Risk Communications: The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly

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Risk Communications The Good, The Bad, and The
Ugly

• Rex Archer, MD, M.P.H.
• Director of Health
• Kansas City, MO Health Department

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A picture is worth a thousand words
After September 11, 2001, the Media changed how
they do business. That change translates into a
need to be more strategic in how to raise the
visibility of public health.
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Visuals and Messages
What image or message does the public associate
with the Anthrax Attacks from October of 2001???
AP Photo, BBC
AP Photo, BBC
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Visuals and Messages

• An Associated Press photo archive search of
  Anthrax in 2001 resulted in 395 pictures. Only
  one was identified as a local public health
  department. Archived photos are used when media
  needs a still photo to accompany a new story or a
  continuation of a previous story.
• The images most associated with the Anthrax
  attacks were
• Hazmat Teams and Moonsuits
• Cipro
• Postal workers taking precautions while sorting
  mail
• Political leaders speaking out regarding the
  Anthrax Attacks
• What did the photos convey to the public?

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Video Example Overt and Covert Messages

• In the news clip, look for
• Opportunities to improve the branding/identificati
  on for public health
• What was the over-all message?
• What was the tone?
• Look for unintentional messages.
• When during the news cast did the story run?
• Who was in the story? (Age, Race, Gender,
  Uniforms, Man-on-the-Street, Medical
  Professionals, etc.)

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Video Example Overt and Covert Messages
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Video Example Discussion

• Opportunities to improve the branding/identificati
  on for public health
• What was the over-all message?
• What was the tone?
• Look for unintentional messages.
• When during the news cast did the story run?
• Who was in the story? (Age, Race, Gender,
  Uniforms, Man-on-the-Street, Medical
  Professionals, etc.)

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What are the overt and covert messages in these
pictures?
AP Photo, BBC
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The face of public health?
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Public Health is the underdog in the fight for
effective and recognizable messages
AP Photo, BBC
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NACCHO Priority Objectives 2004

• Communicate the value of local governmental
  public health agencies to the media,
  policymakers, decision makers and the public.
  (3.2)
• Continue to develop and promote an operational
  definition of a local public health agency.
  (1.5)
• Advocate for sufficient, flexible and sustainable
  funding for LPHAs. (1.6)
• Advocate for building and funding robust local
  capacity for emergency preparedness. (1.9)
• Develop social indicators and tools to promote
  and asses health equity. (2.3)
• Implement a framework to guide national, state
  and local policy in creating health equity
  through social justice. (2.5)

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Public Health needs to play the public relation's
game our funding depends on it.
AP Photo, Wichita Eagle, 11.2.01
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Which person below will get the biggest share of
your tax dollars?