Can interactive science exhibits be used to communicate population health science concepts?
Engaging public audiences with population health science necessarily requires a society level perspective; however, many existing communication strategies and programs tend to focus at the individual level. This paper describes a novel approach to engaging community members with the social determinants of health outcomes using an interactive exhibit within a science centre. The exhibit was capable of supporting understanding about social determinants of health in adults and children under the age of 15 within an average three-minute interaction. The presence of a facilitator who guided and supported discussions about the exhibit and its concepts with the visitors was also key to sustaining visitor engagement. These exploratory findings suggest the use of informal learning settings, such as science centres and museums, may provide a means to communicate population health and improve discourse about public health policy. ; The work was funded by the National Health and Medical Research Council of Australia (NHMRC) through its Partnership Centre grant scheme [grant number GNT9100001]. NSW Health, ACT Health, the Australian Government Department of Health, the Hospitals Contribution Fund of Australia, and the HCF Research Foundation have contributed funds to support this work as part of the NHMRC Partnership Centre grant scheme.