Beyond Fact Sheets – Health Communication & Policy Briefs

1. Beyond Fact Sheets – Health Communication & Policy Briefs Kate Lynch, MIA – Communications Consultant Amy Ellings, MPH – Nutrition Specialist

2. Elements of the Marketing Mix – 4 P’s • PRODUCT (or service) • What is it? • PRICE • What cost is involved • (financial, time, emotional, physical, spiritual)? • PLACE • Where do we offer our product? • PROMOTION

3. What are we selling? • Our product: • Public health • Keeping people safe • Keeping people healthy • Improving health in communities

4. Kate’s Mantra….repeat after me: WHO IS YOUR AUDIENCE? • Internal • External

5. Communication Planning 101 – Journalist’s 5 W’s and an H • Who • What • Where • When • Why • How

6. Elements of the Plan • WHAT • SO What? • NOW What

7. Definitions • Health education: Planned combination of learning experiences about health for individuals, groups, or communities. Green & Kreuter 1999 • Health communication:The art and technique of informing, influencing, and motivating individual, institutional, and public audiences about important health issues. Ratzan 1994

8. Health communication & promotion • Inform • Persuade • Move to action

9. Communication Planning 101 – WHO? Kate’s Mantra….repeat after me: WHO IS YOUR AUDIENCE? WHO are YOU?

10. WHO are YOU? • White • Over 50 • Master’s degree • Single parent • I don’t get algebra • Speak English y un poco (a little) Spanish

11. WHO are YOU? • Black • Age 30 • High school graduate • Single parent • Active in church • Love to cook

13. Culture... • Offers a selective SCREEN between humans and the outside world. • Tells us what to pay ATTENTION to and what to IGNORE. “Beyond Culture,” Edward T. Hall

14. ¡Buenos dias!¿Habla español? Good morning! Do you speak Spanish?

15. Maybe it is time to learn! • 1 out of 10 in United States speak Spanish • Spanish usage grew 50% during 1990s • United States - most multilingual TresHistorias de la Vida

16. Hispanics/Latinos in Washington • In 1990, Latinos made up 4.4% of population • In 2000, Latinos made up 7.5% • In 2010, Latinos made up 10.2% • More than half of Latinos live in western Washington-358,901 • Yakima County-109,007 (46% of county) • Estimated 2010 population – 684,021 Sources: U.S. Census 2000 and state population estimates – Washington State Office of Financial Management

17. Ethnic Mix in Washington 2010 • 74% White • 10% Hispanic/Latino (of any race) • 7% Asian & Pacific Islander • 4% Black/African-American • 2% Am. Indian/Alaska Native • 3% Two or more races

18. In 2030 - nearly 1 in 3 in Washington will be a person of color • Asian, Pacific Islander, and Hispanic - largest and fastest growing groups • ‘Two or More Races’ most rapid growth • Black population will grow 60 % • Indians/Alaska Natives- 50 % increase • Non-Hispanic White population-11% decrease - Washington State Office of Financial Management

19. Starting points • U.S. Census: • www.census.gov • Washington Census data: • Office of Financial Management: http://www.ofm.wa.gov/pop/default.asp

20. Reaching your audience • Effective health promotion should be audience-centered • Communication needs to reflect audience preferences: • Format • Media choice (TV, radio, Web, etc.) - Healthy People 2010

21. KNOW your audience • Literacy • 90 million U.S. adults-marginal literacy • 33% of WA adults-marginal literacy • Limited English- 260,000 in Washington • Internet access

22. Who's Online 2010

24. Target: Gen X Moms Ages 33-44

25. Internet trends • Ages 18-32: use Internet for entertainment • Ages 12-32: read and write blogs, social networking, instant messaging • Ages 33-72: visit government websites • Ages 70-75: ‘Silver Tsunami’ – 45% online Pew Internet & American Life Project - 2009 www.pewinternet.org

26. Health Online • 83% of Internet users search online for health info • Most start with search engine, such as Google • 75% do not check source or date of health information • 17% of cell phone users looked up health info with phone • 9% have health-related phone “apps” Pew Internet & American Life Project www.pewinternet.org

27. People with chronic disease • 1 in 4 American adults live with a disability that interferes with daily activities. • 54% use the Internet • 41% have broadband • Adults living with chronic disease are less likely than healthy adults to have Internet access (62% vs. 81%) • Internet users with chronic illness – 51% search for health information Pew Internet & American Life Project www.pewinternet.org

29. Who is networking online? • 46% of all adults using Internet • 73% Facebook - median age 33 • 48% MySpace - median age 26 • 14% LinkedIn - median age 39 • 19% Twitter - median age 31 • Nearly 1 in 5 ages 18-24 tweet • 8% of all online users tweet Pew Internet & American Life Project 2009 www.pewinternet.org

30. Communication Planning 101 – WHAT? • What do you want to communicate about? • What would motivate your audience to pay attention or take action? So What? • What outcome do you want? Now What?

31. Communication plan – put it in writing • All written, spoken, and electronic interactions with your audiences • Organizational objectives • Audiences you wish to reach • Timetable, tools, budget • Evaluation of results

32. Energize Your Meetings • Target Audience- Meeting planners: focus groups, interviews • Secondary audience- Caterers: informational interviews • Tertiary audience- Policy makers at DOH

33. What?

34. So what?

35. Now what?

36. Energize Your Meetings- Department of Health Communication products • Colorful guide + faxable recommended foods sheet • EYM table tents • Instructions for DOH meeting planners • Short instructions for DOH meeting planners • Many, many PowerPoints Communication strategies • Post on intranet wellness page • Presentations • Program staff • Policy makers • Program managers • Articles in staff e-newsletter

37. Energize Your Meetings- Outcomes • DOH policies/procedures changed to encourage healthy meeting guidelines • Administrative staff using EYM • Healthier meetings and events

38. Energize Your Meetings- Outcomes • Spread to Washington Wellness program • 10 or more state agencies implementing • 2 state agencies have policy • Potential student project

39. “P”olicy

40. “p”olicy

41. Policy doesn’t just happen

42. Policy “steps” • Problem ID 2. Policy Formulation** 3. Advocacy** 4. Implementation 5. Evaluation

43. Policy Brief • Persuades reader to agree with or take a particular course of action • Not a lengthy literature review • Must be targeted to audience • Senior management (“p”) • Policy maker (“P”)

44. Common elements • Introduction • Overview • State problem or objective • Recommendations • Background • Analysis • Critique arguments • Use evidence to back it up • Conclusion • Persuasive • Sources

45. Tips • Avoid jargon • Keep your messages clear and concise • Be realistic and practical • Use good sources • List organizations that support policy option

46. Examples/Guides • http://www.policy.hu/ipf/fel-pubs/samples/PolicyBrief-described.pdf • http://resweb.llu.edu/rford/courses/ESSC500/minipapers.html

47. Policy brief activity • What is the basic point of your policy brief? • W says that X should do Y so that Z. • Are you convinced? Why or Why not? • Report to group

48. Contact Information Amy Ellings – 360-236-3754 – amy.ellings@doh.wa.gov Kate Lynch - 360-236-3064 – kate.lynch@doh.wa.gov