Effective Health Communication Within the Current Information Environment and the Role of the Federal Government

On March 20 and 21, 2023, the Board on Science Education at the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine hosted a workshop titled Effective Health Communication within the Current Information Environment and the Role of the Federal Government. Workshop speakers and participants, a majority of whom were working in government agencies in federal health communication or leadership positions, joined both in person in Washington, D.C. as well as virtually to explore the current health information environment as it pertains to public trust and behavior change, explore how federal health agencies can communicate effectively within the current information environment and what is needed to support effective health communication moving forward. This publication summarizes the presentations and discussion of the workshop.Table of ContentsFront Matter1 Introduction2 Key Cross-Cutting Challenges and the Implications for Federal Health Communication3 Capacity: Listening to and Engaging Communities4 Capacity: Digital Data and Information Systems5 Capacity: Expertise and Human Capital6 Capacity: Organizational Capacities for Agility7 Capacity: Building Relationships to Enhance Effective Health Communication8 Key Themes and Final ReflectionsReferencesAppendix A: Workshop AgendaAppendix B: Participants and Committee BiographiesAppendix C: Insights from Community Engagement Breakout SessionsAppendix D: Insights from Data and Information Systems Breakout SessionsAppendix E: Insights from Expertise and Human Capital for Research and Evaluation in Federal Health Communication Breakout Sessions