Oped: Restoring Trust in Public Health - There Are No Shortcuts

Adapted from “Restoring Trust in Public Health: There Are No Shortcuts,” by Mark Miller and Julia Haskins,” STAT News, August 29, 2022

When Rochelle Walensky pledged to improve communication and transparency at the CDC in January 2022, she pointed to the need to understand what happened, why it happened, and what steps need to be taken to make sure it doesn’t happen again. 

Those steps are Communications 101, but over the last few years, many public health leaders have failed the class. They have used jargon, lectured, and speculated. They have forgotten some basic rules of leadership and humility: tell people what you know, but also what you don’t know. People trust leaders who are candid when something goes wrong and who admit to not having all the answers.

Effective communication and messaging are only part of the solution in repairing trust. When building trust, actions speak louder than words. For some organizations, that may include a renewed commitment to candor, clarity, and coordination.

There are no shortcuts to building trust, but progress can begin by identifying past missteps, understanding what people need, communicating clearly and regularly, and being willing to make real changes.