LATEST NEWS HIGHLIGHTS
NPHW Flood the Feed - Wednesday
During National Public Health Week this week, the American Public Health Association is leading a coordinated social media activation, “Ready. Set. Action! NPHW Flood the Feed,” to elevate the visibility and impact of public health.
Public health communicators are invited to participate on Wednesday, April 8 by posting at 1 p.m., 2 p.m. and 3 p.m. ET alongside partners nationwide, creating a unified surge of timely, action-oriented messaging. The effort provides tools and guidance to support consistent, evidence-informed communication and highlights the collective role of the public health community in promoting awareness, engagement and positive health outcomes.
Explore the resources from APHA and sign up to participate here.
New White House Budget Plan Would Reduce HHS Funding by Billions
A proposed 2027 White House budget outlines significant reductions to federal public health infrastructure, including a more than 12% cut to HHS funding—roughly $15.8 billion below current levels.
The plan would reduce support for biomedical research, including a $5 billion cut to NIH, and eliminate or consolidate key programs serving low-income and refugee populations. While some targeted investments are included—such as modest funding for nutrition services and food safety—experts and lawmakers have raised concerns about the potential impact on research capacity and health equity.
Final funding decisions remain with Congress, underscoring ongoing uncertainty for public health systems and programs. Read more from US News here.
Healthcare Reclaims Top Spot Among U.S. Domestic Worries
A recent Gallup poll finds healthcare has reemerged as Americans’ top domestic concern, with 61% reporting significant worry about access and affordability—outpacing economic issues such as inflation and federal spending.
While overall concern across major national issues has modestly declined since 2025, healthcare anxiety remains steady, underscoring its persistent importance for public health systems and policy. The data also highlight stark partisan differences, with Democrats expressing particularly high concern about healthcare.
For public health communicators, the findings reinforce the need to prioritize clear, accessible messaging around healthcare access, affordability, and system navigation amid a shifting national concern landscape. Read more about the study from Gallup here.
FEATURED TOPICS
Stay Connected with NPHIC on Social Media
Stay connected by following NPHIC on LinkedIn—see our posts, share your thoughts, and engage directly with the public health communications community. Get the latest updates, including news from the National Conference on Health Communication, Marketing, and Media (NCHCMM).
You can also connect with us on Facebook [@NPHICpublic], X (Twitter) [@NPHIC], and Instagram [@NPHIC_].
Join our exclusive member-only Facebook group to collaborate, share insights, and strengthen our public health communications community: [NPHIC Member-Only Facebook Group].
Tip: Forward this newsletter to colleagues who might find it useful! Encourage your team to stay informed and sign up at the pop-up on our website here — or scroll to the bottom of the site. Sharing helps our community grow!
What’s Ahead for NPHIC in 2026
As we move further into 2026, NPHIC wants to thank our members for your continued leadership and dedication to public health communication. In a rapidly evolving information landscape, we remain deeply committed to supporting your work through practical tools, professional development, and opportunities for connection.
This year, we are exploring a potential strategic partnership with the Public Health Communications Collaborative (PHCC) aimed at strengthening capacity and expanding timely, actionable resources for communicators. To ensure transparency as we plan ahead, we have paused 2026 membership renewal invoices. We also look forward to engaging with you through upcoming opportunities, including a Member Needs Survey that will help guide our priorities and programming. Learn more in our FAQ section on our website here.
Medical Misinformation More Likely to Fool AI if Source Appears Legitimate, Study Shows
A recent study highlights that artificial intelligence (AI) tools are more likely to share incorrect medical information when it appears to come from authoritative sources, such as doctors’ notes, compared with social media content. Researchers tested multiple AI models using clinical scenarios, hospital discharge summaries with inserted errors, and common health myths.
Findings show AI “believed” nearly half of fabricated recommendations in realistic medical notes, while only 9% of social media misinformation was propagated. The study underscores the need for built-in safeguards in AI systems to verify medical claims, especially as AI becomes increasingly integrated into patient care and clinical workflows. Read more from Reuters here.
New Voices from the Field – Public Health Speaks Podcast: Empathy, Autonomy, and the Future of Health Communication
Recorded at the 2025 NCHCMM in Atlanta, NPHIC’s Public Health Speaks podcast continues its Voices from the Field series with a timely conversation on health autonomy, motivation, and artificial intelligence in communication. Amelia Burke-Garcia, PhD, Director of the Center for Health Communication Science at NORC, shares insights from her recent opinion piece and explores how Self-Determination Theory can strengthen practice.
She discusses designing empathetic, relevant messaging that supports autonomy while advancing population health goals, and how AI tools can help scale tailored, evidence-based communication. Tune in for practical insights for health communicators navigating today’s complex information landscape. Listen to the episode here.
