Sri Wahyuni (Senior Public Relations Officer, Directorate General of Health Human Resources, Ministry of Health)
Hardini Kusumadewi (Junior Public Relations Officer, Health Development Policy Agency, Ministry of Health)
Public communication in the health sector is not only about conveying information, but also about shaping perceptions and influencing behavior (Holroyd et al., 2020). In today’s digital age, with abundant information and rampant misinformation, effective communication strategies must be able to trigger awareness, change norms, and encourage action. This is where public psychology and data-driven strategies become crucial.
As a member of the Ministry of Health’s Public Relations team, we daily manage disease burden data in Indonesia, and we recognize the powerful synergy between psychological insights and data storytelling. Strong data alone doesn’t guarantee significant impact unless it’s presented in a compelling, empathetic, and believable narrative.
This article explores how public psychology and disease burden data can be integrated into impactful health communication strategies, particularly for catastrophic diseases, such as cancer, heart disease, stroke, and kidney disease.
Public psychology helps explain how people perceive health risks and how messages can influence decisions and behavior. The basic model used is the health belief model. (health belief model), which emphasizes that people are more likely to take preventive action when they perceive a health threat as serious (Rosenstock, 1974).
Effective health communication relies on a variety of psychological strategies designed to resonate with audiences and inspire meaningful change. One such approach is positive message framing. (positive message framing), which focuses on highlighting the benefits and rewards of adopting healthier behaviors.
Research shows that highlighting benefits is more effective than fear-based messages (Liu et al., 2025; Gallagher & Updegraff, 2012). By emphasizing positive outcomes, individuals feel more motivated and empowered to act. For example, saying “80% of strokes can be prevented with a healthy lifestyle” more persuasive than “10.000 people died from stroke.”Another powerful technique involves personal storytelling. (personal storytelling), sharing authentic and relevant stories that evoke an emotional response. Studies show that people respond more emotionally to individual stories than to statistics (Shata & Seelig, 2025; Small et al., 2013).
The story of a 45-year-old father paralyzed after a stroke resonates more than abstract data. This narrative creates a connection between the audience and the message, making the information more memorable and impactful. By applying the principles of public relations strategy, public relations professionals can transform health messages into campaigns that can change behavior.
The Global Burden of Disease (GBD) study conducted by Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation The International Health Mechanism (IHME) highlights health challenges worldwide, including in Indonesia. In 2021, stroke was recorded as the largest contributor to the burden of disease in Indonesia, as many people lost their health and productivity due to this condition (IHME, 2021), impacting individuals across all age groups, including the working-age population. This highlights the profound social and economic implications, as many stroke survivors are in their prime years of productivity.
Meanwhile, the rise in diabetes among young Indonesians presents another worrying trend. This could threaten the future workforce and increase the burden on healthcare. Furthermore, cancers such as cervical and breast cancer continue to significantly affect women of childbearing age.
However, data alone is not enough. It must be translated into a narrative that feels close to everyday life (Haapanen et al., 2023). For example, “one in four deaths from stroke occurs in individuals under the age of 60”. Another example, “every two hours, a woman in Indonesia dies from cervical cancer.” Messages like these can humanize the data and make the health burden feel urgent and understandable.
Health data is more than just numbers. It’s the faces we encounter every day, the stories of families who have lost their loved ones, or the hope that can still be saved. Public Relations’ job is to bridge the gap between numbers and feelings.
There are three paths to take. First, transform data into stories. Numbers can be transformed into maps, infographics, or true stories of survivors that move the public. Even rigid data can be transformed into heartfelt stories. Second, listen before speaking.
Each audience has its own language. Young people connect more through text messages on TikTok; productive workers are moved when they talk about costs and lost income; while community leaders understand better when narratives are imbued with moral and social values.
Third, convey messages through the community. Global data becomes more vivid when linked to local stories. Simple messages delivered through village forums, mosque sermons, or even QR codes at community health centers can bridge knowledge and trust.
As the World Health Organization states, communication that fosters public participation not only disseminates information but also fosters trust (WHO, 2020). Ultimately, health PR is about turning data into stories, and stories into shared movements for healthier lives.
The challenges we face today, from the rise in catastrophic diseases to the torrent of misinformation, require a new, more humane and evidence-based approach. This is where the role of health public relations finds its relevance. Health public relations is the bridge between data and the public. In the hands of public relations, data is transformed into understandable language, building empathy, and motivating real action.
As a practical example, the online comparative study experience of the UK, South Korea, Singapore, and Australia further demonstrates that disease burden-based communication is a non-negotiable approach. In the UK, transparency of disease burden data builds public trust.
In Korea, digital technology makes data live and accessible to the public. Singapore demonstrates how cross-agency coordination makes health messages more coherent, while Australia emphasizes the importance of a community approach to making the message feel immediate. From that trip, we learned that disease burden data is not just a statistical report, but the foundation for designing a clear, down-to-earth health narrative that can mobilize people to change. From that comparative study, we learned five important lessons. First, disease burden data must be placed at the center of communications, not just an appendix to reports, but rather the core of public messaging. Second, every number must be wrapped in empathy, because behind statistics are always human faces and stories.
Third, the messages we convey need to be tailored to the recipient: young people, productive workers, or community leaders, each with a different language. Fourth, the power of communication lies in collaboration, involving communities and trusted figures, making the message more accessible and credible. Fifth, communication must not stop at one point; it must be continuously evaluated and refined, using disease burden data as a compass to adjust direction.
These lessons emphasize that the success of health communications is not solely determined by the data we have, but by the ability of health PR to transform data into a narrative that is understandable, believable, and relevant to the local context, making it a meaningful story.
The experience of comparative studies on the burden of disease demonstrates the crucial role of public relations in building bridges between technocracy and the public. This is where we believe health public relations has a noble mission: ensuring that every piece of data-based information can drive change, foster trust, and become a legacy for the nation’s future health.
Health Development Policy Agency
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Telephone: 021-4261088
Fax. 021-4243933
E-mail: [email protected]
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