F4. Oral Session: Shaping Change Through Storytelling
F4.02 - Oral Session: Stories That Shift Stigma: Data-informed Digital Campaigns to Reframe Substance Use
Friday, April 24, 2026
8:45 AM - 9:15 AM PST
Location: Pavilion Ballroom East, Plaza Level
Area of Responsibility: Area VI: Communication Keywords: Alcohol and Substance Abuse@@@Health Communication@@@Social Media, Subcompetencies: 6.1.2 Identify the assets, needs, and characteristics of the audience(s) that affect communication and message design (e.g., literacy levels, language, 6.2 Determine communication objective(s) for audience(s). Research or Practice: Practice
Public Health Communications Specialist Shatterproof Brooklyn, New York, United States
Learning Objectives:
At the end of this session, participants will be able to:
Identify how data-driven message development can inform digital storytelling to reduce stigma surrounding substance use disorder.
Analyze strategies for using social media and digital storytelling to promote empathy and encourage supportive attitudes toward individuals with SUD.
Explore the impact strategic communications can have when co-created alongside people with lived experience to build trust with the intended audience through authenticity and cultural relevance.
Brief Abstract Summary: Learn how Shatterproof’s evidence-based, statewide stigma reduction campaigns harness social media and digital storytelling to transform perceptions of substance use disorder (SUD). Across California, Georgia, North Carolina, and Kentucky, the initiative integrates baseline stigma assessment surveys and key informant interviews to develop tailored, data-informed strategic communications that reach intended state residents. This deep-dive session explores how communication strategy, planning, and information gathering intersect to dismantle stigma as a barrier to care and support for people living with SUD, ultimately advancing community wellbeing and reframing the conversation about SUD.
Detailed abstract description: Substance use disorder (SUD) is a heavily stigmatized health conditions in the United States, often preventing individuals from seeking care, maintaining recovery, or accessing social support. In response, Shatterproof launched a series of statewide, data-driven stigma reduction campaigns across the country. Highlighting campaigns in California, Georgia, North Carolina, and Kentucky, these state-wide interventions are grounded in community context and built upon health communication and planning principles.
Each campaign begins with a baseline survey assessing public attitudes toward individuals with SUD across key stigma dimensions: associated prejudice, recovery potential, treatment effectiveness, and more. These data inform tailored message development, enabling the creation of localized social media campaigns and digital storytelling initiatives that resonate with diverse audiences, from healthcare professionals to family members and faith communities.
Using digital storytelling, individuals with lived experience share authentic narratives of recovery and resilience. These stories, distributed through multi-channel digital campaigns, humanize SUD, challenge stereotypes, and foster empathy across communities. By leveraging platform-specific analytics, the campaigns continuously refine message framing and visual design to enhance engagement and reach, ensuring alignment with data-informed goals. Additionally, each campaign has employed the feedback from their respective Community Impact Committees (CICs), a group of community leaders across each state that inform campaign messaging and other relevant programmatic developments.
This deep-dive presentation will explore:
- How data collected through baseline stigma surveys guided strategic communication planning; - The use of social media analytics and storytelling strategies to tailor audience-specific messages for paid and organic social media posts; - The process of co-creating digital content with people with lived experience to ensure authenticity and cultural relevance; - Digital content case studies that incorporate aspects listed above
Attendees will gain actionable insights into integrating data, storytelling, and digital tools for large-scale stigma reduction. The session emphasizes the intersection of communication competency and planning competency, offering a replicable model for designing and implementing equity-centered health communication interventions.
