Trust & Effectiveness in Public Health Communications

Federal agencies keep America running. Whether researching and communicating about public health, serving Veterans, or ensuring the transportation infrastructure underpinning our economy is working, their jobs have great significance.

As officials fight generationally high inflation and support America’s post-pandemic recovery, the way they address these issues, and the public’s perceptions of those actions, can affect the federal government’s response to the next crisis.

Trust is a key marker for agencies’ legitimacy with the public, and it is essential for these institutions to achieve success. Without the public’s trust, agencies face an uphill battle when it comes to fulfilling their missions. Agencies responsible for public health are especially reliant on trust to drive adherence to their recommendations and reduction in behavioral risks.

Policymakers and government officials need to understand this. Listen in as we share new research exploring how Americans view key agencies and how, especially for the CDC, a crisis can undermine public trust.

It’s critical for decision-makers to understand that declining trust in government hasn’t just been a byproduct of a tumultuous few years—it’s been building up over the past few decades. But there is something you can do about it. Expect to hear more about:

• Context about where we are now with key insights from our research, Why government decision-makers can’t ignore the public’s trust;
• Tips for testing public service announcements and social marketing campaigns to improve effectiveness, especially in terms of influencing the public’s attitudes and behavioral intention;
• Effective approaches for evaluating your social marketing campaigns in-market, with case studies from our work for the Ad Council in testing and refining calls-to-action.