Get a First Look at NCHCMM 2025 Breakout Sessions
The 2025 National Conference on Health Communication, Marketing, and Media (NCHCMM) is happening July 28–30 in Atlanta, and we’re excited to share a preview of this year’s breakout sessions.
Highlights include sessions on AI in public health, youth-driven campaigns, mental health messaging, and building trust and transparency through community engagement. Attendees can also explore sessions c…
The Right Way to Decline a Media Opportunity and Preserve the Relationship
A recent article highlights how public health communicators can tactfully decline media opportunities without damaging vital press relationships. Whether due to time constraints, ethical concerns, or lack of alignment with the story, transparency and early communication are key. Suggesting alternate spokespeople, requesting deadline extensions, or offering future availability shows respect for…
ChatGPT Use Linked to Cognitive Decline: MIT Research
A recent MIT Media Lab study raises concerns about the long-term cognitive effects of relying on ChatGPT. Researchers found that participants who regularly used the tool to write SAT-style essays showed the lowest brain engagement and underperformed linguistically and behaviorally compared to peers who used Google or no tools at all.
EEG scans revealed diminished neural activity in the ChatGP…
Living Near an Ocean Polluted by Microplastics May Increase Cardiometabolic Disease Risk
A new study published in the Journal of the American Heart Association highlights growing public health concerns around microplastic exposure, particularly in U.S. coastal communities. Researchers found that residents in counties with the highest microplastic contamination—through sea air, seafood, and local groundwater—had increased rates of type 2 diabetes, coronary heart disease, and stroke…
Featured NCHCMM Plenary: Leveraging the Arts in Public Health Communication
At this year’s National Conference for Health Communication, Marketing, and Media (NCHCMM) in Atlanta, the plenary session “From Aesthetics to Action: Leveraging the Arts in Public Health Communication” will feature Dr. Jill Sonke, Director of Research Initiatives at the University of Florida Center for Arts in Medicine, as keynote speaker and panel moderator.
Attendees will explore ho…
Building Your Public Health Comms Toolkit: Communications Planning on a Budget
Public health communicators face shrinking budgets and expanding roles, yet must rapidly deliver timely, science-backed information to their communities. The upcoming webinar from the Public Health Communications Collaborative (PHCC), Building Your Public Health Comms Toolkit: Communications Planning on a Budget, offers practical strategies for creating impactful campaigns with limited or no fu…
HHS Reinstates More Than 450 CDC Employees Fired in April Reorganization
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has reinstated more than 450 CDC employees who were dismissed in a large April reorganization, including the entire Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention team. This action restores key public health capacity at a time when support is critical for addressing issues like lead exposure in schools nationwide.
Nearly 20% of CDC staff impacted by…