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Assessing Knowledge and Application of Emergency Risk Communication Principles Among Public Health Workers in China

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 May 2014

James R. Cope ,
Melinda Frost ,
Li Richun  and
Ruiqian Xie
James R. Cope*
Affiliation:
US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Center for Global Health, Global Disease Detection Branch, Atlanta, GA
Melinda Frost
Affiliation:
US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Center for Global Health, Global Disease Detection Branch, Atlanta, GA
Li Richun
Affiliation:
China Emerging Infectious Diseases Program, Beijing, China
Ruiqian Xie
Affiliation:
Chinese Center for Health Education, Beijing, China
*
Address correspondence and reprint requests to James R. Cope, PhD, MPH, Center for Global Health, US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1600 Clifton Rd, Atlanta, GA 30333 (e-mail: voz4@cdc.gov).
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Abstract

Objective

Since 2003, the Chinese National Health and Family Planning Commission (formerly the Ministry of Health) has implemented changes to more effectively communicate risk during public health emergencies. In spite of ongoing improvements, provincial and sub-provincial leaders face barriers, such as established modes of operation, lack of training, shortage of trained risk communicators, and limited understanding and willingness of recipients to mitigate risks.

Methods

We assessed the current status of and barriers to risk communication knowledge and practice among public health practitioners in China. We designed the survey questionnaire to capture information related to the risk communication core capacities required by international health regulations and common risk communication principles.

Results

Our findings showed that risk communication training has successfully developed an awareness of risk communication principles and the ability to implement those principles in practice in China.

Conclusions

Future efforts should focus on areas such as a dedicated risk communication workforce, requirements that public health agencies develop a risk communication plan, and additional training for public health practitioners and their partners. It is critical that the infectious diseases prevention and control law be amended to grant provincial and local public health agencies more autonomy to release information. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2014;0:1-7)

Keywords

risk communicationChinapolicy makingpublic health practiceemergency response
Type
Original Research
Information
Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness , Volume 8 , Issue 3 , June 2014 , pp. 199 - 205
Copyright
Copyright © Society for Disaster Medicine and Public Health, Inc. 2014 

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