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Chronicling the Risk and Risk Communication by Governmental Officials During the Zika Threat
Author(s) -
Allen Marin Pearson
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
risk analysis
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.972
H-Index - 130
eISSN - 1539-6924
pISSN - 0272-4332
DOI - 10.1111/risa.13232
Subject(s) - risk communication , zika virus , public relations , public health , political science , internet privacy , business , environmental health , medicine , computer science , virology , virus , nursing
Abstract The unique circumstances surrounding Zika, including the fact that it is both mosquito‐borne and sexually transmissible, brought to the fore concerns about optimal ways to communicate risk in an environment characterized by rapidly evolving knowledge. The difficulty in doing so is magnified by the fact that science‐based health messages from governmental agencies must be developed in an evidence‐based, audience‐participative, and collaborative manner. A recent reminder in JAMA asserted the importance of preparing now for future threats. Understanding how the knowledge and messaging about Zika changed across time should help public health officials prepare for such challenges.