Effective public health communication – defined as “the science and art of using communication to advance the health and well-being of people and populations” (Suruchi and Henderson, 2023) – is important for almost every aspect of health and wellbeing (Rimal and Lapinski, 2009).
Today, effective public health communication is more critical than ever. As the potential for spread of misinformation and inaccurate health information accelerates on social media and other platforms, there is an increasing need for accurate, accessible health messaging. This is where medical writers come in, using their expertise in crafting compelling, clear and credible content to bridge the gap between complex health data and public understanding.
This blog post will explore what public health communication is, its significance and the practical strategies medical writers can use to contribute to its effectiveness.
What Is Public Health Communication?
Public health communication involves strategies that educate and inform people about health-related issues, while influencing them to make healthy choices. Effective public health communication is vital for both personal and public health, covering a wide variety of activities, including sharing information about disease prevention, promoting healthy behaviors, and providing guidance during health emergencies, such as the COVID-19 pandemic.
Information campaigns educate the public about specific health issues. For example, vaccination drives provide information on vaccine safety and efficacy, while disease prevention campaigns might raise awareness of symptoms and risk factors for a condition, enabling people to seek early diagnosis and treatment, e.g., RSV or meningitis.
Crisis communications provide timely and accurate information during health emergencies. The COVID-19 pandemic showcased how accurate and engaging messaging can make a difference to public health, e.g., regarding mask wearing, social distancing and vaccination.
Behavior change communication promotes healthy behaviors using persuasive messaging. For example, anti-smoking campaigns or information that encourages healthy eating and physical activity.
Why Effective Public Health Communication is Important
Promotes Health Literacy
Effective public health communication may enhance health literacy, which the World Health Organization defines as the ability to "gain access to, understand and use information in ways that promote and maintain good health." This goes beyond following medical advice and empowers people to make informed decisions about their health (WHO, 2024).
There are increasing calls to recognize health literacy is not the sole responsibility of individuals, but that attention must also be paid to the responsibility of governments and organizations to present clear, accurate, appropriate, and accessible information for diverse audiences (Rudd, 2015). This kind of communication ensures people can understand health concepts, such as disease prevention and treatment options, reducing the risk of poor health decisions caused by confusion or misinformation.
Builds Trust
Credibility and trust are key to successful public health communication. The public needs to trust the source of information to follow recommendations, especially during health emergencies. Trust builds over time, strengthened by consistent, honest communication.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, communities with higher levels of social trust and trust in science showed greater compliance with public health measures, leading to better health outcomes (Casey, 2023). Transparency—admitting uncertainties and correcting errors—is key to fostering trust and encouraging people to rely on credible sources rather than misinformation.
Influences Policy Decisions and Health Outcomes
Effective public health communication also shapes health policies and drives large-scale health improvements. Clear, data-backed communication can inform government decisions, help drive legislative changes, and guide resource allocation to address health needs effectively.
For example, public health campaigns on the dangers of smoking, supported by scientific evidence, have influenced policies on smoking restrictions, tobacco taxation, and cessation program funding, leading to improved health outcomes (Durkin et al, 2009).
Is Crucial in the Fight Against Misinformation
Online health misinformation, particularly on social media, poses a major threat to public health. Misinformation related to vaccines, diets, pandemics, and medical treatments – amongst other topics – undermines trust in medical institutions and potentially promotes harmful behaviors (Suarez-Lledo and Alvarez-Galvez, 2021).
Public health communicators must actively counter misinformation by providing accurate, timely, and engaging information that the public can understand. Medical writers play a vital role in this effort, helping to restore trust in science-based health recommendations.
Practical Strategies Medical Writers Can Use to Ensure Effective Public Health Communication
Medical writers are often responsible for creating public health materials, such as brochures, websites, and digital content.
Here are five strategies medical writers can use to enhance the effectiveness of their public health communication:
Focus on the Audience:
Understanding the audience is the first rule of effective communication. Public health messages must be tailored to the specific demographic and their unique needs.
For example, medical writers may customize messages for children, older adults, or non-English speakers, or localize content for specific communities. Collaborating with translators, community leaders, or local health workers ensures that health messages are relevant and delivered through trusted channels.
Create Clear and Accessible Content:
Translating complex medical jargon into plain language is another must for effective public health communication. Using plain language and the active voice, avoiding technical terms, and focusing on clarity are all critical.
For example, this may mean taking a dense research paper on diabetes self-management and turning it into an easy-to-understand brochure that explains how lifestyle changes could help control blood sugar.
Use Visuals and Multimedia Resources:
Visual aids, such as infographics and charts, can make medical information more digestible and memorable. Medical writers may also be asked to develop multimedia materials, including video, podcasts or webinars. All these options can engage users who may prefer consuming content through visual or audio means, rather than reading.
Implement SEO:
With many people turning to the internet for health information, medical writers can also employ search engine optimization (SEO) techniques to ensure that accurate, evidence-based content ranks highly in search results.
By incorporating relevant keywords, like "effective public health communication” (in this blog) and optimizing content for readability, medical writers can improve the visibility of trustworthy information – and, in turn, guide users away from misinformation.
Collaborate with Healthcare Professionals and Other Trusted Figures:
Medical writers should collaborate with healthcare providers, public health officials, researchers, and even trusted influencers to ensure that the content they produce is accurate, up-to-date and impactful. By working closely with other professionals, medical writers can create content that not only informs but also inspires trust in the public.
Medical writers are uniquely positioned to play a critical role in ensuring the public receives accurate, clear, actionable and effective public health information – their expertise bridging the gap between complex medical research and the public.
Ultimately, effective public health communication is essential for improving health outcomes, promoting health literacy, and combating misinformation. Medical writers, with their skills in crafting clear and compelling content, are necessary contributors to this ongoing effort, helping individuals and communities make informed decisions for better health and wellbeing.
References
Casey, Bernard. "Covid-19: Did Higher Trust Societies Fare Better?" Discover Social Science and Health, vol. 3, no. 1, 2023, p. 6. doi:10.1007/s44155-023-00035-3.
Durkin, Sarah, Lois Biener, and Melanie Wakefield. "Effects of Different Types of Antismoking Ads on Reducing Disparities in Smoking Cessation among Socioeconomic Subgroups." American Journal of Public Health, vol. 99, no. 12, 2009, pp. 2217-23. doi:10.2105/AJPH.2009.161638.
Rimal, Rajiv, and Maria Lapinski. "Why Health Communication Is Important in Public Health." Bulletin of the World Health Organization, vol. 87, no. 4, 2009, p. 247. doi:10.2471/BLT.08.056713.
Rudd, Rima E. "The Evolving Concept of Health Literacy: New Directions for Health Literacy Studies." Journal of Communication in Healthcare, vol. 8, no. 1, 2015, pp. 7-9.
Suarez-Lledo, Valentina, and Javier Alvarez-Galvez. "Prevalence of Health Misinformation on Social Media: Systematic Review." Journal of Medical Internet Research, vol. 23, no. 1, 2021. doi:10.2196/17187.
Suruchi, S., and Henderson, A. Health Communication Fundamentals: Planning, Implementation, and Evaluation in Public Health. 2023. doi:10.1891/9780826173027.
World Health Organization. "Health Literacy." World Health Organization, https://www.who.int/teams/health-promotion/enhanced-wellbeing/ninth-global-conference/health-literacy. Accessed 18 Oct. 2024.
Hi, I'm Rachel Pascal, a medical writer and healthcare communications expert with more than a decade of experience. I work with companies in the medical and healthcare industries, supporting them to tell evidence-based stories that cut through the jargon and stand out from the crowd.