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We've taken a look at being open and transparent when drafting
our first message as a core component of communicating during an emergency.
In this lesson, we'll move on to the second component, public communication coordination.
Coordination works to effectively engage and
coordinate public communication with other organizations,
designate roles and responsibilities of lead and supporting agencies,
coordinate messages and reduce the possibility of confusion and overlap,
and to strengthen the reach and influence of the advice provided.
This critical aspect of communicating during
an emergency involves coordinating your messages with others.
Specific partners and stakeholders involved in
a given emergency will vary based on the location and the nature of the crisis.
As discussed in earlier lessons,
the time to build relationships with potential partners is before a crisis ever happens.
In the event of an infectious disease outbreak or a natural disaster,
what other organizations are likely to be engaged in public communication activities?
Do you know who to contact at that organization?
During the pre-crisis phase,
make sure to develop partnerships in advance of a problem.
It's much easier to develop relationships before an event,
rather than in the heat of a crisis.
This is the time to designate roles and determine
who has what responsibilities during an event.
Remember, communication is built on trust.
Build that trust with partners by sharing information and details with them,
and involve them in decisions and discussions,
and especially provide details on how public health decisions were made.
Effectively coordinating with partners,
will help reduce the possibility of confusing or inconsistent information.
Effective communication happens when your message is received and understood.
One of the best ways to do this is to involve those from within the affected community.
They're at the pulse of what is happening
and can provide insights not only on what to say,
but also how, when,
and where to share it.
Community leaders are often the most credible and trusted resources within a community,
and can help strengthen the reach and influence of your message.
As we've seen, emergencies may contain a lot of unknowns.
So be prepared to adapt,
and involve new partners during an emergency,
especially if specific communities are not being reached.
As we revisit our fictional scenario in Caribe,
you are once again in the role of a public health official.
Our communication objective is to warn of risk,
provide clear advice and strategies to minimize illness,
and to maintain trust among citizens and partners.
Please take note of any issues with coordinating
information and communication as we walk through this scenario.
It's been three months since the initial Zika virus outbreak on the island of Caribe.
The World Health Organization has declared
the Public Health Emergency of International Concern officially over,
while acknowledging that the threat remains serious and is still not fully understood.
Health officials are noticing that there are mixed messages
and rumors in the media and on social media.
Additionally, segments of the population are
not implementing the control measures recommended,
including mosquito control and safe sex precautions.
The rural migrant worker population is of particular concern.
There are higher levels of Zika virus infections in these communities,
resulting in higher than normal cases of microcephaly and Guillaine-Barre syndrome.
The migrant population received the same information, support,
and engagement opportunities as all the others on the island,
and authorities are puzzled as to why there is
an ongoing problem accepting the recommended control measures.
Local health clinics, the Ministry of Health,
and several international non-governmental organizations,
claim to have provided health education materials
in the migrant dialect that they themselves developed.
But they characterize the threat and control measures differently.
The situation represents a direct threat to the entire Zika virus management strategy.
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During this scenario, what challenges were most evident?
The coordination issues include:
the Caribe health and Caribe tourism industries are locked in
an internal battle on messaging with health emphasizing caution,
and tourism emphasizing the relatively low risk.
Rumors and misinformation continue to circulate on social media,
including the highly questionable advice based on
the use of unproven and controversial traditional medicines.
Many other involved organizations are seemingly not engaged and not concerned.
All of this adds up to the fact that there is evidence of
low risk perception and concern among the population,
especially those in areas of the country at greatest risk of mosquito borne disease.
Now that we've identified issues with coordination,
what solutions would you suggest to improve communication efforts?
Think about the specific actions you might recommend to effectively engage,
and coordinate public communication with other organizations.
How would you work to designate roles and
responsibilities of lead and supporting agencies?
What would you do to coordinate messages,
to help reduce the possibility of rumors, confusion, and overlap?
And lastly, what can you do to strengthen
the reach and the influence of the advice provided?
Dabney P. Evans, PhD, MPHAssistant Professor
Julia Smith-EasleyLead, Risk Communication and Community Engagement
