Talk to us: getting personal in public health communications

by Ellen West, Content Officer at UKHSA

When it comes to communicating vital health information, guidance, statistics and data are essential - but it's often personal stories that move us to action. Personal stories bring medical realities to life in ways that numbers alone cannot; helping us understand not just the 'what' of public health issues, but the deeply human 'why' they matter.

In the past, we have worked with people who have reached out through our networks and through social media. If you’re comfortable, we’d like to invite you, or a close contact, to talk to us and to share your firsthand experience of challenging or life changing communicable diseases. Please respond to this article or send us a direct message, if you’re interested.

Recent stories we’ve shared on the UKHSA blog demonstrate this impact. Take Dr Doug Jenkinson, a former GP who witnessed firsthand the devastating consequences of vaccine hesitancy in the 1970s. His account of practicing medicine during a whooping cough epidemic carries the weight of both professional expertise and personal experience.

‘There had been a scare that the vaccine could very occasionally cause serious side effects. Nobody knew whether it was true or not, and even some doctors stopped advising it. It was later proved that it was not the vaccine causing the side effects. But, by then, the damage had been done.’?

When he describes how ‘the damage had been done’ by unfounded vaccine fears, we understand viscerally how misinformation can impact entire communities.

But it's often the stories of parents and patients that resonate most deeply. Jenny from Hampshire shares the terrifying moment when her 3-week-old daughter Layla stopped breathing due to whooping cough. Her raw account of watching her newborn turn blue brings home the reality of vaccine-preventable diseases in a way that guidance alone never could.

‘Layla’s fight with whooping cough didn’t end when we left the hospital, the cough lasted for 3 months in total. The whole experience was so traumatic, as you can imagine… Our daughter is now a healthy 11-year-old but our story could've been so different, many others haven't been so fortunate.’?

Similarly, Becca Heritage's candid description of her battle with meningitis - from ambitious medical student to fighting for her life - forces us to confront the random cruelty of serious illness. Her vivid description of looking down to find her hands "completely black... almost like the surface of a brick" creates an immediate emotional connection.

‘I was transferred to Salisbury for specialist surgery, where both legs were amputated. The operations were agonising, but once they were done, my focus shifted to rehabilitation.’

These personal narratives do more than simply inform - they help us empathise and understand. They transform abstract public health messages into relatable human experiences that could happen to any of us or our loved ones.

Case studies remain one of our most powerful tools in public health communication - because at heart, healthcare isn't just about data and procedures, but about people and their experiences.