Cdc's Role in Communicating Environmental Health

Background:  The use of social and multi-media tools in advancing awareness of environmental health is a powerful strategy to reach target audiences with strategic, effective and user-centric health interventions.  

Program background:  CDC has created guidelines to assist in the planning, development and implementation of social media activities, to provide critical information on lessons learned, best practices, clearance information and security requirements.  CDC has more than three years of progressive experience in integrating new social media into CDC health communication campaigns, activities, and emergency response efforts.  

Evaluation Methods and Results:  CDC's National Center for Environmental Health (NCEH) plans, directs, and coordinates a national program to maintain and improve the health of the American people by promoting a healthy environment and by preventing premature death and avoidable illness and disability caused by non-infectious, non-occupational environmental and related factors.  NCEH is especially committed to safeguarding the health of populations who are particularly vulnerable to certain environmental hazards - children, the elderly, and people with disabilities.  NCEH provides practitioners with a rich and diverse library of multi-media tools on a wide variety of topics to help those in the environmental health arena engage in education, awareness, policy and advocacy, to improve community behavior and health practices.  

Conclusions:  NCEH works to promote the translation of CDC science into effective environmental public health action at the front line, and fosters collaborative marketing and communication efforts to assure the vision of healthy people in healthy environments at the local, state and national level. 

Implications for research and/or practice:  NCEH is a go-to source for practical environmental tools and examples that are relevant and implementable by a variety of public health practitioners.