Promoting women's health in Texas: suggestions for maximizing the benefits of the Women's Health Program

This thesis presents a collection of recommendations on how to increase participation in a Texas Medicaid family planning program, called the Texas Women’s Health Program, or WHP. Based on findings discovered during a series of thirteen elite interviews, these suggestions range from communications strategies, such as preferred media channels, to general policy and program implementation recommendations. A review of marketing and health communication literature was also employed as a means of supporting and complementing interview findings. Set in the bitter family planning climate of a Bible-belt state, this study provides an in-depth look at how public health policies and outreach efforts can be improved by taking a marketing approach.