About Public Health Risk Communication

Introduction

Risks and threats to public health seem to be coming faster, are identified more quickly, and appear in today's information environment demanding quick response. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC's) work in this area has evolved from crisis and emergency risk communication (CERC), which is required in disease outbreaks and disaster response, to a need to encompass the broader health risks that CDC and other health organizations face every day, some of which last longer and can emerge but are not a "crisis."

CDC recognizes the need for guidance on how to effectively communicate about emerging, ongoing, and evolving public health risks in a complex and changing health information environment that don't require a full emergency crisis response.

The content in the Public Health Risk Communication (PHRC) guide was informed by the latest risk communication science and, most importantly, by conversations with public health communicators. A team of researchers and health communicators looked at the scientific literature to determine the top risk communication concerns and principles to address them. They created the PHRC guide to help public health practitioners identify those concerns in their communities and apply corresponding risk communication principles in their messaging.

This guide was evaluated by a risk communication expert and tested with public health department professionals at state and local levels and federal agencies.

This information is for public health practitioners working at the federal, state, local, and tribal/territorial levels who are responsible for communicating about risk. You can use information in this guide any time you're communicating about an emerging, ongoing, and evolving public health risk. Examples of public health risk communication situations include extreme heat or cold, increased incidence of mosquito-borne disease, or the emergence of a drug-resistant bacteria.

For situations that are crises, refer also to CDC Crisis and Emergency Communication (CERC) guidance. Crisis communication applies to an unexpected emergency, beyond an organization's control, which requires an immediate and scaled up response. Crisis communication needs to happen quickly and address a high level of concern among the public. These may be indicated by standing up of the emergency response capacity you have in the organization.