The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA

Abstract #41037

Marc A. Safran, MD, FACPM¹, Ronda Sinkowitz-Cochran, MPH², Kelly L. Moore, MD, MPH³, Michele L. Pearson, MD², and Mary Chamberlaind, MD, MPH². (1) Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1600 Clifton Road, NE, Atlanta, GA 30333, (404) 639-3311, MSafran@cdc.gov, (2) National Center for Infectious Disease, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1600 Clifton Road, NE, Atlanta, GA 30333, (3) Epidemic Intelligence Service, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1600 Clifton Road, NE, Atlanta, GA 30333

The public health community responded to mail-borne cases of anthrax in the autumn of 2001 with field investigations, guidelines, hotlines, and on-site technical assistance, while continuing to evaluate the threat to public health. Most anthrax educational materials targeted health professionals, health officials or members of the general public, but few targeted the segment of the public with the greatest exposure to mail. To help meet the needs of this unique segment of the public, CDC developed a 15 minute educational video entitled: “Protecting Your Health - For People Who Process, Sort, and Deliver the Mail." The video was designed to answer commonly encountered questions. Versions of the video were then distributed to employees, employers, labor unions and health workers via mail, satellite conference, and the Internet. Because this educational resource was needed emergently, special formative evaluation, planning, and production steps were used to rapidly develop a product responsive to audience needs. Such steps will be highlighted in this presentation, as will health communication challenges encountered and successful strategies for overcoming them.

Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of this session, participants will be able to

• Discuss three challenges faced by public health professionals in developing work site educational materials about anthrax.
• Articulate three strategies used to rapidly develop an educational video in response to public health emergency needs.

Keywords: Communication, Worksite

Related Web page: www.cdc.gov

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.