VTPMD 6191 - Public Health Communications

(CU-SBY)

Fall. 2 credits. Letter grades only.

Enrollment limited to: MPH students; graduate students by permission of instructor.

A. Greiner Safi.

This course will focus on the role communication (written, oral, visual, nonverbal) plays in advancing public health practice, policy and outcomes. This course will introduce students to key concepts and provide a foundation for further exploration and depth. Over the term, we will incorporate theory, best practices, examples, cultural considerations, various media/platforms and skill development. We will address the basics of relevant communication theory, including theories of behavior change, and the role health literacy plays in advancing public health and health equity. With this foundation, students will gain appreciation for communication’s influence on public health and determinants at individual and population levels. Students will assess a range of public health communication efforts and their impacts on audiences, evaluate audience needs, and design a public health communication product tailored to an audience for a specific goal.