When Public Health Meets the Instagram Era

Communications Breakdown: What Works (and Doesn't) in Health and Science Communication

Send us a text

Remember when social media was just typing out a quick message and hitting “post”? Those days are long gone, replaced by the constant pressure to create eye-catching visuals that also have impact. This isn't just about aesthetics—it's about whether important health messages are being seen at all in today's crowded digital landscape.

In this candid conversation, we pull back the curtain on a struggle facing countless health communicators: the growing demands of visual communication in a field where most practitioners received little to no visual design training. We explore the disconnect between what public health students learn in school versus what they need in practice, and whether the return on investment for visual-first platforms justifies the resources required. Beyond identifying problems, we discuss strategic approaches to platform selection, ways to develop visual communication skills, and how reframing challenges through positive motivation can transform outcomes.
Have you experienced similar challenges in your health communication work? We'd love to hear your thoughts and strategies! Talk to us on LinkedIn, Bluesky, and YouTube, or text using the link at the top of this box.

In the episode we refer to the PH Wins report (Public Health Workforce Interests and Needs Survey). You can find that document at: https://debeaumont.org/phwins/2024-survey/

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

This podcast is a project of the Center for Injury Research Translation and Communication (CIRTC). Connect with CIRTC: www.cirtc.org

Find CIRTC on LinkedIn, Bluesky, and YouTube.

Note: all thoughts and opinions shared in this podcast are personal and not representative of any organization.

فصول

1. Introduction to Communications Breakdown (00:00:00)

2. The Growing Demands of Visual Communication (00:02:19)

3. The Graphic Design Skill Gap (00:06:21)

4. Social Media's Visual Transformation (00:10:07)

5. Platform Challenges and ROI Questions (00:16:38)

6. Finding Motivation Through Positive Framing (00:22:29)

7. Conclusion and Special Treat (00:30:44)