Category: Persuasive Communication

Strategic Skill Area

Leveraging a bilingual communications campaign to promote physical activity: Muévete a tu Manera

Course Objective

  • Discuss the recommendations in the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, 2nd edition and key findings to be communicated 
  • Identify physical activity trends and diabetes prevalence in Spanish speaking populations 
  • Describe how communities can leverage Muévete a tu Manera campaign to promote physical activity for Spanish speakers 
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Date: January 10th, 2023

Presenter:
Joshua Chigozie Ogbuefi, MPH
Health Communications Fellow
Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (ODPHP)
U.S Department of Health and Human Services 

In this month’s Log-in2Learn, Joshua Chigozie Ogbuefi discusses the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans 2nd edition (Guidelines) and its key recommendations and findings related to how much physical activity Americans need and the benefits of physical activity, including the prevention of chronic diseases like type 2 diabetes. Additionally, Ogbuefi identifies current physical activity rates among U.S populations and the estimated burden of diagnosed and undiagnosed diabetes among Spanish speaking populations. Lastly, Ogbuefi highlights a bilingual communications campaign that focuses on increasing awareness and knowledge of the Guidelines, physical activity self-efficacy, and changing behavior. Ogbuefi describes how organizations can leverage the campaign to promote physical activity in their communities.

Participants will be able to:

  1. Discuss the recommendations in the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, 2nd edition and key findings to be communicated 
  2. Identify physical activity trends and diabetes prevalence in Spanish speaking populations 
  3. Describe how communities can leverage Muévete a tu Manera campaign to promote physical activity for Spanish speakers 
Communicate More Effectively: Psychological Principles to Change Behavior and Improve Outcomes

Course Objective

  • Describe what behavioral economics is, with examples of behavioral economics in action
  • Understand how to create messaging for disseminating public health data and information using behavioral economics principles
  • List and explain some key biases related to communicating information to influence behavior and improve health
  • Discuss some ethical considerations around the use of behavioral economics in communication
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Date: June 30th, 2022

Presenter:
Suzanne Kirkendall, MPH
CEO, BVA Nudge Consulting North America

This course empowers public health professionals to communicate more effectively with the public. To do so, learners will discover the basics of behavioral economics, key psychological principles that are important in communications, and the five-step process for how to apply these principles to their communications ethically and effectively. This is illustrated with a case study on how these new skills could be applied to a real-life situation.

Learners will be able to:

  1. Describe what behavioral economics is, with examples of behavioral economics in action
  2. Understand how to create messaging for disseminating public health data and information using behavioral economics principles
  3. List and explain some key biases related to communicating information to influence behavior and improve health
  4. Discuss some ethical considerations around the use of behavioral economics in communication
Strategic Storytelling: Using Data to Tell a Story and Telling Stories with Data

Course Objective

  • Describe how to find a story within a set of data points and how to use data effectively within a story. 
  • Summarize different ways to use data both ethically and effectively in a story.
  • Explain how to tell stories of structure change.
  • List Edward Tufte’s six guidelines for the visual display of information.
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Date: February  2, 2021

Presenter:
Mark Dessauer, MA
Vice President of Learning
Spitfire Strategies

In the final webinar of our Strategic Storytelling series, Mark Dessauer, MA, shows us how public health practitioners can use data points to build a story and demonstrate impact. He walks us through the steps of finding a story in data and provides clear guidelines to ensure that the story we choose is engaging. He introduces the seven different types of data stories, while highlighting their strengths and weaknesses along the way. Mark emphasizes the most important dos and don’ts of using data in stories and shares vital infographic tips. After reviewing several examples of data stories, he explores how to tell stories about structural change and provides an overview of Tufte’s guidelines of the visual display of information. Finally, he shares a number of valuable resources to help enhance the use of data in creating effective stories.

Participants will be able to:

  1. Describe how to find a story within a set of data points and how to use data effectively within a story. 
  2. Summarize different ways to use data both ethically and effectively in a story.
  3. Explain how to tell stories of structure change.
  4. List Edward Tufte’s six guidelines for the visual display of information.
Collecting, Creating and Sharing Ethical Stories

Course Objective

  • Describe why framing and narratives of stories are the building blocks to changing hearts and mindsets. 
  • Explain ethics in storytelling and identify how to collect, create, and share stories in a manner that is respectful for the protagonist and community. 
  • Summarize different ways to find and collect stories from their staff, partners, and community.
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Date: December 1st, 2020

Presenter:
Mark Dessauer, MA
Vice President of Learning
Spitfire Strategies

In this month’s Log-in2Learn, Mark Dessauer, MA, is back for part two of the storytelling in public health series. Following his October webinar on the power of storytelling, he now shifts the focus on how to share the stories of others in an ethical way. He first discusses how stories can and have gone wrong in the past. He explains in detail the components that make up a good story, including the framing, narrative, influencers etc. Next, he emphasizes why ethical storytelling is so important and walks us through the 4 elements that can help achieve this. He goes on to talk about how to find these stories and where they can and should be shared. Throughout the session, Mark reiterates ways to keep the subjects of the story involved in the process and how to navigate the balance of power. Finally, he ends by sharing a number of tools that are effective in creating narratives around health equity.

Following the webinar participants will be able to:

  1. Describe why framing and narratives of stories are the building blocks to changing hearts and mindsets.
  2. Explain ethics in storytelling and identify how to collect, create, and share stories in a manner that is respectful for the protagonist and community.
  3. Summarize different ways to find and collect stories from their staff, partners, and community.
Strategic Storytelling for Public Health

Course Objective

  • Describe the value and power of using stories to engage audiences in a strategic manner
  • Identify six different types of stories to use when engaging audiences
  • Explain techniques for creating powerful stories, including both the process of telling stories and the content
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Date: October 6th 2020

Presenter:
Mark Dessauer, MA
Vice President of Learning
Spitfire Strategies

In this month’s Log-in2Learn, Mark Dessauer, MA, discusses the power of storytelling and how to optimize it. He emphasizes the importance of using stories as a public health tool to engage diverse audiences. He talks about the impact stories can have on changing existing narratives and addressing cultural norms. During this time of uncertainty, Mark stresses the need to use stories to connect people by sharing emotions and experiences that reflect their communities. He reiterates the use of this strategy to shed light on untold stories and to encourage equitable visibility. He also makes use of a variety of examples to demonstrate the effective use of this strategy to influence changes in attitudes and behaviors. Lastly, Mark walks us through the “storyteller’s toolbox”, providing insights on the types of stories to share, what angles to take and how to best showcase them.

Participants will learn how to the following:

  1. Describe the value and power of using stories to engage audiences in a strategic manner
  2. Identify six different types of stories to use when engaging audiences
  3. Explain techniques for creating powerful stories, including both the process of telling stories and the content
Assessing your Audience for More Effective Cross-Sector Collaboration

Course Objective

  • Define an audience analysis
  • List approaches to audience analysis
  • Describe how to conduct an audience analysis based on situational characteristics
  • Describe how to conduct an audience analysis based on demographic characteristics
  • Describe how to conduct an audience analysis based on audience disposition and motivation
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Launch Date: June 30, 2020

Subject Matter Expert:
Nick Linardopoulos, PhD
Assistant Teaching Professor & Public Speaking Coordinator
Rutgers University, School of Communication & Information, Department of Communication

Multi-sector collaboration is increasingly important for addressing health challenges. This training focuses on assessing audiences to develop tailored communication strategies for building collaborative partnerships. Using a case approach based in fictitious Tycho County, this training will describe the steps of developing an Audience Analysis strategy in order to build cross-sectoral partnerships to address opioid misuse.

Participants will learn about the following:

  1. Define an audience analysis
  2. List approaches to audience analysis
  3. Describe how to conduct an audience analysis based on situational characteristics
  4. Describe how to conduct an audience analysis based on demographic characteristics
  5. Describe how to conduct an audience analysis based on audience disposition and motivation
Writing for the Public : The Building BRIDGES Approach

Course Objective

  • Describe the rhetorical triangle and its components, and how it can be used to analyze communication
  • Identify assumptions you have about your audience and how these influence your writing
  • Construct an empathy map to help focus your writing
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Date: December 3rd, 2019

Presenter:
Anne Marie Liebel, EdD
President
Health Communication Partners LLC.

Public health professionals often construct or contribute to written materials about health topics, which are intended for a broad audience. This webinar explains concrete strategies for writing to the public, based in the building BRIDGES approach.

Drawing from both classical rhetoric and the New Literacy Studies, this webinar teaches ways to communicate effectively with the public. Using real-world examples, you’ll learn skills to break down various forms of communication, from pamphlets to websites. You’ll have a chance to explore your own assumptions about your audiences and see how empathy can enhance your writing. You’ll also learn a strategic way to maintain health literacy principles while getting your point across in oral, digital, and multimodal communications.

Participants will learn how to:

  1. Describe the rhetorical triangle and its components, and how it can be used to analyze communication
  2. Identify assumptions you have about your audience and how these influence your writing
  3. Construct an empathy map to help focus your writing
Strategic Skills Training Series: Introduction to Persuasive Communication

Course Objective

By the end of this module, you should know how to:

  • Identify the key theories of persuasion
  • Identify instances where key theories of persuasion can be applied in a public health context
  • Conduct an audience analysis assessment for a persuasive presentation in a public health setting
  • Describe how to assess elements of key theories of persuasion to create a persuasive argument

…and see how you can incorporate these concepts in your practice to address a major public health crisis.

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The Strategic Skills Training Series developed by the Region 2 PHTC aims to help prepare public health leaders and the public health workforce to develop the practices and competencies associated with being a Chief Health Strategist. The modules in this series use the community health improvement planning process to introduce you to the basics of the following four strategic skills areas. The first set of modules have been developed at an introductory level; the next part of the series will build on these foundational modules.

To help you think about ways to leverage these skills in your journey as a Chief Health Strategist to address real world problems in your community, the modules will utilize a case study approach, set in the fictitious Tycho County.

Follow how the Tycho County Health Department could adopt a systems approach to inform its thinking and planning while developing a community health improvement plan focused on a familiar public health problem, opioid misuse.

In this module, you will learn some strategy-based communication principles you can use across different settings and audiences.

Building BRIDGES to Communicate with Multi-Sector Partners

Course Objective

  • Describe the process of identifying others’ positions including values, actions, and resources
  • Explain how differing definitions of key issues and problems can create misunderstanding
  • Identify systems and structures that support collaboration
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Date: September 10, 2019

Presenter:
Dr. Anne Marie Liebel, EdD.
President
Health Comunication Partners LLC.

This month’s Log-in2Learn is the second in a three-part series designed to help you convey public health messages that resonate with audiences outside of public health. Using the approach of building BRIDGES, Dr. Anne Marie Liebel concentrates on communication strategies to use with potential collaborative partners.

It is well known that multi-sectoral partnerships are key to addressing some of society’s most deep-seated problems, and that multiple perspectives are beneficial in seeking to affect meaningful and sustainable change. It is essential in such collaborative efforts to be able to build on commonalities, and communicate across differences, recognizing various stakeholders’ goals, assumptions, and approaches.

Drawing on policy sociology and inquiry-as-stance, this webinar explores communication to and from policy-makers, the media, and other potential partners. You’ll have the opportunity to explore the main challenges in successful cross-sector communication. You’ll examine how communicating with multi sector partners contrasts with communicating with a public health audience. And you’ll learn the steps for building bridges to potential collaborators.

Participants will learn how to:

  1. Describe the process of identifying others’ positions including values, actions, and resources
  2. Explain how differing definitions of key issues and problems can create misunderstanding
  3. Identify systems and structures that support collaboration
Combating the Opioid Crisis with Audience-Centric Communications Strategies

Course Objective

  • Describe audience knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs around the risks of prescription opioids
  • Develop messaging models that build knowledge in a logical, audience-centric sequence
  • Identify communications strategies to reduce risky management of prescription opioids
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Date: July 9, 2019

Presenter:
Sophia Lerdahl
Group Management Director, Substance Programs
Rescue: The Behavior Change Agency

This webinar discusses the various communication strategies used to reach the diverse audiences surrounding Opioid Misuse. Participants will learn about effective communication strategies in combating the Opioid Crisis from Sophia Lerdahl, Group Management Director at Rescue.

Participants will learn how to:

  1. Describe audience knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs around the risks of prescription opioids
  2. Develop messaging models that build knowledge in a logical, audience-centric sequence
  3. Identify communications strategies to reduce risky management of prescription opioids
Region 2 Public Health Training Center