Table 5 The message-cantered approach and its best practices of risk communication (Zhang et al., 2020).
From: Science communication as a preventative tool in the COVID19 pandemic
Best Practices for risk communication | Description |
---|---|
Infuse risk communication into policy decision | Policies about risk may evolve and be communicated in a variety of ways, Decision making needs to be based on constant risk communication. |
Treat risk communication as a process | Effective risk communication is a dynamic, interactive and adaptive process |
Account for the uncertainty inherent in risk | Using equivocal messages to convey risk information |
Design risk messages to be culturally sensitive | Risk communication should fit specific features of the audience These features include gender, education, age and culture. |
Acknowledge divers levels of risk tolerance | People have widely varying capacities to process risk messages, includes scientific and technical understanding of risk |
Involved the public in dialogue about risk | Risk communication dialogues should involve collaboration between the government, industry and citizen that are open, inclusive and deliberative. |
Present risk messages with honesty | Risk communication should be an open, honest and frank process instead of essentially manipulative. |
Meet risk perception needs by remaining open and accessible to the public | Honest communication is accessible and open as well, which means that the publican receive messages by various channels |
Collaborate and coordinate about risk with credible information sources | Coordination of risk communication strategies requires information sharing and establishing networks of working relationships between groups and agencies |