Public Health Education & Health Promotion section:

Health Communication Working Group

Est. in 1998

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The Health Communication Working Group (HCWG) is part of the American Public Health Association’s (APHA) Public Health Education and Health Promotion (PHEHP) section, and the leading advocate for, and authority on, the use of communication and marketing approaches to improve the public's health.  HCWG is also a member of the Coalition for Health Communication (CHC).
 

This year the HCWG turns “10”

Join us to Celebrate

HCWG@10...

at the 136th APHA Annual Meeting in San Diego, CA October 26-29th

Napa Valley Grille

 

Social Event: HCWG 10th Year Anniversary & Awards Ceremony

Date: Sunday October 26th ,2008

Time: 7:00-10PM

Place: The Nappa Valley Grille… at 502 Horton Plaza overlooking the San Diego harbor
(a short walk from the Convention Center)

Other HCWG Activities for APHA Week of October 26-29:

1. HCWG Solicited Sessions (see APHA agenda)

§        The Best of Public Health Communication: Ten Years of Accomplishments, Opportunities and Challenges.

§        International Models for Strategic Health Communications along

2. 5th Annual APHA Film and Media Festival

3. Health Communications panel discussions & poster sessions

4. Business Breakfast Meeting on Monday October 27, at 6:30 AM.

 

 
Letter from the Chairperson


Thank you for taking the time to visit us!  It is a very special time for our group and its members.  HCWG becomes 10-years old this year, and we are all celebrating with multiple events at the 2008 APHA Annual Meeting in San Diego!  You are all invited to attend!

I am very humbled to serve as the current HCWG chair, and look forward to continuing the work of recent past chairs Jude McDivitt and Meg Young, who always aimed at being inclusive and creating bridges among different public health disciplines and professionals.  As our immediate past chair, Jude remains Chair Emeritus, and also serves on several subcommittees.  I also want to recognize the APHA Public Health Education and Health Promotion (PHEHP) section, chaired by Kathi Wilson, to which HCWG has belonged since its creation.

Since the HCWG was founded in 1998, there is a lot to celebrate about the field of public health communications and its strategic contributions to promoting health and preventing disease. Health communication is now being recognized as a key strategic and multidisciplinary approach in helping advance public health goals (for example, health communication was included for the first time in Healthy People 2010). Its renewed focus on health and social behavior outcomes has generated an increased enthusiasm and interest in this field and has prompted the flourishing of academic programs and training opportunities both in the US and abroad.

Over the past 10 years, HCWG has been part of the health communication “renaissance.” Among other things, HCWG has contributed to promoting understanding and discussion of health communication research, theory and practice at the APHA annual meeting as well as in other academic and professional settings.  The group has also provided a home within the larger APHA to many professionals from academia, practice, non-profit organizations, government agencies and other key local and national public health institutions. As a member of HCWG, I have been able to work with many interesting and dedicated health communication and social marketing scholars, practitioners, and promising students, whom I might not have otherwise met.

As part of its mission to provide opportunities for interaction and information exchange, the HCWG maintains this website and a listserv.  We also sponsor several activities at the Annual APHA meetings such as scientific sessions, invited panel discussions, student poster sessions, and the Annual APHA Film and Media Festival, which is now in its 5th year.  Some of our invited sessions at the APHA conference have addressed evaluating media campaigns, media advocacy, risk communications, interpersonal communications, and the intersection between health communication, health education, and social marketing. 

Last but not least, we make time for networking -- at our annual APHA social event on the Sunday night of the conference.  We also conduct business meetings during the conference, which you are all invited to attend to learn more about HCWG Steering Committee, activities and programs. I invite you to become involved with the Health Communication Working Group by coming to our events and sessions at this year’s APHA conference in San Diego in October, or by contacting me directly at renata@renataschiavo.com.  Also, please feel free to drop a note with questions or just to say hello.

Renata Schiavo

HCWG Chair, 2007-2008

 

 

 

 

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Last Updated August 2008
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