On March 20 and 21, 2023, the Board on Science Education at the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine hosted a workshop titled Effective Health Communication within the Current Information Environment and the Role of the Federal Government. Workshop speakers and participants, a majority of whom were working in government agencies in federal health communication or leadership positions, joined both in person in Washington, D.C. as well as virtually to explore the current health information environment as it pertains to public trust and behavior change, explore how federal health agencies can communicate effectively within the current information environment and what is needed to support effective health communication moving forward. This publication summarizes the presentations and discussion of the workshop.

Table of Contents

Front Matter 1 Introduction 2 Key Cross-Cutting Challenges and the Implications for Federal Health Communication 3 Capacity: Listening to and Engaging Communities 4 Capacity: Digital Data and Information Systems 5 Capacity: Expertise and Human Capital 6 Capacity: Organizational Capacities for Agility 7 Capacity: Building Relationships to Enhance Effective Health Communication 8 Key Themes and Final Reflections References Appendix A: Workshop Agenda Appendix B: Participants and Committee Biographies Appendix C: Insights from Community Engagement Breakout Sessions Appendix D: Insights from Data and Information Systems Breakout Sessions Appendix E: Insights from Expertise and Human Capital for Research and Evaluation in Federal Health Communication Breakout Sessions