In a world beleaguered on many fronts – from pandemic to environmental crises – good work on health communication has risen to the fore. Of course, strategic health communication educates, but it also builds trust, modifies behavior, and saves lives. PR leads the profession in this lifesaving initiative with a toolkit on how to craft and deploy effective messaging. Combined, they're a formidable force in managing crises around the world and improving public health.

The article identifies how strategic health communication can act as an important bridge between crisis management and public relations. Therein, we show key lessons to be taken from those communication practitioners and organizations willing to minimize the complex crises of our time by building trust, transparency, and resilience.

Health communication should have a strategic function. It is not a mere collation; it is an incredibly important strategic resource in the building of public opinion, thereby forming consequent behavior. Open communications are part of the foundational elements in any international public health response for crises and pandemics. Thus, communications regarding covid-19 followed through with clear messages in straightforward language, using communication strategies aimed at fear management, resistance against misinformation, and behavior about vaccinations and facemasks.

In Iran, community-based health networks played an important role during the initial phases of the pandemic in passing on accurate information. The strategic use of local health workers as trusted messengers means communication strategies reach far into rural and underserved populations, highlighting the importance of locality in strategic health communication.

More than that, health communication connects technical expertise with the masses. Health communications translate detailed medical information into simple, comprehensible language to allow such information to reach groups of people with diverse backgrounds. Such information often contains critical messages concerning health. It is here, at this interpretative platform, that PR professionals come in – to translate data into stories that drive people into taking action.

Public relations and crisis management

Public relations is the natural partner of crisis health communication. The role of public relations – building relationships, reputation and storytelling – is its greatest contribution to effective crisis management. PR experts are the best persons to deal with the exchange of information in delivering timely and accurate facts to the stakeholders.

For example, vaccination campaigns in Iran received a degree of skepticism from certain quarters. Involving influential local leaders and using their influence with focused PR work helped health authorities instill confidence among the public and ensured participation. This again emphasizes that health communication and well-coordinated PR go hand-in-hand in building up institutionalized credibility and acquiring public acceptance.

Second, PR focuses on symmetric communications wherein feedback allows the organization to respond in real-time to problems by changing plans and, in doing so, assures that transparency enhances public trust--the biggest factor in driving success during crises.

Challenges and opportunities

Bringing together health communications and PR shows incredible promise, but there are treacherous water to navigate. One of the biggest challenges is misinformation; especially via social media platforms. This may set wildfires. Monitoring will keep PR pros on their toes. Quick-on-the-feet reactions against misinformation will mostly be called for in real time.

The other challenge is the principle of inclusiveness. Messages should fit in with the target audience culturally, linguistically, and socioeconomically. Effective communication requires cultural inclusivity. If this is not addressed, it will likely lead to misunderstanding and distrust.

On the other side, where there are risks possibilities exist. The existence of digital technologies and websites created for social networking allows for the clear targeting and tailoring of messages. For example, artificial intelligence software increasingly enables tracing the behavior of audiences. This could bring greater precision to PR team campaigns. Moreover, enhanced coordination of governments, NGOs, and private institutions also has the potential for stretching and creating ameliorations in health communications campaigns.

Conclusion and recommendations

Strategic health communication can, therefore, make crisis management a way of doing public relations. It unwinds crisis complexity around the world by building trust, facilitating openness, and inviting collaboration. This will be done when organizations:

1. Invest in capacity building PR practitioners in the principles of health communication.
2. Use analytics to determine the needs of the audience and simplify messages.
3. Cross sectors to align resources and efforts.
4. Create messages that are inclusive of diverse populations.
5. Engage in the active fight against misinformation.

Taking the steps listed above will result in a world where the junctures between PR and health communications are inevitable. We can do this together and make the world healthier, wiser, and strong.