Transcript Slide 1

New York State DOH
Influenza Pandemic Plan:
Risk Communication
Kristine A. Smith, M.A.
Director of Pubic Health
Risk Communication, NYSDOH
Plan Assumptions
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Effective communication will be critical to
a successful public health response to
pandemic flu
Confirmation of a pandemic flu strain will
require comprehensive public information
targeted at multiple audiences
Target Audiences
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Members of the media
General public
Elected leaders
Special populations
Local health departments
Healthcare providers
Risk Communication Assumptions
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“Information inoculation” can help
alleviate fears.
Worried people respond better if they are
provided with up-to-date factual
information, coupled with action steps
Risk communication principles must be
employed
Core Risk Communication Principles
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Build trust
Announce early
Be transparent
Respect public concerns
Pre-Event Risk
Communications
Bird flu is waiting in the wings!
Bird Flu is Not Pandemic Flu!
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We want you to learn about bird flu, not
worry about bird flu!
Q&As
Bird flu brochure
Radio PSA
Low literacy flyers
Low Literacy Flyers
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General information
Dead bird reports
Dealing with droppings
Feeding backyard birds
Pandemic Pre-Event
Communications
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Goal: to move the public to a place of
irrational complacency, or irrational alarm
to somewhere in between that can
reasonably be construed as aware and
prepared!
Pre-Event
Communications Strategies
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Media Relations:
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Regular flow of
information
Via Opinion Leaders
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Pre-event panel discussions
Regional media forums
Preparedness partner
meetings
Stakeholder meetings
Direct Interaction
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Pre-event Town Hall
Meetings
Postings on the NYSDOH
public website
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Pre-event social
marketing: Keep
Your Germs to
Yourself!
This is how germs spread…
It’s sickening.
Use a tissue, or cough and sneeze into the bend of your arm.
Wash your hands.
Stay home if you’re ill.
Please, please keep your germs to yourself!
www.pandemicflu.gov
www.nyhealth.gov
LHD Incident Communications
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Via Health Commerce
System:
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Health Alert Network,
Health Provider Network
and Health Emergency
Response Data System
(HERDS)
Communications
Directory
Postings on the NYSDOH
public website
Bulk e-mail
“Dear Commissioner”
letters
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Though regular
and continued
interactions with
NYSACHO
Health Provider
Incident Communications
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Via Health Commerce
System:
 Health Alert Network,
Health Provider
Network and Health
Emergency Response
Data System (HERDS)
 Communications
Directory
Postings on the NYSDOH
public website
Bulk e-mail
“Dear Administrator”
letters
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Distribution to professional
associations:
Medical Society of the State of
New York (MSSNY)
New York State Nurses’
Association (NYSNA)
New York State Veterinary
Medical Society (NYVMS)
Home Care Association of New
York State
Greater New York Hospital
Association (GNYHA)
Healthcare Association of NYS
(HANYS)
Incident Communications:
Enhancing Credibility
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First message is the most credible
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Do we wait until we have all of the facts? Just
some of the facts?
What if facts keep changing?
Messages must be consistent
Deliver The Message
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Regular briefings
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Possibly telebriefings
Live interviews/
satellite media tours
Taped PSAs
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Releases, Fact Sheets,
etc.
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Website
E-Mail
Fax
Despite This…
Expect pandemonium!
About a “One-Voice” Response
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Primary spokesperson—yes; single spokesperson
unlikely
Primary message—yes; single message unlikely
Key communications partners must consistently
stress key messages; e.g.;
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What has happened? Who is at risk?
What are you doing to protect me?
What can I do to protect myself and my family?
Joint Information Center: one voice response
Joint Information Center is …
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Sole source of “official” information in an
emergency
Could be “virtual”
Summary
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Message consistency
Fast, accurate data
Share information with partners
The bottom line:
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Effective communication will not, in and of
itself, solve the health crisis… but ineffective
communication will inevitably make it worse!
Take Home Message
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“The public does
not always appear
to be rational. Our
job is not to
change their
rationality, but to
understand it”
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Source: Clifford
Scherer, PhD, Cornell
University