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Public Health Communication
Highest Rated
Rating: 4.7 out of 5(36 ratings)
91 students

Public Health Communication

Public Engagement and Media Skills for Health Professionals
Last updated 9/2024
English

What you'll learn

  • Give punchy, memorable, and impactful media interviews
  • Craft messages to the public, managers, and other stakeholders that they can actually understand!
  • Manage public engagement in times of emergency and crisis without causing panic or creating unrealistic expectations
  • Master the various tools of public health communication, from social media to newspaper op-eds

Course content

5 sections5 lectures3h 44m total length
  • The Challenge of Public Health Communication45:29

    In this opening lecture, I share my journey through the science and art of public health communication. During the worst of the COVID pandemic, I did well over 2000 media interviews and experienced hate mail and even threats of violence for daring to explain the nature of a disease and its public health implications. This presentation lays bare the reality of the current public discourse landscape, where social and ideological divisions require that we who communicate with the public do so carefully and with full understanding of the implications of our words.

  • Pandemic Communication in Your Country

Requirements

  • No experience needed. No special software or materials are needed, either. Just bring an inquiring mind and an eagerness to listen and learn!

Description

While meant for graduate students of health science disciplines and professionals working in public health, this course is also useful for the layperson and anyone interested in the art and science of professional public engagement. It consists of five lectures covering the topics of:


(1) The current divisive landscape of public communication in health and health care: the COVID-19 pandemic has changed health communication and raised the stakes.

(2) The traditional academic models of public communication, their advantages and disadvantages: standard models fail us in the new political reality.

(3) How to speak and write in so-called "plain language": it's not about "dumbing down" the language, but about understanding the message.

(4) The tools available to the modern communicator, including social media and newspaper op-ed articles: writing is still among the most important skills.

(5) How to prepare for TV and print interviews: media training isn't about dodging the question, but about message discipline, charm, and credibility.


The course is taught by a seasoned public health communicator with well over 2000 media interviews under his belt. Professor Deonandan is an award-winning scientist, teacher, writer, and public speaker. In this new era of continuous public health crisis and an ideologically divided population, it's important that professionals get used to crafting their message for the public eye.

Who this course is for:

  • Students and professionals in the health sciences, medicine, public health, or public service who need to engage with the public or with other stakeholders