When it comes to public health, conflicts of interest are an unavoidable reality, whether they stem from resource scarcity, cultural misunderstandings or crisis response decisions. If left unmanaged, such conflicts can derail even the most well-intentioned initiatives.
The Master of Public Health (MPH) online program from the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor (UMHB) equips public health professionals with the advanced leadership and communication skills needed to transform conflict into progress. Courses prepare students to strategically evaluate complex issues, manage stakeholder engagement and lead with empathy in a rapidly changing public health landscape.
The Role of Conflict in Public Health Crises
Public health crises — from pandemics to environmental disasters — often magnify existing inequalities and tensions. According to the Collaborative for Development Action (CDA), effective engagement in these settings requires understanding the four levels of conflict engagement:
- Personal: Involves individual fear, trauma and lived experience
- Interpersonal: Emerges among team members, healthcare workers or between professionals and patients
- Community: Centers on mistrust, cultural differences or local dynamics
- Systemic/Structural: Includes government policies, historical injustices and large-scale institutional breakdowns.
Navigating these layers requires not only technical knowledge but also emotional intelligence and cultural sensitivity. The MPH program at UMHB is designed to help students develop these core competencies so they are better able to build trust with stakeholders, strengthen community ties and improve health outcomes.
Active Listening and Empathy-based Communication
At the heart of conflict resolution is active listening, a technique that ensures all parties feel heard, understood and respected. In healthcare, this means listening not only to patients but also to community leaders, clinicians and policymakers.
Per Futuramo, active listening combined with empathy-based communication builds mutual respect and de-escalates tension. UMHB’s Management & Leadership course helps students practice these essential soft skills through case studies, peer discussions and real-world application. By learning how to manage their own reactions and understanding others’ perspectives, students are better prepared to foster unity during public health disputes.
Mediation and Negotiation in Community Settings
Mediation and negotiation play a vital role in community conflict resolution, particularly when diverse stakeholder groups hold differing perceptions of risk or priorities. For instance, during vaccine rollouts or sanitation projects, public health leaders must often mediate between governmental directives and community resistance.
Students in the MPH program explore these dynamics through the Readings, Issues, Trends, Problems course, which encourages critical reflection on evolving public health challenges. Exposure to real-life scenarios allows future leaders to practice interest-based negotiation where the goal is not to “win” the conflict but to find collaborative solutions that serve public interest.
Cultural Competency and Trauma-Informed Approaches
Public health professionals must also be fluent in cultural competency, understanding how cultural beliefs influence health behaviors. They then need to apply trauma-informed approaches when engaging vulnerable populations.
Conflict often arises when programs overlook cultural norms or past trauma. For example, communities that have experienced medical exploitation or systemic neglect may distrust even the most benevolent health campaigns.
UMHB’s MPH program addresses this through course content that challenges students to explore the social determinants of health and develop outreach strategies that are inclusive and respectful. By integrating cultural sensitivity and acknowledging trauma, students learn to approach conflicts not as hurdles, but rather as invitations to deepen trust and build lasting partnerships.
Public Engagement and Stakeholder Collaboration
Effective conflict resolution extends beyond the immediate dispute. It’s about building long-term relationships. This requires public engagement and stakeholder collaboration, particularly during times of uncertainty or crisis. As Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health notes, the three keys to managing conflict and cultivating influence are:
- Diagnosing the conflict: Identifying the root cause, not just the symptoms
- Clarifying intentions: Understanding one’s own goals, assumptions and blind spots
- Choosing the right role: Deciding whether to lead, facilitate, mediate or support
These leadership skills are not innate; they’re cultivated through intentional practice and education. The MPH program’s leadership coursework enables students to hone these abilities, preparing them to serve as trusted guides in conflict-heavy environments — from hospital boards to city councils to international nonprofit organizations (NGOs).
Conclusion: Turning Conflict Into Progress
The ability to resolve conflict with clarity, compassion and competence is no longer optional in public health; it is essential. The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor’s online MPH program empowers students to rise to this challenge with advanced training in management, communication and cultural awareness.
Graduates emerge not just as health promotion specialists, but as bridge-builders ready to navigate the complex terrain of public health with resilience and relational intelligence. In a world full of competing interests and high-stakes decisions, that’s precisely the kind of leadership public health needs.
Learn more about UMHB‘s online Master of Public Health program.