Women, children, older people, and low-literacy groups also are priority audiences for NHLBI science-based information.
