DGPuK Health Communication Conference 2024: over 80 participants from eight countries

More than 80 participants from eight countries came to Lucerne on 20-22 November 2024 for the 9th Annual DGPuK Health Communication Conference, jointly organized by the Faculty of Health Sciences and Medicine at the University of Lucerne and the Swiss Learning Health System (SLHS). This year’s theme, "Insight to Impact: Translating Health Communication Research into Policy and Action," highlighted the transformative power of research in shaping real-world health policies and practices.

The conference kicked off with a pre-conference workshop "Communicating Research to Policy: Formats and Opportunities" organized by the SLHS. Participants examined the complexities of the science-policy interface, explored formats for communicating research to policymakers such as evidence briefs, and discussed collaborative approaches to enhance evidence uptake such as stakeholder dialogues. A practical session, led by science communication expert Jelena Magnin, focused on crafting meaningful messages to translate research into actionable policy insights.

The official program opened with welcoming remarks from Prof. Sara Rubinelli, Vice Dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences and Medicine, who underscored the importance of the conference’s topic to connect research with real-world health policy and practice. The evening panel discussion brought together leading experts, Dr. Caroline Schlaufer, Dr. Alexandra Zingg, Dr. Benedikt Knüsel, and Prof. Dr. Eva Baumann, who shared strategies for translating evidence into policy.

Dr. Benedikt Knüsel, Head of Science-Policy Interface at ETH Zurich, encapsulated a key challenge: "Policymakers don’t want science lessons, they want policy advice." He stressed that simply communicating science in accessible terms is not enough; researchers must demonstrate how their expertise and evidence directly inform the policy options under consideration.

Over two days, participants engaged in parallel sessions exploring a wide variety of health communication topics, such as health literacy, risk communication, the role of social media, engaging migrant communities, persuasion in health campaigns, or addressing stigma in health behavior.

The conference concluded with the Top Paper Panel, celebrating exceptional research contributions. A heartfelt thank you to all participants for their contributions. We look forward to advancing impactful health research together!

Learn more about the conference on the SLHS social media.