Successful Risk Communication Research Articles

Making Sense or Non-Sense? Communicating COVID-19 Guidelines to Young Adults at Danish Folk High Schools.

Little is known about young people's behaviors and responses under outbreaks of infectious diseases such as the COVID-19 pandemic, especially in institutional settings. This research investigated the reactions of young adults residing at Danish folk high schools (FHSs) towards COVID-19 guidelines and the communicative styles used to enforce COVID-19 guidelines. The qualitative data consists of focus group discussions (FGDs) with students, interviews with staff, and participant observations, as well as survey data from 1800 students. This study showed that young adults reacted negatively when first faced with the new reality of COVID-19 restrictions. They expressed distress over the loss of meaning (non-sense), loss of sense of community, as well as uncertainty. Hygiene guidelines, however, made immediate sense and were socially well accepted. Most FHSs actively involved students in risk communication and creative examples of community-building communication were identified. This study demonstrates that successful risk communication at educational institutions must take into consideration how young adults make sense of and cope with the uncertainties of life during crisis situations including epidemics.

Recommendations for increasing the reach and effectiveness of heat risk education and warning messaging

A growing number of national, state, and local governments are developing heat health warning systems and emergency preparedness plans to support the public in protecting against extreme heat. However, concern remains about the reach and effectiveness of these interventions in supporting protective action specifically among those individuals and communities most at-risk. We conducted four focus groups during spring and summer 2021 with 43 individuals who represent, serve, and/or are part of heat-vulnerable communities in San Diego County, California, to elicit recommendations for increasing the reach and effectiveness of heat risk education and warning messaging. Key recommendations include: (1) diversification of communication channels, (2) specification of content, and (3) development of formally coordinated campaigns. Grounded in local knowledge and experience, these recommendations align with evidence-based support for successful hazard risk communication as well as the increasing valorization of dialogic models of communication. In doing so, they highlight the need for heat-vulnerable communities to be involved in the planning and implementation of interventions meant specifically to support them in taking protective action. Here, we provide a detailed description of those recommendations so that they may be implemented and evaluated in future work and their transferability may be explored across other regions characterized by extreme heat.

Radiation risk perception and its associated factors among residents living near nuclear power plants: A nationwide survey in Korea

There has been increased interest in researching risk perception of radiation to implement successful risk communication, particularly given the recent worldwide nuclear policy movement regarding nuclear energy. This study aimed to investigate characteristics of risk perception among residents living near normally operating nuclear power plants in South Korea by identifying factors associated with risk perception. A survey was conducted with face-to-face interviews for 1200 residents aged 20–84 years by gender- and age-stratified random sampling. Risk perception was associated with trust perception in nuclear safety, but was not highly correlated with benefit perception for utilizing nuclear power. Relatively high risk perception was observed in women, older age groups, and residents not having experience of nuclear-related education or work. This association remained after adjusting for other factors including benefit perception, trust perception, and psychological distress. In addition to these individual characteristics, risk perception was also associated with a residential district's own unique context, indicating that a strategy of risk communication should be developed differently for residents facing nuclear-related circumstances. Given that risk perception can be changed, depending on social values such as safety culture and economic setting, further studies are required to understand the changing characteristics of radiation risk perception.

The role of trust in risk communication: the Norwegian experience

Abstract Communication concerns giving and receiving information and ideas. In a public health context, risk communication also includes encouraging people to change their behaviour. During the COVID-19 epidemic, there has been a constant flow of information, but evidence has shown that not all forms of communication have the same effects on the general population. Risk communication only works well when the communication is based on trust between Those with the expertise Those with responsibility Those affected Listening to and understanding people's thoughts, worries and experiences is just as important as offering facts and advice. Transparency about what is known and about the unknowns, is essential, as is allowing for interim advice following new knowledge. In the Scandinavian countries, where the cultural context is fairly similar, research has shown the positive effect on trust, when displaying scientific disagreement and being transparent about discussions and debates among health authorities - and between health authorities and other professionals. Inviting the public to know when science does not as yet have an answer, has led to higher confidence in the authorities and higher likelihood of compliance with advice. Showing people why advice has changed and illustrating the scientific processes behind the advice given, make people understand the authorities' reasoning and increases trustworthiness, although it may be argued that this depends on a previous high level of trust in authorities. We draw from the experience of Norway, one of the most successful countries in continental Europe in containing COVID-19 impacts, to outline the importance of trust in developing a successful risk communication strategy.

Ranking of Everyday Activities by Risk of Coronavirus in the Istanbul Metropolitan Area, Turkey

Objective: Understanding how people evaluate and perceive risks is critical in designing successful risk communication strategies. Very limited information is available in Turkey regarding how people determine whether something is risky or safe. The purpose of the study was to document the ranking of everyday activities by risk of coronavirus by health professionals and others. Besides analyzing the risk ranking differences between these two groups, creating an infographic based on the rankings of health professionals was the main objective. Materials and Methods: An online descriptive study was planned to understand how health professionals and non-health professionals rank the risks of 43 everyday activities from a COVID-19 perspective in the Istanbul metropolitan area. The study hyperlink was shared through social media channels, as well as professional associations targeting health professionals. Responses were analyzed in SPSS.11. The statistical significance level was accepted as p<0.05. Results: We received 1,614 valid responses through online submissions, of which 738 (45.7%) were health professionals, and 876 (%54.3) were from non-health sectors. Mask use and the respect of the 1.5 m distance from others were found to be similar in participants from health and non-health sectors. Hand washing and the use of hand sanitizers were found to be significantly higher among health professionals. Health professionals, women, and participants with higher education ranked the risk of everyday activities higher than other groups. The activities that were ranked as high-risk share some common features like closed spaces, crowded places, and activities that require people to be close to each other and, in some cases, touching. Conclusion: Based on the rankings of the 738 health professionals, an infographic illustrating the ranking scores of the 43 everyday activities, both through labels and colors, was developed, using a cartoon-style Istanbul metropolitan landscape.

The influence of socio-economic status on risk prioritisation

This study examined the influence of socioeconomic status (SES) on risk prioritisation. Participants ranked 28 hazards according to how risky they considered them to be for the South African society. The results showed SES had an influence on hazard prioritisation, e.g., alcohol was considered the most significant societal hazard by low SES individuals, but was ranked 10th by high SES individuals. High SES individuals on the other hand, were significantly more concerned than low SES individuals about personal security risks. A second aim of the study was to delineate the interaction between SES and gender, and whether this also influenced risk perception. The data revealed statistically significant interactions between gender and SES for a number of hazards including personal security hazards, government corruption, climate change, and alcohol. SES influenced risk perceptions even at the level of gender so that individuals of similar gender but different SES perceived risks from the same hazard disparately. This suggests that people’s socioeconomic status influenced how they perceived risks, irrespective of gender. Together, these findings suggest that SES is an important determinant of people’s risk perceptions, and that it can modify even the effects of gender. These findings also have practical implications because they imply that risk perceptions are not similar between socio-economic groupings. As such, assessments derived in high SES or developed contexts may not adequately describe low SES or developing contexts. Context-relevant data are, therefore, key to successful risk management and communication.

How Do Environmental News and theUnder the DomeDocumentary Influence Air-Pollution Knowledge and Risk Perception Among Beijing Residents?

To examine Beijing residents’ risk perception of contracting smog-related diseases, we proposed a model in which air-pollution knowledge is a theoretical mechanism accounting for the influence on risk perception of exposure to environmental news and exposure to Under the Dome, an environmental documentary about smog in China, which has been censored. Data ( N = 523) were collected from Beijing residents from February to March in 2017. We analyzed the data using Hayes’ PROCESS macro. Findings revealed that environmental-news exposure is positively associated with both air-pollution knowledge and risk perception. Exposure to environmental news has an indirect effect on risk perception through air-pollution knowledge. Exposure to Under the Dome is positively related to risk perception but is not related to air-pollution knowledge. We contributed to the literature by empirically testing the impact of Under the Dome, which has been largely studied via the critical theory approach. Implications included that Under the Dome is a successful risk communication model and that its impact goes beyond increasing public risk perception of smog.

Komunikacija o rizicima od katastrofa - stavovi građana Srbije

The objective of this research was to examine the citizens' attitudes to various factors influencing the implementation of effective disaster risk communication in the Republic of Serbia. In addition, the research aims to scientifically describe the predictors of successful disaster risk communication. Using an online survey questionnaire, based on the snowball principle, 243 respondents were surveyed during July 2021. The results of the multiple linear regression analysis used to assess the explanatory power of six selected variables (gender, age, education, marital status, employment, and income level) on the perception of disaster risk communication show that the most important predictors of risk awareness are income level and gender. The obtained results have multiple scientific and practical importance for the improvement of integrated disaster risk communication through the process of improved understanding of the demographic and socio-economic perspective of communication.

Should I stay or should I go now? Why risk communication is the critical component in disaster risk reduction

Risk communication is a critical component in disaster risk reduction, especially in designing and implementing early warning systems. The ability to communicate hazard forecasts and risk information to vulnerable communities and stakeholders successfully is crucial for effective disaster preparedness and response, to reduce impact, and to prevent loss of life. Successful risk communication, however, is challenged constantly. Even the most sophisticated forecasting models and advanced early warning systems can be rendered ineffective if the information is not communicated clearly, on time, and in a way that allows the end-user to consider options and act appropriately. These challenges not only apply to fast onset hazards such as cyclones and tsunamis, but also to slower onset hazards such as the current COVID-19 pandemic. Around the world, governments' responses to the current pandemic provide examples of how complex and difficult successful risk communication is. This paper discusses the importance of risk communication as a critical component of early warning systems and explores the constant challenges that vulnerable communities face, how early warning systems sit within the wider Sendai Framework, and what governments have learned from the COVID-19 pandemic, and discusses how we can communicate more effectively in the future to reduce harm.

Key Considerations for Successful Risk Communication and Community Engagement (RCCE) Programmes During COVID-19 Pandemic and Other Public Health Emergencies.

Risk communication and community engagement (RCCE) is a key pillar in public health emergency response that ensures accurate health information sharing, adoption of protective behaviours by the affected people, and collaborative participation by all stakeholders, including of the local community structures. The success of RCCE programmes rely on strong partnerships and engagement among affiliated groups; clear programme plans and guidelines; establishment of well-laid down coordination structures; and clear measures for reporting and documentation of programme activities. RCCE activities during public health emergencies must put more emphasis on strengthening local structures and communities to ensure active participation of communities in interrupting disease transmission.

Understanding Households’ Perceptions of Risk Communication During a Natural Disaster: A Case Study of the 2011 Flood in Thailand

This study investigated households’ perceptions of risk communication during the 2011 flood in Thailand, which was the most devastating in Thailand since 1942 and affected 12.9 million people. The study aim was to analyze the determinants of people’s perceptions of early warning communication and its efficacy. It also examined key determinants in various aspects, including the accessibility and efficacy of warnings regarding the potential hazard from electrocution, household hygiene, and life and property issues. This study used the 2011 Flood Livelihood Survey of Thai households, conducted by the Thai National Statistical Office from July to December 2011. The results demonstrated that some household characteristics, head of household, and communication and transportation problems during the flood affected warnings regarding accessibility and the perception of warning efficacy during the 2011 flood in Thailand. The results also demonstrate the key factors in successful risk communication, i.e., flood experience and community interrelationship. It is also essential to provide comprehensive and useful information such as safety and health instructions, using the proper channels to disseminate information to the target audience.

Risk perception of health problems among travelers visiting a travel clinic in Bangkok, Thailand

BackgroundEffective pre-travel consultations cannot be achieved only through individual risk assessment and advice on vaccinations and chemoprophylaxis. Travelers’ perceptions of the risk of health problems represent another key factor in successful risk communication and co-operation with pre-travel advice. The objective of this study was to determine perception of travel-related health risks among Thais and westerners visiting the Thai Travel Clinic for consultation before visiting developing countries.MethodsA novel pictorial scale questionnaire-based study was conducted with both Thai and western travelers who visited the Thai Travel Clinic for pre-travel consultation. All participants were approached before and after completing the consultation, and were asked about their demographic data and perceptions of travel-related health risk. The perceptions of risk before and after consultation were compared using the McNemar test, and were also compared with the actual estimated risk.ResultsDuring May to November 2019, 594 travelers (330 Thais and 264 Westerners) were enrolled and completed the pictorial scale questionnaires. Most Thai travelers visited Africa/South America (63%), and 20% had previously received counseling. Westerners were mostly backpackers (37.5%), traveling for > 30 days (71.6%), while 43.6% had previously received counseling. Overall, the westerners (n = 264) changed their risk perceptions slightly after counseling in contrast with the Thais. The change in perception of most health problems was observed statistically significant (p-value < 0.05) after receiving pre-travel consultation among both groups of travelers. Risk perception among western travelers after consultation compared with estimated actual risk showed accurate risk perception toward most of health problems especially in travelers who had previously received counseling in ones’ home countries.ConclusionsRisk perception of health problems plays an important role in successful risk communication and their response to pre-travel advices. Differences in risk perceptions were evident between the two groups. Therefore, this highlight the importance of obtaining pre-travel advice in one’s home country before travelling. Raised awareness of the risks should be emphasized during consultations for underestimated health risks, especially for rabid animal exposure and sexually transmitted diseases.

Risk Communication During COVID-19

During the unprecedented times caused by the novel coronavirus disease 2019, there is rapidly evolving information and guidance. However, a focus must also be on proper and effective risk communication. This is especially the case during pandemics that have high rates of infection, significant morbidity, lack of therapeutic measures, and rapid increases in cases, all of which apply to the current coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic. A consequence of poor risk communication and heightened risk perception is hoarding behavior, which can lead to lack of medications and personal protective equipment. One potential way to ensure appropriate risk communication is using social media channels, and ensuring an ongoing consistent media presence. Another important step is to include all stakeholders including members of the allergy community in broader public health messaging. As we continue to face unprecedented times in the allergy community, an understanding and appreciation of risk communication will be essential as we communicate with, and inform, our patients, and our colleagues, moving forward.

Community‐Oriented Risk Communication in Recovery Efforts after Radiological Contamination/Accidents

The high levels of public worry and distrust of authorities, especially as associated with nuclear energy and radioactive waste, are well established in the literature and in the experience of risk communicators dealing with the general public. Though much of the experience with the heightened sense of worry that accompanies planned exposure situations associated with proposed radioactive/nuclear facilities (e.g., radioactive waste repositories, nuclear power plants, yet to be approved or built), there are also examples of existing exposure situations such as those following radiological accidents (e.g., Chernobyl or Fukushima). Some risk perception factors (e.g., trust, dread) are common to both planned and existing exposure situations, whereas others (e.g., volition, controllability) may be more prevalent in post‐accident exposure situations. Specific risk perceptions held by a given population and its various subgroups must be acknowledged and incorporated into successful risk communication and public engagement strategies. Post‐accident recovery programs and remediation projects, while in many countries requiring stakeholder and public acceptance to proceed, often fail to incorporate the specific risk perceptions held by the various affected groups in their risk communication and public involvement strategies. Such failures can foster a skeptical or angry public reaction, and hamper recovery in terms of both primary measures (radiological risk reduction interventions) and secondary measures (aiming at “return to normal life,” removal of stigmatization, health and well‐being, etc.). Existing exposure situations and the corresponding mitigations are often approached as local or national scale issues, but by their nature of following radiological emergencies or nuclear accidents, issues of multinational risk perceptions may also arise. Confronting risk perceptions featuring high levels of uncertainty, issue complexity, distrust, information asymmetry, and so forth, requires more interactive forms of governance and adaptive approaches to securing public acceptance. A suggestion is made to deploy an iterative continuous improvement model for incorporating specific risk perceptions into risk communication programs in concert with mutual‐gains‐based public engagement mechanisms.

Risk selfies and nonrational environmental communication

Risk associated with a Pacific Northwest earthquake was expressed through a moderately successful social media risk communication campaign known as #14gallons. #14gallons encouraged people to collect and store 14 gallons of fresh water per person and take a selfie with their water, tagging others to do the same. This article frames the hashtag campaign within scholarship on the rhetoric of risk, defines the genre of the "risk selfie," and then uses a modified version of Laurie Gries's iconographic tracking method to produce information about the campaign that can be productively employed by risk communication practitioners.

Communicating Environmental Health Risks with Indigenous Populations: A Systematic Literature Review of Current Research and Recommendations for Future Studies

ABSTRACTIndigenous populations are recognized as a group who are potentially vulnerable to environmental health hazards due to their intimate relationship with and reliance on local environments for aspects of culture, health, and well-being. In many circumstances barriers to effective communication and health risk management are linked to cultural, economic, and geographic factors. A systematic literature review was conducted to consolidate peer-reviewed research on the communication of environmental health risks with Indigenous populations. The comprehensive literature review procedures included searching databases and key journals that represented various fields in communication, environmental health, and Indigenous studies. The review yielded a total of 4,469 potential articles and a total of 13 of these manuscripts met the inclusion criteria. The 13 articles were analyzed to identify lessons learned for effective risk communication. Factors that influence successful risk communication strategies with Indigenous populations on this topic include: (1) developing messages that are congruent with the populations’ cultural beliefs and understanding of the environment; (2) including Indigenous populations in message design and delivery; (3) using credible and trustworthy spokespeople in message delivery; (4) identifying and utilizing effective communication materials and channels; and (5) ensuring that messages are understandable to the target audience. Gaps in the literature include the lack of longitudinal studies that empirically measure changes in perception, awareness and behavior, as well as a general lack of theory-based research. Results from this review provide directions for future work to help guide the development of more effective health risk communication research and strategies with Indigenous populations.

Perspectives on the nexus between good risk communication and high scientific risk analysis quality

In general, successful risk communication can be said to require “an understanding of the target audience, including the best means for reaching the audience: a credible or trusted source; and a message that has ideally been pre-tested to ensure its effectiveness” [43]. The scientific quality of the risk analysis is not questioned. The sources can be credible or trusted, but the scientific risk analysis quality can be poor. For example, the risk communication can be based on a scientifically unsound risk characterisation, yet be communicated successfully if the reference is a communication perspective as above. Good risk communication cannot, however, be seen in isolation from the broader process of risk analysis and management. The present paper provides some reflections on this topic, the main aim being to strengthen the argumentation for the thesis that scientific and foundational issues of risk analysis are critical for the successful communication of risk. Several examples are used to demonstrate this thesis.

RISK COMMUNICATION IN THE PROBLEM FIELD OF SOCIAL SCIENCES

The content of the main approaches to risk communication is disclosed. In particular, according to the normative approach of risk communication is based on some of the significant ethical criteria and values, focused on ensuring the fundamental rights of civil society, build confidence and consensus. Instrumental (technocratic) approach focuses on the definition of risk communication as a kind of technology that can apply individual, group or organization to obtain advantages in achieving certain goals. Realistic (sociological and culturological) approach considers risk communication as a means of improving the quality of knowledge that is available when making decisions under uncertainty. It is emphasized that realistic imperative may be associated with pragmatic reasons, but it is aimed to achieve this result, which is consistent with common interests and values. Based on the disclosure of the content of these approaches, it is determined that risk communication reflects a certain set of contacts, relationships and actions that arise in society when perceiving risk, assessing it by people, and the need to act to minimize the risk or reduce to an acceptable level the negative consequences of its impact.Determined that risk communication is aimed at addressing the following main objectives: to make the message as accessible to all addressees could understand their meaning; provide an environment for discussion of risk issues involving all stakeholders in the democratic process aimed at resolving conflicts; create conditions in order to convince the message recipients to change their attitude to a particular type of risk. Successful risk communication depends on how the threat was identified for the implementation of communication activities. For this it is necessary to take the following steps: identification of possible collision situations; definition of situations that may trigger conflicts; determining the critical level of perception; determining the ability of information that serves an incentive for certain actions; determining the level of the motivational power of information provided; determining the level of conflict information provided; determining the level of psychological barriers of perception; determination of the ability to hear and understand information; determining the level of preparedness of criticism and black / gray PR; determining readiness to use methods of “pattern disruption”; determining the ability of media to modify and provoke opposing units; determination of a threat of lack of time mode; determining the level of professionalism and training of performers communicative action; determine the feasibility of using adequate methods, techniques, technologies.Demarcation of risk communication with information on risks, communicative risks, crisis communication was carried out. It is shown that risk communication is a purposeful process of exchanging different types of risk between the parties concerned. However this exchange is not one-sided and interactive process based on the existence and performance feedback, ensuring the mutual exchange of information. Proved that risk communication differs from communicative risks that are generated reality of risks intersection varied (permanent and temporary) factors of risks. In contrast, crisis communication, risk communication is establishing a dialogue between those at risk and those who are able to control or reduce their risk level associated with the determination of risk and is intended to convince the public to refrain from risky behavior. It was determined that the combined risk communication objective («threat») and subjective («outrage») elements.

English

In this article, we summarise research that identifies best practice for communicating about hazards where the risk is low but public concern is high. We apply Peter Sandman's 'risk = hazard + outrage' formulation to these risks, and review factors associated with the amplification of risk signals. We discuss the structures that determine the success of risk communication strategies, such as the capacity for early communication to 'capture' the dominant representation of risk issues, the importance of communicating uncertainty, and the usefulness of engaging with communities. We argue that, when facing trade-offs in probable outcomes from communication, it is always best to choose strategies that maintain or build trust, even at the cost of initial overreactions. We discuss these features of successful risk communication in relation to a range of specific examples, particularly opposition to community water fluoridation, Ebola, and routine childhood immunisation.

Chances and risks in medical risk communication.

Communication between physicians and patients in everyday life is marked by a number of disruptive factors. Apart from specific interests, mistakes, and misunderstandings on both sides, there are main factors that contribute to the risk in risk communication. Using the example of mammography screening, the current work demonstrates how the meaning of test results and the informative value of measures taken to reduce risk are often misunderstood. Finally, the current work provides examples of successful risk communication.