ASPPH Presents Webinar to Explore Rebuilding Trust in Public Health

ASPPH will host its next ASPPH Presents webinar, Humanizing Public Health: Rebuilding Trust in an Age of Misinformation, on May 11, 2026, from 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM ET. This timely discussion will examine the complex and interconnected challenges contributing to misinformation, including declining trust in public health institutions, persistent social and structural inequities, and an overreliance on biomedical approaches that may overlook human behavior and lived experience.

Drawing on lessons from past and ongoing public health crises, the webinar will explore how psychological, cultural, and structural factors influence how individuals interpret and act on health information. Panelists will also address the role of social media in shaping information ecosystems, as well as gaps in digital and media literacy that can exacerbate the spread of misinformation.

Moderated by Dr. Randy Wykoff, Founding Dean and Professor of Health Services Management and Policy at East Tennessee State University College of Public Health, the conversation will highlight the need to move beyond traditional top-down communication strategies toward more human-centered, culturally relevant, and community-driven approaches that foster trust and engagement.

Panelists include Dr. Perry N. Halkitis, Dean and Hunterdon Professor at the Rutgers School of Public Health; Dr. Nancy Messonnier, Dean and Bryson Distinguished Professor in Public Health at the UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health; and Erin O'Malley, Executive Director of the Coalition for Trust in Health & Science.

This webinar is designed for students, faculty, and public health professionals seeking practical strategies to navigate misinformation and strengthen the impact of their work in an increasingly complex communication landscape.