Summary

Virtually every day, crisis and emergency risk communication is needed somewhere in public health. Whenever a crisis occurs, communicators must to be ready to provide information to help people make the best possible decisions for their health and well-being.

This must be done in rapid timeframes and without knowing everything about the crisis. Yet often the types of disasters that public health must address can be anticipated. CDC has developed a process for planning and conducting crisis and emergency risk communication

OnAir Post: Health Risk Communication Overview

CDC Overview

From Center for Disease Control and Prevention website

Crisis & Emergency Risk Communication (CERC)

Crisis and Emergency Risk Communication is the application of evidence-based principles to effectively communicate during emergencies. These principles are used by public health professionals and public information officers to provide information that helps individuals, stakeholders, and entire communities make the best possible decisions for themselves and their loved ones. CERC recognizes that during emergencies, we work under impossible time constraints and must accept the imperfect nature of our choices. CERC draws from lessons learned during public health emergencies and research in the fields of public health and emergency risk communication.

CDC/CERC Web pages

Other Resources

A Primer on Health Risk Communication

Gateway to Health Communication & Social Marketing Practice (CDC)

Risk Communication (WHO)