The Strengths of a Risk Communication Theory

Risk communication theory encompasses the body of thought and practices public officials or experts utilize to keep the public informed regarding potential danger. It is defined by the U.S. Public Health Service as an interactive process of exchange of information and opinion among individuals, groups and institutions. There are a number of assumptions that may weaken or strengthen the effectiveness of risk communication.

Planning

• It is critical for responsible parties to have a communication plan in place prior to a crisis. Pre-planning strengthens the flow of information and increases potential effectiveness. University Risk Management warns, "Communicating information about possible life-threatening issues can be difficult, but if it is not done well, the communicator can put the public at greater risk by creating misunderstanding or

  possibly inciting panic." They believe public officials and experts owe it to the public or agencies they serve to be prepared in advance.

Pitfalls and Action Steps

• Communicators can strengthen their risk communication by avoiding the following pitfalls and taking the following proactive steps, according to University Risk Management. First, focus less on fears of creating alarm and more on the potential benefit of allowing people to share their concerns. Pay as much attention to the means by which you will deal with people as you do to communicating data. Avoid the pitfall of believing that technical information should only be handled by technical people and place the emphasis on communicating data and listening to the public's concerns. Avoid unnecessary controversy by paying attention to the public's concerns from the very beginning. This will help avoid the potential for "disproportionate attention to lesser issues," says University Risk Management.

Principles

• U.S. Public Health Service offers the following principles to help lay a foundation for strong risk communication. They include involving the public as a legitimate partner, creating a plan to evaluate communication efforts, listening to concerns expressed by the public, sharing information in a frank and open manner, working in conjunction and cooperate with other reliable sources, partnering with news media and communicating in a clear and compassionate manner.

Checklist

• Risk communication is also strengthened by considering the following concerns. These include the reason for the communication, the target audience, the information the target audience needs, key bits of information that must be prioritized, the mode(s) of communication to be used, the anticipated response, key actors in executing plans, potential barriers and the processes and means for evaluating the effectiveness of the communication.