Action, not talk: a simulation of risk communication during the first hours of a pandemic.

This article describes the design, implementation, and evaluation of a simulation of risk communication in the first hours of a pandemic. The simulation design was based on Crisis and Emergency Risk Communication principles espoused by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, as well as the collective experience of the authors. Over 4 hours, 17 local health district risk communicators in Georgia responded to a scenario in which every community in the state had teenagers infected with avian flu after returning from an international conference. The evaluation revealed that local risk communicators had much greater difficulty following risk communication principles under the time pressures of a realistic and stressful event than they did in a tabletop exercise. Strengths and weaknesses of the performance of the local risk communicators are identified in addition to lessons learned about the design and implementation of a risk communication simulation.

Mass media health communication campaigns combined with health-related product distribution: a community guide systematic review.

CONTEXT: Health communication campaigns including mass media and health-related product distribution have been used to reduce mortality and morbidity through behavior change. The intervention is defined as having two core components reflecting two social marketing principles: (1) promoting behavior change through multiple communication channels, one being mass media, and (2) distributing a free or reduced-price product that facilitates adoption and maintenance of healthy behavior change, sustains cessation of harmful behaviors, or protects against behavior-related disease or injury. EVIDENCE ACQUISITION: Using methods previously developed for the Community Guide, a systematic review (search period, January 1980-December 2009) was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of health communication campaigns that use multiple channels, including mass media, and distribute health-related products. The primary outcome of interest was use of distributed health-related products. EVIDENCE SYNTHESIS: Twenty-two studies that met Community Guide quality criteria were analyzed in 2010. Most studies showed favorable behavior change effects on health-related product use (a median increase of 8.4 percentage points). By product category, median increases in desired behaviors ranged from 4.0 percentage points for condom promotion and distribution campaigns to 10.0 percentage points for smoking-cessation campaigns. CONCLUSIONS: Health communication campaigns that combine mass media and other communication channels with distribution of free or reduced-price health-related products are effective in improving healthy behaviors. This intervention is expected to be applicable across U.S. demographic groups, with appropriate population targeting. The ability to draw more specific conclusions about other important social marketing practices is constrained by limited reporting of intervention components and characteristics.

The National Diabetes, Influenza, and Pneumococcal Campaign: an evaluation of campaign relevancy, partnerships, and media relations.

The Division of Diabetes Translation, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, collaborated with its 59 Diabetes Prevention and Control Programs (DPCPs) to implement in 1998-1999 the National Diabetes Influenza and Pneumococcal Campaign. Postcampaign evaluation examined DPCPs' perceptions of the relevancy of the campaign in reaching the target population (adults aged 25-64 years with diabetes), establishing successful partnerships, and engaging the media. Most DPCPs stated the campaign reached their target population. DPCPs most commonly partnered with existing networks such as public health organizations or government agencies and direct health care providers. A majority of DPCPs did not find partnerships with direct health care providers to be effective in this campaign, but public health organizations, peer review organizations, and coalitions were described as successful partners. States in which DPCPs conducted follow-up calls to television stations regarding the airing of public service announcements generally had more announcements aired than states in which such calls were not made. Postcampaign evaluation findings also indicate that DPCPs who attempted to engage nontraditional partners (e.g., media outlets) achieved greater campaign success than those who did not. Future campaign efforts will likely benefit from relationships established with nontraditional partners, such as retailers, media outlets, local pharmacies, and faith-based organizations.