ASEF Risk Communication for Public Health Emergencies, 2015

Overview

Objectives

1. Share experience and expertise2. Understand the importance and challenge of

reflecting the voices of healthcare workers in national risk communication

3. Isolate key barriers too implementing national risk communication strategies

4. Develop recommendations for strengthening national risk communication strategies

Modules

1. Transparency2. Coordination3. Dialogue4. Evaluation

Structure

1. Simulation / Scenario2. Workgroup challenges3. Setting the Stage4. Speakers and Panelists 5. Workgroup recommendations

ASEF Risk Communication for Public Health Emergencies, 2015

Pre Workshop Survey Results

Among the below, which definition of emergency risk communication best reflects your current understanding?

1. Risk communications is a process that gives the public access to information on the emergency and advises them on protective behaviours they should adopt to minimize their exposure to potential risks. 14 46.7%2. Risk communication is a dialogue between those responding and those affected and is supported by the dissemination of essential information that informs critical decision making. 10 33.3%3. Risk communications is an interactive process of information/ opinion exchange between certain individuals, groups and institutions that occurs before a specific health problem/emergency is addressed.

6 20%

COMMENTS

“There is a fourth option missing which includes engagement before an incident” “…this is an ‘ideal’, not often easy to achieve e.g. during the tense and rapidly evolving situations of a crisis/emergency, where it can be difficult to have this ‘dialogue’,….”“…we don't use the terminology "risk communication", we include this approach into "health promotion".” “Risk communication should be more than an "opinion exchange".”

The response that best describes the role emergency risk communication plays in your programme or specific area of work is...

1. Emergency risk communication is entirely integrated in my programme/area of work.... 10 33.3%2. The role that emergency risk communication plays varies….

16 53.3%3. We employ emergency risk communication expertise and strategies to help us develop posters, information pamphlets and brochures …similar to health promotion. 1 3.3%4. We do not engage in risk communication 3 10%

COMMENTS

“I feel like our countries emergency risk communication is not so finished that it can be integrated into all the areas of work.”“We often lack the resources to incorporate emergency risk communication into our programmes.”“Ebola is presenting a window of opportunity currently, bringing the issue of failure to communicate and engage with the affected to the table.” “We are working to develop specific tools and methodologies for a humanitarian anthropology and a humanitarian health promotion.”

Top priority activities in your current risk communication strategies

1. media relations2. IEC materials3. social media4. community engagement5. social mobilization

Does your programme, team or organization have a list of communication partners?

If so, are you in regular contact with these partners?

Yes 19 63.3%No 6 20%Somewhat 5 16.7%

Has your programme, team or organization conducted research on the knowledge, attitudes and perceptions of some of your target populations (ie. vulnerable

communities, target groups, etc) ?

Yes 12 40%No 13 43.3%Somewhat 5 16.7%

Has your programme, team or organization put in place a system for evaluating the impact of your communication strategies/activities to see if they are

working?

Yes 9 30%No 15 50%Somewhat 6 20%

COMMENTS

“We try to pre test our messages/materials (but do not Always have the time to do so)…”“We developed indicators of monitoring of our activities, impact is very difficult to measure, but other factors can be monitored.”“Evaluating the impact of the communication activities is limited by the fact that these are often not implemented directly by us.”“These activities require significant resources to invest.”

On a scale of 1-5, how would you currently classify your country or organization's level of risk communication preparedness?

We are not prepared: 1 0 0%2 3 10%3 10 33.3%4 15 50%

We are very prepared: 5 2 6.7%