COURSES

Public Communication of Risk in 21st Century: Promises and Challenges
K. Viswanath, PhD
Competency 2.2 – Use principles of crisis and risk communication.

This course addresses the principles of public communication. The goal of the course is to improve one’s ability on how to communicate risk, recognize people’s reactions to risk information, understand the role of social contextual factors in generating and receiving risk information, and recognizing challenges associated with communicating risk in the 21st century. Learning objectives focus on ‘using principles of crisis and risk communication,’ which is competency 2.2 under Communicate and Manage Information.

Learning Objectives

• Understand what “risk communication” is and how to communicate risk
• Recognize how people react to risk information
• Understand the role of social contextual factors in generating and receiving risk information
• Understand the challenges in communicating risk in the 21st Century

Crisis and Emergency Risk Communication for Health Educators – Part A: Recognizing Reactions
Danielle Blanch Hartigan, PhD, MPH

Competency 2.1 – Manage information related to an emergency.

Learning Objectives:

• To define crisis and emergency risk communication.
• To recognize common emotional, physical, interpersonal and cognitive reactions during emergency and crisis situations.
• To identify the important role of health educators in crisis and emergency risk communication.
• To describe how different segments of the population receive, process, and act upon crisis and emergency risk communications.

Crisis and Emergency Risk Communication for Health Educators – Part B: Understanding Your Role
Sarah Massin-Short, MPH

Competency 2.1 – Manage information related to an emergency.

Crisis and Emergency Risk Communication for Health Educators – Part C_ Communicating the Message
Elena Savoia, MD, MPH

Competency 2.1 – Manage information related to an emergency.

Learning Objectives:

• Identify a variety of communication strategies, methods and techniques for communicating during an emergency.
• Become familiar with communication theories and models regarding crisis and emergency risk communication.
• Recognize issues related to tailoring the message to vulnerable populations.
• Recognize the importance of selecting effective methods or channels for communicating to vulnerable groups.

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WEBCASTS

Bird Flu Research: Dangerous Information on a Deadly Virus
Competency 2.1 – Manage information related to an emergency.

This Forum event, presented in collaboration with Reuters, examined questions raised by the publication of possibly dangerous information and the security issues faced by labs legitimately working with the Avian Influenza virus. Worries that the data and research being published could lead to a blueprint for a bioweapon or an accidental pandemic have fueled concerns and media attention. During the forum, issues related to the publication of the findings of recent studies and communication to the public were discussed. The Forum experts discussed issues such as national and international security and communication among the scientific community.

Response to the Earthquake, Tsunami, and Nuclear Crisis in Japan
Competency 2.1 – Manage information related to an emergency.

On Friday, March 11, 2011, a catastrophic earthquake resulted in a tsunami engulfing parts of Japan’s coastline. A state of emergency was declared at the Fukushima nuclear power plant, which subsequently experienced multiple explosions, a fire, and radiation releases. Two weeks after the earthquake, more than 10,000 people were confirmed dead, and more than 17,400 people were missing. This forum event examined the public health response to the earthquake.

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