HCWG History
The American Public Health Association's (APHA) Public Health Promotion and Health Education (PHEHP) section expressed an interest in health communication at the 1997 and 1998 Annual APHA meetings in Indianapolis and Washington, DC, respectively. The Health Communication Working Group (HCWG) was formed out of a need for collaboration and the desire for a distinct identity within public health. The group surveyed PHEHP members who expressed an interest in health communication, and the results indicated that members hoped to gain several things from their association with the HCWG.
Six interest areas were identified:
- - Networking with colleagues;
- Learning about new strategies in health communication;
- Obtaining information about health communication issues;
- Learning about new technologies;
- Creating a voice or presence for health communication within APHA; and
- Obtaining information about job and training opportunities.
The respondents also expressed interest in training opportunities in the following areas:
- - Effective planning, development, implementation, and evaluation of health communication programs;
- Use of new technology in health communication;
- Health communication research;
- Risk communication;
- Application of theory in health communication;
- Leadership & organizational skills; and
- Obtaining funding.
Who We Are
At the 1998 annual meeting, four voluntary "teams" were formed to help advance the health communication interests of APHA members: Strategic Planning; Web Site; Annual Meeting; and Networking & Training. Each team along with the original steering committee meets monthly via conference call. A listserv was created to facilitate greater participation and sharing of information among public health professionals and students interested in health communication. To provide HCWG direction, a strategic planning team drafted a strategic plan which was shared with APHA members via the listserv. Revisions were made at the 1999 and 2001 meetings concerning both long term and short term goals for the group. The newest version will soon be available.