What will it take to move risk communication into the twenty-first century?. (December 2014)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Odugleh-Kolev, Asiya
• Is Part Of: Journal of communication in healthcare. Volume 7:Number 4(2014)
• Page Start: 242
• Page End: 245
• Publication Date: 2014-12
• Subjects: Communication in medicine -- Periodicals; Communication -- Periodicals; Health promotion -- Periodicals; 610.696
• DOI: 10.1179/1753807614Y.0000000066
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1753-8068

Abstract

<abstract> <title> <x content-type="archive" xml:space="preserve">Abstract</x> </title> <p>As the world is battling with the largest Ebola outbreak in recent history, spreading fear, and causing tragic loss of life, the issue of communication and how it supports effective community and public engagement is becoming prominent. This paper argues that communication is the bedrock of outbreak response. It touches upon every aspect of technical, managerial, and operational activities. Yet, it is often treated as non-technical and non-scientific. Consequently, communication is largely confined to message development, media briefings, frequently asked questions, posters, banners, and radio and TV spots. When health officials and researchers focus on 'information' as the only part of human communication in health, they fail to incorporate how humans have been biologically, cognitively, genetically, and emotionally built and wired to communicate with themselves and to others. Yet, even when communication is seen as important, conceptual, professional, organizational, and political barriers prevent communication being applied when and how it is needed. The paper argues that profound shifts are required to understand communication as systemic, contextual, relational, and functional. Only then will countries be able to build national communication capacities in sustainable ways that ensure that they are able to effectively communicate risks to their own populations and to the outside world before, during, and after emergencies.</p> </abstract>