Evidence-Based Health Communication in Practice: Driving Funding, Research, and Training Through the University of Texas at Austin Center for Health Communication.

Academic centers play a vital role in advancing knowledge, driving innovation, and fostering collaboration. The University of Texas at Austin Center for Health Communication was established in 2014 with the mission to improve public health through evidence-based communication research and practice. In this article, we reflect on the center history, explain our practice-oriented funding structure, and showcase examples of public health campaigns informed by theory and data, as well as professional-oriented educational programs. We also discuss the academic and community impact of our research, education, and practice and the benefits and challenges associated with this practice-led funding model. Although there are other approaches to operating academic centers, we hope the lessons we have learned can be of help to other centers dedicated to health communication research and practice.

Talking About Prescription Opioid Misuse: The Effect of Family Communication Patterns and Messages Advocating Direct and Indirect Communication.

Families play an important role in addressing substance misuse and addiction. Extant literature suggests patterns of communication within families influence the ways in which they engage loved ones who may be misusing substances like prescription opioids. However, little is known regarding how strategic health messages about family communication influence individuals' intentions to engage in conversations about substance misuse. Applying a normative approach, we conducted a (2 × 2) between-participants experiment examining whether messages advocating indirect (versus direct) communication are more effective for individuals (n = 613) who describe their family as having a low (versus high) conversation orientation. Univariate analysis of variance tests show match effects for message attitudes and message elaboration. For intentions to talk with a loved one about the risks of OUD, there was only evidence of a matching effect between the message advocating indirect communication with low conversation audiences. Both message types were equally effective at influencing intentions for high conversation participants. These findings suggest message designers should consider the kinds of communication behaviors and actions advocated in appeals targeting family members. Messages that are inclusive of the conversation dynamics of particular audiences may have greater effect. In particular, for low conversation audiences, messages advocating an indirect approach may be more effective at motivating intentions to engage someone who is misusing opioids.

HealthyhornsTXT: A Text-Messaging Program to Promote College Student Health and Wellness.

OBJECTIVE: Text-messaging interventions positively affect health behaviors, but their use on college campuses has been limited. Text messaging serves as a relatively affordable way to communicate with large audiences and is one of the preferred modes of communication for young adults. This study examined the feasibility and acceptability of a campus-wide, health text-messaging program. PARTICIPANTS: The subscriber pool consisted of approximately 6,000 undergraduate students from a large, southern university. From that pool, 1,095 participants (64% female; 41% White) completed a posttest survey. METHOD: Text messages covered a range of health topics and information about campus resources. Research was conducted from August through December 2015. Process data were collected throughout the semester; participants' attitudes were assessed via an online survey at the program's conclusion. RESULTS: Students demonstrated engagement with the messages throughout the semester as evidenced by replies to text-back keywords and clicks on website links embedded within messages. Messages about sleep, stress management, and hydration were considered most relevant. The majority of participants (61%) reported increased awareness regarding their health. CONCLUSIONS: Text-messaging interventions are a feasible strategy to improve college student health.

Building a health communication brand for University of Texas System tobacco control.

Objective: Despite declining cigarette smoking rates in the US, there is a continued need for tobacco prevention education campaigns to reach young adults. Recognizing the need for improved tobacco control messaging, the University of Texas (UT) System engaged The University of Texas at Austin Center for Health Communication to develop a brand and message that would strengthen tobacco control efforts at its 14 institutions. Methods: This article describes the iterative process involved in creating a brand for tobacco control, including an environmental scan, identifying potential message themes, and creating and refining logos. Results: This article highlights the process of developing a system-wide tobacco control brand. Specifically, the process included coordinating an interdisciplinary team with content and design experts, and presenting ideas to stakeholders for serial feedback and refinement, among others. Conclusions: Ultimately, this project offers a model for other systems of higher education interested in pursuing similar initiatives.

The role of implied motion in engaging audiences for health promotion: encouraging naps on a college campus.

OBJECTIVE: Lack of sleep among college students negatively impacts health and academic outcomes. Building on research that implied motion imagery increases brain activity, this project tested visual design strategies to increase viewers' engagement with a health communication campaign promoting napping to improve sleep habits. PARTICIPANTS: PARTICIPANTS (N = 194) were recruited from a large southwestern university in October 2012. METHODS: Utilizing an experimental design, participants were assigned to 1 of 3 conditions: an implied motion superhero spokes-character, a static superhero spokes-character, and a control group. RESULTS: The use of implied motion did not achieve the hypothesized effect on message elaboration, but superheroes are a promising persuasive tool for health promotion campaigns for college audiences. CONCLUSIONS: Implications for sleep health promotion campaigns and the role of implied motion in message design strategies are discussed, as well as future directions for research on the depiction of implied motion as it relates to theoretical development.