Exploring Messaging and Lessons Learned

Background: Health communicators are tasked with both distilling complex public health messages into clear and actionable plain language and using communication methods that reach the intended audience. However, some public health topics are particularly complex and public health social media handles are often followed by public health practitioners and other service providers, so reaching and relating to intended audiences can be difficult.

Program background: In 2018, CDC and AAP re-imagined how traditional public health messaging about adverse childhood experiences might be complemented by partnering with social media influencers who could act as trusted messengers to speak directly to parents within their communities.

Evaluation Methods and Results: Michelle Garrett, a Columbia, SC-based parent and social media creator, will speak from her perspective as it relates to participation as an influencer over the course of several activations. Her presentation will show the power of combining compelling, personal storytelling with foundational, evidence-based messaging as a way to engage audiences around a complex public health topic like ACEs. By leading with vulnerable storytelling, Michelle opened the door for her readers to learn about ACEs and many responded by sharing reflections on their own childhood experiences in light of what they had learned through her posts. Michelle will also speak to the personal impact of collaborating on ACEs education with respect to parenting and processing her own childhood adversity, and how she has taken learnings beyond official campaign work by continuing to spread awareness about ACEs in the local community.

Conclusions: Through the work, AAP and CDC discovered that with proper training and through rich personal storytelling, social influencers can engage their audiences in a more personal and relatable way, making complex public health messages more accessible, understandable, and actionable.

Implications for research and/or practice: The outcomes of this project increase knowledge about how social media influencers might serve as trusted messengers when disseminating complex public health messages. As a result of this work, there will be increased understanding of how public health practitioners and their strategic partners can build powerful communications to advance public health prevention through personal stories.