Course Description:
Communicating the data” and “following the science” are inadequate if real people’s needs, behaviors, and values are not well understood and centered in our health policies and messages. In this course, students will deepen their knowledge of health equity, population health, and the determinants that impact health in the systems and environments we live in and rely on. At the same time, we will explore how mis- and dis-information, medical mistrust and hesitancy, and the influences of mass media shape and control narratives that have enormous impact on people’s lives.
This course is designed for students working both in health communications and outside of the health sector. We will explore health communication practices and engagement methods like crisis and risk communications, health literacy and promotion, and strategic communications. Activities and assignments will be designed to help communication leaders build practical skills, such as developing briefings and op-eds, facilitating discussions, and creating crisis comms plans.
The pandemic highlighted critical challenges in both equity and health communication. Today, every communication professional must grasp how to effectively communicate about health and navigate the complex public health systems that shape our lives. Taught by a leading expert in health communication, this class is essential for anyone looking to understand key health policies and how to convey them, no matter the industry they plan to enter. I highly recommend it. – Ekin Yasin, Director
University of Washington
Department of Communication