Public health communication competencies to support workforce transformation

Abstract 

Communication is essential to every position in public health, including environmental public health practitioners. The constantly evolving information environment and the complexity of modern public health challenges make effective communication more important than ever.  In response to calls for modernized and updated communication competencies, this CIHR-funded project is using a multi-step process to develop a contemporary health communication competency framework that will contribute to public health systems transformation. Through a collaborative consensus-building process involving health communication experts and the public health workforce, we developed a comprehensive and modernized competency framework with the goal of transforming communication in public health education, professional development, and practice. The competency statements within the new framework will be presented, which reflects the communication-related values, knowledge, skills, and behaviours essential for tackling complex public health issues. Examples of environmental public health practice will be woven throughout the presentation to contextualize the new competencies.

Speakers

Dr. Jennifer McWhirter (she/her), PhD, is an Associate Professor in the Department of Population Medicine at the University of Guelph and the Director and Principal Investigator of the Health by Design Lab. Her research focuses on the design and assessment of health information and built environments, and the systems that shape them, to promote health and well-being at the population level. She completed her PhD in the School of Public Health Sciences at the University of Waterloo with a focus on health communication and has cross-training in Landscape Design from the University of Guelph. Her research is funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, the Public Health Agency of Canada, and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council, and she’s been recognized by Health Promotion Canada with a Rising Star Award.

Dr. Melissa MacKay (she/her), MPH, PhD, is a Postdoctoral Scholar with research and teaching interests in health, risk, and crisis communication, and health promotion. She applies qualitative methods and evidence synthesis in combination with knowledge mobilization to maximize research impact. Her dissertation focused on trust in public health communication during the COVID-19 pandemic and she is lead author on the Social Media Crisis Communication Guidebook for Public Health. Dr. MacKay is an Instructor in the MPH program at the University of Guelph and a past faculty member at Conestoga College teaching communication and research methods. She has professional experience managing knowledge mobilization programs within public health, government, and academia.

Devon McAlpine (he/him) is a Master of Public Health student at the University of Guelph, set to graduate in April 2024. As a member of the Health by Design Lab, he has contributed to multiple aspects of the Public Health Communication Competencies project. Devon has early career experience in health promotion and is currently working as a student epidemiologist at the Public Health Agency of Canada. His academic and professional interests relate to improving population health outcomes through enhanced health communication and knowledge mobilization.