Abstract
Computer-based technology can provide effective health education — including health information, instruction, and advice — to the general public. This article describes several successful health education programs (some computer based and some not) that have been evaluated in research studies and considers how they supplement health promotion efforts and clinical care. It discusses communication and learning theories that could be applied to future health education projects. It also examines the capabilities and limitations of computer-based media, including their current status and long-term prospects for the delivery of health education.