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A qualitative study from CUNY SPH researchers suggests that public health graduate students build trust in health institutions by serving as culturally responsive messengers in their communities. Public schools of public health play a particularly vital role in this “trust-building” process, the authors say.
For the study, Clinical Professor Chris Palmedo conducted focus group interviews with 37 CUNY SPH students and alumni in February 2024.
Participants said their lived experience, language skills, and community ties helped them explain public health guidance in ways that felt more relatable and credible. They also described frustration with misinformation, poor health literacy, and what they saw as elitist or condescending public health messaging. Many said those problems are especially pronounced in communities with a history of distrust toward government and medical institutions.
The research team, which also includes alumna Lauren Rauh (MPH ’20), CUNY SPH Foundation Executive Director Adam Doyno, and Dean Ayman El-Mohandes, says public schools of public health are well positioned to train a workforce that can bridge the gap between institutions and communities.
“Public universities tend to be more reflective of the whole of society,” says Professor Palmedo. “Our students articulated their roles as a “bridge” between communities experiencing institutional distrust and lifesaving public health programs.”
The authors recommend adding more instruction on institutional distrust, historical harms, media literacy, and culturally aware communication. Funders and agencies should support pathways into community-facing roles, such as health department fellowships, community health worker programs, and mentorships, they add.
The study builds upon the work of CUNY SPH Professor Emeritus Nick Freudenberg and alumna Dr. Adashima Oyo (MPH ’16), further exploring the “trust-building” role played by public health students at public universities.
