Communicating with the public about emerging health threats: lessons from the Pre-Event Message Development Project.
Am J Public Health
; 98(12): 2214-22, 2008 Dec.
Article
em En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-18382011
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVES:
We sought to better understand the challenges of communicating with the public about emerging health threats, particularly threats involving toxic chemicals, biological agents, and radioactive materials.METHODS:
At the request of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, we formed an interdisciplinary consortium of investigative teams from 4 schools of public health. Over 2 years, the investigative teams conducted 79 focus group interviews with 884 participants and individual cognitive response interviews with 129 respondents, for a total sample of 1013 individuals. The investigative teams systematically compared their results with other published research in public health, risk communication, and emergency preparedness.RESULTS:
We found limited public understanding of emerging biological, chemical, and radioactive materials threats and of the differences between them; demand for concrete, accurate, and consistent information about actions needed for protection of self and family; active information seeking from media, local authorities, and selected national sources; and areas in which current emergency messaging can be improved.CONCLUSIONS:
The public will respond to a threat situation by seeking protective information and taking self-protective action, underlining the critical role of effective communication in public health emergencies.
Texto completo:
1
Coleções:
01-internacional
Base de dados:
MEDLINE
Assunto principal:
Atitude Frente a Saúde
/
Prática de Saúde Pública
/
Educação em Saúde
/
Comunicação
/
Avaliação das Necessidades
Tipo de estudo:
Etiology_studies
/
Qualitative_research
/
Risk_factors_studies
Aspecto:
Determinantes_sociais_saude
Limite:
Adult
/
Female
/
Humans
/
Male
País/Região como assunto:
America do norte
Idioma:
En
Revista:
Am J Public Health
Ano de publicação:
2008
Tipo de documento:
Article