Improving Public Health Communication for Effective STI Programs
July 08, 2026 | Julia Greenspan
In spring 2026, ASTHO completed a needs assessment to better understand the strengths, gaps, and opportunities for communication about sexually transmitted infections (STI) from state and territorial health departments. Results highlight the important role that health department leadership plays in ensuring the success of STI and other public health programs through internal communication policies and culture
Major Findings
The State of Communications
STI communications for most jurisdictions have changed in the last three years, most notably due to an increase in digital and social media, updated messaging, and an increased focus on stigma reduction. This has had positive impacts, including:
- Increased public engagement.
- Higher engagement with priority populations.
- More inclusive and culturally appropriate language being used.
However, there have also been additional approval processes — both within the health department and with external entities — and increased barriers to accessing materials for some populations
“Creating specific content that addresses unique barriers experienced by the priority populations [is vital].”
Current Communication Approaches
Jurisdictions most frequently use their health department website, printed brochures/flyers, and social media posts to communicate with key audiences. These materials raise routine awareness of priority STI issues, in targeted campaigns and during awareness weeks (like STI Awareness Week). They are used less frequently during outbreak response, in response to new data trends, or when new guidance is released
Most jurisdictions create STI communication materials from existing ree re with the desire to make relevant reaterials include limited funding and staff capacity, approval barriers, and a lack of culturally appropriate materials
“Budget constraints are the primary reasons we adopt [federal agency] campaigns.”
Future Materials
There is still a need for materials that cover basic facts around STIs, including transmission methods, signs and symptoms (i.e., asymptomatic spread), and new prevention tools. Diverse and culturally competent materials are also a priority. Jurisdictions prefer:
- Materials that are ready to use or require minimal editing.
- Short-form and succinct materials (e.g., infographics, one pagers, and social media ready content).
“[…] the state of sexual health is not what we learned in high school sex ed. There have been so many advancements, but people don’t know what they don’t know.”
Looking Ahead
Staffing and additional funding was frequently mentioned as a requirement to improve future STI communications. Access to ready-to-use materials, technical assistance, translation services, and evaluation support would also be beneficial
Next Steps for Health Department Leadership
Senior health department leadership can address several major themes from the needs assessment to support future public health communications
Minimizing Stigma
Communication materials focused on topics that may be considered stigmatized or shameful still face additional scrutiny. Several respondents identified barriers both within and outside the health department preventing STI messages from being published. These barriers may have been minimized or non-existent for other public health topics. Leadership can play an important role in reducing stigma by promoting education around sensitive topics
Addressing Misinformation
In addition to minimizing stigma, senior leadership can also address misinformation. Misinformation impacts many public health topics, including STIs. When there is a proliferation of misinformation, strained communication reing evidence-based science and tailoring messaging to local contexts, leadership can minimize situations where retion
Expanding Staff Capacity
Finally, leadership can help address the major barrier of funding and staffing capacity. While grants and funding layering can provide an opportunity to expand the capacity of staff. Encouraging partnerships within the health department can increase the impact of communication programs
Conclusion
While the current needs and opportunities for STI communications are wide-ranging, state leadership plays an important role in setting the expectations and culture within the health department
Reviewed by Meredith Allen, DrPH, MS, Vice President, Health Security; Kate Petersen, MPH, Senior Director, Infectious Disease Infrastructure & Policy
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