BCHS 2572: Risk Communication (3 credits)

Graduate School of Public Health

Fall 2009

Tuesday, 4:00-6:55 PM

Instructor:XXX, Ph.D.

Office:xxx

Phone:xxx

Email:xxx

Office hours:Tuesday, 2:30-3:30 PM

Classroom: Crabtree A215

Course website:

TA:xxx

TA’s contact:xxx

Catalogue Description

This course focuses on risk communication within the context of terrorism, infectious disease outbreaks and natural disasters. The didactic and experiential course will include core principles of risk communication, examine special challenges of risk communication with diverse audiences, and prepare students to create a crisis and emergency risk communication plan.

Course rationale

In the context of disasters, terrorism and infectious disease outbreaks, risk communication is a critical necessity to enable communities and families to prepare and protect themselves from harm. However, effective communication requires that agencies-whether health departments, emergency management agencies or others—have a thorough and feasible communication plan, sufficient trained staff, and pre-event messages and communication strategies in place before the disaster. International, federal, state and local public health agencies continue to build the communication capacity necessary to address large scale emergencies. This course will help to prepare students who may seek careers in public health or emergency management agencies to plan, implement and evaluate risk communication. This is a required course for the Certificate in Public Health Preparedness and Disaster Response and the Certificate in Environmental Risk Assessment.

Objectives

By the end of this course, each student will be able to:

  • Apply basic principles of crisis and emergency risk communication to emergency situations;
  • Analyze different responses to risk by diverse publics and vulnerable communities;
  • Determine effective strategies to increase community and citizen engagement in health emergencies; and
  • Develop an immediate response communication plan that addresses a terrorist event, a disease outbreak, an epidemic or a natural disaster.

MPH Competencies

The Association of Schools of Public Health (ASPH) has developed a set of competencies in which all MPH graduates should be prepared ( Social and behavioral sciences are one domain of the competencies and this course addresses a number of those competencies within the context of emergencies and disasters. In addition, one cross cutting area of competencies is communications and informatics. This course will assist MPH students in development of the following competencies from that domain:

  • Describe how societal, organizational, and individual factors influence and are influenced by public health communications.
  • Apply theory and strategy-based communication principles across different settings and audiences.
  • Demonstrate effective written and oral skills for communicating with different audiences in the context of professional public health activities.

Teaching Philosophy

In the classroom, we will explore and apply concepts that inform risk communication in a diverse society. While I intend to work diligently to provide you with the resources and foundation for your experience, your active participation in the classroom is essential to learning for us all. I see the class as a partnership between teacher and students in which we each bring experience and perspectives that can enrich our interaction. I encourage each of you to create an atmosphere in which all students can speak freely. With an atmosphere of respect and trust, I believe we can flourish as a learning community.

Effective teaching of any class requires an ongoing assessment of the class activities, readings, and assignments. There is a formal course evaluation at the end of the semester. However, I believe feedback from students while the class experience is fresh is valuable for my planning. Therefore, please feel free to provide comments on the class activities, readings, or classroom atmosphere via an appointment or email message. Please consider these questions in your comments: What did you like about the class; what would you change; what did you learn and what concerns/issues do you have. Please remember it is equally helpful to hear positive reactions as well as constructive criticism. I may also utilize several informal assessments during the semester to enable me to adjust the course as needed.

Ground Rules for Class: Please be on time and turn off your cell phone. I would prefer that you not use your laptop during class.

Faculty Availability

I will maintain office hours for those students who have questions, comments or concerns. If it is not possible for you to see me during office hours, please e-mail xxx () to set up an appointment. E-mail is an excellent way to reach me as I check my E-mail several times a day. Because I get so many messages, please indicate what your message is about in the subject line.

Academic Integrity

All students are expected to adhere to the school’s standards of academic honesty. Any work submitted by a student for evaluation must represent his/her own intellectual contribution and efforts. The GSPH policy on academic integrity, which is based on the University policy, is available online at The policy includes obligations for faculty and students, procedures for adjudicating violations, and other critical information. Please take the time to read this policy.

Students committing acts of academic dishonesty, including plagiarism, unauthorized collaboration on assignments, cheating on exams, misrepresentation of data, and facilitating dishonesty by others, will receive sanctions appropriate to the violation(s) committed. Sanctions include, but are not limited to, reduction of a grade for an assignment or a course, failure of a course, and dismissal from GSPH. All student violations of academic integrity must be documented by the appropriate faculty member; this documentation will be kept in a confidential student file maintained by the GSPH Office of Student Affairs. If a sanction for a violation is agreed upon by the student and instructor, the record of this agreement will be expunged from the student file upon the student’s graduation. If the case is referred to the GSPH Academic Integrity Hearing Board, a record will remain in the student’s permanent file. Repeat violations automatically will be referred to the Hearing Board.

Disability

If you have a disability for which you are or may be requesting an accommodation, please contact me as soon as possible. Additionally, you should contact the Office of Disability Resources and Services, 216 Pitt Union, (412) 648-7890 or (412) 383-7355 (TTY) as early as possible in the semester. DRS will verify your disability and assist with determining reasonable accommodations for this course.

Course website

All readings and course material will be found on the Blackboard site for this class. The website for Blackboard is To login, you must have a Pitt account. Your login ID is the same as your login ID for your Pitt account and your password is the same as for your Pitt account. To access the site for this class, double click on the course title, BCHS 2572-Risk Communication. The site will contain all readings, power point presentations, assignments, and additional information. The power point presentations and required readings for each class will be found under the course documents main menu option. It will be imperative to print out power point presentations and readings before class, as copies will not be available in class.

Book and other resources: You will receive the book in class on the first day.

  • Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2007). Crisis and Emergency Risk Communication: Pandemic Influenza.

Course Requirements

Attendance and Participation (15 points)

Attendance and active participation are expected. I expect that you will have read all the assigned readings prior to class and come prepared to utilize those readings in small group exercises and discussion. To facilitate our use of the readings, please bring aninteresting discussion question from the readings to class with you. Be prepared to raise the highlights or particularly provocative findings from the readings. Occasionally, I will ask you to complete a brief worksheet in class that will help to illustrate a lecture or contribute to preparation of your communication plan. These will not be given a letter grade. Finally, please bring in examples, news stories, websites, or other materials that you believe will make a contribution to the class. If you will miss a class, please let either my teaching assistant or me know in advance.

One article summary: 15 points

During the term, you will be expected to do one short article summary to help stimulate our discussions in class. You’ll be able to pick the article. In class, I’ll be counting on those who did summaries that week to help stimulate discussion. We will have a sign-up sheet for specific weeks during the term. For the article you selected, you’ll submit at the time of class a one-two page summary including the full reference, key points and your own assessment of the article.

Two page description on role for tabletop simulation: 20 points

Late in the term, we will do a tabletop simulation. To prepare for that tabletop, you will receive your assignment in September. With that assignment, you will be provided a series of questions to answer to help you prepare for the simulation. Your two page brief description of the role is due November 3. The descriptions will be posted on courseweb and all students will be expected to read the other descriptions prior to the tabletop simulation on November 24.

Completion of Emergency and Crisis Risk Communication Plan and Presentation: 50 points

Beginning early in the semester, you will work on an immediate response communications plan focused on some aspect of the H1N1 influenza pandemic. Please see a separate handout for details on this assignment. In addition to the completion of a paper, you will present your plan to the class during the last 2 weeks of class. Actual Paper Due:Last class

Grade scale

A90-100

B89-80

C79-70

D69-60

F59 and below

Weekly Class Schedule

September 1Course Overview: Crisis and Emergency Risk Communication

By the end of this class, each student will be able to:

  • Articulate the role of crisis and emergency risk communication as a public health and emergency management tool in the context of terrorism, pandemics and natural disasters.

Class Activities:

  • Introductions
  • Review of the syllabus, course expectations and organization including introduction to course web, ground rules, news items and snacks

September 8Risk Communication in the Age of Terrorism, Natural Disasters and Pandemics

By the end of this class, each student will be able to:

  • Identify the role of crisis and emergency risk communication (CERC) in preparedness activities;
  • Explain the distinct contributions of CERC and hazard & risk education in improving community response;
  • Identify the components of a complete communications plan, and
  • Assess an event and determine level of communication response necessary.

Class Activities:

  • Lecture and discussion
  • Mini-lecture on communication plans and illustration with materials from the field
  • Small group activity to assess event and determine level of communication response

Required readings: (Possible article summaries)

  • Reynolds, B. & Seeger, M. (2005). Crisis and Emergency Risk Communication as an Integrative Model. Journal of Health Communication, 10, 43-55.
  • Glik, D. (2007) Risk Communication for Public Health Emergencies. Annual Review of Public Health, 28, 33-54.
  • Leavitt, J. (2003). Public Resistance or Cooperation? A Tale of Smallpox in Two Cities. Biosecurity and Bioterrorism: Biodefense Strategy, Practice, and Science, 1 (3), 185-192.
  • Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2007). Crisis and Emergency Risk Communication: Pandemic Influenza. Module 1: Introduction.
  • Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2002). Crisis and Emergency Risk Communication. Module 4: Crisis Communication Plan. (on courseweb)
  • Reynolds, B. & Quinn, S. Effective Communication during an Influenza Pandemic: The Value of Using a Crisis and Emergency Communication Framework. Health Promotion Practice. 2008. 9 (supplement to 4), 13S-17S.

Optional readings:

  • Glass, T. (2001). Understanding Public Response to Disasters. Public Health Reports, 116 (supplement 2), 69-73.

September 15 Theories to Inform Risk Communication

By the end of this class, each student will be able to:

  • Describe the theories that underlie risk communication; and
  • Apply these theories in the context of a terrorist event or natural disaster.

Class Activities:

  • Guest lecture by Barbara Reynolds, CDC (Parran 109)
  • Small group exercise and discussion

Required readings:(Possible article summaries)

  • Wray, R., Kreuter, M., Jacobsen, H., Clements, B. & Evans, R. (2004). Theoritical Perspectives for Public Communication Preparedness for Terrorist Attacks. Family and Community Health, 27(3), 232-241.
  • Covello, V., Peters, R., Wojtecki, J., and Hyde, R. (2001). "Risk Communication, the West Nile Virus Epidemic, and Bio-terrorism: Responding to the Communication Challenges Posed by the Intentional or Unintentional Release of a Pathogen in an Urban Setting." Journal of Urban Health. Bulletin of the New York Academy of Medicine, 78(2): 382-391.
  • Veil, S., Reynolds, B., Sellnow, T., & Seeger, M. (2008). CERC as a Theoretical Framework for Research and Practice. Health Promotion Practice, 9 (supplement), 26s-34s.
  • Slovic, P. (1987). Perception of Risk. Science, 236, 280-286.

Optional readings:

  • Quinn, S., Thomas, T., and McAlister, C. Lessons from the 2001 Anthrax Attack: A Conceptual Model for Crisis and Emergency Risk Communication. In Seeger, M. & Sellnow, T. (Eds). Crisis Communication and the Public’s Health. Cresskill, NJ: Hampton Press. 2008: 23-42.
September 22Psychology of a Crisis & Emotions, Risk Perception and Risk Communication

By the end of this class, each student will be able to:

  • Describe the psychology of a crisis;
  • Articulate the role that emotion plays in risk perception and communication;
  • Apply current research on sustained nature of pandemics to communication planning;
  • Counter the argument that panic is a key factor in public response; and
  • Contemplate implications of emotions in crisis situations for risk communication

Class Activities:

  • Student Debate: Will the public panic in a disaster, pandemic or terrorist event?
  • Lecture and Discussion

Required readings:

  • Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2007). Severe Influenza Pandemic: What is Different. Crisis and Emergency Risk Communication: Pandemic Influenza, 21-48.
  • Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2002). Crisis and Emergency Risk Communication. Module 2: Psychology of a Crisis. (available on courseweb)
  • Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2007). Community Hardiness and Personal Resilience. Crisis and Emergency Risk Communication: Pandemic Influenza, 49-74.
  • Sandman, P. (2002). Beyond Panic Prevention: Addressing emotion in emergency communication. Available at
  • Mawson, A. R. (2005). Understanding mass panic and other collective responses to threat and disaster.[see comment]. Psychiatry, 68(2), 95-113.

Optional readings:

  • Lating, J. (2005). The Psychological Contagion Effect. Everly, G. & Parker, C. (Eds). Mental Health Aspects of Disaster: Public Health Preparedness and Response. Baltimore, MD: Johns Hopkins Center for Public Health Preparedness.

September 29Trust, Credibility and Community Engagement

By the end of this class, each student will be able to:

  • Apply current knowledge about participation to risk communication efforts;
  • Describe the role of credibility and trust in risk communication; and
  • Identify 2 ways in which to build and lose trust in risk communication.
  • Articulate the rationale for citizen engagement in preparedness activities; and
  • Develop strategies that will engage citizens and communities.

Class Activities:

  • Guest lecture by Dr. Monica Schoch-Spana, UPMC Center for Biosecurity –invitation still pending
  • Small Group activity

Required readings: (possible article summaries)

  • Schoch-Spana, M., Franco, C., Nuzzo,J., Ysenza, C.(2007). Community Engagement: Leadership Tool for Catastrophic Health Events. Biosecurity and Terrorism: Biodefense Strategy, Practice and Science, 5, 8-25.
  • Mullin, S. (2003). The Anthrax Attacks in New York City: The “Giuliani Press Conference Model” and Other Communication Strategies that Helped. Journal of Health Communication, 8, 15-16.
  • The Working Group on “Governance Dilemmas” in Bioterrorism Response. (2004). Leading during Bioattacks and Epidemics with the Public’s Trust and Help. Biosecurity and Bioterrorism: Biodefense Strategy, Practice and Science, 2 (1), 25-40.
  • Meredith,L.S., Eisenman,D.P., Rhodes,H., Ryan, G., Long, A. (2007). Trust Influences Response to Public Health Messages During a Bioterrorist Event. Journal of Health Communication, 12, 217-232.

Optional readings:

  • Taylor-Clark, K., Blendon, R. J., Zaslavsky, A., & Benson, J. (2005). Confidence in crisis? Understanding trust in government and public attitudes toward mandatory state health powers. Biosecurity & Bioterrorism, 3(2), 138-147.
  • Wray, R., Rivers, J., Whitworth, A., Jupka, K., & Clements, B. (2006). Public Perceptions about Trust in Emergency Risk Communication: Qualitative Research Findings. International Journal of Mass Emergencies and Disasters, 24 (1), 45-75.
  • Trumbo, C. & McComas, K. (2002). The function of credibility in information processing for risk perception. Risk Analysis, 23(2), 343-353.

October 6Vulnerable Populations

By the end of this class, each student will be able to:

  • Identify social and cultural factors that place particular populations at risk during an emergency or disaster;
  • Describe ethical guidelines that may assist us in working with vulnerable populations; and
  • Plan several strategies to increase effective communication with vulnerable communities.

Class activities:

  • Lecture on disparities in the context of the H1N1 pandemic
  • Discussion on reaching special or vulnerable populations

Required readings: (Possible article summaries)

  • Eisenmen, D., Cordasco, K., Asch, S., Golden,J., & Gilk, D. (2007). Disaster Planning and Risk Communication with Vulnerable Communities: Lessons from Hurricane Katrina. American Journal of Public Health, 97, S109-S129.
  • Elder, K., Xirasagar, S., Miller, N., Bowan, S., Glover, S. & Piper, C. (2007). African Americans’ Decisions Not to Evacuate New Orleans before Hurricane Katrina: A Qualitative Study. American Journal of Public Health, 97, S124-S129.
  • Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2007). Reaching Special Populations. Crisis and Emergency Risk Communication: Pandemic Influenza, 87-106.
  • Quinn, S. Crisis and Emergency Risk Communication in a Pandemic: A Model for Building Capacity and Resilience of Minority Communities. Health Promotion Practice. 2008. 9 (4 supplement), 18S-25S.
  • Blumenshine P, Reingold A, Egerter S, Mockenhaupt R,Braveman P, Marks J. Pandemic influenza planning in the United States from a health disparitiesperspective. Emerg Infect Dis. 2008 May. Available at

Optional readings: