Australian members of EACH: International Association for Communication in Healthcare call for the Australian Centre for Disease Control to prioritise evidence-based approaches to communication in healthcare within their work to deliver better population health outcomes for all Australians.

Healthcare communication must be a core focus as the Australian Centre for Disease Control (CDC) is established. Effective communication strategies, grounded in evidence and best practice, will be critical for the CDC to achieve its objectives around preparedness, response, trust, and transparency during future public health emergencies.

The COVID-19 experience highlighted the vital importance of clear, coordinated communication and the risks of inconsistent messaging and spread of misinformation. As stated by EACH: International Association for Communication in Healthcare, future pandemic response policies and the WHO Pandemic Agreement must prioritise investment in communication research, training, inclusive practices, and evidence-based approaches.

Specifically for the Australian CDC, this should include:

• Establishing a dedicated communication research program to study and improve communication in healthcare, including interpersonal and public health communication. The research program should explore effective risk communication, strategies to combat misinformation in relation to adoption and acceptable of health protective behaviours, and inclusive approaches for diverse and marginalised populations, such as those of culturally diverse backgrounds, individuals with low levels of health literacy and those with disability.
• Building communication training capabilities, drawing on expertise from fields that seek to understand and improve healthcare communication, such as linguistics, psychology, sociology, communications, and social science research into health services.
• Implementing continuous learning and evaluation of communication efforts during emergencies to rapidly identify gaps and make improvements, with particular focus on Indigenous and culturally and linguistically diverse communities.
• Engaging those with lived experience in the co-design of communication policies, protocols, and public awareness campaigns.
• Facilitating multidisciplinary collaboration between communication experts, behavioural scientists, consumer representatives, healthcare providers, and public health policymakers across jurisdictions.
• Developing evidence-based guidance on best practices for transparent, person-centred communication tailored to the Australian context.

By prioritising communication expertise and evidence-based practices from the outset, the Australian CDC can help ensure more effective preparedness, trusted public messaging, and equitable access to information, not only during the next pandemic or public health crisis, but also as a proactive prevention strategy against misinformation. Robust communication strategies should be a core capability adequately funded and integrated throughout the CDC’s operations.