United States Department of
Health & Human ServicesOffice of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response
Federal Communicators NetworkFebruary 6, 2014
Gretchen Michael, JDDirector of Communications
Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and ResponseU.S. Department of Health and Human Service
Using Risk Communications in a Crisis
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ASPR: Resilient People. Healthy Communities. A Nation Prepared. 2 2
ASPR brings together policy, science, and emergency operations
ASPR: Resilient People. Healthy Communities. A Nation Prepared. 3
Events are unpredictable, and each is a chance to improve for the next
2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011
National Health SecurityStrategy
H1N1 Pandemic
2011 Tornadoes
Deepwater Horizon
9/11 and Anthrax
Re-emerging H5N1
Katrina, Rita, Wilma
Ike, Gustav Japan EarthquakeNuclear Event
Haiti earthquake
MCM Enterprise ReviewProject BioShield PAHPA
2012
Hurricanes Isaac and
Sandy
Bioterrorism Act
2013
Boston bombings
H7N9
ASPR: Resilient People. Healthy Communities. A Nation Prepared.
Being a resilient nation takes all of us
ASPR: Resilient People. Healthy Communities. A Nation Prepared.
Anatomy of a Crisis
• Uncertainty • Heightened public emotions
(fear, anxiety, denial, outrage)• Limited access to facts• Rumor, gossip, speculation,
assumption, and inference
• = Unstable information environment
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ASPR: Resilient People. Healthy Communities. A Nation Prepared.
• Risk – a threat to that which we value
─ Individual health and well-being─ Loved ones─ Property─ Job─ Reputation─ Credit rating─ Personal information
Risk
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ASPR: Resilient People. Healthy Communities. A Nation Prepared.
• Scientists, risk managers, businesses, etc:─ Evidence-based
• General public:─ Personal─ Social─ Cultural─ Moral─ Psychological─ Emotional
Risk Perception
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ASPR: Resilient People. Healthy Communities. A Nation Prepared.
Less Acceptable: More Acceptable:Low trust High trustBenefits not clear Benefits understoodNot controllable Individual controlInvoluntary exposure Voluntary exposureNo alternatives Alternatives availableUnfair distribution Fair distributionDreaded consequence Common consequenceAffects children Affects everyoneHuman origin Natural originHigh media concern Low media concernHigh symbolism Low symbolism
• Source: Slovic, Fischhoff et al
Influences on the Acceptability of Risk
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ASPR: Resilient People. Healthy Communities. A Nation Prepared.
Risk Perception
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Lifetime risk of dying from…
Heart Disease 1 in 5
Cancer 1 in 7
Stroke 1 in 24
Car Accident 1 in 84
Fall 1 in 200
Drowning 1 in 1,100
Commercial Aircraft 1 in 5,000
Lighting 1 in 80,000
Shark Attack 1 in 3,750,000
ASPR: Resilient People. Healthy Communities. A Nation Prepared.
• Communications activities of an organization or agency facing a crisis
• Typically, a crisis─ Occurs unexpectedly─ May not be in the organization’s control─ Requires an immediate response─ May cause harm to the organization’s reputation, image or
viability
What is Crisis Communications?
ASPR: Resilient People. Healthy Communities. A Nation Prepared.
• Exchange of information about real or perceived threats
• Provides information on expected positive/negative outcomes and their probability
• Empowers decision making
Risk Communications
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ASPR: Resilient People. Healthy Communities. A Nation Prepared.
• Through risk communications, the communicator hopes to provide the audience with information about the expected type (good or bad) and magnitude (weak or strong) of an outcome from a behavior or exposure.
• Typically, through risk communications, the communicator hopes to provide the audience with information about adverse outcomes, including probabilities of those outcomes occurring.
─ Should I undergo a medical treatment?─ What are the risks of living next to a nuclear power plant?─ Do I elect to vaccinate a healthy baby against whooping cough
What is Risk Communications?
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ASPR: Resilient People. Healthy Communities. A Nation Prepared.
• Global, instant “breaking news” environment
• In United States alone, 70,000 media outlets
• News cycle is 24/7 no news cycle; • deadlines are immediate.
• Social media
Today’s Media Environment
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ASPR: Resilient People. Healthy Communities. A Nation Prepared.
Social Media
Uses
• Messaging• Monitoring• Surveillance
• Instantaneous and unfiltered
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ASPR: Resilient People. Healthy Communities. A Nation Prepared.
Putting Principles into Practice
• Express empathy and caring• Acknowledge people’s fear• Explain what you know AND
what you don’t know • Don’t over reassure• Be honest, frank and open• Give people actions they can
take• Make a public commitment to
gather and share information as it becomes available
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ASPR: Resilient People. Healthy Communities. A Nation Prepared.
2009 H1N1 Flu Communications Strategy
• The HHS response to 2009 H1N1 pandemic was led by science and continually evolved to meet the nation’s needs as events unfolded and more information became available
• HHS’ mission to protect public health was supported by a communication strategy that is based on the emergency risk communications principles of quickly, proactively and transparently communicating accurate information to the public and partners.
• We decided that, as the most trusted source for public health information, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention would be the day-to-day face of information about the 2009 H1N1 Pandemic
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ASPR: Resilient People. Healthy Communities. A Nation Prepared.
• As the most trusted source for public health information, we decided that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention would be the day-to-day face of information about the 2009 H1N1 Pandemic
• This strategy included stating clearly goals and actions in response to the evolving situation and acknowledging what was NOT known.
• We also tried to set expectations that information and advice would change quickly as the situation evolved.
• Developed Flu.gov, a one-stop-shop across for the federal government for all information on H1N1 influenza
2009 H1N1 Principles
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ASPR: Resilient People. Healthy Communities. A Nation Prepared.
Risk Communications is used in the public sector and the private sector
Dear Target Guest,
As you may have heard or read, Target learned in mid-December that criminals forced their way into our systems and took guest information, including debit and credit card data. Late last week, as part of our ongoing investigation, we learned that additional information, including name, mailing address, phone number or email address, was also taken. I am writing to make you aware that your name, mailing address, phone number or email address may have been taken during the intrusion.
I am truly sorry this incident occurred and sincerely regret any inconvenience it may cause you. Because we value you as a guest and your trust is important to us, Target is offering one year of free credit monitoring to all Target guests who shopped in U.S. stores, through Experian’s® ProtectMyID® product which includes identity theft insurance where available. …
Thank you for your patience and loyalty to Target. You can find additional information and FAQs about this incident at our Target.com/databreach website. If you have further questions, you may call us at ….
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Empathy
What you know and what you
don’t know
How to protect yourself
Where to go for more
information
Honesty
ASPR: Resilient People. Healthy Communities. A Nation Prepared.
Resources
• Crisis and Emergency Risk Communications
• CDC training program—in person or on-demand online
• Draws from lessons learned during public health emergencies and incorporates best practices from the fields of risk and crisis communication
• http://www.bt.cdc.gov/cerc/
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ASPR: Resilient People. Healthy Communities. A Nation Prepared.
ASPR on the Web
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PHE.gov: www.phe.gov
Facebook: www.facebook.com/phegov
PHE.gov Newsroom: www.phe.gov/newsroom
YouTube: www.youtube.com/phegov
Flickr: www.flickr.com/phegov
Twitter: twitter.com/phegov