Can We Talk? Making a Better Case for Tobacco Control

McGoldrick, Danny

Thursday, August 16, 2012: 2:00 PM

3501H (Kansas City Convention Center)

Danny McGoldrick, MA , Research, Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, Washington, DC

Elaine Arkin, MS , Robert Wood Johnson Foundation

Ms. Annaliese Calhoun, MSW , Washington University in St Louis, Center for Public Health Systems Science, St Louis, MO

Learning Objectives

At the conclusion of this presentation attendees will be able to:

Understand best practices in the language and framing of general health issues.
Identify opportunities for effective use of data and information to support – not make – the case for tobacco control.
Create more compelling frames, messages and metaphors to communicate about tobacco control issues.

Cross Cutting Program Area(s): Tobacco Control Movement – Skills Building and Tobacco Control Policies

Audience:

Tobacco control professionals, researchers and advocates working at the local, state and national level.

Key Points:

Effective communication is a foundational skill for anyone working in tobacco control. We all need to be able to communicate persuasively about the value of tobacco control efforts - with our colleagues, stakeholders, policy-makers, the general public and the media.

A 2010 Robert Wood Johnson (RWJ) Foundation report, A New Way to Talk about the Social Determinants of Health, examines the power of “deep metaphors” in how people understand and talk about health issues, and suggests effective frames, narratives, messages, and proxy statements that activate those metaphors.

The Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids (CTFK) and the RWJ Foundation have conducted message testing on prevention and tobacco control, and CTFK has a wealth of field-experience on effective frames and messages to support tobacco control efforts.

Researchers at Washington University in St. Louis have studied the factors that support sustainability of tobacco control programs and developed a Program Sustainability Framework which includes effective communications.

Educational Experience:

A moderated panel, beginning with presentations from the panelists, followed by audience questions.

Benefits:

As directed by Best Practices in Tobacco Control, state and local tobacco control programs have worked to achieve organizational, systems and policy changes. However, across the country these programs are facing drastic cuts in funding. It is vital that tobacco control professionals and advocates know how to communicate persuasively about the value of tobacco control efforts.