8/31/2017
Using Annual Reports to Share Personal Stories & Reinforce Public Health Lessons | Stories From the Field
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Using Annual Reports to Share Personal Stories & Reinforce Public Health Lessons
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Submitted By RECENT STORIES Kristina Wieghmink, M.Ed. Ottawa County Department of Public Health, Michigan June 26, 2017
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health practice, but it's not always the most exciting. Ottawa County Department of
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the department's work in a way that's both informative and appealing.
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Every March, the Ottawa County Department of Public Health presents its annual report to the Ottawa County Board of Commissioners. It’s not too exciting to report the number of vaccines given, restaurants inspected, or the financial statement. Yet, all the work that goes into getting those numbers and staying within budget is extremely important. Rather than creating a traditional, text-heavy summary of the year, we gathered photos, interviewed clients, wrote articles, made videos and much more to create an interactive magazine-style report. As a public health communicator, I need to have an understanding of what is important to our target audience and why. Likewise, I need them to know the importance of public health and potential consequences of not taking action. However, it isn’t effective for me to just tell people to do something because the government said so; for example, requiring vaccinations to attend school. As a child, when my dad would tell me to do something, at times I would ask why. His reply was “Because I said so.” Being a curious child, that answer didn’t help me understand; so I risked being sent to my room for a time-out and asked “why, 'because'?” He was being reasonable and he had the right to direct my actions, but I wanted to understand why. I wanted to know why taking that http://www.nacchostories.org/using-annual-reports-to-share-our-stories/
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8/31/2017
Using Annual Reports to Share Personal Stories & Reinforce Public Health Lessons | Stories From the Field
action was important and what was at stake. When I can understand an issue better or relate to a similar situation someone has experienced, it gets my attention. Telling stories is a way to grab attention and help bring a better understanding of public health issues and why people should respond to the call for action. Recently, while cleaning out a storage room in our building, one of our team members found a handmade booklet containing newspaper clippings of stories from the 1930s and 1940s. Some of the health threats mentioned from that period included polio, measles, tuberculosis and diphtheria. There were articles about rabies cases and unsanitary living conditions. Another article reported on the need to educate youth about syphilis, which was described in 1938 as a “present day scourge.” Reading those headlines and stories was more than a journey through the pages of history. It was a reminder of the many public health accomplishments that have led to healthier people and improved quality of life. However, many historical problems still exist today. Sharing our stories not only helps us recognize these accomplishments, but it also raises awareness of the need to continue our work. Through our efforts, we were able to compile a collection of stories that link critical public health issues to people in our own communities, helping to reinforce the importance of taking advantage of the local health department's services, resources, and information. Rhyse Located on page 4 of the 2016 report and written by Rhyse's mother, Heather, this story asks parents to please vaccinate their children. Rhyse can’t get vaccinated because his body is too fragile from his complicated medical conditions. She tells people that Rhyse depends on their immunizations to help protect him from vaccine preventable diseases. “My son starts Kindergarten this fall. My husband and I are anxious about germ exposure and the consequences that may befall on Rhyse and our family. Our voices for vaccinations must be louder than those who are opposed. For those who oppose have no idea what they are risking for not only their communities, but the nation as a whole,” said Heather. In Heather’s article, she shares a story of a man she met several years ago who was stricken with polio in the 1940s. She said not only was his mobility affected by this disease, but also his chances for a career, family, and just about anything most of us take for granted. The article also shares photos of Rhyse — one from his fifth birthday playing with his police cars and rescue helicopter, and another with his sister, Maggey, as they lay side by side asleep holding hands after coming home from one of his many hospital visits. Heather and Rhyse’s story speaks volumes about the work in immunizations and children’s special health care services. They are advocates for public health, and their story strikes emotion and shares real life experiences. This is more powerful and effective than telling people it is mandated for children to be vaccinated before they can attend school. Annah Bob Huisman wrote an article (page 8) for our annual report about his daughter Annah, who is a teenager with Down syndrome. He contacted our Children’s Special Health Care Services program, where we referred Annah to the Family Hope Foundation to receive a scholarship for speech therapy. Her speech was difficult to understand and it was one of her biggest barriers to establishing relationships and being accepted by her peers. Unfortunately, most people walk away from Annah because they can't understand what she is saying. As a result, they miss out on getting to know such an http://www.nacchostories.org/using-annual-reports-to-share-our-stories/
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Using Annual Reports to Share Personal Stories & Reinforce Public Health Lessons | Stories From the Field
amazing person. Annah has much to say and even more to ask, if people are patient with her, and the therapy will go a long way with helping her connect with those around her. Her story shows just a glimpse of what this program has to offer our community. Genavicia On page 14, listen to a sound bite of Genavicia at her hearing and vision screening where she says, “I’m learning to be at school.” In the accompanying short video, we go behind the scenes to see her experience and learn more about the program. Kayla On page 18, jump into Lake Michigan with Kayla, an environmental health technician, as she conducts weekly on-site sanitary surveys. This article starts with the calming sound of waves on a beach and then features a video on how she collects water samples. Kayla also explains the testing process and how to prevent recreational water illnesses. There are other articles about Zika in Michigan, collaboration across county lines, childhood lead exposure and so much more. Through sharing our stories in our annual reports, we can better connect with people to evoke an emotion or a memory. Every person has a story to tell, and telling stories helps answer the “why 'because'?” question. View the interactive and PDF versions of the 2016 Annual Report and compare them to the 2015 report to see how Ottawa County is changing the way we approach annual reports.
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