Center for Health Communication Science | NORC at the University of Chicago

About

We develop and evaluate tailored communications that address today’s most critical health issues.

Prescription opioid misuse. Rural health. Mental health. Maternal health. Artificial intelligence. These are some of today’s biggest health challenges, and NORC tackles them by supporting a range of federal, state, local, foundation, nonprofit, and private sector clients—including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, and Merck Inc.—as they work to make our nation healthier.

Our interdisciplinary team of experts develop, implement, and evaluate science-based approaches to health communications. We maximize the impact of these strategies, programs, and interventions by ensuring they are relevant to our clients’ diverse audiences.

Center Director

Amelia Burke-Garcia

BurkeGarcia-Amelia@norc.org

Find an Expert

Need health communication experts for keynotes, panels, or other speaking opportunities? See the Center’s experts below.

Our Areas of Impact

Communication plays an essential role in every aspect of public health, which is why we address a wide range of the field’s most challenging and critical issues.

COVID-19
Health Care Services Price & Quality Assessment (i.e., quality ratings for the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, etc.)
Health Values & Beliefs

Mental Health
Prescription Opioid Misuse
Stigma Reduction (Obesity, Cancer, and Mental Health)
Violence Prevention

Maternal Health
Substance Use
Immunization
Vaping/Tobacco Use

Capabilities

We partner with a broad range of clients—from government to the private sector—to help answer today’s most critical health communication and behavior-change questions.

Benefit from the Best of NORC

The center draws on the full range NORC’s cutting-edge research expertise and innovative data solutions to tackle society’s most challenging health communication issues. Our NORC partners include:

Broad Range of Cross-Cutting Services

Research

Attitudinal & Behavioral
Audience Segmentation
Concept Messaging & Materials Testing
Digital Intervention
Formative
Issue Landscape Analyses
Print, Radio, TV & New Media
Social Media Monitoring & Analyses
Web Usability

Design & Implementation

Campaign Implementation Planning
Communication Strategy Development
Creative Briefs
Digital Design & Development
Infographics & Data Visualization
Materials Design & Development
Media Relations, Media Buying & Materials Dissemination
Message Development
Partnership, Stakeholder & Online Influence Coordination
Toolkit Development

Evaluation

Efficacy & Effectiveness Studies
Process & Outcome/Impact

How We Evaluate Health Campaigns

Research Brief

When it comes to evaluating health communication campaigns, we use advanced analytical processes and tools that provide fuller understanding in today's complex media environment.

Download Research Brief

thumbnail of evaluation process flowchart

Our Work

Our health communication projects range from launching national mental health campaigns, such as How Right Now/Qué Hacer Ahora for the CDC Foundation and Centers for Disease Control & Prevention, to tackling maternal mortality with the American College of Obstetricians & Gynecologists.

We also work at the state level, including our work evaluating the Georgia Department of Public Health’s tobacco cessation and immunization campaigns, and have a broad portfolio of research on the role of social media in health communication, including the impact of social media influencers.

How Right Now / Qué Hacer Ahora

A communication initiative to increase people’s resilience during the COVID-19 pandemic

Client:

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Foundation of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Postpartum Emergency Care Materials Development & Testing

Applying communication science to develop, test, and promote resources supporting clinician readiness for pregnancy-related emergencies

Client:

American College of Obstetricians & Gynecologists

Partnering with Social Media Influencers as Messengers to Reduce Vaccine Hesitancy

Engaging social media influencers to help understand HPV vaccine hesitancy in African American or Black, Hispanic/Latino, and American Indian/Alaska Native communities

Client:

Merck

HPV Vaccine Perceptions: Young Adults & TikTok Influencers

Engaging non-college 18- to 26-year-olds and TikTok influencers to explore perceptions of the HPV vaccine and health messaging

Client:

Merck

Engaging Online Influencers to Address COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy

An intervention to address COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy among Hispanic, Black, Asian, and Native American parents through online influencers

Client:

Pfizer

Health Communication AI

Combining the trust-building ability of digital opinion leaders with the scalability of AI to revolutionize health communication

Health Communication Projects

Social Data Collaboratory

NORC Solution

With decades of experience, cutting-edge technology, and a commitment to being responsible data custodians, NORC's Social Data Collaboratory offers unparalleled expertise in collecting, processing, and interpreting social media data.

Social Data Collaboratory

Our Expertise

NORC’s health communication science experts span dozens of research teams and draw on diverse backgrounds and years of experience employing the latest methodologies.

Their expertise includes digital and social media, rural health, innovative message testing methodologies, partnership development, product development and creative design, website development, technical assistance and training, campaign evaluation, and AI.

Our experts are available to support your projects and for media and speaking opportunities. Book an expert by emailing healthcommsci@norc.org.