Multilevel and multidimensional communications for health equity: experiences of the health equity network of the Americas [Poster]

Abstract

The Health Equity Network of the Americas (HENA) is a multidisciplinary platform for research, teaching, and social action, with a diversity of strategic visions and policies at a multilevel scale for the management, exchange, and dissemination of knowledge. In 2021-2022, it was proposed to consolidate an efficient and effective communication strategy from the dimensions of coordination, and internal, external, and corporate communication. A literature review and a participatory workshop with representatives of HENAs political and strategic direction were conducted from Discussion-generating questions about the identity, contributions, audiences, key messages, channels, and feedback on which HENA will be based, in addition to documentary analysis and diagnosis of content in social networks from its launch in 2020 until the transfer and consolidation of the Technical Secretariat to the Centre for Research in Nursing and Health Care of the University of Costa Rica (CICES-UCR) in 2021. The Communications Management Strategy has allowed the continuous flow of information, dissemination of activities of interest, and scientific production. In the corporate dimension, a graphic line was generated for the design and distribution of content, firstly creating an identifier and updating advertising and digital materials. In the internal dimension, the articulated work between the political and strategical teams internally was promoted. For the external dimension, communications, and annual media plans were generated to reactivate brand positioning strategies on digital platforms, with the lunch of official chats, and social networks. Sharing knowledge for action in equity requires multilevel dissemination strategies with principles such as accessibility, feasibility, credibility, relevance, comprehensibility, and timeliness of information, targeted and adapted to audiences. HENA has managed to bring together actors for an articulated work and to position equity as an action that transcends intention, with powerful messages contextualized to priorities and experiences of the region that invite to act intersectionally, systemically, and people-centered.