Changing the Conversation: Creating Messages Based on Shared Values to Gain Support for Teen HIV, STD and Pregnancy Prevention

Background:  CDC’s Division of Adolescent and School Health (DASH) works to reduce sexual risk behaviors and prevent HIV, STDs and pregnancy among youth. Because the focus on teen sexual health as DASH’s primary mission is new, many partners within CDC and in the education and public health arenas are unaware of the expertise DASH possesses. Stakeholder support for DASH’s programmatic and surveillance efforts is critical to improving the health of the nation’s youth. Strategic communications research and message development were employed to help audiences better understand DASH’s unique contributions.

Program background:  Given DASH’s focus on behaviors that put teens at risk for HIV, STDs and pregnancy, it was necessary to create a strategic communication framework and messages that conveyed the importance and impact of DASH’s efforts and expertise in adolescent sexual health. Issue framing (a communication technique that taps into a target audience’s shared values) was used to develop DASH’s message development approach because it has been used in communication campaigns where valuing government services or shifting social values was the goal. The “community frame” employed by DASH works by shifting messaging away from individual-focused messages to community- and environment-based messages. The project resulted in a collection of messages for use when communicating with DASH’s audiences about division research, policy, surveillance, and programmatic efforts. These messages help build support for teen sexual health and ultimately ensure that health and education efforts support adolescent health, development, and learning.

Evaluation Methods and Results:  An environmental scan was performed and gaps in current audience messaging were identified (i.e., Education Orgs., Health Orgs., CDC, Policymakers, Parents). Message frames were researched and a new framework created. Themes important to each audience were developed to describe DASH’s 1) work and expertise in teen sexual health education and services and 2) knowledge and experience in working with schools. The “community frame” informed message development across 17 themes and 5 audiences, each containing 9 subjects. Initial message development resulted in 175 messages, which were then reduced to 150 messages used for testing. Subjects participated in 1-hour phone interviews and identified preferred messages for each theme. Based on quantitative and qualitative interviewee feedback, 98 messages were categorized as preferred. These messages were further refined to yield the final recommended messages.

Conclusions:  Using issue framing, the message framework was tailored for DASH’s audiences to emphasize teen sexual health, surveillance, and behavior-related efforts. DASH’s mission and core values were also considered and incorporated. Built on shared values, the resulting messages will foster broad-based support for teen sexual health education, programs, and services.

Implications for research and/or practice:  DASH developed a collection of messages to identify the most unique and highly-valued aspects of its work. The messages, informed by the message framework, will be presented in a Message Guide and integrated into all communications activities (e.g., Website, publications, presentations, social media). Division leadership/staff will use the messages when communicating with internal/external audiences. The framework and audience-tailored messages will ensure a “common voice” when speaking about DASH’s important work in teen sexual health and HIV/STD and pregnancy prevention.