How effective is tailored print communication?

This article reviews the "first generation" of tailored print communication s studies ill the published literature, describing the purpose, theoretical framework, sample, research design, message type and source, outcomes meas ured, and findings of each. Eight studies compared tailored versus similar nontailored print, one compared tailored print versus an alternate interven tion, and three included tailored print as one of several intervention comp onents. Although studies varied by behavioral topic, type of tailoring, and mesurement of behavioral outcomes, several themes persist. Compared to their nontailored counterparts, tailored print communications h ave been consistently better remembered, read and perceived as relevant and /or credible. There is also evidence that tailored print communications are more effective for influencing health behaviors. Six of the eight tailored /nontailored comparisons found more behavior change among tailored than non tailored recipients. Tailored print communications have also demonstrated e ffectiveness as an adjunct to other intervention components such as self-he lp smoking cessation manuals. However; studies comparing tailored print com munications with tailoring via other media such as telephone counseling hav e shown mixed results. Additional research is needed to assess whether the behavioral topic itself may make a difference in whether tailoring is appro priate and effective.