The power of storytelling for health impact

1 October 2024

In health communication, scientific evidence and data are often used to convey important information and advice about behaviours that impact health. However, facts alone may not be enough to engage and convince people. That is where the power of storytelling comes in, and why it is a core part of the Communication for Health (C4H) approach used in the World Health Organization (WHO) Western Pacific Region. Drawing upon insights from social, behavioural and communications sciences, C4H leverages the full power of communication, including storytelling, to achieve public health outcomes.

Stories are at the heart of human existence and people are hardwired to respond to them. Stories provide meaning to facts and allow individuals to connect with the information being conveyed, both intellectually and emotionally. Evidence from neuroscience, psychology and behavioural science shows that storytelling has the power to change how people think and to influence their behaviour.

WHO works with policy-makers, health professionals, partners and communities to use stories to inform and empower people to make choices that improve health and well-being. One example is the video series on People of the Western Pacific.

Storytelling in health communication

These videos bring important health issues to life through the voices of real people living in the Western Pacific. Each story captures an individual’s lived experience with a specific health challenge – from diseases such as tuberculosis (TB), polio, dengue and measles, to mental health challenges, experiences with primary health care, and the impacts of climate change.

While each story has a different topic and objective, they share a common aim of humanizing complex health issues. By drawing on the emotional and relatable power of storytelling, these stories seek to change viewers’ health knowledge, attitudes and behaviours. They draw the audience into the protagonists’ experiences, creating emotional engagement that health facts alone cannot achieve.

Tackling complex health issues

Some health challenges, such as antimicrobial resistance, or AMR, can be difficult to explain in simple terms. Stories such as Mildred’s help make these complexities more relatable. Mildred’s decade-long struggle with multi-drug-resistant TB humanizes the issue of AMR while revealing the emotional and social impact of stigma. Through her story, viewers gain a better understanding of the consequences of AMR and its emotional toll, resulting in a deeper awareness of the issue. By sharing her story, Mildred helps WHO to reach people who may have TB and encourages them to get tested and stick to their treatment.

Ms Mildred Fernando Pancho is a survivor of multi-drug-resistant TB. By sharing the story of her 10-year-long treatment and the struggles she and her family endured, she is helping to raise awareness about antimicrobial resistance and to encourage affected individuals to seek care and stick to their treatment

Certain health topics, such as mental health and suicide, can be difficult for people to talk about due to social and psychological reasons. Stories about people like Koki help to create a safe space for understanding sensitive issues, allowing viewers to see these through the eyes of someone with lived experience. By fostering empathy and opening the door for dialogue, these stories engage not only affected individuals and communities, but also decision-makers, health professionals and service providers.

Drawing from his own experience with loneliness, which led him to contemplate suicide many times, Mr Koki Ozara founded “A Place for You” to support those who are struggling with mental health issues and to alleviate the burden of loneliness in their lives.

Advocating for action

The People of the Western Pacific stories serve as powerful advocacy tools, calling for collective action to improve health and well-being. Stories like Khamphet’s and Tsedenbal’s highlight the importance of strong health systems supported by dedicated health professionals. They demonstrate the real-life impact that robust health systems can have on individuals and communities, inspiring action.

Throughout his career in the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Nurse Khamphet Vilayphone has provided essential health services to multiple generations of patients in his community, bringing care to remote areas.

Having battled with two pandemics – H1N1 and COVID-19 − Dr Naranzul Tsedenbal (right) highlights the critical role of laboratories as part of health emergency responses.

In the face of challenges like climate change, individuals can often feel powerless. Stories like Roy’s − the “Mangrove Man” of Papua New Guinea − show the power of personal initiative. Roy’s commitment to planting mangroves and educating his community demonstrates how one person’s efforts can spark collective action. His story inspires others to act, reinforcing that even small, individual efforts can have a lasting impact.

Roy, known locally as the “Mangrove Man”, is a youth worker and a climate advocate from Gaire village in Papua New Guinea. Determined to conserve the environment for future generations, he plants mangroves and educates his community on protecting nature and people’s health.

Efforts to enhance capacity in storytelling

WHO is committed to using storytelling as a powerful tool to make health issues more relatable and inspire positive change across the Western Pacific Region. By building C4H capacity among its workforce, Member States and partners, WHO helps to ensure that storytelling continues to be used as part of health communication efforts, driving meaningful action and improved public health outcomes.