Building and Maintaining a Whole Community Initiative: Health Communication in Practice with Be Well Communities™.

Abstract

The most effective health communication builds from evidence-based best practices and theory. In practice, health campaigns rely on considerations often under-discussed in health communication, such as consistent agency-style client service, image management, and community coalition-building. Health outcome progress often requires change at multiple levels, from individual cognition and behavior to policy creation. These multi-level needs further highlight the importance of effective practical health communication supporting a range of outcomes and building toward replication. This article covers the complexities of building and implementing a theory-informed health communication structure for a multifaceted, place-based cancer prevention initiative. Part of the overall process includes detailing the internal communications of a health communication group, interorganizational communication, engaging community partner support, the message creation process, and longitudinal efforts on program maintenance and assessment. Furthermore, this article seeks to offer an example of the client service role a health communication team can play to combine theory, empirical message development, and community goals in whole community efforts. Ultimately, the goal is to share experiences from seven years of program work to help guide future community-based efforts in other health contexts and foster progress in theoretical and practical understandings of health communication.