Recorded live at the 2025 National Conference on Health Communication, Marketing, and Media (NCHCMM) in Atlanta, this episode of Public Health Speaks features Michael McNair of the New York State Department of Health’s Office of Sexual Health and Epidemiology. McNair discusses his campaign, Syphilis in Pregnancy: The Role of Public Health Communication in Prevention, developed in response to rising congenital syphilis rates in New York and across the U.S.

He explains how the initiative reframed messaging from “congenital syphilis” to “syphilis during pregnancy,” a plain-language shift designed to keep babies at the center of the conversation while empowering pregnant people to seek testing at key points: the first prenatal visit, the third trimester, and delivery. The campaign combined community listening sessions, provider education, and creative outreach strategies to build trust and engagement.

McNair also shares practical communication insights for public health professionals, emphasizing the importance of community input, inclusive language, message testing, and clear, attainable calls to action that help people take charge of their health.

Learn more about the campaign at https://www.health.ny.gov/diseases/communicable/congenital_syphilis/