Building Capacity for Health Communication in the GCC: Educator and Practitioner Perspectives

Health communication is increasingly recognized as central to public health practice, yet limited evidence shows how competencies are defined and developed in regions where the field is emerging. This mixed methods study examined how educators and practitioners in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) conceptualize essential knowledge, skills, and abilities for effective health communication and assess current education and training capacity. Survey data from 59 participants and follow-up interviews showed high importance ratings across all competency domains, particularly multicultural and crisis communication, interpersonal and teamwork skills, and digital media production. Qualitative findings highlighted culturally mediated communication, linguistic diversity, ethical sensemaking, and institutional constraints as key factors shaping competence. Despite broad agreement on competency expectations and generally moderate-to-high organizational capacity, participants identified persistent unmet training needs. These findings inform curriculum design, workforce preparation, and capacity building efforts to support the professionalization of health communication in the GCC.