Public Health in the Rockies 2026

Background / Purpose: Public health depends on our ability to not only interpret complex science, but to inspire action through communication. Behavioral and social sciences provide the critical “how” for this mission. This session serves as a primer on risk communication science, designed to help professionals move beyond traditional messaging models and address community needs through evidence-based outreach.

Methods: This session showcases communication models that blend technical expertise with cultural humility. We use behavioral science to explore how risk perception —often a mix of actual hazard and public “outrage” — impacts community response. Participants will apply structured frameworks to maintain transparency, including the Hazard-Impact-Action (HIA) model for public health action directives and the Know/Don’t Know model for navigating evolving scientific information and uncertainty.

Results: These models ensure that health messages remain clear, consistent, and supportive. By translating complex data into actionable and accessible information, we empower individuals to make informed decisions. Focusing on the “so what” and “what now” increases the effectiveness of guidance while reducing the cognitive load on communities during high-stress situations.

Implications: Our technical expertise is most powerful when paired with an understanding of human behavior. Attendees will gain practical tools to support language justice and bridge the gap between science and community action, ensuring no community is left behind.

Interactive plan:

A 60-minute session is essential to bridge the gap between theory and application. We will use real-time polling to visualize "outrage factors" that drive community concern versus actual scientific hazard. We will also lead a collaborative “message surgery” where we take jargon-heavy technical excerpts and use the HIA framework to transform dense data into clear, empathetic, and actionable guidance. Integrating frequent “pulse-checks” ensures the content remains relevant to diverse public health roles. We are open to a 90-minute slot if the committee prefers a deeper dive.