Testing Risk Communication Principles in China: A Case Study on Avian

The SARS outbreak of 2003 demonstrated the growing challenges associated with public health emergencies involving infectious diseases. Among the biggest lessons learned from SARS was the role played by timely, appropriate, and consistent communication as an integral part of an effective response. Following this global public health threat, national, regional and international preparedness and response laws and initiatives ensued including some specifically focusing on effective communication of these threats to the public. Workshops and research in risk communication have increased around the globe. The primary foundation of these efforts includes principles and practices developed in the U.S. and Europe. Questions remain, however, about the relevance, applicability, and effectiveness of Western emergency risk communication principles in other cultures. China was the epicenter of the SARS outbreak and now appropriately serves as the focal point for testing and tailoring Western emergency risk communication principles for Chinese audiences. This paper describes a model used in China that may hold promise for application in other places for training and testing risk communication principles with public health officials and their citizens. It also proposes methods to develop and evaluate tailored risk communication messages needed during a public health crisis. The training/testing model was used in 3 provinces in China in 2007 and 2008 training over 200 public health officials in risk communication principles and message writing. Messages were then tested with 18 focus groups living in the districts where health officials worked. Results of the training demonstrated the effectiveness of risk communication training and the salience of Western risk communication principles to Chinese public health officials and response situations.