Communication Resources for Academic Public Health
Effective communication is essential to advancing academic public health, fostering collaboration, and building public trust. This Communication Resources for Academic Public Health document is designed to equip our members and those working in public health with the tools, messaging strategies, and best practices needed to communicate the value of public health clearly and persuasively.
This resource brings together key guides, toolkits, and frameworks developed by ASPPH and our partners to support members and those working in public health in their advocacy, engagement, and public messaging efforts. Whether addressing misinformation, strengthening partnerships, or promoting the critical role of public health, these materials will help you craft compelling, evidence-based narratives that resonate with diverse audiences.
We encourage you to explore and utilize these resources to amplify the impact of your communications and elevate the voice of academic public health while driving meaningful progress in the field.
ASPPH Resources
2025 ASPPH Academic Public Health Messaging Guide
An updated resource designed to help us collectively articulate the critical role of public health in improving lives and strengthening economies.
2024 ASPPH Messaging Guide
A comprehensive resource designed to help ASPPH members and those in public health effectively communicate the impact and importance of their work.
ASPPH’s Empowering Policymakers to Become Supporters of and Invest in Public Health
Key messaging and resources for ASPPH members to advocate for sustained public health investments.
ASPPH’s Confronting Mis and Disinformation in Public Health
ASPPH’s Advocacy Resources (Member-only)
Engaging Public Health Officials Online: Strategies for Effective Communication (ASPPH Presents Webinar – March 5, 2025)
ASPPH’s Fostering Community Partnerships for A Healthier World report (PDF)
Partner and Member Resources
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Communication Resources
- The CDC provides a collection of resources aimed at assisting public health professionals in developing effective communication strategies. These include training materials, toolkits, and templates designed to enhance health communication efforts.
de Beaumont Foundation
Emory Rollins School of Public Health
- Public Health Priorities and the Pathway Forward: Americans’ views on public health priorities, progress, and trust in sources of information
Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health’s Center for Health Communication Resources
- This resource library offers practical tools and guides to improve health communication skills, including tips for making health data understandable and creating accessible health messages.
KFF
- KFF Health Policy 101: Public Health – The new chapter includes explanations of key public health frameworks, services, capabilities, and characteristics as well as how the public health system works in state, local and territorial governments, and also includes sections on public health funding, workforce, and communication challenges in an era of declining trust.
National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO)
- NACCHO’s Toolbox is a free, online collection of public health tools, including communication materials, shared by members of the public health community.
Public Health Communications Collaborative (PHCC)
- The Public Health Communicators Guide to Misinformation
- Answers to Tough Questions about Public Health
- How to Build Cross-Sector Partnerships that Improve Public Health
- To be a trusted public health communicator in times of uncertainty, you need to proactively connect with your audience, acknowledge what you know and don’t, lead with individual choice, and maintain consistency, composure, and commitment in your messaging. Explore best practices for communicating in times of uncertainty through the Public Health Communications Collaborative’s “CALM Approach.” This approach also addresses leveraging the “bridging statements” tactic, which is rooted in trust and communication-building best practices. Additional information can be found at the CALM Approach and Build Bridges Statements.
- Plain Language for Public Health: A guide to creating accessible and effective health messages.
Your Local Epidemiologist
Additional Tips for Messaging Public Health:
Key Themes and Strategies
Highlight The Value of Public Health
- Highlight the foundational role of public health in improving quality of life, extending life expectancy, and enhancing community resilience.
- Use specific examples to illustrate public health’s impact, such as reduced disease rates, disaster preparedness, and improved maternal and child health outcomes.
- Emphasize the economic value of prevention: every dollar spent on public health saves money on healthcare costs and economic losses.
Nonpartisan and Evidence-Based Advocacy
- Frame public health as a shared priority that transcends political affiliations.
- Use evidence and data to support messaging, avoiding partisan language or divisive framing.
- Showcase success stories where public health initiatives have benefited all communities.
Focus on Current Challenges
- Highlight how public health addresses pressing issues like pandemics, mental health crises, climate change, and health equity.
- Advocate for public health’s role in addressing social determinants of health, ensuring that all communities have access to clean air, water, safe housing, and nutritious food.
Engaging Stakeholders
- Stress the importance of partnerships with businesses, community organizations, and policymakers to amplify impact.
- Position academic public health as a resource for innovation, research, and workforce development.
- Encourage collaboration with local and state governments to align priorities and maximize resources.
Public Health as a Catalyst for National Security
- Frame public health as integral to national security by emphasizing its role in pandemic response, bioterrorism prevention, and global health diplomacy.
- Highlight how investments in public health infrastructure strengthen preparedness and resilience.
Human-Centered Storytelling
- Share personal stories that humanize public health issues and connect with audiences emotionally.
- Feature real-life examples of individuals or communities positively impacted by public health initiatives.
Call to Action
- Encourage action-oriented steps, such as supporting public health funding, workforce training, or specific legislation that strengthens public health infrastructure.
- Provide clear pathways for stakeholders to advocate for public health priorities at local, state, and national levels.
