Health Affairs Perspective: What Can You Say When You Can’t Say Everything?
This article authored by Berkeley Media Studies Group, a program of the Public Health Institute, makes the case for how public health messengers can communicate clearly and in context, despite challenges in the field.
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Berkeley Media Studies Group
Communications is an essential part of public health—from conveying meaning behind new research, to shaping public policy that can promote healthier living, to sharing critical information with communities during crises. But communicating in today’s complex political and media landscape presents unique challenges. Health communicators must routinely ask questions like:
- How do you communicate clearly when everything feels urgent?
- Where can we step back from an individual’s story to understand the broader issues facing communities?
- How can public health practitioners cut through confusion while building trust?
This Health Affairs Perspective from PHI’s Berkeley Media Studies Group examines how health communicators can inform clearly, thoughtfully and contextually in this moment.
In every communication context—from research papers to quotes on the nightly news—people must make thoughtful choices about what to say. Communication, therefore, is always an act of selection that requires both a clear purpose and a visible connection to the broader contexts for public health measures.Perspective: What Can You Say When You Can’t Say Everything?
Health Affairs
The piece also provides practical guidance for effective public health communication, including how to foster trust and accountability by reducing jargon, addressing power differentials and centering community voices.
Read the Full PieceOriginally published by Health Affairs
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