Crisis communication in the area of risk management: the CriCoRM project

  • Carmelo Scarcella
    Local Health Authority of Brescia, Italy.
  • Laura Antonelli
    Local Health Authority of Brescia, Italy.
  • Grazia Orizio
    Local Health Authority of Brescia, Italy.
  • Constanze Rossmann
    Department of Communication Science and Media Research, Ludwig-Maximilians University of Munich, Germany.
  • Lena Ziegler
    Department of Communication Science and Media Research, Ludwig-Maximilians University of Munich, Germany.
  • Lisa Meyer
    Department of Communication Science and Media Research, Ludwig-Maximilians University of Munich, Germany.
  • Leonarda Garcia-Jimenez
    Department of Communication, University of Murcia, Spain.
  • Jose Carlos Losada
    Department of Communication, University of Murcia, Spain.
  • Joao Correia
    Inovamais S.A., Porto, Portugal.
  • Joana Soares
    Inovamais S.A., Porto, Portugal.
  • Loredana Covolo
    Department of Medical and Surgical Specialties, Radiological Sciences and Public Health, University of Brescia, Italy.
  • Enrico Lirangi
    Department of Medical and Surgical Specialties, Radiological Sciences and Public Health, University of Brescia, Italy.
  • Umberto Gelatti
    Department of Medical and Surgical Specialties, Radiological Sciences and Public Health, University of Brescia, Italy.

ABSTRACT

Background. During the last H1N1 pandemic has emerged the importance of crisis communication as an essential part of health crisis management. The Project aims specifically to improve the understanding of crisis communication dynamics and effective tools and to allow public health institutions to communicate better with the public during health emergencies.

Design and Methods
. The Project will perform different activities:
i) state of the art review;
ii) identification of key stakeholders;
iii) communicational analysis performed using data collected on stakeholder communication activities and their outcomes considering the lessons learnt from the analysis of the reasons for differing public reactions during pandemics;
iv) improvement of the existing guidelines;
v) development of Web 2.0 tools as web-platform and feed service and implementation of impact assessment algorithms;
vi) organization of exercises and training on this issues.

Expected impact of the study for public health.
 In the context of health security policies at an EU level, the project aims to find a common and innovative approach to health crisis communication that was displayed by differing reactions to the H1N1 pandemic policies. The focus on new social media tools aims to enhance the role of e-health, and the project aims to use these tools in the specific field of health institutions and citizens. The development of Web 2.0 tools for health crisis communication will allow an effective two-way exchange of information between public health institutions and citizens. An effective communication strategy will increase population compliance with public health recommendations.