Training

• Identify common features of charts and graphs that can distort or mislead interpretation and apply a structured approach to reading visual data accurately.
• Apply a practical framework for evaluating the quality and relevance of scientific evidence, including study design, sample characteristics, and conflict of interest.
• Recognize cognitive biases, including confirmation bias, anchoring, and the availability heuristic, that can affect how public health professionals interpret and communicate data.
• Select appropriate data visualizations and plain-language communication strategies to match the needs of different audiences, including leadership and the public.
• Structure a data-driven message using the What → So What → Now What framework, connecting evidence to a clear, audience-appropriate call to action.
• Diagnose common behavioral barriers to action and match recommended interventions to those barriers using behavioral science principles.

Public health professionals work with data every day. But the goal isn’t just to look at numbers — it’s to use them to make decisions. Because of this, understanding data is a core part of public health work. Being able to interpret evidence clearly helps you explain what the data mean, identify the right next steps, and communicate those insights to others. In this module, you’ll build practical skills for interpreting public health data and communicating it in ways that lead to informed decisions and effective action.