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Risk Communication Basics

Risk Communication, in the context of environmental health, is the art of communicating the potential health risks associated with environmental exposures. There are four elements to consider in risk communication: the message, the messenger, the audience, and the context.

1.      "Message": Environmental health risks are often difficult to define. The exposures may be difficult to characterize; the exposed population may be very diverse in age, as well as many other important variables; our exposures will ALWAYS include multiple chemicals because it is the nature of our "environments" (whereas most scientific investigation is primarily about individual chemicals and rarely chemical mixtures); and because sometimes the science is inconclusive or nonexistent.  In the face of uncertainty, it is important to be open, honest, and as clear as possible in communication. 

2.      "Messenger": For risk communication to succeed the source (messenger) of the information must be perceived as a trusted and credible sources by the audience. There are a variety of elements that are outlined in the risk communication literature that affect "trust". Nurses are considered highly credible and trustworthy sources of information within the community. Gallop poll reference link

3.      "Audience": Audiences bring their own individual biases to any forum in which environmental health risks might be discussed. Their distrust of the messenger may be based on their feelings about someone from the "government", "industry", or an "environmentalist organization". An audience may trust or distrust a messenger based on his or her age, race, sex, and so on. There is an excellent body of literature on "risk perception". [back burner: need to develop a ref. list]

4.      "Context": Risk communication does not occur in a vacuum. It OFTEN occurs when there has been a perceived environmental health threat - it might be a potentially contaminated water supply, an accidental release of a hazardous chemical, or a newly identified brownfield site adjacent to a daycare center. The conditions and context will influence the audience's ability to listen and trust. Additionally, the media can play an important part in a community's understandings and biases regarding an environmental risk.

Outlined below are some risk perception tendencies described by Peter Sandman.

The EPA has created a list of 7 Cardinal Rules for Risk Communication: 

• Accept and involve public as a legitimate partner
• Plan carefully and evaluate your efforts
• Listen to your audience
• Be honest, frank, and open
• Coordinate and collaborate with other credible sources
• Meet the needs of the press ·
• Speak clearly and with compassion