Introduction

Writing is essential to the field of public health. It is the tool through which public health practitioners, researchers, advocates and policymakers communicate pertinent health recommendations, research findings, and actions to the public.

To maximize effectiveness and public benefit, written public health communication must reflect the diversity of its audiences and issues. This is achieved through a wide range of document types (e.g., academic manuscripts, infographics, grant applications, social media posts, policy briefs), each tailored to address specific aspects of public health and designed to reach distinct audiences.¹ For example, infographics and fact sheets need to be clear, engaging, language-concordant and jargon-free to reach community members of varying ages, cultural backgrounds, and literacy levels. Conversely, peer-reviewed journal articles often adhere to strict publishing guidelines, and are tailored to clearly communicate research results and implications to a smaller subset of academics and practitioners. These two examples highlight the unique breadth of public health writing and underscore the inherent challenge of teaching, learning and refining the diverse skills needed to communicate effectively with varied audiences.

Recognizing the importance of writing in public health, the U.S. Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH) has identified key communication competencies for students pursuing public health education.² Through coursework, students are introduced to different writing types and styles and are trained to tailor messaging to their intended audiences. However, many employers report that public health graduates, at both the undergraduate and graduate level, are underprepared for the writing tasks they encounter in the workplace.^3,4 This may be due to academia’s emphasis on research-oriented writing (e.g., literature reviews, grant applications, manuscripts), whereas public health practitioners may rely more on other forms of communication (e.g., policy briefs, community outreach materials, infographics). This disconnect between education and practice highlights an opportunity for public health instructors to rethink how writing assignments are designed and assessed to better prepare students for writing in the workplace. Simultaneously, the unprecedented rise of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) is reshaping how writing is taught and practiced. GenAI tools offer new opportunities to personalize learning and reduce administrative burden, while also presenting challenges to equity, ethics, and sustained learning.

This playbook is designed as a resource for University of Washington faculty and instructors (herein “instructors”) in public health disciplines who teach undergraduate and graduate courses that include writing assignments. The purpose of the playbook is to 1. review the importance of teaching writing in public health courses to support professional development, practice, and research; 2. discuss how GenAI is influencing writing instruction and offer insights into designing either AI-assisted or AI-resilient writing assignments; and 3. provide example activities and resources to further support instructors in the classroom.

Disclaimer: This playbook is intended for informational purposes only and reflects the current understanding of GenAI at the time of writing (Summer 2025). GenAI technologies and tools are constantly and rapidly evolving. This playbook is iterative, but may not keep up with GenAI tools, and as such, some information presented within this playbook may become outdated.