Credit Lines: A Digest of Diversified Health Interests

Abstract

CONCERNING LITERATURE DISTRIBUTION Annual reports of health and welfare agencies come to our desk by the score and one item which always catches our eye is that having to do with the amount of literature distributed. Distribution figures in these reports often run into truly staggering sums, and with furrowed brows we are led to ponder this question: how much of this health literature was wisely distributed according to a well conceived plan, and how much of it was distributed haphazardly? Everyone will admit that a great amount of health literature goes to waste. Evidence of it is fairly common. For instance, we have seen adults pick up a number of booklets at random, thumb through them, and quickly cast them aside as waste basket fodder. Perhaps such individuals should not be criticised too much for this disregard of printed materials inasmuch as great stacks of literature usually adorn reception room tables on which a Help Yourself to These Booklets sign is displayed. If fewer booklets were placed within reach of the. public, one might be less inclined to raid the pamphlet supply. Moreover, we have seen children-mere tots at that-walk off with an assortment of pamphlets having no more relation to child health than a toy boat has to the Queen Mary. Of course, a child cannot be expected to exercise discrimination in such matters, but an attendant might be on hand to prevent such waste of literature. (On second thought, perhaps these youngsters were taking the booklets home to daddy!) Certainly our health literature accomplishes far more good when it is distributed along carefully supervised lines or given out by an attendant only in response to specific requests. And it would be well to remember that distribution figures running into hundreds of thousands do not necessarily imply that a good health education job has been done. It strikes us that the safety officials of Wayne County, Mich., have made an interesting experiment in pamphlet distribution. In the August issue of Public Safety this new and effective method of distribution is summarized. Here is a description of the distribution project: