publications

BMSG's issue series

Reimagining public space to benefit health and foster community: A case study of Salinas’ annual Ciclovía

Thursday, March 29, 2018

Each year, public health advocates and youth organizers in Salinas, California, close traffic to a mile-and-a-half-stretch of one of the city’s busiest streets, transforming it into a community event filled with physical activity and fun. Known as Ciclovía, the event serves a bigger purpose: to reduce violence, forge community bonds, and promote health equity. To understand how organizers are advancing those goals, this case study explores the origins of Ciclovía, its successes and setbacks, next steps and lessons learned.

Taxes and health equity — letter to the editor tips

Thursday, March 22, 2018

Letters to the editor can signal community interest about a particular public health issue and send a message to policymakers. But what makes for a compelling letter, and how can advocates increase their chances of getting published? To support public health advocates in writing effective letters on the importance of how taxes can advance health and equity, BMSG and Public Health Awakened created this resource.

thumbnail image of book cover showing hands in a circle

Using media advocacy to influence policy

Wednesday, January 03, 2018

Media advocacy is one of the few public health education tools we have that allows us to work “upstream” to address the conditions and inequities that harm the public’s health. Media advocacy, used as a tool to accelerate and amplify community organizing and policy advocacy, can direct the public and policymaker attention to the policies that can reshape our social and physical environments so public health concerns can be effectively addressed. This chapter, from “Community and Public Health Education Methods: A Practical Guide,” teaches students to think strategically about working with the news media to advance public health policy.

 

Issue 24: Adverse childhood experiences in the news: Successes and opportunities in coverage of childhood trauma

Wednesday, December 20, 2017

Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are a critical public health issue with implications for every sector of society, but communicating about them can be challenging. In this news analysis, we explore whether advocates have been able to successfully explain the implications of childhood trauma, including how solutions appear in news coverage and whether the link between children’s environments and the trauma they experience is visible.

Health equity & junk food marketing: Talking about targeting kids of color

Friday, November 17, 2017

When advocates communicate about junk food marketing, do they talk about health equity? In this framing brief, we describe findings from a content analysis of materials on food marketing, show why children of color should be at the forefront of our conversations about and actions to reduce target marketing, and suggest how we all can get better at discussing this critical public health and social justice issue.

Big Data and the transformation of food and beverage marketing: Undermining efforts to reduce obesity?

Monday, October 30, 2017

Amid ongoing global concern about obesity, public health scholars need to be informed of the nature and extent of Big Data’s impact on food marketing. In this article for Critical Public Health, BMSG’s Laura Nixon and Lori Dorfman, along with our partners Kathryn Montgomery and Jeff Chester from the Center for Digital Democracy, explore how Big Data has transformed the food marketing system and offer suggestions for research strategies and public health interventions. Without interventions, the authors argue, the current system will increase health inequities.

Communicating for change: Creating news that reaches decision-makers

Thursday, September 21, 2017

This module, created as part of the Health ExChange Academy’s Communicating for Change training series, explores different news story elements so advocates can gain access to journalists by emphasizing what is newsworthy about their issue. Advocates will explore how to create news, piggyback on breaking news, meet with editorial boards, submit op-eds and letters to the editor, and develop advocacy ads. Other trainings in the series are available here.

Communicating for change: Engaging reporters to advance health policy

Thursday, September 21, 2017

This module, created as part of the Health ExChange Academy’s Communicating for Change training series, allows advocates to practice being spokespeople for their issue. The module helps advocates learn to anticipate and practice answering the tough questions reporters ask. Other trainings in the series are available here.

Communicating for change: Targeting audiences with new communication tools

Thursday, September 21, 2017

This module, created as part of the Health ExChange Academy’s Communicating for Change training series, gives advocates an overview of basic digital communications tools, including blogs and viral marketing, so they can tailor their advocacy communications to specific goals and audiences. Other trainings in the series are available here.

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