Social media guidelines and best practices: recommendations from the Council of Residency Directors Social Media Task Force.

PubMed

Pillow, Malford T; Hopson, Laura; Bond, Michael; Cabrera, Daniel; Patterson, Leigh; Pearson, David; Sule, Harsh; Ankel, Felix; Fernández-Frackelton, Madonna; Hall, Ronald V; Kegg, Jason A; Norris, Donald; Takenaka, Katrin

2014-02-01

Social media has become a staple of everyday life among over one billion people worldwide. A social networking presence has become a hallmark of vibrant and transparent communications. It has quickly become the preferred method of communication and information sharing. It offers the ability for various entities, especially residency programs, to create an attractive internet presence and "brand" the program. Social media, while having significant potential for communication and knowledge transfer, carries with it legal, ethical, personal, and professional risks. Implementation of a social networking presence must be deliberate, transparent, and optimize potential benefits while minimizing risks. This is especially true with residency programs. The power of social media as a communication, education, and recruiting tool is undeniable. Yet the pitfalls of misuse can be disastrous, including violations in patient confidentiality, violations of privacy, and recruiting misconduct. These guidelines were developed to provide emergency medicine residency programs leadership with guidance and best practices in the appropriate use and regulation of social media, but are applicable to all residency programs that wish to establish a social media presence.

Social Media Guidelines and Best Practices: Recommendations from the Council of Residency Directors Social Media Task Force

PubMed Central

Pillow, Malford T.; Hopson, Laura; Bond, Michael; Cabrera, Daniel; Patterson, Leigh; Pearson, David; Sule, Harsh; Ankel, Felix; Fernández-Frackelton, Madonna; Hall, Ronald V.; Kegg, Jason A.; Norris, Donald; Takenaka, Katrin

2014-01-01

Social media has become a staple of everyday life among over one billion people worldwide. A social networking presence has become a hallmark of vibrant and transparent communications. It has quickly become the preferred method of communication and information sharing. It offers the ability for various entities, especially residency programs, to create an attractive internet presence and “brand” the program. Social media, while having significant potential for communication and knowledge transfer, carries with it legal, ethical, personal, and professional risks. Implementation of a social networking presence must be deliberate, transparent, and optimize potential benefits while minimizing risks. This is especially true with residency programs. The power of social media as a communication, education, and recruiting tool is undeniable. Yet the pitfalls of misuse can be disastrous, including violations in patient confidentiality, violations of privacy, and recruiting misconduct. These guidelines were developed to provide emergency medicine residency programs leadership with guidance and best practices in the appropriate use and regulation of social media, but are applicable to all residency programs that wish to establish a social media presence. PMID:24578765

Millimeter wave satellite concepts, volume 1

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hilsen, N. B.; Holland, L. D.; Thomas, R. E.; Wallace, R. W.; Gallagher, J. G.

1977-01-01

The identification of technologies necessary for development of millimeter spectrum communication satellites was examined from a system point of view. Development of methodology based on the technical requirements of potential services that might be assigned to millimeter wave bands for identifying the viable and appropriate technologies for future NASA millimeter research and development programs, and testing of this methodology with selected user applications and services were the goals of the program. The entire communications network, both ground and space subsystems was studied. Cost, weight, and performance models for the subsystems, conceptual design for point-to-point and broadcast communications satellites, and analytic relationships between subsystem parameters and an overall link performance are discussed along with baseline conceptual systems, sensitivity studies, model adjustment analyses, identification of critical technologies and their risks, and brief research and development program scenarios for the technologies judged to be moderate or extensive risks. Identification of technologies for millimeter satellite communication systems, and assessment of the relative risks of these technologies, was accomplished through subsystem modeling and link optimization for both point-to-point and broadcast applications.

The Nevada initiative: A risk communication Fiasco

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Flynn, J.; Solvic, P.; Mertz, C.K.

The U.S. Congress has designated Yucca Mountain, Nevada as the only potential site to be studied for the nation`s first high-level nuclear waste repository. People in Nevada strongly oppose the program, managed by the U.S. Department of Energy. Survey research shows that the public believes there are great risks from a repository program, in contrast to a majority of scientists who feel the risks are acceptably small. Delays in the repository program resulting in part from public opposition in Nevada have concerned the nuclear power industry, which collects the fees for the federal repository program and believes it needs themore » repository as a final disposal facility for its high-level nuclear wastes. To assist the repository program, the American Nuclear Energy Council (ANEC), an industry group, sponsored a massive advertising campaign in Nevada. The campaign attempted to assure people that the risks of a repository were small and that the repository studies should proceed. The campaign failed because its managers misunderstood the issues underlying the controversy, attempted a covert manipulation of public opinion that was revealed, and most importantly, lacked the public trust that was necessary to communicate credibly about the risks of a nuclear waste facility. This article describes the advertising campaign and its effects. The manner in which the ANEC campaign itself became a controversial public issue is reviewed. The advertising campaign is discussed as it relates to risk assessment and communication. 29 refs., 2 tabs.« less

ProjectHeartforGirls.com: Development of a Web-Based HIV/STD Prevention Program for Adolescent Girls Emphasizing Sexual Communication Skills.

PubMed

Widman, Laura; Golin, Carol E; Noar, Seth M; Massey, Joy; Prinstein, Mitchell J

2016-10-01

This article describes the development of ProjectHeartforGirls.com , an interactive web-based program designed to improve sexual communication skills and reduce the risk of HIV/STDs among adolescent girls, a population at heightened risk for negative sexual health outcomes (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2013). Although sexual communication is a critical predictor of safer sex among teens, there are few online interventions that target these skills as a central program component. We developed ProjectHeartforGirls.com to fill this gap. Program development involved (1) identifying the target population (ethnically diverse high school girls), (2) clarifying the theoretical foundation (Reasoned Action Model), (3) conducting formative qualitative research (n = 25 girls), (4) drafting initial program content, (5) receiving ongoing feedback from a teen advisory board (n = 5 girls), (6) programming online content, and (7) conducting usability testing (n = 6 girls). These steps are described along with the final intervention product, which is currently being evaluated in a randomized controlled trial.

ProjectHeartForGirls.com: Development of a web-based HIV/STD prevention program for adolescent girls emphasizing sexual communication skills

PubMed Central

Widman, Laura; Golin, Carol E.; Noar, Seth M.; Massey, Joy; Prinstein, Mitchell J.

2017-01-01

This article describes the development of ProjectHeartforGirls.com, an interactive web-based program designed to improve sexual communication skills and reduce the risk of HIV/STDs among adolescent girls, a population at heightened risk for negative sexual health outcomes (CDC, 2013). Although sexual communication is a critical predictor of safer sex among teens, there are few online interventions that target these skills as a central program component. We developed ProjectHeartforGirls.com to fill this gap. Program development involved 1) identifying the target population (ethnically-diverse high school girls); 2) clarifying the theoretical foundation (Reasoned Action Model); 3) conducting formative qualitative research (n=25 girls); 4) drafting initial program content; 5) receiving ongoing feedback from a teen advisory board (n=5 girls); 6) programming online content; and 7) conducting usability testing (n=6 girls). These steps are described along with the final intervention product, which is currently being evaluated in a randomized controlled trial. PMID:27710087

Towards Prevention of Breast Cancer: What Are the Clinical Challenges?

PubMed

Borgquist, Signe; Hall, Per; Lipkus, Isaac; Garber, Judy E

2018-05-01

The dramatic increase in breast cancer incidence compels a paradigm shift in our preventive efforts. There are several barriers to overcome before prevention becomes an established part of breast cancer management. The objective of this review is to identify the clinical challenges for improved breast cancer prevention and discuss current knowledge on breast cancer risk assessment methods, risk communication, ethics, and interventional efforts with the aim of covering the aspects relevant for a breast cancer prevention trial. Herein, the following five areas are discussed: (i) Adequate tools for identification of women at high risk of breast cancer suggestively entitled Prevent! Online. (ii) Consensus on the definition of high risk, which is regarded as mandatory for all risk communication and potential prophylactic interventions. (iii) Risk perception and communication regarding risk information. (iv) Potential ethical concerns relevant for future breast cancer prevention programs. (v) Risk-reducing programs involving multileveled prevention depending on identified risk. Taken together, devoted efforts from both policy makers and health care providers are warranted to improve risk assessment and risk counseling in women at risk for breast cancer to optimize the prevention of breast cancer. Cancer Prev Res; 11(5); 255-64. ©2018 AACR . ©2018 American Association for Cancer Research.

76 FR 71048 - Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-11-16

... the highest-scoring applications for awards. Applications that involve interoperable communications... categories: (1) Activities designed to reach high- risk target groups and mitigate incidences of death and... communications project is consistent with the Statewide Communications Interoperability Plan (SCIP). If the State...

NASA's Agency-Wide Strategy for Environmental Regulatory Risk Analysis and Communication

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Duda, Kristen; Scroggins, Sharon

2008-01-01

NASA's mission is to pioneer the future in space exploration, scientific discovery, and aeronautics research. To help enable existing and future programs to pursue this mission, NASA has established the Principal Center for Regulatory Risk Analysis and Communication (RRAC PC) to proactively identify, analyze, and communicate environmental regulatory risks to the NASA community. The RRAC PC is chartered to evaluate the risks posed to NASA Programs and facilities by environmentally related drivers. The RRAC PC focuses on emerging environmental regulations, as well as risks related to operational changes that can trigger existing environmental requirements. Changing regulations have the potential to directly affect program activities. For example, regulatory changes can restrict certain activities or operations by mandating changes in how operations may be done or limiting where or how certain operations can take place. Regulatory changes also can directly affect the ability to use certain materials by mandating a production phase-out or restricting usage applications of certain materials. Such changes can result in NASA undertaking material replacement efforts. Even if a regulation does not directly affect NASA operations, U.S. and international regulations can pose program risks indirectly through requirements levied on manufacturers and vendors of components and materials. For example, manufacturers can change their formulations to comply with new regulatory requirements. Such changes can require time-consuming and costly requalification certification for use in human spaceflight programs. The RRAC PC has implemented several strategies for proactively managing regulatory change to minimize potential adverse impacts to NASA Programs and facilities. This presentation highlights the lessons learned through establishing the RRAC PC, the process by which the RRAC PC monitors and distributes information about emerging regulatory requirements, and the cross-Agency cooperation that is vital to supporting NASA's mission.

NASA's Agency-wide Strategy for Environmental Regulatory Risk Analysis and Communication

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Duda, Kristen; Scroggins. Sharon

2008-01-01

NASA's mission is to pioneer the future in space exploration, scientific discovery, and aeronautics research. To help enable existing and future programs to pursue this mission, NASA has established the Principal Center for Regulatory Risk Analysis and Communication (RRAC PC) to proactively identify, analyze, and communicate environmental regulatory risks to the NASA community. The RRAC PC is chartered to evaluate the risks posed to NASA Programs and facilities by environmentally related drivers. The RRAC PC focuses on emerging environmental regulations, as well as risks related to operational changes that can trigger existing environmental requirements. Changing regulations have the potential to directly affect program activities. For example, regulatory changes can restrict certain activities or operations by mandating changes in how operations may be done or limiting where or how certain operations can take place. Regulatory changes also can directly affect the ability to use certain materials by mandating a production phase-out or restricting usage aPi'iications of certain materials. Such changes can result in NASA undertaking material replacement efforts. Even if a regulation does not directly affect NASA operations, U.S. and international regulations can pose program risks indirectly through requirements levied on manufacturers and vendors of components and materials. For example, manufacturers can change their formulations to comply with new regulatory requirements. Such changes can require time-consuming and costly requalification certification for use in human spaceflight programs. The RRAC PC has implemented several strategies for proactively managing regulatory change to minimize potential adverse impacts to NASA Programs and facilities. This presentation highlights the lessons learned through establishing the RRAC PC, the process by which the RRAC PC monitors and distributes information about emerging regulatory requirements, and the cross-Agency cooperation that is vital to supporting NASA's mission.

Insurance and Risk Management at the National Outdoor Leadership School.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chu, Lantien

1990-01-01

Describes how an outdoor program specializing in wilderness expeditions approaches risk management, liability, and insurance. Discusses maintaining good communications with insurance agents, managing crisis situations, participating in program audits, reading the fine print, international insurance coverage, and the basis for insurance premiums.…

ORD Human Health Risk Assessment (HHRA) Research Program Mid-Cycle Progress Report and Review - 2010

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

The principal charge to the BOSC reviewers was to evaluate ORD’s HHRA Program from a program assessment framework relative to program relevance, structure, performance, quality, leadership, communication, and outcomes.

Communicating Risk to Program Managers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shivers, C. Herbert

2005-01-01

Program Managers (PM) can protect program resources and improve chances of success by anticipating, understanding and managing risks. Understanding the range of potential risks helps one to avoid or manage the risks. A PM must choose which risks to accept to reduce fire fighting, must meet the expectations of stakeholders consistently, and avoid falling into costly "black holes" that may open. A good risk management process provides the PM more confidence to seize opportunities save money, meet schedule, even improve relationships with people important to the program. Evidence of managing risk and sound internal controls can mean better support from superiors for the program by building a trust and reputation from being on top of issues. Risk managers have an obligation to provide the PM with the best information possible to allow the benefits to be realized (Small Business Consortium, 2004). The Institute for Chartered Accountants in England and Wales sees very important benefits for companies in providing better information about what they do to assess and manage key business risks. Such information will: a) provide practical forward-looking information; b) reduce the cost of capital; c) encourage better risk management; and d) improve accountability for stewardship, investor protection and the usefulness of financial reporting. We are particularly convinced that enhanced risk reporting will help listed companies obtain capital at the lowest possible cost (The Institute of Chartered Accountants in England &Wales, June 2002). Risk managers can take a significant role in quantifying the success of their department and communicating those figures to executive (program) management levels while pushing for a broader risk management role. Overall, risk managers must show that risk management work matters in the most crucial place-the bottom line- as they prove risk management can be a profit center (Sullivan, 2004).

Demonstrating and Communicating Research Impact. Preparing NIOSH Programs for External Review

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-01-01

and Communicating Research Impact Type Program NIOSH cross-sector (continued) Traumatic Injury Work Organization and Stress-Related Disorders Worklife ...tools, such as italics, bolded text, dashed lines, and colors, can be used to indicate subtle differences. However, finding the balance between the... balancing the potential value and risk of individual programs within a portfolio against an explicitly defined set of goals. There are several methods

Programs to Strengthen Parent-Adolescent Communication About Reproductive Health: A Systematic Review.

PubMed

Gavin, Loretta E; Williams, Jessica R; Rivera, Maria I; Lachance, Christina R

2015-08-01

When caring for an adolescent client, providers of contraceptive services must consider whether and how to encourage parent/guardian-child communication about the adolescent's reproductive health. The objective of this systematic review was to summarize the evidence on the effectiveness of programs designed to increase parent-child communication about reproductive health. The review was used to inform national recommendations on quality family planning services. Data analysis occurred from mid-2011 through 2012. Several electronic bibliographic databases were used to identify relevant articles, including PubMed, CINAHL, PsycINFO, and Popline, published from January 1985 through February 2011. Sixteen articles met the inclusion criteria: all studies examined the impact on at least one medium- or short-term outcome, and two studies assessed the impact on teen pregnancy. One study examined the impact of a program conducted in a clinic setting; the remainder examined the impact of programs in community settings. All studies showed a positive impact on at least one short-term outcome, and 12 of 16 studies showed an increase in parent-child communication about reproductive health. Four of seven studies found an impact on sexual risk behavior. Most programs increased parent-child communication, and several resulted in reduced sexual risk behavior of adolescents. This suggests that delivering a clinic-based program that effectively helps parents/guardians talk to their adolescent child(ren) about reproductive health, or referring parents/guardians to an evidence-based program in the community, may be beneficial. However, further rigorous research on delivery of these programs in clinical settings is needed. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Bridging the Divide between Safety and Risk Management for your Project or Program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lutomski, Mike

2005-01-01

This presentation will bridge the divide between these separate but overlapping disciplines and help explain how to use Risk Management as an effective management decision support tool that includes safety. Risk Management is an over arching communication tool used by management to prioritize and effectively mitigate potential problems before they concur. Risk Management encompasses every kind of potential problem that can occur on a program or project. Some of these are safety issues such as hazards that have a specific likelihood and consequence that need to be controlled and included to show an integrated picture of accepted) mitigated, and residual risk. Integrating safety and other assurance disciplines is paramount to accurately representing a program s or projects risk posture. Risk is made up of several components such as technical) cost, schedule, or supportability. Safety should also be a consideration for every risk. The safety component can also have an impact on the technical, cost, and schedule aspect of a given risk. The current formats used for communication of safety and risk issues are not consistent or integrated. The presentation will explore the history of these disciplines, current work to integrate them, and suggestions for integration for the future.

Chemical Manufacturing and Refining Industry Legitimacy: Reflective Management, Trust, Precrisis Communication to Achieve Community Efficacy.

PubMed

Heath, Robert L; Lee, Jaesub

2016-06-01

Calls for emergency right-to-know in the 1980s, and, in the 1990s, risk management planning, motivated U.S. chemical manufacturing and refining industries to operationalize a three-pronged approach to risk minimization and communication: reflective management to increase legitimacy, operational safety programs to raise trust, and community engagement designed to facilitate citizens' emergency response efficacy. To assess these management, operational, and communication initiatives, communities (often through Local Emergency Planning Committees) monitored the impact of such programs. In 2012, the fourth phase of a quasi-longitudinal study was conducted to assess the effectiveness of operational change and community outreach in one bellwether community. This study focuses on legitimacy, trust, and response efficacy to suggest that an industry can earn legitimacy credits by raising its safety and environmental impact standards, by building trust via that change, and by communicating emergency response messages to near residents to raise their response efficacy. As part of its campaign to demonstrate its concern for community safety through research, planning, and implementation of safe operations and viable emergency response systems, this industry uses a simple narrative of risk/emergency response-shelter-in-place-communicated by a spokes-character: Wally Wise Guy. © 2015 Society for Risk Analysis.

Methods work better when couples talk.

PubMed

Keller, S

1996-01-01

Sexual partners who communicate about reproductive health issues reduce their risk of acquiring a sexually transmitted disease (STD) or of unintended pregnancy, but few couples feel comfortable talking openly about sex. AIDS prevention programs have focused on improving couple communication, but family planning programs have emphasized women-controlled contraception as more reliable than barrier methods. The effectiveness of barrier methods would likely improve, however, if clients are counseled in couple communication. Effective communication about sexual issues requires self-confidence, and strengthening a woman's self-confidence may also improve her ability to negotiate condom use. Small discussion groups held among female factory workers in Thailand in 1993-94 led to an increase from 60% to 90% in the number of women who felt confident in discussing STD risk with a partner and to an increase from 36% to 82% in those who said they would not be embarrassed to give a partner a condom. A Nigerian study also suggested that more education may also improve prospects for couple communication and contraceptive usage. A US study showed that adolescent women who communicated openly with their partners reduced their risks of unintended pregnancy and STDs, and a Kenyan study indicated that communication increases contraceptive usage among married couples. Various projects around the world are attempting to counsel women on communication and condom negotiation, and counselors are beginning the difficult task of teaching women how to convince men to use condoms.

Giant step for communication satellite technology

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lovell, R. R.

1984-01-01

NASA's communications program, which is concerned with advanced communications technology, reflects the need for operational communications satellite capacity beyond the capabilities of current technology and the unwillingness of private industry in the U.S. to undertake making the required long-range, high-risk technology advances. It is pointed out that current satellites will not satisfy the forecasted demand for additional capacity in the 1990s and beyond. Current technology exists primarily up to 18 GHz. Designing a communications satellite at each of the three major uplink/downlink frequency bands (C, Ku, and Ka, 6/4 GHz, 14/11 GHz, and 30/20 GHz, respectively) presents different program management and technical problems. Increasing frequency or power can be done only by intensive sustained research. This is the rationale for NASA to pursue the Advanced Communications Technology Satellite (ACTS) program.

Giant step for communication satellite technology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lovell, R. R.

1984-03-01

NASA's communications program, which is concerned with advanced communications technology, reflects the need for operational communications satellite capacity beyond the capabilities of current technology and the unwillingness of private industry in the U.S. to undertake making the required long-range, high-risk technology advances. It is pointed out that current satellites will not satisfy the forecasted demand for additional capacity in the 1990s and beyond. Current technology exists primarily up to 18 GHz. Designing a communications satellite at each of the three major uplink/downlink frequency bands (C, Ku, and Ka, 6/4 GHz, 14/11 GHz, and 30/20 GHz, respectively) presents different program management and technical problems. Increasing frequency or power can be done only by intensive sustained research. This is the rationale for NASA to pursue the Advanced Communications Technology Satellite (ACTS) program.

Primordial and primary prevention programs for cardiovascular diseases: from risk assessment through risk communication to risk reduction. A review of the literature

PubMed Central

Lancarotte, Inês; Nobre, Moacyr Roberto

2016-01-01

The aim of this study was to identify and reflect on the methods employed by studies focusing on intervention programs for the primordial and primary prevention of cardiovascular diseases. The PubMed, EMBASE, SciVerse Hub-Scopus, and Cochrane Library electronic databases were searched using the terms ‘effectiveness AND primary prevention AND risk factors AND cardiovascular diseases’ for systematic reviews, meta-analyses, randomized clinical trials, and controlled clinical trials in the English language. A descriptive analysis of the employed strategies, theories, frameworks, applied activities, and measurement of the variables was conducted. Nineteen primary studies were analyzed. Heterogeneity was observed in the outcome evaluations, not only in the selected domains but also in the indicators used to measure the variables. There was also a predominance of repeated cross-sectional survey design, differences in community settings, and variability related to the randomization unit when randomization was implemented as part of the sample selection criteria; furthermore, particularities related to measures, limitations, and confounding factors were observed. The employed strategies, including their advantages and limitations, and the employed theories and frameworks are discussed, and risk communication, as the key element of the interventions, is emphasized. A methodological process of selecting and presenting the information to be communicated is recommended, and a systematic theoretical perspective to guide the communication of information is advised. The risk assessment concept, its essential elements, and the relevant role of risk perception are highlighted. It is fundamental for communication that statements targeting other people’s understanding be prepared using systematic data. PMID:27982169

The Efficacy of an American Indian Culturally-Based Risk Prevention Program for Upper Elementary School Youth Residing on the Northern Plains Reservations.

PubMed

Usera, John J

2017-04-01

Culturally-based risk behavior prevention programs for American Indian elementary school children are sparse. Thus a group of American Indian educators collaborated in the creation of a program that helps children make healthy decisions based on their cultural and traditional value system. In this paper the effectiveness of Lakota Circles of Hope (LCH), an elementary school culturally-based prevention program was studied and evaluated. Three cohorts of fourth and fifth graders participated in a mixed methods quasi-experimental evaluative research design that included focus groups and surveys prior to and following the intervention. Five research questions regarding the program's impact on students' self-esteem and self-efficacy, Lakota identity, communication, conflict resolution and risk behaviors were addressed in this study. Participants were compared to non-participants in three American Indian reservation school sites. Educators completed a survey to record their observations and feedback regarding the implementation of the program within their respective school sites. The study provides preliminary evidence that, when delivered with fidelity, LCH contributes to statistically significant changes in risk behaviors, Lakota identity, respect for others, and adult and parent communication. A two-way multivariate analysis of variance with post hoc analysis of data collected from the LCH participants (N = 1392) were used to substantiate a significant increase in respect for others and a decrease in risk behaviors which included alcohol, tobacco, and substance use at the 0.10 alpha level. Significant positive improvements in parent and adult communication and an increased Lakota identity at the 0.01 alpha level were obtained. There were no significant differences in self-esteem and conflict resolution from pre to post intervention and in comparison with non LCH participating students.

31 CFR 50.19 - General disclosure requirements for State residual market insurance entities and State worker's...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... Money and Finance: Treasury Office of the Secretary of the Treasury TERRORISM RISK INSURANCE PROGRAM... using normal business practices, including forms and methods of communication used to communicate...

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Glantz, C.S.; DiMassa, F.V.; Pelto, P.J.

The Western Area Power Administration (Western) views environmental protection and compliance as a top priority as it manages the construction, operation, and maintenance of its vast network of transmission lines, substations, and other facilities. A recent Department of Energy audit of Western`s environmental management activities recommends that Western adopt a formal environmental risk program. To accomplish this goal, Western, in conjunction with Pacific Northwest Laboratory, is in the process of developing a centrally coordinated environmental risk program. This report presents the results of this design effort, and indicates the direction in which Western`s environmental risk program is heading. Western`s environmentalmore » risk program will consist of three main components: risk communication, risk assessment, and risk management/decision making. Risk communication is defined as an exchange of information on the potential for threats to human health, public safety, or the environment. This information exchange provides a mechanism for public involvement, and also for the participation in the risk assessment and management process by diverse groups or offices within Western. The objective of risk assessment is to evaluate and rank the relative magnitude of risks associated with specific environmental issues that are facing Western. The evaluation and ranking is based on the best available scientific information and judgment and serves as input to the risk management process. Risk management takes risk information and combines it with relevant non-risk factors (e.g., legal mandates, public opinion, costs) to generate risk management options. A risk management tool, such as decision analysis, can be used to help make risk management choices.« less

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bennett, D.A.

The hazardous waste cleanup program under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (Superfund) is delegated to the ten Regions of the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and has, to date, identified more than 33,000 sites for consideration. The size and complexity of the program places great demands on those who would provide information to achieve national consistency in application of risk assessment while meeting site-specific needs for risk management and risk communication.

Understanding the real risks of changing employee benefit plans.

PubMed

Kane, Jon; St Amour, Jeffrey

2005-01-01

In an environment of constant change, corporations are looking to alter employee benefits programs to make them more responsive to employee and business needs. A complete risk assessment process is the key to preparing for changes to employee benefits programs by providing employers with an analysis of cost savings against the potential negative ramifications of change. This article outlines the steps involved in a complete review of risk assessment. It then discusses how employers can develop successful change management communication strategies if, after conducting a risk assessment, employers decide to move forward with alterations to their employee benefits programs.

TeamSTEPPS for health care risk managers: Improving teamwork and communication.

PubMed

Cooke, Marcia

2016-07-01

Ineffective communication among the health care team is a leading cause of errors in the patient care setting. Studies assessing training related to communication and teamwork in the clinical team are prevalent, however, teamwork training at the administrative level is lacking. This includes individuals in leadership positions such as health care risk managers. The purpose was to determine the impact of an educational intervention on the knowledge and attitudes related to communication and teamwork in the health care risk management population. The educational intervention was an adaptation of a national teamwork training program and incorporated didactic content as well as video vignettes and small group activities. Measurement of knowledge and attitudes were used to determine the impact of the education program. Knowledge and attitudes were assessed pre- and postcourse. Findings indicate that teamwork education tailored to the needs of the specific audience resulted in knowledge gained and improved attitudes toward the components of teamwork. The attitudes that most significantly improved were related to team structure and situation monitoring. There was no improvement in participants' attitudes toward leadership, mutual support, and communication. Team training has been shown to improve safety culture, patient satisfaction, and clinical outcomes. Including risk managers in training on teamwork, communication, and collaboration can serve to foster a common language among clinicians and management. In addition, a measurement related to implementation in the health care setting may yield insight into the impact of training. Qualitative measurement may allow the researcher to delve deeper into how these health care facilities are using team training interventions. © 2016 American Society for Healthcare Risk Management of the American Hospital Association.

''Talk To Me!'' - Lessons Learned In Communicating Risks To Tenants And Others Involved In The Department Of Energy's Reindustrialization Program

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Cusick, Lesley T.; Golden, Karen M.

2003-02-26

Communicating risk information is more difficult than assessing it. The latter relies on data, formulas, theorems and mathematical relationships that, with some effort, can be logically explained to another person; it's objective. Communicating risks, however, is subjective and relies on personalities, perceptions and predisposition, as well as emotions. Most notably the emotion is fear--fear of the unknown, fear of the message, the messenger, or the impact of the information on something of value to the person asking the questions. The Department of Energy's Oak Ridge Operations Office is engaged in a Reindustrialization program to lease (and most recently, to transfer)more » formerly used facilities to private sector entities. The facilities are located at the East Tennessee Technology Park, originally a gaseous diffusion plant operated to enrich uranium for World War II efforts and later for use as fuel in civilian nuclear reactors.« less

A Program Master Schedule Can Improve Results

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-02-01

A Program Master Schedule Can Improve Results Patrick K. Barker “There cannot be a crisis today; my schedule is already full.” —Henry Kissinger...often necessary—for clear communication . However, over-reliance on eye-pleasing graphics risks projecting a false impression of SA over a dy- namic...for poor scheduling discipline, lack of believability and/or poor communication . As the saying goes, garbage in equals garbage out. On the other

Taipei's Use of a Multi-Channel Mass Risk Communication Program to Rapidly Reverse an Epidemic of Highly Communicable Disease

PubMed Central

Yen, Muh-Yong; Wu, Tsung-Shu Joseph; Chiu, Allen Wen-Hsiang; Wong, Wing-Wai; Wang, Po-En; Chan, Ta-Chien; King, Chwan-Chuen

2009-01-01

Background In September 2007, an outbreak of acute hemorrhagic conjunctivitis (AHC) occurred in Keelung City and spread to Taipei City. In response to the epidemic, a new crisis management program was implemented and tested in Taipei. Methodology and Principal Findings Having noticed that transmission surged on weekends during the Keelung epidemic, Taipei City launched a multi-channel mass risk communications program that included short message service (SMS) messages sent directly to approximately 2.2 million Taipei residents on Friday, October 12th, 2007. The public was told to keep symptomatic students from schools and was provided guidelines for preventing the spread of the disease at home. Epidemiological characteristics of Taipei's outbreak were analyzed from 461 sampled AHC cases. Median time from exposure to onset of the disease was 1 day. This was significantly shorter for cases occurring in family clusters than in class clusters (mean±SD: 2.6±3.2 vs. 4.39±4.82 days, p = 0.03), as well as for cases occurring in larger family clusters as opposed to smaller ones (1.2±1.7 days vs. 3.9±4.0 days, p<0.01). Taipei's program had a significant impact on patient compliance. Home confinement of symptomatic children increased from 10% to 60% (p<0.05) and helped curb the spread of AHC. Taipei experienced a rapid decrease in AHC cases between the Friday of the SMS announcement and the following Monday, October 15, (0.70% vs. 0.36%). By October 26, AHC cases reduced to 0.01%. The success of this risk communication program in Taipei (as compared to Keelung) is further reflected through rapid improvements in three epidemic indicators: (1) significantly lower crude attack rates (1.95% vs. 14.92%, p<0.001), (2) a short epidemic period of AHC (13 vs. 34 days), and (3) a quick drop in risk level (1∼2 weeks) in Taipei districts that border Keelung (the original domestic epicenter). Conclusions and Significance The timely launch of this systematic, communication-based intervention proved effective at preventing a dangerous spike in AHC and was able to bring this high-risk disease under control. We recommend that public health officials incorporate similar methods into existing guidelines for preventing pandemic influenza and other emerging infectious diseases. PMID:19956722

Mass media approaches to reducing cardiovascular disease risk.

PubMed Central

Bellicha, T; McGrath, J

1990-01-01

A key function of a basic and clinical biomedical research organization is to communicate the findings of clinical investigations so that people may apply the results to improve their health and well-being. To help communicate results from cardiovascular disease research, the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute has established a series of national health education programs. The authors describe a model for two of the five programs and discuss the role of communication media in supporting national goals for education programs. The research basis for the programs is reviewed, together with the process by which the Institute develops information materials for mass media, notably public service announcements. A description of two national health education campaigns, hypertension and cholesterol, illustrates how market research is used to identify appropriate target audiences, develop messages, and select channels of communication. Lessons learned about the role of mass media in a national health education campaign are summarized. PMID:2113682

Perceived benefits and challenges of coordinated approaches to chronic disease prevention in state health departments.

PubMed

Allen, Peg; Sequeira, Sonia; Best, Leslie; Jones, Ellen; Baker, Elizabeth A; Brownson, Ross C

2014-05-08

Chronic disease prevention efforts have historically been funded categorically according to disease or risk factor. Federal agencies are now progressively starting to fund combined programs to address common risk. The purpose of this study was to inform transitions to coordinated chronic disease prevention by learning views on perceived benefits and challenges of a coordinated approach to funding. A national survey on evidence-based public health was conducted from March through May 2013 among state health department employees working in chronic disease prevention (N = 865). Participants were asked to rank the top 3 benefits and top 3 challenges in coordinating chronic disease approaches from provided lists and could provide additional responses. Descriptive analyses, χ(2) tests, and analysis of variance were conducted. The most common perceived benefits of coordinated approaches to chronic disease prevention were improved health outcomes, common risk factors better addressed, and reduced duplication of program efforts. The most common perceived challenges were funding restrictions, such as disease-specific performance measures; competing priorities; lack of communication across programs; funding might be reduced; agency not structured for program coordination; and loss of disease-specific partner support. Rankings of benefits and challenges were similar across states and participant roles; the perceived challenges "lack of communication across programs" (P = .02) and "funding might be reduced" differed by program area (P < .001). Findings can be used by funding agencies and state health departments for planning, training, and technical assistance. The information on perceived challenges demonstrates the need to improve communication across programs, enhance organizational support for coordinated approaches, and create benefits for organizational partners.

The social construction of communication climate: An analysis of at-risk students in alternative high school

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Souza, Tasha Jean

1998-12-01

Alternative high schools affect more potential high school dropouts than any other school or program and are designed to meet the needs of students who have had difficulty in conventional schools. This study examines the communication climate and constructions of caring in an alternative school for at-risk students by using a qualitative analysis grounded in the theoretical perspective of social constructionism. Observations and interviews were conducted over a six month time period. The first two chapters provide a review of literature and a detailed account of the methods used to conduct the study. Chapter Three describes the socially constructed nature of the school and the participants and the dialectical tensions of communication climate revealed from the analysis. The six dialectical tensions of communication climate are: (1) freedom/restraint, (2) disengagement/engagement, (3) personal communication/impersonal communication, (4) disconfirmation/confirmation, (5) equality/inequality, and (6) ambiguity/clarity. Although the school climate is comprised of each of these tensions, the data suggest that the interaction within the majority of classes created some common characteristics of the general communication climate at the school and can be characterized as one of freedom, disengagement, personal communication, disconfirmation, equality, and ambiguity. Chapter Four describes how caring was constructed and communicated. Although some students perceived some teachers as caring about students and about student learning, half of the students interviewed thought they were not learning or not learning much. Finally, Chapter Five provides a summary of the findings and a discussion of the results. The results of this study contribute to an understanding of the social construction of communication climate and caring in general, and within an alternative school for at-risk students, in specific. The results contribute to the understanding of the complexity of the jointly produced nature of communication climate and reveal the potential effect of communication climate and constructions of caring on teachers' instructional methods, teacher and student interaction, and student learning. Such information can aid pragmatically in the development or modification of programs designed to serve at-risk students, and theoretically in the understanding of the co-constructed nature of communication climate.

Risk Management Structured for Today's Environment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Greenfield, Michael A.

1998-01-01

In NPG (NASA Procedures and Guidelines) 7120.5A, we define risk management as "an organized, systematic decision-making process that efficiently identifies, analyzes, plans, tracks, controls, and communicates and documents risk in order to increase the likelihood of achieving program/project goals." Effective risk management depends upon a thorough understanding of the concept of risk, the principles of risk management and the formation of a disciplined risk management process. In human spaceflight programs, NASA has always maintained a rigorous and highly structured risk management effort. When lives are at stake, NASA's missions must be 100% safe; the risk management approach used in human spaceflight has always been comprehensive.

Is Communication a Mechanism of Relationship Education Effects among Rural African Americans?

PubMed

Barton, Allen W; Beach, Steven R H; Lavner, Justin A; Bryant, Chalandra M; Kogan, Steven M; Brody, Gene H

2017-10-01

Enhancing communication as a means of promoting relationship quality has been increasingly questioned, particularly for couples at elevated sociodemographic risk. In response, the current study investigated communication change as a mechanism accounting for changes in relationship satisfaction and confidence among 344 rural, predominantly low-income African American couples with an early adolescent child who participated in a randomized controlled trial of the Protecting Strong African American Families (ProSAAF) program. Approximately 9 months after baseline assessment, intent-to-treat analyses indicated ProSAAF couples demonstrated improved communication, satisfaction, and confidence compared with couples in the control condition. Improvements in communication mediated ProSAAF effects on relationship satisfaction and confidence; conversely, neither satisfaction nor confidence mediated intervention effects on changes in communication. These results underscore the short-term efficacy of a communication-focused, culturally sensitive prevention program and suggest that communication is a possible mechanism of change in relationship quality among low-income African American couples.

Why Parents Matter!: The Conceptual Basis for a Community-Based HIV Prevention Program for the Parents of African American Youth

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dittus, Patricia; Miller, Kim S.; Kotchick, Beth A.; Forehand, Rex

2004-01-01

The Parents Matter! Program (PMP) is a community-based family intervention designed to promote positive parenting and effective parent-child communication about sexuality and sexual risk reduction. Its ultimate goal is to reduce sexual risk behavior among adolescents. PMP offers parents instruction and guidance in general parenting skills related…

Workplace threats to health and job turnover among women workers.

PubMed

Gucer, Patricia W; Oliver, Marc; McDiarmid, Melissa

2003-07-01

Is job turnover related to concern about workplace health risks? Using data from a national sample of working women, we examined the relationships among workplace risk communications, worker concerns about workplace threats from hazardous substances, indoor air quality, and job change. Eight percent reported changing a job as a result of concern over workplace threats to health. Previous workplace injury predicted concern about hazardous materials and indoor air quality as well as job change, but employer communication about workplace health risks was associated with less job change and less concern about indoor air quality. Women worry about workplace threats to their health enough to change their jobs, but employers may have the power to cut turnover costs and reduce disruption to workers' lives through the use of risk communication programs.

LESSONS-LEARNED AND SUCCESS STORIES FROM EPA'S REAL-TIME ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING, DATA DELIVERY, AND PUBLIC OUTREACH PROGRAM

EPA Science Inventory

TTSD has completed a series of technology transfer and risk communication handbooks, case studies, and summary reports for community-based environmental monitoring projects under EPA's Real-Time Environmental Monitoring, Data Delivery, and Public Outreach Program. The Program tak...

Risk perception, risk management and safety assessment: what can governments do to increase public confidence in their vaccine system?

PubMed

MacDonald, Noni E; Smith, Jennifer; Appleton, Mary

2012-09-01

For decades vaccine program managers and governments have devoted many resources to addressing public vaccine concerns, vaccine risk perception, risk management and safety assessment. Despite ever growing evidence that vaccines are safe and effective, public concerns continue. Education and evidence based scientific messages have not ended concerns. How can governments and programs more effectively address the public's vaccine concerns and increase confidence in the vaccine safety system? Vaccination hesitation has been attributed to concerns about vaccine safety, perceptions of high vaccine risks and low disease risk and consequences. Even when the public believes vaccines are important for protection many still have concerns about vaccine safety. This overview explores how heuristics affect public perception of vaccines and vaccine safety, how the public finds and uses vaccine information, and then proposes strategies for changes in the approach to vaccine safety communications. Facts and evidence confirming the safety of vaccines are not enough. Vaccine beliefs and behaviours must be shaped. This will require a shift in the what, when, how and why of vaccine risk and benefit communication content and practice. A change to a behavioural change strategy such as the WHO COMBI program that has been applied to disease eradication efforts is suggested. Copyright © 2011. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

NASA's Advanced Communications Technology Satellite (ACTS)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gedney, R. T.

1983-01-01

NASA recently restructured its Space Communications Program to emphasize the development of high risk communication technology useable in multiple frequency bands and to support a wide range of future communication needs. As part of this restructuring, the Advanced Communications Technology Satellite (ACTS) Project will develop and experimentally verify the technology associated with multiple fixed and scanning beam systems which will enable growth in communication satellite capacities and more effective utilization of the radio frequency spectrum. The ACTS requirements and operations as well as the technology significance for future systems are described.

Sustaining a Mature Risk Management Process: Ensuring the International Space Station for a Vibrant Future

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Raftery, Michael; Carter-Journet, Katrina

2013-01-01

The International Space Station (ISS) risk management methodology is an example of a mature and sustainable process. Risk management is a systematic approach used to proactively identify, analyze, plan, track, control, communicate, and document risks to help management make risk-informed decisions that increase the likelihood of achieving program objectives. The ISS has been operating in space for over 14 years and permanently crewed for over 12 years. It is the longest surviving habitable vehicle in low Earth orbit history. Without a mature and proven risk management plan, it would be increasingly difficult to achieve mission success throughout the life of the ISS Program. A successful risk management process must be able to adapt to a dynamic program. As ISS program-level decision processes have evolved, so too has the ISS risk management process continued to innovate, improve, and adapt. Constant adaptation of risk management tools and an ever-improving process is essential to the continued success of the ISS Program. Above all, sustained support from program management is vital to risk management continued effectiveness. Risk management is valued and stressed as an important process by the ISS Program.

Beliefs About Sex and Parent-Child-Church Sex Communication Among Church-Based African American Youth.

PubMed

Moore, Erin; Berkley-Patton, Jannette; Bohn, Alexandria; Hawes, Starlyn; Bowe-Thompson, Carole

2015-10-01

Parent-child sex communication has been shown to be protective against sexual risk among African American youth. The current study sought to use the theory of planned behavior as a framework for focus group discussions (N = 54 youth participants aged 12-19 years) to explore church youths' (a) sex beliefs and values (attitudes), (b) sources and evaluation of sex communication and education (subjective norms), (c) facilitator/barriers to adolescent sexual risk reduction and communication behaviors (perceived behavioral control), and (d) intentions to engage in these behaviors. Additionally, participants identified strategies for consideration in developing tailored parent-child-church sex communication education programs for use in African American churches. Themes suggested both positive and negative attitudes toward premarital sex and parents and churches as key sources of sex education and communication. Strategies to enhance parent-child-church sex communication are discussed in the context of these findings.

The influence of worksite and employee variables on employee engagement in telephonic health coaching programs: a retrospective multivariate analysis.

PubMed

Grossmeier, Jessica

2013-01-01

This study assessed 11 determinants of health coaching program participation. A cross-sectional study design used secondary data to assess the role of six employee-level and five worksite-level variables on telephone-based coaching enrollment, active participation, and completion. Data was provided by a national provider of worksite health promotion program services for employers. A random sample of 34,291 employees from 52 companies was selected for inclusion in the study. Survey-based measures included age, gender, job type, health risk status, tobacco risk, social support, financial incentives, comprehensive communications, senior leadership support, cultural support, and comprehensive program design. Gender-stratified multivariate logistic regression models were applied using backwards elimination procedures to yield parsimonious prediction models for each of the dependent variables. Employees were more likely to enroll in coaching programs if they were older, female, and in poorer health, and if they were at worksites with fewer environmental supports for health, clear financial incentives for participation in coaching, more comprehensive communications, and more comprehensive programs. Once employees were enrolled, program completion was greater among those who were older, did not use tobacco, worked at a company with strong communications, and had fewer environmental supports for health. Both worksite-level and employee-level factors have significant influences on health coaching engagement, and there are gender differences in the strength of these predictors.

US computer research networks: Current and future

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kratochvil, D.; Sood, D.; Verostko, A.

1989-01-01

During the last decade, NASA LeRC's Communication Program has conducted a series of telecommunications forecasting studies to project trends and requirements and to identify critical telecommunications technologies that must be developed to meet future requirements. The Government Networks Division of Contel Federal Systems has assisted NASA in these studies, and the current study builds upon these earlier efforts. The current major thrust of the NASA Communications Program is aimed at developing the high risk, advanced, communications satellite and terminal technologies required to significantly increase the capacity of future communications systems. Also, major new technological, economic, and social-political events and trends are now shaping the communications industry of the future. Therefore, a re-examination of future telecommunications needs and requirements is necessary to enable NASA to make management decisions in its Communications Program and to ensure the proper technologies and systems are addressed. This study, through a series of Task Orders, is helping NASA define the likely communication service needs and requirements of the future and thereby ensuring that the most appropriate technology developments are pursued.

Continuous Risk Management: A NASA Program Initiative

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hammer, Theodore F.; Rosenberg, Linda

1999-01-01

NPG 7120.5A, "NASA Program and Project Management Processes and Requirements" enacted in April, 1998, requires that "The program or project manager shall apply risk management principles..." The Software Assurance Technology Center (SATC) at NASA GSFC has been tasked with the responsibility for developing and teaching a systems level course for risk management that provides information on how to comply with this edict. The course was developed in conjunction with the Software Engineering Institute at Carnegie Mellon University, then tailored to the NASA systems community. This presentation will briefly discuss the six functions for risk management: (1) Identify the risks in a specific format; (2) Analyze the risk probability, impact/severity, and timeframe; (3) Plan the approach; (4) Track the risk through data compilation and analysis; (5) Control and monitor the risk; (6) Communicate and document the process and decisions.

Challenges to communicate risks of human-caused earthquakes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Klose, C. D.

2014-12-01

The awareness of natural hazards has been up-trending in recent years. In particular, this is true for earthquakes, which increase in frequency and magnitude in regions that normally do not experience seismic activity. In fact, one of the major concerns for many communities and businesses is that humans today seem to cause earthquakes due to large-scale shale gas production, dewatering and flooding of mines and deep geothermal power production. Accordingly, without opposing any of these technologies it should be a priority of earth scientists who are researching natural hazards to communicate earthquake risks. This presentation discusses the challenges that earth scientists are facing to properly communicate earthquake risks, in light of the fact that human-caused earthquakes are an environmental change affecting only some communities and businesses. Communication channels may range from research papers, books and class room lectures to outreach events and programs, popular media events or even social media networks.

Evaluation of the Truancy Court Diversion Program in the District of Columbia, 2011-12

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cahill, Meagan; Liberman, Akiva

2012-01-01

An evaluation of the Truancy Court Diversion Program (TCDP) found that despite significant implementation challenges, parent-child communication and youths' attitudes towards school both improved. A voluntary program for middle school students at risk for chronic truancy, TCDP involves judicially-led sessions that address student attitudes…

Attrition from after school programs: characteristics of students who drop out.

PubMed

Weisman, S A; Gottfredson, D C

2001-09-01

A goal of many after-school programs is to provide supervision to youths who might potentially engage in delinquent activities during the afternoon hours. By comparing students who remained in a sample of Maryland after-school programs to students who withdrew prior to the end of the school year, this study provides evidence that after-school programs are serving a lower-risk population than intended. Findings indicate that prior to dropping out of the programs, dropouts scored in the more at-risk direction on 11 out of 12 indicators examined in this study and had significantly more peer drug models and days absent from school than students who stayed in the programs. Census data indicate that dropouts came from neighborhoods characterized by higher levels of social disorganization than students who stayed in the programs. Program attendance is also related to several of the risk-factors examined. The results suggest the need for improved communication with parents and further creativity in program planning as a means of retaining high-risk students.

Generational differences in the sexual communication process of African American grandparent and parent caregivers of adolescents.

PubMed

Cornelius, Judith B; Xiong, Pa H

2015-07-01

This study assessed generational differences in the sexual communication process between 40 African American parent and 40 grandparent caregivers of adolescent children. The study reports findings from a secondary analysis of data from two databases. The HIV Risk Reduction Survey was used to examine the sexual communication process. Grandparents wanted to talk about sex and had open sexual communications, while parents valued sexual abstinence and had limited communications. Based on the findings, healthcare providers and programs need to recognize that differences do exist between parents and grandparents with sexual communications. © 2015, Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Perceived Benefits and Challenges of Coordinated Approaches to Chronic Disease Prevention in State Health Departments

PubMed Central

Sequeira, Sonia; Best, Leslie; Jones, Ellen; Baker, Elizabeth A.; Brownson, Ross C.

2014-01-01

Introduction Chronic disease prevention efforts have historically been funded categorically according to disease or risk factor. Federal agencies are now progressively starting to fund combined programs to address common risk. The purpose of this study was to inform transitions to coordinated chronic disease prevention by learning views on perceived benefits and challenges of a coordinated approach to funding. Methods A national survey on evidence-based public health was conducted from March through May 2013 among state health department employees working in chronic disease prevention (N = 865). Participants were asked to rank the top 3 benefits and top 3 challenges in coordinating chronic disease approaches from provided lists and could provide additional responses. Descriptive analyses, χ2 tests, and analysis of variance were conducted. Results The most common perceived benefits of coordinated approaches to chronic disease prevention were improved health outcomes, common risk factors better addressed, and reduced duplication of program efforts. The most common perceived challenges were funding restrictions, such as disease-specific performance measures; competing priorities; lack of communication across programs; funding might be reduced; agency not structured for program coordination; and loss of disease-specific partner support. Rankings of benefits and challenges were similar across states and participant roles; the perceived challenges “lack of communication across programs” (P = .02) and “funding might be reduced” differed by program area (P < .001). Conclusion Findings can be used by funding agencies and state health departments for planning, training, and technical assistance. The information on perceived challenges demonstrates the need to improve communication across programs, enhance organizational support for coordinated approaches, and create benefits for organizational partners. PMID:24809362

Neighborhood perceptions and parent outcomes in family based prevention programs for Thai adolescents: the role of program engagement.

PubMed

Byrnes, Hilary F; Miller, Brenda A; Chamratrithirong, Aphichat; Rhucharoenpornpanich, Orratai; Cupp, Pamela K; Atwood, Katharine A; Fongkaew, Warunee; Rosati, Michael J; Chookhare, Warunee

2011-01-01

Due to concerns over Thai adolescent risky behaviors, effective prevention strategies are needed. Determining the role neighborhood context plays in program engagement and outcomes may inform these strategies. This study includes 170 mother-adolescent pairs (M = 13.44, SD = .52) in Bangkok, Thailand in a prevention program for adolescent substance use and sexual risk. Neighborhoods were related to engagement, which was critical to outcomes. Neighborhood disorganization was related to confidence in program effects and program completion. Completion was related to increased ATOD communication. Neighborhood cohesion was related to less program enjoyment, while neighborhood social control was related to more enjoyment. Enjoyment was related to increased ATOD communication and formation and monitoring of alcohol rules. Prevention strategies should focus on neighborhood contexts and enhancing engagement.

Using social and behavior change communication to increase HIV testing and condom use: the Malawi BRIDGE Project.

PubMed

Kaufman, Michelle R; Rimal, Rajiv N; Carrasco, Maria; Fajobi, OlaOluwa; Soko, Anthony; Limaye, Rupali; Mkandawire, Glory

2014-01-01

While overall HIV prevalence in Malawi has decreased, it is still high in the southern region of the country. Behavioral prevention activities are crucial to continue the reduction in HIV prevalence. Behavior change is influenced by many factors. Previous work indicates knowledge about HIV transmission, self-efficacy to protect oneself from exposure, and accurate risk perception of one's susceptibility all impact sexual behavior. The current study looks at the effects of a behavior change communication program in Malawi called the BRIDGE II Project on psychosocial and behavioral variables. The program sought to address barriers to individual action and confront societal norms related to sexual risk behavior through a mix of community-based activities and mass media messages delivered through local radio stations. Using cohort data (n = 594), we examined the effect of BRIDGE exposure on three variables that affect HIV behaviors: knowledge, self-efficacy, and risk perception, as well as two behavioral outcomes: HIV testing and condom use at last sex. Data were collected at baseline and for a midterm evaluation. Regression analyses showed exposure to BRIDGE was significantly associated with knowledge level (β = 0.20, p < .001) and self-efficacy (β = 0.35, p < .001) at midterm when controlling for baseline scores, but not risk perception. Psychosocial variables did not show a significant relationship to either behavioral outcome. However, program exposure was a significant predictor of both HIV testing in the past year (odds ratio [OR] = 1.40, p < .001) and condom use at last sex (OR = 1.26, p < .05). This study suggests such a communication intervention may play an important role in not only affecting HIV-related behaviors themselves, but also critical factors that affect HIV behaviors, including knowledge and self-efficacy. It is recommended that communication efforts around HIV risk reduction be increased.

Exploration Systems Development (ESD) Approach to Enterprise Risk Management

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bauder, Stephen P.

2014-01-01

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Exploration Systems Development (ESD) Division has implemented an innovative approach to Enterprise Risk Management under a unique governance structure and streamlined integration model. ESD's mission is to design and build the capability to extend human existence to deep space. The Enterprise consists of three Programs: Space Launch System (SLS), Orion, and Ground Systems Development and Operations (GSDO). The SLS is a rocket and launch system that will be capable of powering humans, habitats, and support systems to deep space. Orion will be the first spacecraft in history capable of taking humans to multiple destinations within deep space. GSDO is modernizing Kennedy's spaceport to launch spacecraft built and designed by both NASA and private industry. ESD's approach to Enterprise Risk Management is commensurate with affordability and a streamlined management philosophy. ESD Enterprise Risk Management leverages off of the primary mechanisms for integration within the Enterprise. The Enterprise integration approach emphasizes delegation of authority to manage and execute the majority of cross-program activities and products to the individual Programs, while maintaining the overall responsibility for all cross-program activities at the Division. The intent of the ESD Enterprise Risk Management approach is to improve risk communication, to avoid replication and/or contradictory strategies, and to minimize overhead process burden. This is accomplished by the facilitation and integration of risk information within ESD. The ESD Division risks, Orion risks, SLS risks, and GSDO risks are owned and managed by the applicable Program. When the Programs have shared risks with multiple consequences, they are jointly owned and managed. When a risk is associated with the integrated system that involves more than one Program in condition, consequence, or mitigation plan, it is considered an Exploration Systems Integration (ESI) Risk. An ESI risk may require visibility and risk handling by multiple organizations. The Integrated Risk Working Group (IRWG) is a small team of Risk experts that are responsible for collaborating and communicating best practices. In addition, the forum facilitates proper integration of risks across the Enterprise. The IRWG uses a Continuous Risk Management approach for facilitating the identification, analysis, planning, tracking, and controlling of ESI Risks. The ESD Division, Programs, and Integrated Task Teams identify ESI Risks. The IRWG maintains a set of metrics for understanding Enterprise Risk process and the overall Risk Posture. The team is also actively involved in the modeling of risk for Enterprise Performance Management. With the Enterprise being constrained in Schedule and Budget, and with significant technical complexity, the appropriate use of Risk Management techniques is crucial to the success of the Enterprise. The IRWG achieves this through the modified approach, providing a forum for collaboration on risks that cross boundaries between the separate entities.

Drake Chemical Workers' Health Registry: coping with community tension over toxic exposures.

PubMed Central

Leviton, L C; Marsh, G M; Talbott, E; Pavlock, D; Callahan, C

1991-01-01

BACKGROUND: Programs to communicate health risk information and to protect the health of groups exposed to toxic substances need to tailor interventions to the political, economic, and cultural situation of the at-risk group. In particular, such programs must often cope with exceptional community tension and conflict over these exposures. METHODS: This article uses interviews and written materials to document and describe the state of affairs that led up to community tension over an occupational exposure to a bladder carcinogen. The article describes the planning and design of a program to provide medical surveillance to workers, which also alleviated community concern. RESULTS: The Drake Chemical Workers' Health Registry coped successfully with community conflict and obtained a high participation rate. CONCLUSIONS: General recommendations include the following: avoid identification with extraneous agendas; know the community and maintain communication; and match the intervention to the evolution of the community conflict. PMID:2029036

Workplace Violence Training Programs for Health Care Workers: An Analysis of Program Elements.

PubMed

Arbury, Sheila; Hodgson, Michael; Zankowski, Donna; Lipscomb, Jane

2017-06-01

Commercial workplace violence (WPV) prevention training programs differ in their approach to violence prevention and the content they present. This study reviews 12 such programs using criteria developed from training topics in the Occupational Safety and Health Administration's (OSHA) Guidelines for Preventing Workplace Violence for Healthcare and Social Service Workers and a review of the WPV literature. None of the training programs addressed all the review criteria. The most significant gap in content was the lack of attention to facility-specific risk assessment and policies. To fill this gap, health care facilities should supplement purchased training programs with specific training in organizational policies and procedures, emergency action plans, communication, facility risk assessment, and employee post-incident debriefing and monitoring. Critical to success is a dedicated program manager who understands risk assessment, facility clinical operations, and program management and evaluation.

Managing 'tail liability'.

PubMed

Frese, Richard C; Weber, Ryan J

2013-11-01

To reduce and control their level of tail liability, hospitals should: Utilize a self-insurance vehicle; Consider combined limits between the hospital and physicians; Communicate any program changes to the actuary, underwriter, and auditor; Continue risk management and safety practices; Ensure credit is given to the organization's own medical malpractice program.

Improving Student Oral and Written Communication Skills through the Use of Higher Level Thinking.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kovacevich, Karen; Price, Barbara; Ronna, Vicki; Xanos, Pamela

This study describes a program designed to increase the communication skills of at-risk students. The targeted population consists of kindergarten through third grade students in two elementary schools in a community in central Illinois. The status of family income ranges from low to high levels. Evidence for the existence of inadequate…

Prevention of Problem Behavior by Teaching Functional Communication and Self-Control Skills to Preschoolers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Luczynski, Kevin C.; Hanley, Gregory P.

2013-01-01

We evaluated the effects of the preschool life skills program (PLS; Hanley, Heal, Tiger, & Ingvarsson, 2007) on the acquisition and maintenance of functional communication and self-control skills, as well as its effect on problem behavior, of small groups of preschoolers at risk for school failure. Six children were taught to request teacher…

Radon Risk Communication Strategies: A Regional Story.

PubMed

Cheng, Winnie

2016-01-01

Risk communication on the health effects of radon encounters many challenges and requires a variety of risk communication strategies and approaches. The concern over radon exposure and its health effects may vary according to people's level of knowledge and receptivity. Homeowners in radon-prone areas are usually more informed and have greater concern over those not living in radon-prone areas. The latter group is often found to be resistant to testing. In British Columbia as well as many other parts of the country, some homes have been lying outside of the radon-prone areas have radon levels above the Canadian guideline, which is the reason Health Canada recommends that all homes should be tested. Over the last five years, the Environment Health Program (EHP) of Health Canada in the British Columbia region has been using a variety of different approaches in their radon risk communications through social media, workshops, webinars, public forums, poster contests, radon distribution maps, public inquiries, tradeshows and conference events, and partnership with different jurisdictions and nongovernmental organizations. The valuable lessons learned from these approaches are discussed in this special report.

Culturally-grounded mother-daughter communication-focused intervention for Thai female adolescents.

PubMed

Powwattana, Arpaporn; Thammaraksa, Pimrat; Manora, Sroy

2018-02-05

Teenage pregnancy-prevention interventions have fallen short in significantly decreasing risk of pregnancy for Thai populations. The "breaking the voice" ("rak luk khun tong pood") culture-appropriate teenage pregnancy-prevention program was developed using community-based research. Qualitative analyses of focus group data identified salient factors related to sexual communication and behavior. The integration of focus group results with theoretical constructs guided the development of an intervention to reduce risky sexual behavior by increasing communication between mothers and their adolescent daughters. A total of 157 mother-daughter dyads from congested areas in Bangkok participated in pilot testing of the intervention by the use of a survey. The findings indicated a significant increase in the frequency of and number of sexual risk communication (P < .05). There was a significant increase in perceived power in relationship control, ability to prevent sexual risk, assertiveness, and ability to decrease sexual risk among daughters (P < .05). "Breaking the voice" represents a female-focused and culturally-relevant intervention to combat teenage pregnancy. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.

COMMUNICATING RISK IN THE CONTEXT OF METHADONE FORMULATION CHANGES: A QUALITATIVE STUDY OF OVERDOSE WARNING POSTERS IN VANCOUVER, CANADA

PubMed Central

Markwick, Nicole; McNeil, Ryan; Anderson, Solanna; Small, Will; Kerr, Thomas

2015-01-01

BACKGROUND British Columbia, Canada’s provincial methadone program recently replaced their existing methadone formulation with a formulation ten times more concentrated. The transition raised concerns about heightened risk of accidental overdose, leading two organizations to disseminate methadone overdose warning posters during the transitional period. This study explores people who use drugs’ (PWUD) perceptions of these warning posters. METHODS Qualitative interviews were conducted with thirty-four PWUD enrolled in methadone maintenance treatment in Vancouver. Participants were recruited from ongoing cohort studies of drug-using individuals. Interview transcripts were analyzed thematically, focusing on participants’ perceptions of the warning posters and potential impacts on drug-related risks. RESULTS Overdose warning posters constituted a key source of information about the methadone formulation change, but did not provide adequate information for all participants. Participants articulated a preference for descriptive language, focusing on changes in concentration rather than “strength”, and universal hazard symbols to effectively communicate overdose risks. CONCLUSION Participants indicated that warnings employing descriptive language more effectively communicated risk of methadone overdose. Future overdose warnings for drug-using populations must provide adequate information for the intended audience, and be communicated to PWUD through multiple channels. PMID:26644025

A Risk Communication Success Story

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Peecook, Keith

2010-01-01

A key success of the decommissioning effort at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA's) Plum Brook Reactor Facility (PBRF) has been the public outreach program. The approach has been based on risk communications rather than a public relations approach. As a result it has kept the public feeling more involved in the process. It ensures they have the information needed to understand the project and its goals, and to make recommendations. All this is done so that NASA can better plan and execute the necessary work without delays or suprises.

Trends in University Support of Scholastic Journalism.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dickson, Tom

2001-01-01

Attempts to determine whether journalism and mass communication programs have become less involved in scholastic journalism in recent years. Finds that media-related units with graduate programs are more sensitive to the needs of teachers. Supports the hypothesis that education for scholastic journalism could be at risk, at least in regard to…

Evaluation of the Department of the Navy’s (DoN’s) Managers Internal Control (MIC) Manual

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-12-01

50 e. Managing Risk during Change (Major Factor #5) ...............50 3. Control Activities...Five Standards of Internal Management Controls as Control Environment, Risk Assessment, Control Activities, Information and Communication, and...Major Management Challenges In 2003, GAO produced another report titled Major Management Challenges and Program Risks for the DoD. This report

Defense Cybersecurity: Opportunities Exist for DOD to Share Cybersecurity Resources with Small Businesses

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-09-01

risk self- Communications identified by small businesses . The guidance Commission includes links to addit ional cybersecurity resources...Working Group 4: Final Report. The report’s appendix provides cybersecurity risk management and best practice recommendations for small and medium...including small businesses . Cybersecurity education for risk assessment and planning. These programs provide education and training that small

Sensation seekers as a healthcare marketing metasegment.

PubMed

Self, Donald R; Findley, Carolyn Sara

2010-01-01

This article discusses "sensation seekers" as a market segment for communication and prevention programs for various lifestyle and/or risk-related health problem areas such as alcohol abuse, drug abuse, suicide attempts, and sexually transmitted diseases. Although sensation seekers tend to be creative, artistic individuals, they are also prone to various negative health behaviors and many population-based prevention programs have over-looked these individuals as an important target. Various inputs to sensation-seeking causation are explored, including biological/chemical, psychological, and the impact of external characteristics. Using a combination for regulatory focus and risk homeostasis, propositions are provided for improving the effectiveness of the communications. Recommendations for prevention efforts focusing on reaching this subculture using television, along with other electronic media are proposed, including recommendations for message construction and presentation venues.

A novel tool for user-friendly estimation of natural, diagnostic and professional radiation risk: Radio-Risk software.

PubMed

Carpeggiani, Clara; Paterni, Marco; Caramella, Davide; Vano, Eliseo; Semelka, Richard C; Picano, Eugenio

2012-11-01

Awareness of radiological risk is low among doctors and patients. An educational/decision tool that considers each patient' s cumulative lifetime radiation exposure would facilitate provider-patient communication. The purpose of this work was to develop user-friendly software for simple estimation and communication of radiological risk to patients and doctors as a part of the SUIT-Heart (Stop Useless Imaging Testing in Heart disease) Project of the Tuscany Region. We developed a novel software program (PC-platform, Windows OS fully downloadable at http://suit-heart.ifc.cnr.it) considering reference dose estimates from American Heart Association Radiological Imaging 2009 guidelines and UK Royal College of Radiology 2007 guidelines. Cancer age and gender-weighted risk were derived from Biological Effects of Ionising Radiation VII Committee, 2006. With simple input functions (demographics, age, gender) the user selects from a predetermined menu variables relating to natural (e.g., airplane flights and geo-tracked background exposure), professional (e.g., cath lab workers) and medical (e.g., CT, cardiac scintigraphy, coronary stenting) sources. The program provides a simple numeric (cumulative effective dose in milliSievert, mSv, and equivalent number of chest X-rays) and graphic (cumulative temporal trends of exposure, cancer cases out of 100 exposed persons) display. A simple software program allows straightforward estimation of cumulative dose (in multiples of chest X-rays) and risk (in extra % lifetime cancer risk), with simple numbers quantifying lifetime extra cancer risk. Pictorial display of radiation risk may be valuable for increasing radiological awareness in cardiologists. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

The Medical University of South Carolina`s vision is to become the premier national resource for medical information and for environmental/health risk assessment. A key component to the success of the many missions of the Environmental Hazards Assessment Program (EHAP) is timely access to large volumes of data. This study documents the results of the needs assessment effort conducted to determine the information access and processing requirement of EHAP. The following topics are addressed in this report: environmental medicine and risk communication: curriculum and a professional support network-Department of Family Medicine; environmental hazards assessment and education program in pharmacy graduate educationmore » in risk assessment; and graduate education risk assessment.« less

Building a co-created citizen science program with gardeners neighboring a superfund site: The Gardenroots case study

PubMed Central

Ramirez-Andreotta, Monica D; Brusseau, Mark L; Artiola, Janick; Maier, Raina M; Gandolfi, A Jay

2014-01-01

A research project that is only expert-driven may ignore the role of local knowledge in research, give low priority to the development of a comprehensive communication strategy to engage the community, and may not deliver the results of the study to the community in an effective way. Objective To demonstrate how a research program can respond to a community research need, establish a community-academic partnership, and build a co-created citizen science program. Methods A place-based, community-driven project was designed where academics and community members maintained a reciprocal dialogue, and together, we: 1) defined the question for study, 2) gathered information, 3) developed hypotheses, 3) designed data collection methodologies, 4) collected environmental samples (soil, irrigation water, and vegetables), 5) interpreted data, 6) disseminated results and translated results into action, and 7) discussed results and asked new questions. Results The co-created environmental research project produced new data and addressed an additional exposure route (consumption of vegetables grown in soils with elevated arsenic levels). Public participation in scientific research improved environmental health assessment, information transfer, and risk communication efforts. Furthermore, incorporating the community in the scientific process produced both individual learning outcomes and community-level outcomes. Conclusions This approach illustrates the benefits of a community-academic co-created citizen-science program in addressing the complex problems that arise in communities neighboring a contaminated site. Such a project can increase the community's involvement in risk communication and decision-making, which ultimately has the potential to help mitigate exposure and thereby reduce associated risk. PMID:25954473

Building a co-created citizen science program with gardeners neighboring a superfund site: The Gardenroots case study.

PubMed

Ramirez-Andreotta, Monica D; Brusseau, Mark L; Artiola, Janick; Maier, Raina M; Gandolfi, A Jay

2015-01-01

A research project that is only expert-driven may ignore the role of local knowledge in research, give low priority to the development of a comprehensive communication strategy to engage the community, and may not deliver the results of the study to the community in an effective way. To demonstrate how a research program can respond to a community research need, establish a community-academic partnership, and build a co-created citizen science program. A place-based, community-driven project was designed where academics and community members maintained a reciprocal dialogue, and together, we: 1) defined the question for study, 2) gathered information, 3) developed hypotheses, 3) designed data collection methodologies, 4) collected environmental samples (soil, irrigation water, and vegetables), 5) interpreted data, 6) disseminated results and translated results into action, and 7) discussed results and asked new questions. The co-created environmental research project produced new data and addressed an additional exposure route (consumption of vegetables grown in soils with elevated arsenic levels). Public participation in scientific research improved environmental health assessment, information transfer, and risk communication efforts. Furthermore, incorporating the community in the scientific process produced both individual learning outcomes and community-level outcomes. This approach illustrates the benefits of a community-academic co-created citizen-science program in addressing the complex problems that arise in communities neighboring a contaminated site. Such a project can increase the community's involvement in risk communication and decision-making, which ultimately has the potential to help mitigate exposure and thereby reduce associated risk.

Pediatric Predispositional Genetic Risk Communication: Potential Utility for Prevention and Control of Melanoma Risk as an Exemplar.

PubMed

Wu, Yelena P; Mays, Darren; Kohlmann, Wendy; Tercyak, Kenneth P

2017-10-01

Predispositional genetic testing among minor children is intensely debated due to the potential benefits and harms of providing this type of genetic information to children and their families. Existing guidelines on pediatric genetic testing state that predispositional testing could be appropriate for minors if preventive services exist that mitigate children's risk for or severity of the health condition in question. We use the example of hereditary melanoma to illustrate the rationale for and potential application of genetic risk communication for an adult-onset cancer to a pediatric population where childhood behaviors may reduce risk of disease later in life. We draw from the adult melanoma genetic risk communication and pediatric health behavior change literatures to suggest ways in which genetic test reporting and complementary education could be delivered to children who carry a hereditary risk for melanoma and their families in order to foster children's engagement in melanoma preventive behaviors. Genetic discoveries will continue to yield new opportunities to provide predispositional genetic risk information to unaffected individuals, including children, and could be delivered within programs that provide personalized and translational approaches to cancer prevention.

Effects of relationship education on couple communication and satisfaction: A randomized controlled trial with low-income couples.

PubMed

Williamson, Hannah C; Altman, Noemi; Hsueh, JoAnn; Bradbury, Thomas N

2016-02-01

Although preventive educational interventions for couples have been examined in more than 100 experimental studies, the value of this work is limited by reliance on economically advantaged populations and by an absence of data on proposed mediators and moderators. Data from the Supporting Healthy Marriage Project-a randomized, controlled trial of relationship education for couples living with low incomes-were therefore analyzed to test whether intervention effects on relationship satisfaction would be mediated by observational assessments of relationship communication and whether any such effects would be moderated by couples' pretreatment risk. Within the larger sample of Supporting Healthy Marriage Project couples randomized to a relationship education or no-treatment control condition, the present analyses focus on the 1,034 couples who provided (a) data on sociodemographic risk at baseline, (b) observational data on couple communication 12 months after randomization, and (c) reports of relationship satisfaction 30 months after randomization. Intervention couples reported higher satisfaction at 30 months than control couples, regardless of their level of pretreatment risk. Among higher risk couples, the intervention improved observed communication as well. Contrary to prediction, treatment effects on satisfaction were not mediated by improvements in communication, and improvements in communication did not translate into greater satisfaction. Relationship education programs produce small improvements in relationship satisfaction and communication, particularly for couples at elevated sociodemographic risk. The absence of behavioral effects on satisfaction indicates, however, that the mechanisms by which couples may benefit from relationship education are not yet well understood. (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

Evaluation of a U.S. Evidence-Based Parenting Intervention in Rural Western Kenya: From Parents Matter! to Families Matter!

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vandenhoudt, Hilde; Miller, Kim S.; Ochura, Juliet; Wyckoff, Sarah C.; Obong'o, Christopher O.; Otwoma, Nelson J.; Poulsen, Melissa N.; Menten, Joris; Marum, Elizabeth; Buve, Anne

2010-01-01

We evaluated Families Matter! Program (FMP), an intervention designed to improve parent-child communication about sexual risk reduction and parenting skills. Parents of 10- to 12-year-olds were recruited in western Kenya. We aimed to assess community acceptability and FMP's effect on parenting practices and effective parent-child communication.…

The Impact of Experiential Exercises on Communication and Relational Skills in a Suicide Prevention Gatekeeper-Training Program for College Resident Advisors

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pasco, Susan; Wallack, Cory; Sartin, Robert M.; Dayton, Rebecca

2012-01-01

Objective: In an effort to identify students at risk for suicide, many colleges are implementing suicide prevention training for campus gatekeepers. This study evaluated the efficacy of a 3-hour, experiential-based gatekeeper training that included an emphasis on enhancing communication skills and relational connection in addition to the didactic…

Sexual cognitive predictors of sexual communication in junior college adolescents: medical student perspectives.

PubMed

Lou, Jiunn-Horng; Chen, Sheng-Hwang; Yu, Hsing-Yi; Lin, Yen-Chin; Li, Ren-Hau

2010-12-01

Further understanding the relationship between sexual cognition and sexual communication in adolescents may facilitate sexual health promotion in this population. This study was designed to investigate associations between sexual cognitive variables and sexual communication in adolescents. This study used a cross-sectional research design with conventional sampling. Data were collected from one medical college in central Taiwan. A total of 900 questionnaires were dispatched, with 748 copies returned, giving a response rate of 83.1%. Structural questionnaires were designed to collect demographic data, sexual self-concept inventory, sexual risk cognition, sexual self-efficacy, and sexual communication scale. This study applied statistical methods, including descriptive statistics, Pearson product-moment correlation, and multiple regression analysis. Major findings revealed that (a) adolescents talked about sexual activity and sexual issues with their parents at a moderate level (mean = 2.52, SD = 1.24), (b) all sexual cognitive variables (sexual self-concept, sexual risk cognitions, and sexual self-efficacy) correlated positively with sexual communication, and (c) predictors of sexual communication were supported by demographic data (having heterosexual friends, satisfaction with heterosexual friends, and duration of relationships with heterosexual friends) and sexual cognitive variables, which accounted for 62.0% of variance. Study results can contribute to the development of safe sexual health programs and improve healthcare provider knowledge of sexual communication among adolescents. More sexual communication between adolescents and their parents is encouraged. Moreover, sexual health programs must give increased focus on the issue of adolescent sexual cognition to help encourage increased discussion between adolescents and their parents regarding sexual activity and issues.

Communication about environmental health risks: a systematic review.

PubMed

Fitzpatrick-Lewis, Donna; Yost, Jennifer; Ciliska, Donna; Krishnaratne, Shari

2010-11-01

Using the most effective methods and techniques for communicating risk to the public is critical. Understanding the impact that different types of risk communication have played in real and perceived public health risks can provide information about how messages, policies and programs can and should be communicated in order to be most effective. The purpose of this systematic review is to identify the effectiveness of communication strategies and factors that impact communication uptake related to environmental health risks. A systematic review of English articles using multiple databases with appropriate search terms. Data sources also included grey literature. Key organization websites and key journals were hand searched for relevant articles. Consultation with experts took place to locate any additional references.Articles had to meet relevance criteria for study design [randomized controlled trials, clinical controlled trials, cohort analytic, cohort, any pre-post, interrupted time series, mixed methods or any qualitative studies), participants (those in community-living, non-clinical populations), interventions (including, but not limited to, any community-based methods or tools such as Internet, telephone, media-based interventions or any combination thereof), and outcomes (reported measurable outcomes such as awareness, knowledge or attitudinal or behavioural change). Articles were assessed for quality and data was extracted using standardized tools by two independent reviewers. Articles were given an overall assessment of strong, moderate or weak quality. There were no strong or moderate studies. Meta-analysis was not appropriate to the data. Data for 24 articles were analyzed and reported in a narrative format. The findings suggest that a multi-media approach is more effective than any single media approach. Similarly, printed material that offers a combination of information types (i.e., text and diagrams) is a more effective than just a single type, such as all text. Findings also suggest that factors influencing response to risk communications are impacted by personal risk perception, previous personal experience with risk, sources of information and trust in those sources. No single method of message delivery is best. Risk communication strategies that incorporate the needs of the target audience(s) with a multi-faceted delivery method are most effective at reaching the audience.

Shuttle user analysis (study 2.2): Volume 3. Business Risk And Value of Operations in space (BRAVO). Part 4: Computer programs and data look-up

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1974-01-01

Computer program listings as well as graphical and tabulated data needed by the analyst to perform a BRAVO analysis were examined. Graphical aid which can be used to determine the earth coverage of satellites in synchronous equatorial orbits was described. A listing for satellite synthesis computer program as well as a sample printout for the DSCS-11 satellite program and a listing of the symbols used in the program were included. The APL language listing for the payload program cost estimating computer program was given. This language is compatible with many of the time sharing remote terminals computers used in the United States. Data on the intelsat communications network was studied. Costs for telecommunications systems leasing, line of sight microwave relay communications systems, submarine telephone cables, and terrestrial power generation systems were also described.

C2R2: Training Students To Build Coastal Resilience

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ferraro, C.; Kopp, R. E.; Jordan, R.; Gong, J.; Andrews, C.; Auermuller, L. M.; Herb, J.; McDonnell, J. D.; Bond, S.

2017-12-01

In the United States, about 23 million people live within 6 meters of sea level. In many parts of the country, sea-level rise between 1960 and 2010 has already led to a 2-5-fold increase in the rate of `nuisance' flooding. On top of rising seas, intensifying hurricanes and more frequent extremes of heat, humidity and precipitation pose additional risks to coastal societies, economies and ecosystems. Addressing risks posed by changing climate conditions in coastal areas demands innovative strategies that intersect multiple disciplines including engineering, ecology, communication, climate science, and community planning. To be usable, it also requires engaging coastal stakeholders in the development of research questions, the assessment of implications of research for planning and policy, and the communication of research results. Yet traditional, disciplinary programs are poorly configured to train the workforce needed to assess coastal climate risk and to develop and deploy integrated strategies for increasing coastal climate resilience. Coastal Climate Risk & Resilience (C2R2) is an NSF Research Traineeship (NRT) working to prepare the workforce that will build coastal resilience in the face of climate risks. Through its trainee and certificate programs, C2R2 works with graduate students at Rutgers University from multiple disciplines to better integrate all the elements of coastal systems and to communicate effectively with coastal stakeholders. C2R2 students will acquire the knowledge and practical skills needed to become leading researchers and practitioners tackling the critical challenges of coastal resilience.

Sexual risk among African American girls: psychopathology and mother-daughter relationships.

PubMed

Donenberg, Geri R; Emerson, Erin; Mackesy-Amiti, Mary Ellen

2011-04-01

To examine the associations among mental health problems, maternal monitoring and permissiveness, mother-daughter communication and attachment, and sexual behaviors among African American girls receiving outpatient psychiatric care. Youths with mental health problems report higher rates of HIV-risk behavior than do their peers, and African American girls have higher rates of sexually transmitted infections than do girls of all other racial groups. A sample of 12- to 16-year-old African American girls (N = 266, mean age = 14.46 years) and their female caregivers (73% biological mothers) completed computerized assessments of girls' mental health symptoms, maternal monitoring and permissiveness, and mother-daughter communication and attachment. Girls indicated their sexual risk behaviors (vaginal/anal sex, consistent condom use, number of partners). African American girls who reported clinically significant externalizing problems, more permissive parenting, less open mother-daughter sexual communication, and more frequent mother-daughter communication were more likely to report having had vaginal and/or anal sex. Sexually active girls with greater maternal attachment were less likely to report inconsistent condom use. Findings revealed important risk and protective factors for African American girls in psychiatric care. HIV-prevention programs may be strengthened by improving mother-daughter relationships and communication and by reducing girls' mental health problems. (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved.

The US Food and Drug Administration's Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategy (REMS) Program - Current Status and Future Direction.

PubMed

Wu, Jasmanda; Juhaeri, Juhaeri

2016-12-01

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Amendments Act of 2007 granted the FDA new authorities to enhance drug safety by requiring application holders to submit a proposed Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategy (REMS). A REMS is a required risk management plan that uses tools beyond the package insert. REMS elements may include a medication guide and patient package insert for patients and a communication plan focused on health care professionals. Elements to assure safe use (ETASUs) are put in place to mitigate a specific known serious risk when other less restrictive elements of a REMS are not sufficient to mitigate such risk. An implementation system is required for an REMS that includes the ETASUs. With approximately eight years of experience with REMS programs, many health care settings have created systems to manage REMS and also to integrate REMS into their practice settings. At the same time, there are issues associated with the development and implementation of REMS. In 2011, FDA created the REMS Integration Initiative to develop guidance on how to apply statutory criteria to determine when a REMS is required, to improve standardization and assessment of REMS, and to improve integration of REMS into the existing healthcare system. A key component of the REMS Integration Initiative is stakeholder outreach to better understand how existing REMS programs are working and to identify opportunities for improvement. This review attempts to share our company's experience with the REMS program, and to provide updates on FDA's efforts to improve REMS communication, to standardize REMS process, to reduce REMS program burdens and to build a common REMS platform. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier HS Journals, Inc. All rights reserved.

A systems approach to the commercialization of space communications technology - The NASA/JPL Mobile Satellite Program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Weber, William J., III; Gray, Valerie W.; Jackson, Byron; Steele, Laura C.

1991-01-01

This paper discusss the systems approach taken by NASA and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in the commercialization of land-mobile satellite services (LMSS) in the United States. As the lead center for NASA's Mobile Satellite Program, JPL was involved in identifying and addressing many of the key barriers to commercialization of mobile satellite communications, including technical, economic, regulatory and institutional risks, or uncertainties. The systems engineering approach described here was used to mitigate these risks. The result was the development and implementation of the JPL Mobile Satellite Experiment Project. This Project included not only technology development, but also studies to support NASA in the definition of the regulatory, market, and investment environments within which LMSS would evolve and eventually operate, as well as initiatives to mitigate their associated commercialization risks. The end result of these government-led endeavors was the acceleration of the introduction of commercial mobile satellite services, both nationally and internationally.

Developing mobile phone text messages for tobacco risk communication among college students: a mixed methods study.

PubMed

Prokhorov, Alexander V; Machado, Tamara C; Calabro, Karen S; Vanderwater, Elizabeth A; Vidrine, Damon J; Pasch, Keryn P; Marani, Salma K; Buchberg, Meredith; Wagh, Aditya; Russell, Sophia C; Czerniak, Katarzyna W; Botello, Gabrielle C; Dobbins, Mackenzie H; Khalil, Georges E; Perry, Cheryl L

2017-01-31

Engaging young adults for the purpose of communicating health risks associated with nicotine and tobacco use can be challenging since they comprise a population heavily targeted with appealing marketing by the evolving tobacco industry. The Food and Drug Administration seeks novel ways to effectively communicate risks to warn about using these products. This paper describes the first step in developing a text messaging program delivered by smartphones that manipulate three messaging characteristics (i.e., depth, framing, and appeal). Perceptions of community college students were described after previewing text messages designed to inform about risks of using conventional and new tobacco products. Thirty-one tobacco users and nonusers, aged 18-25 participated in five focus discussions held on two community college campuses. Attendees reviewed prototype messages and contributed feedback about text message structure and content. Qualitative data were coded and analyzed using NVivo Version 10. Most participants were female and two-thirds were ethnic minorities. A variety of conventional and new tobacco products in the past month were used by a third of participants. Three identified domains were derived from the qualitative data. These included perceived risks of using tobacco products, receptivity to message content, and logistical feedback regarding the future message campaign. Overall, participants found the messages to be interesting and appropriate. A gap in awareness of the risks of using new tobacco products was revealed. Feedback on the prototype messages was incorporated into message revisions. These findings provided preliminary confirmation that the forthcoming messaging program will be appealing to young adults.

Maternal nutrition, intrauterine programming and consequential risks in the offspring.

PubMed

Yajnik, Chittaranjan S; Deshmukh, Urmila S

2008-09-01

It is traditionally believed that genetic susceptibility and adult faulty lifestyle lead to type 2 diabetes, a chronic non-communicable disease. The "Developmental Origins of Health and Disease" (DOHaD) model proposes that the susceptibility to type 2 diabetes originates in the intrauterine life by environmental fetal programming, further exaggerated by rapid childhood growth, i.e. a biphasic nutritional insult. Both fetal under nutrition (sometimes manifested as low birth weight) and over nutrition (the baby of a diabetic mother) increase the risk of future diabetes. The common characteristic of these two types of babies is their high adiposity. An imbalance in nutrition seems to play an important role, and micronutrients seem particularly important. Normal to high maternal folate status coupled with low vitamin B(12) status predicted higher adiposity and insulin resistance in Indian babies. Thus, 1-C (methyl) metabolism seems to play a key role in fetal programming. DOHaD represents a paradigm shift in the model for prevention of the chronic non-communicable diseases.

'You find yourself.' Perceptions of nursing students from non-English speaking backgrounds of the effect of an intensive language support program on their oral clinical communication skills.

PubMed

Rogan, Fran; San Miguel, Caroline; Brown, Di; Kilstoff, Kathleen

2006-10-01

Nurses of ethnically diverse backgrounds are essential in providing multicultural populations in western societies with culturally and linguistically competent health care. However, many nurses from non-English speaking backgrounds (NESB) are at high risk of failure in university programs particularly during clinical placements. Few studies investigate the clinical experiences of students from NESB and strategies to support their learning. This study describes perceptions of fifteen undergraduate nursing students from NESB about their first clinical placement in an Australian university program and the effect of a language support program on their oral clinical communication skills. Three categories arose: *Wanting to belong but feeling excluded; *Wanting to learn how to...; and *You find yourself. While many students find clinical placement challenging, it appeared difficult for students in this study as language and cultural adjustments required some modification of their usual ways of thinking and communicating, often without coping strategies available to other students.

The effectiveness of assertiveness communication training programs for healthcare professionals and students: A systematic review.

PubMed

Omura, Mieko; Maguire, Jane; Levett-Jones, Tracy; Stone, Teresa Elizabeth

2017-11-01

Communication errors have a negative impact on patient safety. It is therefore essential that healthcare professionals have the skills and confidence to speak up assertively when patient safety is at risk. Although the facilitators to and barriers of assertive communication have been the subject of previous reviews, evidence regarding the effectiveness of interventions designed to enhance assertive communication is lacking. Thus, this paper reports the findings from a systematic review of the effectiveness of assertiveness communication training programs for healthcare professionals and students. The objective of this review is to identify, appraise and synthesise the best available quantitative evidence in relation to the effectiveness of assertiveness communication training programs for healthcare professionals and students on levels of assertiveness, communication competence and impact on clinicians' behaviours and patient safety. The databases included: CINAHL, Cochrane library, EMBASE, Informit health collection, MEDLINE, ProQuest nursing and allied health, PsycINFO, Scopus and Web of Science. The search for unpublished studies included: MedNar, ProQuest Dissertations & Theses A&I. Studies published in English from 2001 until 2016 inclusive were considered. The review included original quantitative research that evaluated (a) any type of independent assertiveness communication training program; and (b) programs with assertiveness training included as a core component of team skills or communication training for healthcare professionals and students, regardless of healthcare setting and level of qualification of participants. Studies selected based on eligibility criteria were assessed for methodological quality and the data were extracted by two independent researchers using the Joanna Briggs Institute critical appraisal and data extraction tools. Eleven papers were critically appraised using the Joanna Briggs Institute critical appraisal checklists. Eight papers from the USA, Australia, Ireland, and Taiwan were included in the review. Interventions to improve assertive communication were reported to be effective to some degree with all targeted groups except experienced anaesthesiologists. Face-to-face and multimethod programs, support from leaders, teamwork skills training and communication techniques adapted from the aviation industry were identified as appropriate approaches for optimising the effectiveness of assertiveness communication training programs. Behavioural change as the result of assertiveness interventions was evaluated by observer-based rating scales during simulation, whilst self-perceived knowledge and attitudes were evaluated using validated scales. Future research should consider evaluation of sustained effect on behaviour change and patient safety. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Architecting for Large Scale Agile Software Development: A Risk-Driven Approach

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-05-01

addressed aspect of scale in agile software development. Practices such as Scrum of Scrums are meant to address orchestration of multiple development...owner, Scrum master) have differing responsibilities from the roles in the existing phase-based waterfall program structures. Such differences may... Scrum . Communication with both internal and external stakeholders must be open and documentation should not be used as a substitute for communication

Violence prevention at work. A business perspective.

PubMed

Wilkinson, C W

2001-02-01

The risk of workplace violence varies depending on the type and location of the business. Business managers should assess violence risk and develop a program based on the level of risk faced by their employees. This assessment should include: (1) a review of workplace security and identification of positions with increased risk of exposure to violence, (2) risk reduction through environmental design and employee training, (3) development of a plan and identification of professional resources to respond to incidents should they occur, and (4) communication of the employer's commitment to providing a safe work environment for employees. For most businesses, threat assessment and management comprise the cornerstone of a workplace violence-prevention program. Planning and preparation are key to workplace violence prevention.

Pediatric primary care providers' perspectives regarding hospital discharge communication: a mixed methods analysis.

PubMed

Leyenaar, JoAnna K; Bergert, Lora; Mallory, Leah A; Engel, Richard; Rassbach, Caroline; Shen, Mark; Woehrlen, Tess; Cooperberg, David; Coghlin, Daniel

2015-01-01

Effective communication between inpatient and outpatient providers may mitigate risks of adverse events associated with hospital discharge. However, there is an absence of pediatric literature defining effective discharge communication strategies at both freestanding children's hospitals and general hospitals. The objectives of this study were to assess associations between pediatric primary care providers' (PCPs) reported receipt of discharge communication and referral hospital type, and to describe PCPs' perspectives regarding effective discharge communication and areas for improvement. We administered a questionnaire to PCPs referring to 16 pediatric hospital medicine programs nationally. Multivariable models were developed to assess associations between referral hospital type and receipt and completeness of discharge communication. Open-ended questions asked respondents to describe effective strategies and areas requiring improvement regarding discharge communication. Conventional qualitative content analysis was performed to identify emergent themes. Responses were received from 201 PCPs, for a response rate of 63%. Although there were no differences between referral hospital type and PCP-reported receipt of discharge communication (relative risk 1.61, 95% confidence interval 0.97-2.67), PCPs referring to general hospitals more frequently reported completeness of discharge communication relative to those referring to freestanding children's hospitals (relative risk 1.78, 95% confidence interval 1.26-2.51). Analysis of free text responses yielded 4 major themes: 1) structured discharge communication, 2) direct personal communication, 3) reliability and timeliness of communication, and 4) communication for effective postdischarge care. This study highlights potential differences in the experiences of PCPs referring to general hospitals and freestanding children's hospitals, and presents valuable contextual data for future quality improvement initiatives. Copyright © 2015 Academic Pediatric Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Environmental Hazards Assessment Program. Quarterly report, January 1994--March 1994

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

1994-05-04

The objectives of the EHAP program are to: Develop a holistic, national basis for risk assessment, risk management and risk communication; Develop a pool of talented scientists and experts in cleanup activities, especially in human health aspects, and; Identify needs and develop programs addressing the critical shortage of well-educated, highly-skilled technical and scientific personnel to address the health oriented aspects of environmental restoration and waste management. This report describes activities and reports on progress for the third quarter of year two (January-March, 1994) of the grant. To better accomplish objectives, grant efforts are organized into three major elements: The Crossroadsmore » of Humanity Series; Research, Science and Education Programs; and Program Management. The Crossroads of Humanity Series charted a new course, incorporating lessons learned during previous quarters into a series of programs designed to address environmental issues in a real world setting. Reports are included on the various research programs with milestones and deliverables from the third quarter.« less

Patient-centered computing: can it curb malpractice risk?

PubMed

Bartlett, E E

1993-01-01

The threat of a medical malpractice suit represents a major cause of career dissatisfaction for American physicians. Patient-centered computing may improve physician-patient communications, thereby reducing liability risk. This review describes programs that have sought to enhance patient education and involvement pertaining to 5 major categories of malpractice lawsuits: Diagnosis, medications, obstetrics, surgery, and treatment errors.

Patient-centered computing: can it curb malpractice risk?

PubMed Central

Bartlett, E. E.

1993-01-01

The threat of a medical malpractice suit represents a major cause of career dissatisfaction for American physicians. Patient-centered computing may improve physician-patient communications, thereby reducing liability risk. This review describes programs that have sought to enhance patient education and involvement pertaining to 5 major categories of malpractice lawsuits: Diagnosis, medications, obstetrics, surgery, and treatment errors. PMID:8130563

Feasibility and Acceptability of a Web-Based HIV/STD Prevention Program for Adolescent Girls Targeting Sexual Communication Skills

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Widman, L.; Golin, C. E.; Kamke, K.; Massey, J.; Prinstein, M. J.

2017-01-01

Adolescent girls are at substantial risk of sexually transmitted diseases including HIV. To reduce these risks, we developed Health Education And Relationship Training (HEART), a web-based intervention focused on developing sexual assertiveness skills and enhancing sexual decision-making. This study assessed the feasibility and acceptability of…

Randomized Trial Testing a Worksite Sun Protection Program in an Outdoor Recreation Industry

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Buller, David B.; Andersen, Peter A.; Walkosz, Barbara J.; Scott, Michael D.; Cutter, Gary R.; Dignan, Mark B.; Zarlengo, Elizabeth M.; Voeks, Jenifer H.; Giese, Aimee J.

2005-01-01

Health communication campaigns intended to reduce chronic and severe exposure to ultraviolet radiation in sunlight and prevent skin cancer are a national priority. Outdoor workers represent an unaddressed, high-risk population. Go Sun Smart (GSS), a worksite sun safety program largely based on the diffusion-of-innovations theory, was evaluated in…

Risk-adjusted morbidity in teaching hospitals correlates with reported levels of communication and collaboration on surgical teams but not with scale measures of teamwork climate, safety climate, or working conditions.

PubMed

Davenport, Daniel L; Henderson, William G; Mosca, Cecilia L; Khuri, Shukri F; Mentzer, Robert M

2007-12-01

Since the Institute of Medicine patient safety reports, a number of survey-based measures of organizational climate safety factors (OCSFs) have been developed. The goal of this study was to measure the impact of OCSFs on risk-adjusted surgical morbidity and mortality. Surveys were administered to staff on general/vascular surgery services during a year. Surveys included multiitem scales measuring OCSFs. Additionally, perceived levels of communication and collaboration with coworkers were assessed. The National Surgical Quality Improvement Program was used to assess risk-adjusted morbidity and mortality. Correlations between outcomes and OCSFs were calculated and between outcomes and communication/collaboration with attending and resident doctors, nurses, and other providers. Fifty-two sites participated in the survey: 44 Veterans Affairs and 8 academic medical centers. A total of 6,083 surveys were returned, for a response rate of 52%. The OCSF measures of teamwork climate, safety climate, working conditions, recognition of stress effects, job satisfaction, and burnout demonstrated internal validity but did not correlate with risk-adjusted outcomes. Reported levels of communication/collaboration with attending and resident doctors correlated with risk-adjusted morbidity. Survey-based teamwork, safety climate, and working conditions scales are not confirmed to measure organizational factors that influence risk-adjusted surgical outcomes. Reported communication/collaboration with attending and resident doctors on surgical services influenced patient morbidity. This suggests the importance of doctors' coordination and decision-making roles on surgical teams in providing high-quality and safe care. We propose risk-adjusted morbidity as an effective measure of surgical patient safety.

HIV+ and HIV- youth living in group homes in South Africa need more psychosocial support.

PubMed

Nestadt, D F; Alicea, S; Petersen, I; John, S; Myeza, N P; Nicholas, S W; Cohen, L G; Holst, H; Bhana, A; McKay, M M; Abrams, E J; Mellins, C A

2013-07-01

Orphans and vulnerable youth who live in group homes are at risk of poor mental health and sexual and drug-using behaviors that increase the risk of HIV transmission. This study explores factors related to this risk among youth living in group homes ("children's homes") for orphans and vulnerable children in South Africa, a country afflicted by high levels of parental loss due to HIV. The study explores 1) knowledge and attitudes about HIV, 2) social support, 3) communication with group home caregivers, and 4) the relevance of an existing evidence-based HIV prevention and mental health promotion program to situations where sexual and drug risk behaviors can occur. In-depth qualitative individual interviews were conducted with 20 youth (age 10 to 16 years) residing in two children's homes in Durban, South Africa. Content analysis focused on critical themes related to coping and prevention of risk activities. Respondents exhibited inconsistent and incomplete knowledge of HIV transmission and prevention. They displayed positive attitudes toward people living with HIV, but reported experiencing or witnessing HIV-related stigma. Participants witnessed substance use and romantic/sexual relationships among their peers; few admitted to their own involvement. While relationships with childcare workers were central to their lives, youth reported communication barriers related to substance use, sex, HIV, and personal history (including parental loss, abuse, and other trauma). In conclusion, these qualitative data suggest that evidence-based HIV prevention programs that bring caregivers and youth together to improve communication, HIV knowledge, social support, youth self-esteem, and health care, reduce sexual and drug risk behaviors, and strengthen skills related to negotiating situations of sexual and substance use possibility could benefit youth and childcare workers in children's homes.

HIV+ and HIV− youth living in group homes in South Africa need more psychosocial support

PubMed Central

Nestadt, D.F.; Alicea, S.; Petersen, I.; John, S.; Myeza, N.P.; Nicholas, S.W.; Cohen, L.G.; Holst, H.; Bhana, A.; McKay, M.M.; Abrams, E.J.; Mellins, C.A.

2013-01-01

Orphans and vulnerable youth who live in group homes are at risk of poor mental health and sexual and drug-using behaviors that increase the risk of HIV transmission. This study explores factors related to this risk among youth living in group homes (“children’s homes”) for orphans and vulnerable children in South Africa, a country afflicted by high levels of parental loss due to HIV. The study explores 1) knowledge and attitudes about HIV, 2) social support, 3) communication with group home caregivers, and 4) the relevance of an existing evidence-based HIV prevention and mental health promotion program to situations where sexual and drug risk behaviors can occur. In-depth qualitative individual interviews were conducted with 20 youth (age 10 to 16 years) residing in two children’s homes in Durban, South Africa. Content analysis focused on critical themes related to coping and prevention of risk activities. Respondents exhibited inconsistent and incomplete knowledge of HIV transmission and prevention. They displayed positive attitudes toward people living with HIV, but reported experiencing or witnessing HIV-related stigma. Participants witnessed substance use and romantic/sexual relationships among their peers; few admitted to their own involvement. While relationships with childcare workers were central to their lives, youth reported communication barriers related to substance use, sex, HIV, and personal history (including parental loss, abuse, and other trauma). In conclusion, these qualitative data suggest that evidence-based HIV prevention programs that bring caregivers and youth together to improve communication, HIV knowledge, social support, youth self-esteem, and health care, reduce sexual and drug risk behaviors, and strengthen skills related to negotiating situations of sexual and substance use possibility could benefit youth and childcare workers in children’s homes. PMID:24039626

Communicating radon risk effectively: a mid-course evaluation. Interim report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Smith, V.K.; Desvousges, W.H.; Fisher, A.

A panel of 2300 homeowners was divided into subgroups to test the effectiveness of six alternative ways of explaining the risk from naturally occurring radon gas. The research design focused on two dimensions: qualitative vs. quantitative and directive vs. evaluative. These characteristics led to 4 experimental booklets, which were compared with EPA's Citizen's Guide and a one-page fact sheet. The evaluation examined how much people learned about radon; whether they could form risk perceptions consistent with their home's measured radon level; and whether they felt they had enough information to make a decision about mitigation. The fact sheet did notmore » perform well on any of these evaluation criteria. None of the five booklets clearly was best for all 3 evaluation criteria; the report discusses the implications for designing an effective radon-risk communication program.« less

Needs and Problems of Posbindu Program: Community Health Volunteers Perspective

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Putri, S. T.; Andriyani, S.

2018-01-01

Posbindu is a form of public participation to conduct early detection and monitoring of risk factors for non-communicable diseases(NCD), and where it was carried out in as an integrated manner, routine and periodic event. This paper aims to investigates the needs and problems on Posbindu Program based on community health volunteers(CHVs) perspective. This study used descriptive qualitative method by open ended questions. Content analysis using to explicating the result. There are 3 theme finding about elderly needs in Posbindu; medical care, support group community, and health education. We found four theme problems which in Posbindu program: low motivation from elderly, Inadequate of facilities, physical disability, failed communication. To be effective in Posbindu program, all the stakeholders have reached consensus on the Posbindu program as elderly need. CHVs need given wide knowledge about early detection, daily care, control disease continuously so that the elderly keep feeling the advantages of coming to the Posbindu.

Social/Electronic Media Use of Children and Adolescents Who Attend the Pediatric Weight Management Programs of the COMPASS Network.

PubMed

Siegel, Robert; Fals, Angela; Mirza, Nazrat; Datto, George; Stratbucker, William; Ievers-Landis, Carolyn E; Christison, Amy; Wang, Yu; Woolford, Susan J

2015-10-01

Obesity is a major healthcare problem in youth and their social/electronic media (SEM) use has been described as a risk factor. Though much is known about the newer technologies youth use to communicate, little is known about what is used by those in weight management programs. The aim of this study was to determine what types of SEM, including sedentary and active video games, youth in weight management programs use and which they prefer for communicating with healthcare providers. This was a multisite study using a 24-question online SurveyMonkey® questionnaire. Youth, 12-17 years old, attending pediatric weight management programs at seven participating centers in the Childhood Obesity Multi Program Analysis and Study System network were eligible. There were 292 responders with a mean age of 14.2 years. Fifty-four percent were female, 36% Caucasian, 35% African American, and 33% were Hispanic. Ninety-four percent had access to a computer, 71% had Internet access, and 63% had smartphones. Whereas 87% had at least one gaming system at home, 50% reported they never played sedentary video games (71% of females vs. 25% males; p < 0.0001) and 63% never played exercise video games during the week. The preferred method of communication with a healthcare provider was face to face (60%), with few indicating a preference for communication by texting (13%), phone (12%), or social media (6%). Face-to-face communication with healthcare providers is the preferred method for youth in pediatric weight management programs. They self-reported video game use less than previously described.

Evaluation of a Music Therapy Social Skills Development Program for Youth with Limited Resources.

PubMed

Pasiali, Varvara; Clark, Cherie

2018-05-21

Children living in low-resource communities are at risk for poorer socio-emotional development and academic performance. Emerging evidence supports use of group music therapy experiences to support social development through community afterschool programming. To examine the potential benefit of a music therapy social skills development program to improve social skills and academic performance of school-aged children with limited resources in an afterschool program. We used a single-group pre/post-test design, and recruited 20 students (11 females, 9 males), ages 5 to 11 years, from an afterschool program. The music therapy social skills program consisted of eight 50-minute sessions, and we measured social competence and antisocial behavior using the Home & Community Social Behavioral Scale (HCSBS; Merrell & Caldarella, 2008), and social skills, problem behaviors, and academic competence using the Social Skills Improvement System (SSIS; Gresham & Elliot, 2008a, 2008b). Only students who attended a minimum of six sessions (N = 14) were included in data analysis. Results showed no significant change in individual HBSC subscale scores; however, the total number of low-performance/high-risk skills significantly decreased. SSIS teacher results indicated significant improvement in communication, significant decrease of hyperactivity, autistic behavioral tendencies and overall problem behaviors, and marginal decreases in internalization. Parent ratings mirrored, in part, those of the teacher. Results indicated that music therapy has the potential of being an effective intervention for promoting social competence of school-aged children with limited resources, particularly in the areas of communication and low-performance/high-risk behaviors. Teaching skills through song lyrics and improvisation emerged as salient interventions.

Admitting Syrian Refugees: Is The Threat of Islamic State Infiltration Justified

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-06-01

operatives through electronic media , and risking exposure during the vetting process is unnecessary when easier means of access are available. 14...refugee program are unrealistic. The Islamic State recruits Western operatives through electronic media , and risking exposure during the vetting...Treasury Enforcement Communications System UNHCR United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees USCIS United States Citizenship and Immigration

Project ARM: alcohol risk management to prevent sales to underage and intoxicated patrons.

PubMed

Toomey, T L; Wagenaar, A C; Gehan, J P; Kilian, G; Murray, D M; Perry, C L

2001-04-01

Clear policies and expectations are key to increasing responsible service of alcohol in licensed establishments. Few training programs focus exclusively on owners and managers of alcohol establishments to reduce the risk of alcohol service. Project ARM: Alcohol Risk Management is a one-on-one consultation program for owners and managers. Participants received information on risk level, policies to prevent illegal sales, legal issues, and staff communication. This nonrandomized demonstration project was implemented in five diverse bars. Two waves of underage and pseudo-intoxicated purchase attempts were conducted pre- and postintervention in the five intervention bars and nine matched control bars. Underage sales decreased by 11.5%, and sales to pseudo-intoxicated buyers decreased by 46%. Results were in the hypothesized direction but not statistically significant. A one-on-one, outlet-specific training program for owners and managers is a promising way to reduce illegal alcohol sales, particularly to obviously intoxicated individuals.

Draft SEI Program Plans: 1994-1998

DTIC Science & Technology

1993-08-01

process must depersonalize risks so they are viewed as opportunities for program success. Factors for communication are in all the method devel...and the undergraduate level to adequately prepare new soft- ware engineers entering the work force. Educators and trainers of current professionals...learning opportu- nities. The technical foundation for many of these products is the evolving SEI model curricula for graduate and undergraduate degree

Environmental Hazards Assessment Program. Quarterly report, July--September 1995

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

NONE

This report describes activities and reports on progress for the first quarter (July--September) of the fourth year of the grant to support the Environmental Hazards Assessment Program (EHAP) at the Medical University of South Carolina. It reports progress against the grant objectives and the Program Implementation Plan published at the end of the first year of the grant. The objectives of EHAP stated in the proposal to DOE are to: (1) develop a holistic, national basis for risk assessment, risk management, and risk communication that recognizes the direct impact of environmental hazards on the health and well-being of all; (2)more » develop a pool of talented scientists and experts in cleanup activities, especially in human health aspects; and (3) identify needs and develop programs addressing the critical shortage of well-educated, highly-skilled technical and scientific personnel to address the health-oriented aspects of environmental restoration and waste management.« less

Environmental Hazards Assessment Program annual report, July 1, 1993--June 30, 1994

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

On June 23, 1992, the US Department of Energy (DOE) signed Assistance Instrument Number DE-FG01-92EW50625 with the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) to support the Environmental Hazards Assessment Program (EHAP). The objectives of the EHAP program stated in the proposal to DOE are to: (1) Develop a holistic, national basis for risk assessment, risk management, and risk communication which recognizes the direct impact of environmental hazards on the health and well-being of all. (2) Develop a pool of talented scientists and experts in cleanup activities, especially in human health aspects; and (3) Identify needs and develop programs addressing themore » critical shortage of well-educated, highly-skilled technical and scientific personnel to address the health oriented aspects of environmental restoration and waste management. This report describes activities and reports on progress for the second year of the grant.« less

A Protection Motivation Theory application to date rape education.

PubMed

Singh, Shweta; Orwat, John; Grossman, Susan

2011-12-01

Date rape risk communication is a key component of education-based Date Rape Prevention Programs, common across colleges. In such programs, risk assessment in date rape is approached cautiously in order to avoid a tone of "victim blaming." Since it is important in the assessment of any risk to understand the surrounding social context of the risky situation and the individual's unique relationship with that social context, this study examines Protection Motivation Theory as it applies to handling the risk of date rape without victim blaming. The paper links individual personality and social contexts with risk communication. The study sample comprised 367 undergraduate women enrolled in a large Southern Public University. The study examines the relationships between dating activity, social competency, and type of information provided with the dependents variables of date rape related protection behavior (intent), belief, and knowledge. A factorial multiple analysis of covariance analysis found that the dependent variables had a significant relationship with aspects of social competency and dating activity. The exposure to varying information about date rape was not significantly related to the dependent variables of date rape-related protection behavior (intent), belief, and knowledge. The identification of social competency and dating activity status as protective factors in this study makes a significant contribution to the practice and research efforts in date rape education.

RISK COMMUNICATION IN COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION: COMPARING REGIONAL PROGRAMS IN SOUTH FLORIDA

EPA Science Inventory

Comparison of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Superfund Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP) decision-making regimes revealed...

40 CFR 721.6090 - Phosphoramide.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

....6090 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) TOXIC SUBSTANCES CONTROL ACT...) Hazard communication program. A significant new use of this substance is any manner or method of manufacture, import, or processing associated with any use of this substance without providing risk...

Family predictors of parent participation in an adolescent drug abuse prevention program.

PubMed

Al-Halabi Díaz, Susana; Secades-Villa, Roberto; Pérez, José Manuel Errasti; Fernández-Hermida, José Ramón; García-Rodríguez, Olaya; Crespo, José Luis Carballo

2006-07-01

Low participation rates constitute a serious problem faced by family drug abuse prevention programs. In this study we analyse the factors related to participation in a Life Skills Training program implemented in three schools in Spain. Participants in the study were 485 pupils aged 12 - 14 years and their respective parents. The variables that predicted participation in the program were: number of children and educational level of parents, children's drug use, family conflict, parental rearing style, relationships between parents and children and family communication. The results from Spain are similar to those found in international studies, and indicate that the families most at risk of drug use are those least likely to participate in prevention programs. There is a need for strategies to increase participation in prevention programs of the families most at risk.

Proceedings of the Advanced Communications Technology Satellite (ACTS) Conference 2000

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bauer, Robert (Editor); Derwae, Robert (Editor)

2000-01-01

The ACTS experiments program, which began in December 1993 and consisted of 103 different experiments, has made significant contributions to minimizing the risk of advanced satellite communications technology. The ACTS Conference 2000 (AC2000) was held to report the results of the program since the last ACTS conference was held in 1995 and to celebrate the end of a very successful satellite program. The conference was held on May 31, 2000, as part of the 6th Ka-band Utilization Conference in Cleveland, Ohio. Approximately 280 representatives of industry, academia, and government attended. The conference was organized into two parts: a technical session during the day and an evening reception. During the day, a series of five technical sessions included presentations of 17 papers covering the results of the experiment activity and technical performance of the satellite. In the evening, a reception was held to celebrate the end of the ACTS Experiments Program on one of NASA's most successful experimental communications satellite. These proceedings were developed to capture the entire event, including the evening reception.

BBN-Based Portfolio Risk Assessment for NASA Technology R&D Outcome

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Geuther, Steven C.; Shih, Ann T.

2016-01-01

The NASA Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate (ARMD) vision falls into six strategic thrusts that are aimed to support the challenges of the Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen). In order to achieve the goals of the ARMD vision, the Airspace Operations and Safety Program (AOSP) is committed to developing and delivering new technologies. To meet the dual challenges of constrained resources and timely technology delivery, program portfolio risk assessment is critical for communication and decision-making. This paper describes how Bayesian Belief Network (BBN) is applied to assess the probability of a technology meeting the expected outcome. The network takes into account the different risk factors of technology development and implementation phases. The use of BBNs allows for all technologies of projects in a program portfolio to be separately examined and compared. In addition, the technology interaction effects are modeled through the application of object-oriented BBNs. The paper discusses the development of simplified project risk BBNs and presents various risk results. The results presented include the probability of project risks not meeting success criteria, the risk drivers under uncertainty via sensitivity analysis, and what-if analysis. Finally, the paper shows how program portfolio risk can be assessed using risk results from BBNs of projects in the portfolio.

Risk Management for Human Support Technology Development

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

jones, Harry

2005-01-01

NASA requires continuous risk management for all programs and projects. The risk management process identifies risks, analyzes their impact, prioritizes them, develops and carries out plans to mitigate or accept them, tracks risks and mitigation plans, and communicates and documents risk information. Project risk management is driven by the project goal and is performed by the entire team. Risk management begins early in the formulation phase with initial risk identification and development of a risk management plan and continues throughout the project life cycle. This paper describes the risk management approach that is suggested for use in NASA's Human Support Technology Development. The first step in risk management is to identify the detailed technical and programmatic risks specific to a project. Each individual risk should be described in detail. The identified risks are summarized in a complete risk list. Risk analysis provides estimates of the likelihood and the qualitative impact of a risk. The likelihood and impact of the risk are used to define its priority location in the risk matrix. The approaches for responding to risk are either to mitigate it by eliminating or reducing the effect or likelihood of a risk, to accept it with a documented rationale and contingency plan, or to research or monitor the risk, The Human Support Technology Development program includes many projects with independently achievable goals. Each project must do independent risk management, considering all its risks together and trading them against performance, budget, and schedule. Since the program can succeed even if some projects fail, the program risk has a complex dependence on the individual project risks.

Annual report to the NASA Administrator by the Aerospace Safety Advisory Panel on the space shuttle program. Part 1: Observations and conclusions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1977-01-01

The panel reviewed the following areas of major significance for the Approach and Landing Test program: mission planning and crew training, flight-readiness of the Carrier Aircraft and the Orbiter, including its flight control and avionics system, facilities, and communications and ground support equipment. The management system for risk assessment was investigated. The Orbital Flight Test Program was also reviewed. Observations and recommendations are presented.

Cancer Risk-Promoting Information: The Communication Environment of Young Adults.

PubMed

McCloud, Rachel F; Kohler, Racquel E; Viswanath, K

2017-09-01

Young adulthood represents a time of myriad transitions, which leave young adults (YAs) more susceptible to the influences of cancer risk-promoting information. The tobacco, alcohol, indoor tanning, and food and beverage industries engage in aggressive marketing strategies through both traditional and social media to target this age group to consume their products, which have known links to cancer. Despite this barrage of messaging, detailed data are lacking on the communication behaviors of subgroups of this diverse age group, particularly those from low SES. This paper explores the available data on media usage among YAs and describes the cancer risk-promoting information environment, with a focus on communication inequalities and their implications for cancer research and control. Nationally representative data on media consumption patterns indicate that the majority of YAs access a diverse range of traditional and social media platforms, but these data do not fully describe differences at the intersection of age and important factors such as SES, gender, race/ethnicity, or urban/rural residence. Meanwhile, risk-promoting information is heavily marketed to YAs across media, with an increasing focus on using social media sites to normalize products and evade marketing restrictions. Gaps in the available data on YAs' media consumption behaviors, coupled with aggressive risk-promoting marketing strategies toward YAs, may impede cancer control efforts. Relationships between exposure to various cancer risk-promoting information, concurrent risk behaviors, SES disparities, and communication inequalities should be investigated to develop innovative and effective control programs and policies to promote cancer control in this important group. Copyright © 2017 American Journal of Preventive Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Transition Readiness in Adolescents and Emerging Adults with Diabetes: The Role of Patient-Provider Communication

PubMed Central

Hilliard, Marisa; Sweenie, Rachel; Riekert, Kristin

2013-01-01

Transition from pediatric to adult care represents a high risk period for adolescents and emerging adults with diabetes. Fundamental differences between pediatric and adult care delivery models may contribute to increased risk for poor health outcomes. This review provides a brief overview of models of care in pediatric and adult settings and focuses on patient-provider communication content and quality as potential points of intervention to improve transition-related outcomes. This review also highlights disparities in transition and communication for adolescents and emerging adults from racial/ethnic minority groups and discusses recent changes in health care legislation that have significant implications for the transition process. Intervention opportunities include programs to enhance developmentally-appropriate patient-provider interactions and increased attention to promoting transition readiness skills. Improving patient-provider communication may hasten the development of vital self-advocacy skills needed in adult health care systems and, thus, help establish a lasting pattern of positive diabetes self-care. PMID:24014075

Space-based Networking Technology Developments in the Interplanetary Network Directorate Information Technology Program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Clare, Loren; Clement, B.; Gao, J.; Hutcherson, J.; Jennings, E.

2006-01-01

Described recent development of communications protocols, services, and associated tools targeted to reduce risk, reduce cost and increase efficiency of IND infrastructure and supported mission operations. Space-based networking technologies developed were: a) Provide differentiated quality of service (QoS) that will give precedence to traffic that users have selected as having the greatest importance and/or time-criticality; b) Improve the total value of information to users through the use of QoS prioritization techniques; c) Increase operational flexibility and improve command-response turnaround; d) Enable new class of networked and collaborative science missions; e) Simplify applications interfaces to communications services; and f) Reduce risk and cost from a common object model and automated scheduling and communications protocols. Technologies are described in three general areas: communications scheduling, middleware, and protocols. Additionally developed simulation environment, which provides comprehensive, quantitative understanding of the technologies performance within overall, evolving architecture, as well as ability to refine & optimize specific components.

Pre-risk HIV-prevention paradigm shift: the feasibility and acceptability of the parents matter! Program in HIV risk communities.

PubMed

Miller, Kim S; Maxwell, Karl D; Fasula, Amy M; Parker, J Terry; Zackery, Shannon; Wyckoff, Sarah C

2010-01-01

Many youth begin human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) sexual risk behaviors in preadolescence, yet risk-reduction programs are typically implemented in middle or late adolescence, missing an important window for prevention. Parent-based programming may play an important role in reaching youth early with prevention messages. One such program is the Parents Matter! Program (PMP), a five-session theory- and evidence-based intervention for parents of children aged 9 to 12 years. A randomized controlled trial showed PMP to be efficacious in promoting effective parent-child communication about sexuality and sexual risk reduction. We assessed the feasibility and acceptability of PMP when implemented under typical programmatic circumstances in communities at high risk for HIV infection. We selected 15 sites (including health departments, local education agencies, community-based organizations, and faith-based organizations) throughout the U.S. and Puerto Rico to participate in delivering PMP. Sites were provided training, program materials, and ongoing technical assistance. We collected multilevel data to assess the feasibility of program implementation and delivery, program relevance, and satisfaction with PMP activities and materials. PMP was successfully implemented and evaluated in 13 of 15 sites; 76% of parents attended at least four of five sessions. Organization-, facilitator-, and parent-level data indicated the feasibility and acceptability of PMP, and overall high satisfaction with PMP activities and materials. The results of this project demonstrate that HIV pre-risk prevention programs for parents can be implemented and embraced by a variety of community organizations in HIV at-risk communities. The time to embrace parents as partners in public health HIV-prevention efforts has come.

Child-Mediated Stroke Communication: findings from Hip Hop Stroke.

PubMed

Williams, Olajide; DeSorbo, Alexandra; Noble, James; Gerin, William

2012-01-01

Low thrombolysis rates for acute ischemic stroke are linked to delays in seeking immediate treatment due to low public stroke awareness. We aimed to assess whether "Child-Mediated Stroke Communication" could improve stroke literacy of parents of children enrolled in a school-based stroke literacy program called Hip Hop Stroke. Parents of children aged 9 to 12 years from 2 public schools in Harlem, New York City, were recruited to participate in stroke literacy questionnaires before and after their child's participation in Hip Hop Stroke, a novel Child-Mediated Stroke Communication intervention delivered in school auditoriums. Parental recall of stroke information communicated through their child was assessed 1-week after the intervention. Fifth and sixth grade students (n=182) were enrolled into Hip Hop Stroke. One hundred two parents were approached in person to participate; 75 opted to participate and 71 completed both the pretest and post-test (74% response rate and 95% retention rate). Parental stroke literacy improved after the program; before the program, 3 parents of 75 (3.9%) were able to identify the 5 cardinal stroke symptoms, distracting symptom (chest pains), and had an urgent action plan (calling 911) compared with 21 of 71 parents (29.6%) postintervention (P<0.001). The FAST mnemonic was known by 2 (2.7%) of participants before the program versus 29 (41%) after program completion (P<0.001). Knowledge of stroke signs and symptoms remains low among residents of this high-risk population. The use of Child-Mediated Stroke Communication suggests that school children aged 9 to 12 years may be effective conduits of critical stroke knowledge to their parents.

Student Evaluation of the Yellow Ribbon Suicide Prevention Program in Midwest Schools.

PubMed

Flynn, Alexandra; Zackula, Rosalee; Klaus, Nicole M; McGinness, Liz; Carr, Susan; Macaluso, Matthew

2016-01-01

Yellow Ribbon is a gatekeeper-type suicide prevention program that is widely used in public schools. However, data on its effectiveness are limited. The purpose of our study was to evaluate self-reported changes in knowledge and comfort level communicating about suicide following Yellow Ribbon training for a large, representative sample of students from a public school system in the midwestern United States. The program was administered to students within the same school district during 2006 through 2009. A pre-post survey using a 4-point Likert scale was administered to rate students' knowledge of risk factors and available resources, comfort level communicating about suicide, estimate of friends at risk for suicide, and behavioral intent toward help-seeking. Aggregate responses from 3,257 students, aged 11 to 18 years, were collected by the schools; 51% were female, 33% were Hispanic, and 30% were white. Suicide-related knowledge of risk factors, where to go for help, and resources, along with comfort level in asking for help, all significantly improved following program participation (Cramer's V = 0.243 to 0.376, P < .001). Responses were associated with age and gender, indicating that younger males may benefit more than older males. Implementation of the Yellow Ribbon school-based suicide prevention program appears to be beneficial for students in the midwestern United States. We observed significant improvement in knowledge, comfort level, and behavioral intent for help-seeking if suicidal thoughts occur. Findings also suggested that Yellow Ribbon training administered during middle school may be especially helpful for males.

Student Evaluation of the Yellow Ribbon Suicide Prevention Program in Midwest Schools

PubMed Central

Flynn, Alexandra; Zackula, Rosalee; Klaus, Nicole M.; McGinness, Liz; Carr, Susan; Macaluso, Matthew

2016-01-01

Objective Yellow Ribbon is a gatekeeper-type suicide prevention program that is widely used in public schools. However, data on its effectiveness are limited. The purpose of our study was to evaluate self-reported changes in knowledge and comfort level communicating about suicide following Yellow Ribbon training for a large, representative sample of students from a public school system in the midwestern United States. Methods The program was administered to students within the same school district during 2006 through 2009. A pre-post survey using a 4-point Likert scale was administered to rate students’ knowledge of risk factors and available resources, comfort level communicating about suicide, estimate of friends at risk for suicide, and behavioral intent toward help-seeking. Results Aggregate responses from 3,257 students, aged 11 to 18 years, were collected by the schools; 51% were female, 33% were Hispanic, and 30% were white. Suicide-related knowledge of risk factors, where to go for help, and resources, along with comfort level in asking for help, all significantly improved following program participation (Cramer’s V = 0.243 to 0.376, P < .001). Responses were associated with age and gender, indicating that younger males may benefit more than older males. Conclusions Implementation of the Yellow Ribbon school-based suicide prevention program appears to be beneficial for students in the midwestern United States. We observed significant improvement in knowledge, comfort level, and behavioral intent for help-seeking if suicidal thoughts occur. Findings also suggested that Yellow Ribbon training administered during middle school may be especially helpful for males. PMID:27733952

Transfer of communication skills to the workplace during clinical rounds: impact of a program for residents.

PubMed

Liénard, Aurore; Merckaert, Isabelle; Libert, Yves; Bragard, Isabelle; Delvaux, Nicole; Etienne, Anne-Marie; Marchal, Serge; Meunier, Julie; Reynaert, Christine; Slachmuylder, Jean-Louis; Razavi, Darius

2010-08-26

Communication with patients is a core clinical skill in medicine that can be acquired through communication skills training. Meanwhile, the importance of transfer of communication skills to the workplace has not been sufficiently studied. This study aims to assess the efficacy of a 40-hour training program designed to improve patients' satisfaction and residents' communication skills during their daily clinical rounds. Residents were randomly assigned to the training program or to a waiting list. Patients' satisfaction was assessed with a visual analog scale after each visit. Transfer of residents' communication skills was assessed in audiotaped actual inpatient visits during a half-day clinical round. Transcripted audiotapes were analyzed using content analysis software (LaComm). Training effects were tested with Mann-Whitney tests and generalized linear Poisson regression models. Eighty-eight residents were included. First, patients interacting with trained residents reported a higher satisfaction with residents' communication (Median=92) compared to patients interacting with untrained residents (Median=88) (p=.046). Second, trained residents used more assessment utterances (Relative Risk (RR)=1.17; 95% Confidence intervals (95%CI)=1.02-1.34; p=.023). Third, transfer was also observed when residents' training attendance was considered: residents' use of assessment utterances (RR=1.01; 95%CI=1.01-1.02; p=.018) and supportive utterances (RR=0.99; 95%CI=0.98-1.00; p=.042) (respectively 1.15 (RR), 1.08-1.23 (95%CI), p<.001 for empathy and 0.95 (RR), 0.92-0.99 (95%CI), p=.012 for reassurance) was proportional to the number of hours of training attendance. The training program improved patients' satisfaction and allowed the transfer of residents' communication skills learning to the workplace. Transfer was directly related to training attendance but remained limited. Future studies should therefore focus on the improvement of the efficacy of communication skills training in order to ensure a more important training effect size on transfer.

Challenges to Superfund Community Nutrition Programs in Kentucky

PubMed Central

Gaetke, Lisa; Gaetke, Kara; Bowen, Christa

2008-01-01

Since 2000, the University of Kentucky's (UK's) Superfund Basic Research Program (SBRP) Community Outreach Core has provided support and guidance through Superfund Community Action through Nutrition (SCAN) programs, which meet the needs of individuals and communities affected by environmental contaminants. It has been shown that nutrition may modulate the toxicity of Superfund chemicals. SCAN programs integrate nutrition education, nutrition science research, and health communication to increase understanding of health risks associated with residing near Superfund sites. Two critical tasks must be accomplished. SCAN personnel must identify and recruit affected community members, and then, offer meaningful programs. Certain quantitative outcome measures and legal issues presented both challenges and opportunities. Community members preferred qualitative evaluation discussions, which showed increased knowledge and improved attitudes following SCAN programs. SCAN, in full partnership with affected communities, translates safe, effective nutrition information to reduce health risks associated with exposure to Superfund pollutants. PMID:18443657

Challenges to superfund community nutrition programs in kentucky.

PubMed

Gaetke, Lisa; Gaetke, Kara; Bowen, Christa

2008-03-01

Since 2000, the University of Kentucky's (UK's) Superfund Basic Research Program (SBRP) Community Outreach Core has provided support and guidance through Superfund Community Action through Nutrition (SCAN) programs, which meet the needs of individuals and communities affected by environmental contaminants. It has been shown that nutrition may modulate the toxicity of Superfund chemicals. SCAN programs integrate nutrition education, nutrition science research, and health communication to increase understanding of health risks associated with residing near Superfund sites. Two critical tasks must be accomplished. SCAN personnel must identify and recruit affected community members, and then, offer meaningful programs. Certain quantitative outcome measures and legal issues presented both challenges and opportunities. Community members preferred qualitative evaluation discussions, which showed increased knowledge and improved attitudes following SCAN programs. SCAN, in full partnership with affected communities, translates safe, effective nutrition information to reduce health risks associated with exposure to Superfund pollutants.

An Extensible Information Grid for Risk Management

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Maluf, David A.; Bell, David G.

2003-01-01

This paper describes recent work on developing an extensible information grid for risk management at NASA - a RISK INFORMATION GRID. This grid is being developed by integrating information grid technology with risk management processes for a variety of risk related applications. To date, RISK GRID applications are being developed for three main NASA processes: risk management - a closed-loop iterative process for explicit risk management, program/project management - a proactive process that includes risk management, and mishap management - a feedback loop for learning from historical risks that escaped other processes. This is enabled through an architecture involving an extensible database, structuring information with XML, schemaless mapping of XML, and secure server-mediated communication using standard protocols.

Transition Is Everyone's Job.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sherman, Jill Z.; Osborn, Sandra R.

Vocationally at-risk students have one or a combination of handicaps affecting mobility, coordination, communication, self-care and/or cognition which may significantly interfere with the goals of successful student-to-adult transition, namely employment, productive work, and independent community living. A program for students with physical…

COMMUNICATING THE RISKS OF PESTICIDE EXPOSURE TO AGRICULTURAL WORKERS

EPA Science Inventory

The goals of the USEPA pesticide worker safety program are to protect human health and the environment by ensuring the competency of pesticide applicators to minimize pesticide exposure to occupational pesticide users and agricultural field workers, to assure use of pesticides, a...

The reporting of theoretical health risks by the media: Canadian newspaper reporting of potential blood transmission of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease

PubMed Central

Wilson, Kumanan; Code, Catherine; Dornan, Christopher; Ahmad, Nadya; Hébert, Paul; Graham, Ian

2004-01-01

Background The media play an important role at the interface of science and policy by communicating scientific information to the public and policy makers. In issues of theoretical risk, in which there is scientific uncertainty, the media's role as disseminators of information is particularly important due to the potential to influence public perception of the severity of the risk. In this article we describe how the Canadian print media reported the theoretical risk of blood transmission of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD). Methods We searched 3 newspaper databases for articles published by 6 major Canadian daily newspapers between January 1990 and December 1999. We identified all articles relating to blood transmission of CJD. In duplicate we extracted information from the articles and entered the information into a qualitative software program. We compared the observations obtained from this content analysis with information obtained from a previous policy analysis examining the Canadian blood system's decision-making concerning the potential transfusion transmission of CJD. Results Our search identified 245 relevant articles. We observed that newspapers in one instance accelerated a policy decision, which had important resource and health implication, by communicating information on risk to the public. We also observed that newspapers primarily relied upon expert opinion (47 articles) as opposed to published medical evidence (28 articles) when communicating risk information. Journalists we interviewed described the challenges of balancing their responsibility to raise awareness of potential health threats with not unnecessarily arousing fear amongst the public. Conclusions Based on our findings we recommend that journalists report information from both expert opinion sources and from published studies when communicating information on risk. We also recommend researchers work more closely with journalists to assist them in identifying and appraising relevant scientific information on risk. PMID:14706119

Poor Performance Among Trainees in a Dutch Postgraduate GP Training Program.

PubMed

Vermeulen, Margit I; Kuyvenhoven, Marijke M; de Groot, Esther; Zuithoff, Nicolaas Pa; Pieters, Honore M; van der Graaf, Yolanda; Damoiseaux, Roger Amj

2016-06-01

Poor performance among trainees is an important issue, for patient safety and economic reasons. While early identification might enhance remediation measures, we explored the frequency, nature, and risk factors of poor performance in a Dutch postgraduate general practitioner (GP) training program. All trainees who started the GP training between 2005 and 2007 were included. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was applied to examine associations between individual characteristics; early assessments of competencies and knowledge, training process characteristics (eg, illness, maternal leave), and the outcome poor performance; sub-analyses were performed for each year. A total of 215 trainees started the 3-year GP program, and 49 (22.8%) exhibited poor performance (in one or more years). In the first and second years, problem areas among poor performers were equally distributed across the roles of "medical expert," "communicator," and "professional." In the third year, shortcomings in "professionalism" were the most common problem. Increasing age was a risk factor for poor performance as were insufficient scores in communication and knowledge. Poor performance in the previous year was a risk factor for poor performance in the second and third years; OR=4.20 (CI=1.31--13.47) and OR=5.40 (CI=1.58--18.47), respectively. Poor performance is prevalent but primarily occurring within a single training year. This finding suggests that trainees are capable of solving trainee problems. Increasing age, insufficient assessment scores early in the training, and poor performance in a previous year constitute risk factors for poor performance.

[Better communication between surgery and anesthesia may provide safer surgery. The exchange of information has been mapped within the framework of "Safe abdominal surgery"].

PubMed

Göransson, Katarina; Lundberg, Johan; Ljungqvist, Olle; Ohlsson, Elisabet; Sandblom, Gabriel

2015-09-01

Poor communication between surgical and anesthesia unit personnel may jeopardize patient safety.  Review reports from a national survey on patient safety performed at 17 units 2011-2013 were analyzed in order to identify strategies to reduce risks related to the interaction between surgery and anesthesia. The reports were reviewed in this study by an independent group in order to extract findings related to communication between anesthesia and surgical unit personnel. Suggested strategies to improve patient safety included: uniform national health declaration forms; consistent use of admission notes; uniform systems for documenting medical information; multidisciplinary forum for evaluation of high-risk patients; weekly and daily scheduling of surgical programs; application of the WHO check list; open dialog during surgery; oral and written reports from the surgeon to the postoperative unit; and combined mortality and morbidity conferences.

To amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to require annual risk assessments for purposes of the State Homeland Security Grant Program, and to require that risk assessments conducted for purposes of the Urban Area Security Initiative be conducted jointly with appropriate eligible metropolitan area officials.

THOMAS, 111th Congress

Rep. Titus, Dina [D-NV-3

2010-06-21

House - 06/28/2010 Referred to the Subcommittee on Emergency Communications, Preparedness, and Response. (All Actions) Tracker: This bill has the status IntroducedHere are the steps for Status of Legislation:

Innovative and Community-Driven Communication Practices of the South Carolina Cancer Prevention and Control Research Network

PubMed Central

Brandt, Heather M.; Freedman, Darcy A.; Adams, Swann Arp; Young, Vicki M.; Ureda, John R.; McCracken, James Lyndon; Hébert, James R.

2014-01-01

The South Carolina Cancer Prevention and Control Research Network (SC-CPCRN) is 1 of 10 networks funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Cancer Institute (NCI) that works to reduce cancer-related health disparities. In partnership with federally qualified health centers and community stakeholders, the SC-CPCRN uses evidence-based approaches (eg, NCI Research-tested Intervention Programs) to disseminate and implement cancer prevention and control messages, programs, and interventions. We describe the innovative stakeholder- and community-driven communication efforts conducted by the SC-CPCRN to improve overall health and reduce cancer-related health disparities among high-risk and disparate populations in South Carolina. We describe how our communication efforts are aligned with 5 core values recommended for dissemination and implementation science: 1) rigor and relevance, 2) efficiency and speed, 3) collaboration, 4) improved capacity, and 5) cumulative knowledge. PMID:25058673

Multidisciplinary teamwork and communication training.

PubMed

Deering, Shad; Johnston, Lindsay C; Colacchio, Kathryn

2011-04-01

Every delivery is a multidisciplinary event, involving nursing, obstetricians, anesthesiologists, and pediatricians. Patients are often in labor across multiple provider shifts, necessitating numerous handoffs between teams. Each handoff provides an opportunity for errors. Although a traditional approach to improving patient outcomes has been to address individual knowledge and skills, it is now recognized that a significant number of complications result from team, rather than individual, failures. In 2004, a Sentinel Alert issued by the Joint Commission revealed that most cases of perinatal death and injury are caused by problems with an organization's culture and communication failures. It was recommended that hospitals implement teamwork training programs in an effort to improve outcomes. Instituting a multidisciplinary teamwork training program that uses simulation offers a risk-free environment to practice skills, including communication, role clarification, and mutual support. This experience should improve patient safety and outcomes, as well as enhance employee morale. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Innovative and community-driven communication practices of the South Carolina cancer prevention and control research network.

PubMed

Friedman, Daniela B; Brandt, Heather M; Freedman, Darcy A; Adams, Swann Arp; Young, Vicki M; Ureda, John R; McCracken, James Lyndon; Hébert, James R

2014-07-24

The South Carolina Cancer Prevention and Control Research Network (SC-CPCRN) is 1 of 10 networks funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Cancer Institute (NCI) that works to reduce cancer-related health disparities. In partnership with federally qualified health centers and community stakeholders, the SC-CPCRN uses evidence-based approaches (eg, NCI Research-tested Intervention Programs) to disseminate and implement cancer prevention and control messages, programs, and interventions. We describe the innovative stakeholder- and community-driven communication efforts conducted by the SC-CPCRN to improve overall health and reduce cancer-related health disparities among high-risk and disparate populations in South Carolina. We describe how our communication efforts are aligned with 5 core values recommended for dissemination and implementation science: 1) rigor and relevance, 2) efficiency and speed, 3) collaboration, 4) improved capacity, and 5) cumulative knowledge.

Increasing safety belt use by high risk drivers

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1991-04-01

The objectives of this study were to: 1) identify groups of non-belt users who are most likely to become involved in highway crashes and 2) develop and test communication programs designed to increase safety belt use by one or more of these groups. T...

40 CFR 721.3880 - Polyalkylene glycol substituted acetate.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... acetate. 721.3880 Section 721.3880 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED... communication program. A significant new use of this substance is any manner or method of manufacture, import, or processing associated with any use of this substance without providing risk notification as...

40 CFR 721.3629 - Triethanolamine salts of fatty acids.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

.... 721.3629 Section 721.3629 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) TOXIC...) Hazard communication program. A significant new use of these substances is any manner or method of manufacture, import, or processing associated with any use of these substances without providing risk...

Implications of Transaction Costs for Acquisition Program Cost Breaches

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-06-01

scope of the work, communicating the basis on which the estimate is built, identifying the quality of the data, determining the level of risk, and...projects such as bases, schools, missile storage facilities, maintenance facilities, medical/ dental clinics, libraries, and military family housing...was established as a threshold for measuring cost growth. This prevents a program from rebaselining to avoid a Nunn- McCurdy cost threshold breach. In

Reducing alcohol consumption among university students: recruitment and program design strategies based on Social Marketing Theory.

PubMed

Black, D R; Smith, M A

1994-09-01

Recruitment of program participants and development of appealing comprehensive alcohol abuse prevention programs is an exigent priority for university campuses due to the serious physical and emotional consequences related to alcohol consumption. A sample of 67 students from a large midwestern university completed a survey based on Social Marketing Theory (SMT) which was developed to improve recruitment and enhance the design of comprehensive alcohol abuse prevention programs. The results indicate that recruitment may be optimized by providing a flexible, convenient, low-cost program that encourages friends' participation, communicates alcohol-related risks and offers university credit or refund as participation incentives. The design of alcohol abuse prevention programs may be enhanced by emphasizing the positive outcomes of reducing alcohol consumption, improving the quality and quantity of alternatives to the social atmosphere connected with drinking, and soliciting respected opinion leaders (physicians and parents) to communicate alcohol reduction messages. This project is a first initiative to 'fill the gap' in the social marketing research literature by providing formative information pertinent to recruitment and design of alcohol reduction programs specifically for college students.

Evaluating Risk Communication After the Fukushima Disaster Based on Nudge Theory.

PubMed

Murakami, Michio; Tsubokura, Masaharu

2017-03-01

Using nudge theory and some examples of risk communication that followed the Fukushima disaster, this article discusses the influences and justifications of risk communication, in addition to how risk communication systems are designed. To assist people in making decisions based on their own value systems, we provide three suggestions, keeping in mind that people can be influenced (ie, "nudged") depending on how risk communication takes place: (1) accumulate knowledge on the process of evaluating how the method of risk communication and a system's default design could impact people; (2) clarify the purpose and outcomes of risk communication; and (3) see what risk communication might be ethically unjustifiable. Quantitative studies on risk communication and collective narratives will provide some ideas for how to design better risk communication systems and to help people make decisions. Furthermore, we have shown examples of unjustifiable risk communication.

Development of sexual expectancies among adolescents: contributions by parents, peers and the media.

PubMed

Ragsdale, Kathleen; Bersamin, Melina M; Schwartz, Seth J; Zamboanga, Byron L; Kerrick, Madeleine R; Grube, Joel W

2014-01-01

To expand the scant research on sexual expectancies development among non-sexually active adolescents, we examined the relationship between adolescents' exposure to four socializing agents--mother/female guardian, father/male guardian, peers, and television programs with high sexual content--and their endorsement of four sexual expectancies: social benefit, pleasure, social risk, and health risk. Data are from Waves 2 and 3 of a three-wave annual longitudinal study conducted among California adolescents, the majority of whom were not sexually active (N = 914, 84%). Structural equation models were conducted to examine cross-sectional and longitudinal associations between the socializing agents and the sexual expectancies. Cross-sectional results indicate associations between peer sexual communication and social benefit, pleasure, and social risk expectancies. A positive association was found between exposure to music videos and social benefit expectancies, and a negative association was found between exposure to music videos and health risk expectancies. Longitudinal results suggest that communication with peers positively predicted pleasure expectancies and negatively predicted social risk expectancies. No other socializing agents were associated with any sexual expectancies. An invariance test found that significant correlations were similar across the different age groups. Results suggest that efforts to support positive sexual decision making among non-sexually active adolescents should target peer sexual communication.

Development of Sexual Expectancies among Adolescents: Contributions by Parents, Peers and the Media

PubMed Central

Ragsdale, Kathleen; Bersamin, Melina; Schwartz, Seth J.; Zamboanga, Byron L.; Kerrick, R.; Grube, Joel W.

2013-01-01

In order to expand the scant research on sexual expectancies development among non-sexually active adolescents, we examined the relationship between adolescents’ exposure to four socializing agents—mother/female guardian, father/male guardian, peers, and television programs with high sexual content—and their endorsement of four sexual expectancies: Social Benefit, Pleasure, Social Risk, and Health Risk. Data are from Waves 2–3 of a three-wave annual longitudinal study conducted among California adolescents, the majority of whom were non-sexually active (N=914, 84%). Structural equation models were conducted to examine cross-sectional and longitudinal associations between the socializing agents and the sexual expectancies. Cross-sectional results indicate associations between peer sexual communication and Social Benefit, Pleasure and Social Risk expectancies. A positive association was found between exposure to music videos and Social Benefit expectancies and a negative association was found between exposure to music videos and Health Risk expectancies. Longitudinal results suggest that communication with peers positively predicted Pleasure expectancies and negatively predicted Social Risk expectancies. No other socializing agents were associated with any sexual expectancies. An invariance test found that significant correlations were similar across the different age groups. Results suggest that efforts to support positive sexual decision-making among non-sexually active adolescents should target peer sexual communication. PMID:23631710

‘Gay boy talk’ meets ‘girl talk’: HIV risk assessment assumptions in young gay men's sexual health communication with best friends

PubMed Central

Mutchler, Matt G.; McDavitt, Bryce

2011-01-01

Young adults, particularly young gay men (YGM), are vulnerable to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Yet, little is known about how YGM discuss sexual health issues with their friends (‘gay boy talk’). We conducted semi-structured interviews with YGM and their best friends (11 YGM/YGM dyads and 13 YGM/heterosexual female dyads). In this paper, we examine risk assessment assumptions conveyed within YGM's communication about sexual health with their friends and how, if at all, the sexual scripts guiding these assumptions may differ between YGM and young women. Findings demonstrated that, while these young adults clearly intended to support their friends and promote safer sex, they also conveyed assumptions about HIV risk assessment, especially regarding sexual partner selection, that may actually increase their friends’ risk for HIV infection. Since inaccurate HIV risk assessment assumptions were transmitted via sexual health communication between peers, it is suggested that such assumptions may need to be addressed in HIV prevention programs working with YGM and their friends. Further, gender differences were identified within the sexual scripts shared between YGM and their friends, suggesting that such interventions should be tailored to the specific needs of different friendship networks. PMID:21059803

Health literacy training for public health nurses in fukushima: a case-study of program adaptation, implementation and evaluation.

PubMed

Goto, Aya; Rudd, Rima E; Lai, Alden Yuanhong; Yoshida-Komiya, Hiromi

2014-05-01

Health literacy comprises not only an individual's ability to gain access to, understand and use health information, but also health care providers' ability to make health information accessible and usable. The Fukushima nuclear accident has posed challenges related to the communication of radiation-related health information. Public health nurses are gatekeepers of community health in Japan, and have primary responsibility for communicating this complex information about science and risk to lay members of the community. A health literacy training program was designed to augment communication skills of participating nurses with two primary goals: changing communication practices and norms among public health nurses, and improving access to information for community residents. Training content incorporated an overview of health literacy skills (including numeracy), processes for assessing written materials and visual displays, as well as guidelines for text improvement. The workshop was spread across two days with two-hour sessions each day. A proximal post-training evaluation survey was conducted, followed by a more distal one-month follow-up evaluation to assess the application of learned skills in practice. Twenty-six nurses in Fukushima City attended the first trial. Post-training evaluations were highly positive, with agreement from 85-100% of participants on the appropriateness and usefulness of the workshop. During a one-month follow-up, the nurses reported applying new knowledge and skills to develop written materials. However, they faced difficulties sharing their new skills with colleagues and challenges changing work norms. Participants also encountered difficulties using graphics and explaining risks in practice. This paper highlights the importance of providing health literacy training opportunities for professionals to strengthen health system's ability to accessible information and services. This program also serves as important reference for future disaster management efforts.

ACTS Operational Performance Review: September 1995

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Krawczyk, Richard J.

1996-01-01

The Advanced Communications Technology Satellite (ACTS) utilized a proven spacecraft bus with a payload that qualified new technologies to provide a wide range of on-orbit demonstrations. A comprehensive development, qualification and ground test program was implemented to reduce technology risks. Since launch in September, 1993, and insertion into its geostationary slot ACTS has accumulated over 16,000 hours of successful operation. This paper briefly reviews the technology development background then provides a summary of the operational performance observed for the spacecraft bus and communication payload subsystems and units.

From Process to Product: Your Risk Process at Work

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kundrot, Craig E.; Fogarty, Jenifer; Charles, John; Buquo, Lynn; Sibonga, Jean; Alexander, David; Horn, Wayne G.; Edwards, J. Michelle

2010-01-01

The Space Life Sciences Directorate (SLSD) and Human Research Program (HRP) at the NASA/Johnson Space Center work together to address and manage the human health and performance risks associated with human space flight. This includes all human system requirements before, during, and after space flight, providing for research, and managing the risk of adverse long-term health outcomes for the crew. We previously described the framework and processes developed for identifying and managing these human system risks. The focus of this panel is to demonstrate how the implementation of the framework and associated processes has provided guidance in the management and communication of human system risks. The risks of early onset osteoporosis, CO2 exposure, and intracranial hypertension in particular have all benefitted from the processes developed for human system risk management. Moreover, we are continuing to develop capabilities, particularly in the area of information architecture, which will also be described. We are working to create a system whereby all risks and associated actions can be tracked and related to one another electronically. Such a system will enhance the management and communication capabilities for the human system risks, thereby increasing the benefit to researchers and flight surgeons.

Challenges to the effective delivery of health care to people with chronic hepatitis B in Australia.

PubMed

Wallace, Jack; McNally, Stephen; Richmond, Jacqui; Hajarizadeh, Behzad; Pitts, Marian

2012-05-01

The complexity of the hepatitis B natural history and its prevalence in specific populations in Australia challenges the capacity of the health system to deliver health care effectively to affected people. This study explores the challenges in delivering health care to people with chronic hepatitis B (CHB) in Australia. We conducted a grounded theory based qualitative study in which data were gathered from 70 in-depth interviews with government program officers, clinicians and health and community workers across Australia, and four focus group discussions with 40 health and community workers from the communities most at risk of CHB. A systematic approach to screening populations at risk, including people born in countries with intermediate or high prevalence of CHB; consensus on clinical guidelines; development of a shared care framework for CHB involving general practitioners; and effective communication between patients and health professionals were identified as essential. Workforce development, particularly for primary health care professionals, and developing the knowledge and capacity of health professionals to communicate effectively with people with HBV were described as other major factors in reducing the barriers to CHB treatment in Australia. To improve the clinical management of people with CHB in Australia, the health system needs to encourage the screening of people at risk, improve access to clinical services, and the knowledge and communication skills of primary health care and community health service providers. This study supported developing a shared care model and related infrastructures including training programs, referral pathways and clinical guidelines.

Print information to inform decisions about mammography screening participation in 16 countries with population-based programs.

PubMed

Zapka, Jane G; Geller, Berta M; Bulliard, Jean-Luc; Fracheboud, Jacques; Sancho-Garnier, Helene; Ballard-Barbash, Rachel

2006-10-01

To profile and compare the content and presentation of written communications related to informed decision-making about mammography. Materials from 16 screening programs organized at the national or regional level were analyzed according to five major information domains suggested by the international literature. A majority of countries provided information on the program (interval, cost and quality). There was considerable variability in comprehensiveness of elements in the domains, e.g., test characteristics (false positive/negative) and pros and cons of screening. The majority noted the likelihood of recall for further tests, few commented on the risks of additional tests or finding unimportant tumors. The audit also found variation in presentation (words and pictures). Presentation of comprehensive, but balanced information on screening benefits and risks is complex and daunting. Issues such as framing effects, coupled with debate about screening efficacy are challenging to the design of effective information tools. The objective of increasing screening prevalence at the population level must be balanced with objectively presenting complete and clear information. Additional research is needed on how information (and mode of presentation) impact screening decisions. Public health officials need to articulate their objectives and review written communication according to important decision-making domains.

42 CFR 438.102 - Provider-enrollee communications.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... advocating on behalf of an enrollee who is his or her patient, for the following: (i) The enrollee's health.... (iii) The risks, benefits, and consequences of treatment or nontreatment. (iv) The enrollee's right to... SERVICES (CONTINUED) MEDICAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS MANAGED CARE Enrollee Rights and Protections § 438.102...

42 CFR 438.102 - Provider-enrollee communications.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... advocating on behalf of an enrollee who is his or her patient, for the following: (i) The enrollee's health.... (iii) The risks, benefits, and consequences of treatment or nontreatment. (iv) The enrollee's right to... SERVICES (CONTINUED) MEDICAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS MANAGED CARE Enrollee Rights and Protections § 438.102...

42 CFR 438.102 - Provider-enrollee communications.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... advocating on behalf of an enrollee who is his or her patient, for the following: (i) The enrollee's health.... (iii) The risks, benefits, and consequences of treatment or nontreatment. (iv) The enrollee's right to... SERVICES (CONTINUED) MEDICAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS MANAGED CARE Enrollee Rights and Protections § 438.102...

42 CFR 438.102 - Provider-enrollee communications.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... advocating on behalf of an enrollee who is his or her patient, for the following: (i) The enrollee's health.... (iii) The risks, benefits, and consequences of treatment or nontreatment. (iv) The enrollee's right to... SERVICES (CONTINUED) MEDICAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS MANAGED CARE Enrollee Rights and Protections § 438.102...

Use of relational agents to improve family communication in type 1 diabetes: Methods

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Physiological and environmental risk factors interact to undermine blood glucose control during early adolescence. This has been documented to be associated with family conflict and poor adherence to diabetes management tasks. Family Teamwork is an efficacious program demonstrated to enhance family ...

CONSIDERATIONS IN RISK COMMUNICATION: A DIGEST OF RISK COMMUNICATION AS A RISK MANAGEMENT TOOL

EPA Science Inventory

Risk communication is the process of informing people about hazards. Like all communication, communicating risk is a two-way exchange in which you inform the target community about possible hazards, but also gather information about those affected by the risk. The purpose of risk...

Technical Excellence and Communication: The Cornerstones for Successful Safety and Mission Assurance Programs

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Malone, Roy W.; Livingston, John M.

2010-01-01

The paper describes the role of technical excellence and communication in the development and maintenance of safety and mission assurance programs. The Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) Safety and Mission Assurance (S&MA) organization is used to illustrate philosophies and techniques that strengthen safety and mission assurance efforts and that contribute to healthy and effective organizational cultures. The events and conditions leading to the development of the MSFC S&MA organization are reviewed. Historic issues and concerns are identified. The adverse effects of resource limitations and risk assessment roles are discussed. The structure and functions of the core safety, reliability, and quality assurance functions are presented. The current organization s mission and vision commitments serve as the starting points for the description of the current organization. The goals and objectives are presented that address the criticisms of the predecessor organizations. Additional improvements are presented that address the development of technical excellence and the steps taken to improve communication within the Center, with program customers, and with other Agency S&MA organizations.

Technical Excellence and Communication, the Cornerstones for Successful Safety and Mission Assurance Programs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Malone, Roy W.; Livingston, John M.

2010-09-01

The paper describes the role of technical excellence and communication in the development and maintenance of safety and mission assurance programs. The Marshall Space Flight Center(MSFC) Safety and Mission Assurance(S&MA) organization is used to illustrate philosophies and techniques that strengthen safety and mission assurance efforts and that contribute to healthy and effective organizational cultures. The events and conditions leading to the development of the MSFC S&MA organization are reviewed. Historic issues and concerns are identified. The adverse effects of resource limitations and risk assessment roles are discussed. The structure and functions of the core safety, reliability, and quality assurance functions are presented. The current organization’s mission and vision commitments serve as the starting points for the description of the current organization. The goals and objectives are presented that address the criticisms of the predecessor organizations. Additional improvements are presented that address the development of technical excellence and the steps taken to improve communication within the Center, with program customers, and with other Agency S&MA organizations.

Continuous Risk Management at NASA

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hammer, Theodore F.; Rosenberg, Linda

1999-01-01

NPG 7120.5A, "NASA Program and Project Management Processes and Requirements" enacted in April, 1998, requires that "The program or project manager shall apply risk management principles..." The Software Assurance Technology Center (SATC) at NASA GSFC has been tasked with the responsibility for developing and teaching a systems level course for risk management that provides information on how to comply with this edict. The course was developed in conjunction with the Software Engineering Institute at Carnegie Mellon University, then tailored to the NASA systems community. This presentation will briefly discuss the six functions for risk management: (1) Identify the risks in a specific format; (2) Analyze the risk probability, impact/severity, and timeframe; (3) Plan the approach; (4) Track the risk through data compilation and analysis; (5) Control and monitor the risk; (6) Communicate and document the process and decisions. This risk management structure of functions has been taught to projects at all NASA Centers and is being successfully implemented on many projects. This presentation will give project managers the information they need to understand if risk management is to be effectively implemented on their projects at a cost they can afford.

Approaches for describing and communicating overall uncertainty in toxicity characterizations: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS) as a case study.

PubMed

Beck, Nancy B; Becker, Richard A; Erraguntla, Neeraja; Farland, William H; Grant, Roberta L; Gray, George; Kirman, Christopher; LaKind, Judy S; Jeffrey Lewis, R; Nance, Patricia; Pottenger, Lynn H; Santos, Susan L; Shirley, Stephanie; Simon, Ted; Dourson, Michael L

2016-01-01

Single point estimates of human health hazard/toxicity values such as a reference dose (RfD) are generally used in chemical hazard and risk assessment programs for assessing potential risks associated with site- or use-specific exposures. The resulting point estimates are often used by risk managers for regulatory decision-making, including standard setting, determination of emission controls, and mitigation of exposures to chemical substances. Risk managers, as well as stakeholders (interested and affected parties), often have limited information regarding assumptions and uncertainty factors in numerical estimates of both hazards and risks. Further, the use of different approaches for addressing uncertainty, which vary in transparency, can lead to a lack of confidence in the scientific underpinning of regulatory decision-making. The overarching goal of this paper, which was developed from an invited participant workshop, is to offer five approaches for presenting toxicity values in a transparent manner in order to improve the understanding, consideration, and informed use of uncertainty by risk assessors, risk managers, and stakeholders. The five approaches for improving the presentation and communication of uncertainty are described using U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA's) Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS) as a case study. These approaches will ensure transparency in the documentation, development, and use of toxicity values at EPA, the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR), and other similar assessment programs in the public and private sector. Further empirical testing will help to inform the approaches that will work best for specific audiences and situations. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

The Impact of Thai Family Matters on Parent/Adolescent Sexual Risk Communication Attitudes and Behaviors

PubMed Central

CUPP, PAMELA K.; ATWOOD, KATHARINE A.; BYRNES, HILARY F.; MILLER, BRENDA A.; FONGKAEW, WARUNEE; CHAMRATRITHIRONG, APHICHAT; RHUCHAROENPORNPANICH, ORRATAI; ROSATI, MICHAEL J.; CHOOKHARE, WARUNEE

2014-01-01

This article reports on a combined family-based substance abuse and HIV prevention intervention targeting families with children ages 13-14 in Bangkok, Thailand. Families (n=340) were randomly and proportionally selected from seven districts in Bangkok with half randomly assigned to an experimental or control condition. Families in the intervention condition were exposed to five interactive booklets about adolescent substance use and risky sexual behavior. Trained health educators followed up by phone to encourage completion of each booklet. Primary outcomes reported in this paper include whether the intervention increased the frequency of parent/child communication in general or about sexual risk taking in particular as well as whether the intervention reduced discomfort discussing sexual issues. We also tested to see if booklet completion was associated with communication outcomes at the 6-month follow-up. Multivariate findings indicate that the intervention significantly affected the frequency of general parent/child communication based on child reports. The intervention marginally affected frequency of parent/child communication about sexual issues based on parent reports. Booklet completion was associated with reduced discomfort discussing sex and was marginally associated with frequency of parent/child discussion of sex based on parent reports only. These findings indicate that a family-based program can have an impact on communication patterns. PMID:24094085

The Opportunities of Crises and Emergency Risk Communication in Activities of Serbian Public Health Workforce in Emergencies

PubMed Central

Radović, V; Ćurčić, L

2012-01-01

Background: The aim of the study was a recommendation and establishment the concept of the appropriate communication between public health, other competent services and population in emergency as the corner stone which guarantee that all goals which are important for community life will be achieved. Methods: We used methodology appropriate for social science: analyses of documents, historical approach and comparative analysis. Results: The finding shows the urgent need for accepting of crises and emergency risk communication principles, or some similar concepts, in Serbia, and implementing effective two way communication especially in multiethnic region. The pragmatic value of the paper lays in information about the recent improvement of health workforce and emergency services in emergencies using new concept of communication and as source of numerous useful documents published in USA and few recent Serbian examples. Conclusion: Health workforce has significant role in the process of protection of population in emergencies. Policy makers should work on finding a way to improve their coordination and communication, creating new academic programs, providing of adequate training, and financial means in order to give them different role in society and provide visibility. From other side health workforce should build back to the citizen trust in what they are doing for society welfare using all their skills and abilities. PMID:23308348

Leveraging mobile smart devices to improve interprofessional communications in inpatient practice setting: A literature review.

PubMed

Aungst, Timothy Dy; Belliveau, Paul

2015-01-01

As mobile smart device use has increased in society, the healthcare community has begun using these devices for communication among professionals in practice settings. The purpose of this review is to describe primary literature which reports on the experiences with interprofessional healthcare communication via mobile smart devices. Based on these findings, this review also addresses how these devices may be utilized to facilitate interprofessional education (IPE) in health professions education programs. The literature search revealed limited assessments of mobile smart device use in clinical practice settings. In available reports, communication with mobile smart devices was perceived as more effective and faster among interdisciplinary members. Notable drawbacks included discrepancies in the urgency labeling of messages, increased interruptions associated with constant accessibility to team members, and professionalism breakdowns. Recently developed interprofessional competencies include an emphasis on ensuring that health profession students can effectively communicate on interprofessional teams. With the increasing reliance on mobile smart devices in the absence of robust benefit and risk assessments on their use in clinical practice settings, use of these devices may be leveraged to facilitate IPE activities in health education professions programs while simultaneously educating students on their proper use in patient care settings.

Extending Safety Culture Development through Communication - 12366

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sneve, M.K.; Kiselev, M.; Shandala, N.K.

2012-07-01

The Norwegian Radiation Protection Authority has been implementing a regulatory support program in the Russian Federation for over 10 years, as part of the Norwegian government's Plan of Action for enhancing nuclear and radiation safety in northwest Russia. The overall long-term objective is the enhancement of safety culture. The project outputs have included appropriate regulatory threat assessments, to determine the hazardous activities which are most in need of enhanced regulatory supervision; and development of the norms, standards and regulatory procedures, necessary to address the often abnormal conditions at nuclear legacy sites. Project outputs have been prepared and subsequently confirmed asmore » official regulatory documents of the Russian Federation. The continuing program of work focuses on practical application of the enhanced regulatory framework as applied to legacy sites, including safe management of radioactive wastes arising in the process of site remediation. One of the lessons learnt from this practical application is the importance of effective communication at all levels: - between managers and shop workers; - between different operators - e.g. waste producers and waste disposal organisations; - between operators and regulators; - between nuclear safety regulators, radiation protection regulators and other pollution and safety regulators; - between scientists, policy makers and wider stakeholders; and - between all of those mentioned above. A key message from this work is that it is not just an issue of risk communication; rather all aspects of communication can contribute to safety culture enhancement to support effective and efficient risk management, including the role of regulatory supervision. (authors)« less

Engagement of adolescents in a health communications program to prevent noncommunicable diseases: Multiplicadores Jóvenes, Lima, Peru, 2011.

PubMed

Diez-Canseco, Francisco; Boeren, Yulissa; Quispe, Renato; Chiang, Mey Lin; Miranda, J Jaime

2015-03-05

Several risk factors for noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), including obesity, are associated with behaviors established in infancy that persist throughout adolescence and adulthood. As such, adolescents should be engaged in the design and implementation of NCD prevention strategies. In Lima, Peru's capital, the proportion of adolescents aged 15 to 19 is 9.3% of the city's population, and school enrollment rates are high. The prevalence of excess weight in Peruvian adolescents is 14.2%, and prevalence has not declined in recent years. Also recently, NCDs and their risk factors have gained more attention in public health and policy areas, with regulatory action focusing on healthful nutrition to address obesity and related NCDs. The Multiplicadores Jóvenes (Young Multipliers) project was conducted among adolescents aged 15 to 17 from 9 public secondary schools in peri-urban areas of Lima, Peru. The project provided basic communication tools and knowledge of NCD prevention and public health research to adolescents during 16 weekly participatory sessions to enable them to design and disseminate healthful lifestyle promotion messages to their school peers. Thirty of 45 participants finished the program. Seven communications campaigns were designed and implemented in schools, reaching 1,200 students. The participants gained motivation, increased knowledge, and developed communication skills that were combined to implement healthful lifestyle promotion campaigns. Engaging young people in public health promotion activities was feasible and advantageous for the design of tailored prevention-related content and its dissemination among peers.

In Infants' Hands: Identification of Preverbal Infants at Risk for Primary Language Delay

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lüke, Carina; Grimminger, Angela; Rohlfing, Katharina J.; Liszkowski, Ulf; Ritterfeld, Ute

2017-01-01

Early identification of primary language delay is crucial to implement effective prevention programs. Available screening instruments are based on parents' reports and have only insufficient predictive validity. This study employed observational measures of preverbal infants' gestural communication to test its predictive validity for identifying…

Storytelling for Empowerment for Latino Teens: Increasing HIV Prevention Knowledge and Attitudes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nelson, Annabelle; Cordova, David; Walters, Andrew S.; Szecsy, Elsie

2016-01-01

Latino adolescents are disproportionately impacted by HIV, but researchers have documented few programs to prevent and reduce HIV risk. The Storytelling for Empowerment (SFE) "HIV StoryBook" was designed with an innovative ecodevelopment approach combining empowerment, family communication, and positive cultural identity. A mixed method…

Early Brain changes May Help Predict Autism Among High-Risk Infants

MedlinePlus

... early as age 2 years, based on certain behaviors and communication difficulties. The study, funded by the NIH Autism Centers of Excellence Program , is published in the February 16, 2017, issue of Nature . Approximately 1 out of every 68 children in the United States has autism, according to ...

Information and the War against Terrorism, Part V: The Business Implications.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Strickland, Lee S.

2002-01-01

Discussion of changes in business information protection since the September 11th terrorist attacks focuses on three planning goals: continuing to serve the customer in times of threat; implementing new communication paradigms; and establishing a comprehensive knowledge redundancy program. Considers threats other than terrorism, risk management…

US development and commercialization of a North American mobile satellite service

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Arnold, Ray J.; Gray, Valerie; Freibaum, Jerry

1990-01-01

U.S. policies promoting applications and commercialization of space technology for the 'benefit of mankind,' and emphasis on international competitiveness, formed the basis of NASA's Mobile Satellite (MSAT) R&D and user experiments program to develop a commercial U.S. Mobile Satellite Service. Exemplifying this philosophy, the MSAT program targets the reduction of technical, regulatory, market, and financial risks that inhibit commercialization. The program strategy includes industry and user involvement in developing and demonstrating advanced technologies, regulatory advocacy, and financial incentives to industry. Approximately two decades of NASA's satellite communications development and demonstrations have contributed to the emergence of a new multi-billion dollar industry for land, aeronautical, and maritime mobile communications via satellite. NASA's R&D efforts are now evolving from the development of 'enabling' ground technologies for VHF, UHF, and L-Band mobile terminals, to Ka-Band terminals offering additional mobility and user convenience.

Childhood vaccine risk/benefit communication in private practice office settings: a national survey.

PubMed

Davis, T C; Fredrickson, D D; Arnold, C L; Cross, J T; Humiston, S G; Green, K W; Bocchini, J A

2001-02-01

Communication about childhood vaccine risks and benefits has been legally required in pediatric health care for over a decade. However, little is known about the actual practice of vaccine risk/benefit communication. This study was conducted to identify current practices of childhood vaccine risk/benefit communication in private physician office settings nationally. Specifically, we wanted to determine what written materials were given, by whom, and when; what information providers thought parents wanted/needed to know, the content of nurse and doctor discussion with parents, and the time spent on discussion. We also wanted to quantify barriers to vaccine risk/benefit discussion and to prioritize materials and dissemination methods preferred as solutions to these barriers. We conducted 32 focus groups in 6 cities, and then administered a 27-question cross-sectional mailed survey from March to September 1998, to a random national sample of physicians and their office nurses who immunize children in private practices. Eligible survey respondents were active fellows of the American Academy of Pediatrics or American Academy of Family Physicians in private practice who immunized children and a nurse from each physician's office. After 3 mailings, the response rate was 71%. Sixty-nine percent of pediatricians and 72% of family physicians self-reported their offices gave parents the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Vaccine Information Statement, while 62% and 58%, respectively, gave it with every dose. In ~70% of immunization visits, physicians and nurses reported initiating discussion of the following: common side effects, when to call the clinic and the immunization schedule. However, physicians reported rarely initiating discussion regarding contraindications (<50%) and the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program (<10%). Lack of time was considered the greatest barrier to vaccine risk/benefit communication. Nurses reported spending significantly more time discussing vaccines with parents than pediatricians or family physicians (mean: 3.89 vs 9.20 and 3.08 minutes, respectively). Both physicians and nurses indicated an additional 60 to 90 seconds was needed to optimally discuss immunization with parents under current conditions. Stratified analysis indicated nurses played a vital role in immunization delivery and risk/benefit communication. To improve vaccine risk/benefit communication, 80% of all providers recommended a preimmunization booklet for parents and approximately one half recommended a screening sheet for contraindications and poster for immunization reference. The learning method most highly endorsed by all providers was practical materials (80%). Other desirable learning methods varied significantly by provider type. There was a mismatch between the legal mandate for Vaccine Information Statement distribution and the actual practice in private office settings. The majority of providers reported discussing some aspect of vaccine communication but 40% indicated that they did not mention risks. Legal and professional guidelines for appropriate content and delivery of vaccine communication need to be clarified and to be made easily accessible for busy private practitioners. Efforts to improve risk/benefit communication in private practice should take into consideration the limited time available in an office well-infant visit and should be aimed at both the nurse and physician.

Difficulties experienced by veterinarians when communicating about emerging zoonotic risks with animal owners: the case of Hendra virus.

PubMed

Mendez, Diana H; Büttner, Petra; Kelly, Jenny; Nowak, Madeleine; Speare Posthumously, Rick

2017-02-18

Communication skills are essential for veterinarians who need to discuss animal health related matters with their clients. When dealing with an emerging zoonosis, such as Hendra virus (HeV), veterinarians also have a legal responsibility to inform their clients about the associated risks to human health. Here we report on part of a mixed methods study that examined the preparedness of, and difficulties experienced by, veterinarians communicating about HeV-related risks with their clients. Phase 1 was an exploratory, qualitative study that consisted of a series of face-to-face, semi-structured interviews with veterinary personnel from Queensland, Australia (2009-10) to identify the barriers to HeV management in equine practices. Phase 2a was a quantitative study that surveyed veterinarians from the same region (2011) and explored the veterinarians' preparedness and willingness to communicate about HeV-related risks, and the reactions of their clients that they experienced. The second study included both multiple choice and open-ended questions. The majority of the participants from Phase 2a (83.1%) declared they had access to a HeV management plan and over half (58.6%) had ready-to-use HeV information available for clients within their practice. Most (87%) reported "always or sometimes" informing clients about HeV-related risks when a horse appeared sick. When HeV was suspected, 58.1% of participants reported their clients were receptive to their safety directives and 24.9% of clients were either initially unreceptive, overwhelmed by fear, or in denial of the associated risks. The thematic analysis of the qualitative data from Phases 1 and 2a uncovered similar themes in relation to HeV-related communication issues experienced by veterinarians: "clients' intent to adhere"; "adherence deemed redundant"; "misunderstanding or denial of risk"; "cost"; "rural culture"; "fear for reputation". The theme of "emotional state of clients" was only identified during Phase 1. Warning horse owners about health and safety issues that may affect them when present in a veterinary work environment is a legal requirement for veterinarians. However, emerging zoonoses are unpredictable events that may require a different communication approach. Future training programs addressing veterinary communication skills should take into account the particular issues inherent to managing an emerging zoonosis and emphasise the importance of maintaining human safety. Veterinary communication skills and approaches required when dealing with emerging zoonoses should be further investigated.

Biological Risks to Public Health: Lessons from an International Conference to Inform the Development of National Risk Communication Strategies

PubMed Central

Bhatiasevi, Aphaluck; Chaib, Fadela; Baggio, Ombretta; Banluta, Christina; Hollenweger, Lilian; Maaroufi, Abderrahmane

2016-01-01

Biological risk management in public health focuses on the impact of outbreaks on health, the economy, and other systems and on ensuring biosafety and biosecurity. To address this broad range of risks, the International Health Regulations (IHR, 2005) request that all member states build defined core capacities, risk communication being one of them. While there is existing guidance on the communication process and on what health authorities need to consider to design risk communication strategies that meet the requirements on a governance level, little has been done on implementation because of a number of factors, including lack of resources (human, financial, and others) and systems to support effective and consistent capacity for risk communication. The international conference on “Risk communication strategies before, during and after public health emergencies” provided a platform to present current strategies, facilitate learning from recent outbreaks of infectious diseases, and discuss recommendations to inform risk communication strategy development. The discussion concluded with 4 key areas for improvement in risk communication: consider communication as a multidimensional process in risk communication, broaden the biomedical paradigm by integrating social science intelligence into epidemiologic risk assessments, strengthen multisectoral collaboration including with local organizations, and spearhead changes in organizations for better risk communication governance. National strategies should design risk communication to be proactive, participatory, and multisectoral, facilitating the connection between sectors and strengthening collaboration. PMID:27875654

Biological Risks to Public Health: Lessons from an International Conference to Inform the Development of National Risk Communication Strategies.

PubMed

Dickmann, Petra; Bhatiasevi, Aphaluck; Chaib, Fadela; Baggio, Ombretta; Banluta, Christina; Hollenweger, Lilian; Maaroufi, Abderrahmane

Biological risk management in public health focuses on the impact of outbreaks on health, the economy, and other systems and on ensuring biosafety and biosecurity. To address this broad range of risks, the International Health Regulations (IHR, 2005) request that all member states build defined core capacities, risk communication being one of them. While there is existing guidance on the communication process and on what health authorities need to consider to design risk communication strategies that meet the requirements on a governance level, little has been done on implementation because of a number of factors, including lack of resources (human, financial, and others) and systems to support effective and consistent capacity for risk communication. The international conference on "Risk communication strategies before, during and after public health emergencies" provided a platform to present current strategies, facilitate learning from recent outbreaks of infectious diseases, and discuss recommendations to inform risk communication strategy development. The discussion concluded with 4 key areas for improvement in risk communication: consider communication as a multidimensional process in risk communication, broaden the biomedical paradigm by integrating social science intelligence into epidemiologic risk assessments, strengthen multisectoral collaboration including with local organizations, and spearhead changes in organizations for better risk communication governance. National strategies should design risk communication to be proactive, participatory, and multisectoral, facilitating the connection between sectors and strengthening collaboration.

An innovative, multidisciplinary strategy to improve retention of nursing students from disadvantaged backgrounds.

PubMed

Igbo, Immaculata N; Straker, Kathleen C; Landson, Margie J; Symes, Lene; Bernard, Lillian F; Hughes, Lisa A; Carroll, Theresa L

2011-01-01

Nursing students from disadvantaged backgrounds must overcome many barriers in order to succeed. This article will focus on how a multidisciplinary team helped 76 percent of these high-risk students persist in their nursing programs by addressing some of these barriers. Three baccalaureate nursing schools in the Texas Medical Center embarked on a three-year retention program designed to enhance the success of students identified by federal criteria as being at risk. Multidisciplinary teams led various activities, including a study skills component, which included preparing for lectures, taking notes, critical thinking, and test-taking strategies. Also addressed were written and oral communication skills, medical terminology, critical thinking, career coaching, and socialization activities. Collaboration among faculty and students at the three schools was key to the success of the program.

Health communication takes on new dimensions at CDC.

PubMed

Roper, W L

1993-01-01

Actions by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to integrate health communication into overall prevention programs as a means of influencing individual behavior to reduce risks to health are described. These actions include a set of 5-year goals for the Agency; a proposal to establish an Office of Health Communication to provide leadership and support for accomplishing the goals; and establishment of a working group to create the proposed Office of Health Communication and to develop a framework for accomplishing the goals. Fundamental to the policy was development of a definition of health communication as the Agency would practice it. Steps taken to reach this definition are outlined as well as the 10 steps adopted as a framework for health communication. The article concludes with a statement describing communication as a part of CDC's overall mission. The hope is that the ultimate accomplishment will be increased awareness among Americans of the importance of good health and their ability to achieve it.

Health communication takes on new dimensions at CDC.

PubMed Central

Roper, W L

1993-01-01

Actions by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to integrate health communication into overall prevention programs as a means of influencing individual behavior to reduce risks to health are described. These actions include a set of 5-year goals for the Agency; a proposal to establish an Office of Health Communication to provide leadership and support for accomplishing the goals; and establishment of a working group to create the proposed Office of Health Communication and to develop a framework for accomplishing the goals. Fundamental to the policy was development of a definition of health communication as the Agency would practice it. Steps taken to reach this definition are outlined as well as the 10 steps adopted as a framework for health communication. The article concludes with a statement describing communication as a part of CDC's overall mission. The hope is that the ultimate accomplishment will be increased awareness among Americans of the importance of good health and their ability to achieve it. PMID:8385358

Parent-Based Adolescent Sexual Health Interventions And Effect on Communication Outcomes: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analyses

PubMed Central

Maria, Diane Santa; Markham, Christine; Mullen, Patricia Dolan; Bluethmann, Shirley

2016-01-01

Context Parent-based adolescent sexual health interventions aim to reduce sexual risk behaviors by bolstering parental protective behaviors. Few studies of theory use, methods, applications, delivery and outcomes of parent-based interventions have been conducted. Methods A systematic search of databases for the period 1998–2013 identified 28 published trials of U.S. parent-based interventions to examine theory use, setting, reach, delivery mode, dose and effects on parent-child communication. Established coding schemes were used to assess use of theory and describe methods employed to achieve behavioral change; intervention effects were explored in meta-analyses. Results Most interventions were conducted with minority parents in group sessions or via self-paced activities; interventions averaged seven hours, and most used theory extensively. Meta-analyses found improvements in sexual health communication: Analysis of 11 controlled trials indicated a medium effect on increasing communication (Cohen's d, 0.5), and analysis of nine trials found a large effect on increasing parental comfort with communication (0.7); effects were positive regardless of delivery mode or intervention dose. Intervention participants were 68% more likely than controls to report increased communication and 75% more likely to report increased comfort. Conclusions These findings point to gaps in the range of programs examined in published trials—for example, interventions for parents of sexual minority youth, programs for custodial grandparents and faith-based services. Yet they provide support for the effectiveness of parent-based interventions in improving communication. Innovative delivery approaches could extend programs' reach, and further research on sexual health outcomes would facilitate the meta-analysis of intervention effectiveness in improving adolescent sexual health behaviors. PMID:25639664

An evaluation of health communication materials for individuals with disabilities developed by three state disability and health programs.

PubMed

Williams-Piehota, Pamela; Uhrig, Jennifer; Doto, Julia Kish; Anderson, Wayne; Williams, Peyton; Thierry, Joann M

2010-07-01

Health communication increasingly has been recognized as an important part of public health practice that can help raise awareness of potential health risks, influence attitudes and beliefs, and motivate individuals to change unhealthy behaviors. Yet, few health communication messages exist that target people with disabilities. An evaluation was conducted to assess the relevance and usefulness of health communication materials developed by or disseminated in, or both, three state disability and health programs. Health care providers and people with a variety of physical and sensory disabilities participated in the evaluation. Qualitative and quantitative data were collected in each of the three states using key informant interviews, focus groups, and a Web-based provider survey. State program staff reported that health communication strategies and messages should be developed to improve access and remove barriers to health care, provide access to facilities, empower consumers, and educate health care providers about the needs of people with disabilities. Several of these needs are consistent with the needs identified by consumers in the focus groups. Consumers indicated that improvements to the overall content and design of the state-developed health communication materials are needed, yet health care and human service providers who participated in the Web-based survey were generally satisfied with the materials. Nearly all providers reported being aware of the materials; however, consumers were not familiar with the state-developed materials reviewed by the focus groups. Improvements in the content and dissemination of health promotion materials designed by states are indicated. Implications for public health practice, including recommendations for improving future health communication materials, are addressed in this article. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Parent-based adolescent sexual health interventions and effect on communication outcomes: a systematic review and meta-analyses.

PubMed

Santa Maria, Diane; Markham, Christine; Bluethmann, Shirley; Mullen, Patricia Dolan

2015-03-01

Parent-based adolescent sexual health interventions aim to reduce sexual risk behaviors by bolstering parental protective behaviors. Few studies of theory use, methods, applications, delivery and outcomes of parent-based interventions have been conducted. A systematic search of databases for the period 1998-2013 identified 28 published trials of U.S. parent-based interventions to examine theory use, setting, reach, delivery mode, dose and effects on parent-child communication. Established coding schemes were used to assess use of theory and describe methods employed to achieve behavioral change; intervention effects were explored in meta-analyses. Most interventions were conducted with minority parents in group sessions or via self-paced activities; interventions averaged seven hours, and most used theory extensively. Meta-analyses found improvements in sexual health communication: Analysis of 11 controlled trials indicated a medium effect on increasing communication (Cohen's d, 0.5), and analysis of nine trials found a large effect on increasing parental comfort with communication (0.7); effects were positive regardless of delivery mode or intervention dose. Intervention participants were 68% more likely than controls to report increased communication and 75% more likely to report increased comfort. These findings point to gaps in the range of programs examined in published trials-for example, interventions for parents of sexual minority youth, programs for custodial grandparents and faith-based services. Yet they provide support for the effectiveness of parent-based interventions in improving communication. Innovative delivery approaches could extend programs' reach, and further research on sexual health outcomes would facilitate the meta-analysis of intervention effectiveness in improving adolescent sexual health behaviors. Copyright © 2015 by the Guttmacher Institute.

An exploratory study of sexual assertiveness and characteristics of African American women in negotiating condom use at an HBCU.

PubMed

Jenkins, Chalice C; Kennedy, Bernice Roberts

2013-01-01

The transmission of HIV/AIDS among African American women through heterosexual sex is an epidemic. Critical themes extracted from the HIV/AIDS sexual assertiveness literature revealed that: (a) sexual assertiveness is related to HIV risk, (b) sexual assertiveness is related to communication, and (c) women with low sexual assertiveness are at risk for HIV. This descriptive study sought to answer the following research question: What do young adult college attending African American women self-report about asking information about their partner's sexual history? The multifaceted model of HIV risk is the theoretical framework which guided this descriptive study. A basic tenet of the multifaceted model of HIV risk is that there is no single predictor of women's HIV risk behavior. Results revealed that 104 young adult college attending African American women who volunteered to attend a one day HIV prevention training overall scored high on a Sexual Assertive Scale on subscales of Information Communication, Refusal, and Pregnancy/STD Prevention Subscale, and scored in the medium range on the Initiation Subscales. The Information Communication and Pregnancy/ STD Prevention Subscale received the highest scores. More research is needed targeting diverse African American females with different socioeconomic status, various locations, and educated to determine their sexual assertiveness with partners which are essential in developing specific programs for diverse groups of African American females.

Efficient management of cardiovascular risk screening programs

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Roth, Carol

1993-01-01

The Environmental Health Unit, located on-site at the the Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC), is responsible for the implementation of the Center's Employee Environmental and Occupational Health Program. The Health Unit, Health Physics (HP), and Industrial Hygiene (IH) staffs collaborate to provide quality service to the employees at GSFC. The Health Unit staff identifies, evaluates, and ensures the control of occupational hazards on the Center. In the past, components of the Industrial Hygiene Program have included the Industrial Hygiene Health Hazard Identification Program (IHHIP), the Hearing Conservation Program (HCP), the Hazard Communication Program, and the bi-annual fume hood survey. More recently, the Environmental Health Unit has expanded its services by adding the Ergonomics Program. Various aspects of the Ergonomics Program are discussed.

Communicating with the public about risk

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wade, C R; Molony, S T; Durbin, M E

1992-01-01

Risk communication is a growing specialty field in communication that draws from well-established principles of sociology and psychology. It is a new way to communicate with potentially hostile audiences about sensitive environmental, safety, and health issues they face. This paper explains the most important principles of risk communication and discusses audience analyses, perceptions of risk (outrage factors), and risk comparisons. These principles are applied to a risk communication issue in Malhuevo, a fictitious Arizona community.

Understanding risk evaluation and mitigation strategies in organ transplantation.

PubMed

Gabardi, Steven

2011-07-01

The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Amendments Act of 2007 mandated that Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategies (REMS) be required of manufacturers. These REMS are strategies implemented to manage known or potential risks associated with drugs and to ensure ongoing pharmacovigilance throughout the life of a pharmaceutical product, including once the product becomes available as generic. The elements of an individual REMS program consist of three levels: medication guide or patient package insert, communication plan, and elements to assure safe use (ETASU). A medication guide or patient package insert is used to help prevent serious adverse events, aid in patient decision making, and enhance drug adherence. Communication plans are used to educate health care providers and to encourage their compliance with REMS. The ETASU is a restrictive process that is implemented when it is deemed necessary to ensure that patients have safe access to products with known serious risks that would otherwise be unavailable. To review the components of REMS and specifically assess their impact on health care providers practicing within the organ transplantation arena, a literature search of the MEDLINE database (January 2007-December 2010) was performed, and published materials from the FDA and its Web site were also reviewed. In transplantation, REMS programs exist for both everolimus (medication guide and communication plan) and sirolimus (medication guide). The FDA has stated that all mycophenolic acid derivatives will be subject to a proposed REMS that has not yet been approved; however, both branded mycophenolic acid agents already have approved medication guides. The REMS are a permanent fixture in the development and marketing of pharmaceutical agents, and their further implementation in solid organ transplantation is inevitable. Transplantation providers should take a proactive role in patient education and implementation of REMS within the therapeutic area. It is imperative for health care providers to realize that the ultimate goals of REMS are to reduce the potential for serious risks and to make outcomes from the treatment of disease more predictable.

Who’s Asking the Important Questions? Sexual Topics Discussed among Young Pregnant Couples

PubMed Central

Albritton, Tashuna; Day, Kyla M.; Divney, Anna; Gordon, Derrick; Magriples, Urania; Kershaw, Trace S.

2013-01-01

Purpose The aim was to examine gender differences in sexual risk communication among young couples and factors influencing communication. Methods Sample consisted of 296 young pregnant couples. We assessed individual, interpersonal, and community factors on sexual risk communication. The Actor-Partner Independence Model was used to assess actor and partner effects on sexual risk communication. Results For actor effects, being female, older, not being Hispanic, and higher condom use self-efficacy was associated with sexual risk communication. The significant partner effect was avoidant romantic attachment. Gender interactions were significant for high risk behaviors and family functioning. High risk behaviors and family functioning were associated with sexual risk communication for females but not for males. Conclusion The study emphasizes the need to promote sexual risk communication among young high risk couples, particularly for males. Family support could serve as a catalyst for sexual risk communication and other sexual protective behaviors among young couples. PMID:24043405

The visual communication of risk.

PubMed

Lipkus, I M; Hollands, J G

1999-01-01

This paper 1) provides reasons why graphics should be effective aids to communicate risk; 2) reviews the use of visuals, especially graphical displays, to communicate risk; 3) discusses issues to consider when designing graphs to communicate risk; and 4) provides suggestions for future research. Key articles and materials were obtained from MEDLINE(R) and PsychInfo(R) databases, from reference article citations, and from discussion with experts in risk communication. Research has been devoted primarily to communicating risk magnitudes. Among the various graphical displays, the risk ladder appears to be a promising tool for communicating absolute and relative risks. Preliminary evidence suggests that people understand risk information presented in histograms and pie charts. Areas that need further attention include 1) applying theoretical models to the visual communication of risk, 2) testing which graphical displays can be applied best to different risk communication tasks (e.g., which graphs best convey absolute or relative risks), 3) communicating risk uncertainty, and 4) testing whether the lay public's perceptions and understanding of risk varies by graphical format and whether the addition of graphical displays improves comprehension substantially beyond numerical or narrative translations of risk and, if so, by how much. There is a need to ascertain the extent to which graphics and other visuals enhance the public's understanding of disease risk to facilitate decision-making and behavioral change processes. Nine suggestions are provided to help achieve these ends.

Risk communication in the hyperacute setting of stroke thrombolysis: an interview study of clinicians.

PubMed

Lie, M L S; Murtagh, M J; Watson, D Burges; Jenkings, K N; Mackintosh, J; Ford, G A; Thomson, R G

2015-05-01

Communicating treatment risks and benefits to patients and their carers is central to clinical practice in modern healthcare. We investigated the challenges of risk communication by clinicians offering thrombolytic therapy for hyperacute stroke where treatment must be administered rapidly to maximise benefit. Semistructured interviews with 13 clinicians from three acute stroke units involved in decision making and/or information provision about thrombolysis. We report on clinicians' accounts of communicating risks and benefits to patients and carers. Framework analysis was employed. We identified the major challenges facing clinicians in communicating risk in this context that is, disease complexity, patients' capacity and time constraints, and communicating quality of life after stroke. We found significant variation in the data on risks and benefits that clinicians provide, and ways these were communicated to patients. Clinicians' communication strategies varied and included practices such as: a phased approach to communicating information, being responsive to the patient and family and documenting information they gave to patients. Risk communication about thrombolysis involves complex uncertainties. We elucidate the challenges of effective risk communication in a hyperacute setting and identify the issues regarding variation in risk communication and the use of less effective formats for the communication of numerical risks and benefits. The paper identifies good practice, such as the phased transfer of information over the care pathway, and ways in which clinicians might be supported to overcome challenges. This includes standardised risk and benefit information alongside appropriate personalisation of risk communication. Effective risk communication in emergency settings requires presentation of high-quality data which is amenable to tailoring to individual patients' circumstances. It necessitates clinical skills development supported by personalised risk communication tools. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

Reducing software security risk through an integrated approach research initiative model based verification of the Secure Socket Layer (SSL) Protocol

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Powell, John D.

2003-01-01

This document discusses the verification of the Secure Socket Layer (SSL) communication protocol as a demonstration of the Model Based Verification (MBV) portion of the verification instrument set being developed under the Reducing Software Security Risk (RSSR) Trough an Integrated Approach research initiative. Code Q of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) funds this project. The NASA Goddard Independent Verification and Validation (IV&V) facility manages this research program at the NASA agency level and the Assurance Technology Program Office (ATPO) manages the research locally at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (California institute of Technology) where the research is being carried out.

Diffusion of Social Media among County 4-H Programs in Tennessee

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bowen, Rebekah D.; Stephens, Carrie A.; Childers, Courtney C.; Avery, Elizabeth J.; Stripling, Christopher T.

2013-01-01

Over the past decade, Cooperative Extension and 4-H professionals have been faced with the decision of whether to adopt new communication technologies such as social media. Research on social media and Cooperative Extension has identified risks and barriers to adoption; however, many Cooperative Extension professionals believe that social media…

Hawai'i Youth at Risk? Conceptual Challenges in Communicating a Statewide Mentoring Initiative.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pollard, Vincent Kelly

This paper discusses several issues considered as part of a statewide mentoring initiative. It is divided into three sections. The first section summarizes the key issues associated with short-term mentoring and mentoring in a longer-term, socially transformative context. Data from Comprehensive School Alienation Program is discussed concerning…

76 FR 54507 - Proposed Generic Communication; Draft NRC Generic Letter 2011-XX: Seismic Risk Evaluations for...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-09-01

... design estimates. Analyses performed under the Generic Issue program (GIP) indicated the need to evaluate... Examination of External Events (IPEEE) for Severe Accident Vulnerabilities,'' (ADAMS Accession No. ML031150485) to request that each licensee identify and report to the NRC all plant- specific vulnerabilities to...

An Evaluation of Healthy Relationship Education to Reduce Intimate Partner Violence

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Antle, Becky F.; Karam, Eli; Christensen, Dana N.; Barbee, Anita P.; Sar, Bibhuti K.

2011-01-01

This research evaluated the impact of the Within My Reach healthy relationship education program on intimate partner violence for 419 high-risk adults in an urban area. Key outcomes such as relationship knowledge, communication/conflict resolution skills, relationship quality, and physical and emotional abuse were evaluated through survey research…

Information security management system planning for CBRN facilities

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lenaeu, Joseph D.; O'Neil, Lori Ross; Leitch, Rosalyn M.

The focus of this document is to provide guidance for the development of information security management system planning documents at chemical, biological, radiological, or nuclear (CBRN) facilities. It describes a risk-based approach for planning information security programs based on the sensitivity of the data developed, processed, communicated, and stored on facility information systems.

The design of a purpose-built exergame for fall prediction and prevention for older people.

PubMed

Marston, Hannah R; Woodbury, Ashley; Gschwind, Yves J; Kroll, Michael; Fink, Denis; Eichberg, Sabine; Kreiner, Karl; Ejupi, Andreas; Annegarn, Janneke; de Rosario, Helios; Wienholtz, Arno; Wieching, Rainer; Delbaere, Kim

2015-01-01

Falls in older people represent a major age-related health challenge facing our society. Novel methods for delivery of falls prevention programs are required to increase effectiveness and adherence to these programs while containing costs. The primary aim of the Information and Communications Technology-based System to Predict and Prevent Falls (iStoppFalls) project was to develop innovative home-based technologies for continuous monitoring and exercise-based prevention of falls in community-dwelling older people. The aim of this paper is to describe the components of the iStoppFalls system. The system comprised of 1) a TV, 2) a PC, 3) the Microsoft Kinect, 4) a wearable sensor and 5) an assessment and training software as the main components. The iStoppFalls system implements existing technologies to deliver a tailored home-based exercise and education program aimed at reducing fall risk in older people. A risk assessment tool was designed to identify fall risk factors. The content and progression rules of the iStoppFalls exergames were developed from evidence-based fall prevention interventions targeting muscle strength and balance in older people. The iStoppFalls fall prevention program, used in conjunction with the multifactorial fall risk assessment tool, aims to provide a comprehensive and individualised, yet novel fall risk assessment and prevention program that is feasible for widespread use to prevent falls and fall-related injuries. This work provides a new approach to engage older people in home-based exercise programs to complement or provide a potentially motivational alternative to traditional exercise to reduce the risk of falling.

Evaluation of the Families Matter! Program in Tanzania: An Intervention to Promote Effective Parent-Child Communication About Sex, Sexuality, and Sexual Risk Reduction.

PubMed

Kamala, Benjamin A; Rosecrans, Kathryn D; Shoo, Tiransia A; Al-Alawy, Hamid Z; Berrier, Faith; Bwogi, David F; Miller, Kim S

2017-04-01

The Families Matter! Program (FMP) is a curriculum-based intervention designed to give parents and other primary caregivers the knowledge, skills, comfort, and confidence to deliver messages to their 9-12-year-old children about sexuality and practice positive parenting skills. A pre- and post-intervention evaluation study on FMP outcomes was conducted with 658 parent participants and their preadolescent children in two administrative wards in Tanzania in 2014. There was an increase in the proportion of study participants (parent-preadolescent pairs) that had positive attitudes toward sex education. On parent-child communication, the majority of participants (59-87%) reported having had more sexuality discussions. On communication responsiveness about sexual issues, scores improved in the period between surveys, with parents showing more improvements than preadolescents. Our results corroborate evidence from previous FMP evaluations, lending support to the conclusion that FMP is successful in promoting attitude and behavior change among parents and preadolescents in different cultural contexts.

And now, from the company that brought you the seven-eyed trout: Risk communication in action

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Durbin, M.E.; Klein, S.H.; Molony, S.T.

1992-01-01

Risk communication is a growing specialty field in communication that draws from well-established principles of sociology and psychology. It is a way to communicate with potentially hostile audiences about sensitive environmental, safety, and health issues they face. This paper explains the most important principles of risk communication and discusses audience analyses, perceptions of risk (outrage factors), and risk comparisons. These principles are applied to a risk communication issue in a fictitious community.

Assessing knowledge and application of emergency risk communication principles among public health workers in China.

PubMed

Cope, James R; Frost, Melinda; Richun, Li; Xie, Ruiqian

2014-06-01

Since 2003, the Chinese National Health and Family Planning Commission (formerly the Ministry of Health) has implemented changes to more effectively communicate risk during public health emergencies. In spite of ongoing improvements, provincial and sub-provincial leaders face barriers, such as established modes of operation, lack of training, shortage of trained risk communicators, and limited understanding and willingness of recipients to mitigate risks. We assessed the current status of and barriers to risk communication knowledge and practice among public health practitioners in China. We designed the survey questionnaire to capture information related to the risk communication core capacities required by international health regulations and common risk communication principles. Our findings showed that risk communication training has successfully developed an awareness of risk communication principles and the ability to implement those principles in practice in China. Future efforts should focus on areas such as a dedicated risk communication workforce, requirements that public health agencies develop a risk communication plan, and additional training for public health practitioners and their partners. It is critical that the infectious diseases prevention and control law be amended to grant provincial and local public health agencies more autonomy to release information.

Building a Communication, Education, an Outreach Program for the ShakeAlert National Earthquake Early Warning Program - Recommendations for Public Alerts Via Cell Phones

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

DeGroot, R. M.; Long, K.; Strauss, J. A.

2017-12-01

The United States Geological Survey (USGS) and its partners are developing the ShakeAlert Earthquake Early Warning System for the West Coast of the United States. To be an integral part of successful implementation, ShakeAlert engagement programs and materials must integrate with and leverage broader earthquake risk programs. New methods and products for dissemination must be multidisciplinary, cost effective, and consistent with existing hazards education and communication efforts. The ShakeAlert Joint Committee for Communication, Education, and Outreach (JCCEO), is identifying, developing, and cultivating partnerships with ShakeAlert stakeholders including Federal, State, academic partners, private companies, policy makers, and local organizations. Efforts include developing materials, methods for delivery, and reaching stakeholders with information on ShakeAlert, earthquake preparedness, and emergency protective actions. It is essential to develop standards to ensure information communicated via the alerts is consistent across the public and private sector and achieving a common understanding of what actions users take when they receive a ShakeAlert warning. In February 2017, the JCCEO convened the Warning Message Focus Group (WMFG) to provide findings and recommendations to the Alliance for Telecommunications Industry Solutions on the use of earthquake early warning message content standards for public alerts via cell phones. The WMFG represents communications, education, and outreach stakeholders from various sectors including ShakeAlert regional coordinators, industry, emergency managers, and subject matter experts from the social sciences. The group knowledge was combined with an in-depth literature review to ensure that all groups who could receive the message would be taken into account. The USGS and the participating states and agencies acknowledge that the implementation of ShakeAlert is a collective effort requiring the participation of hundreds of stakeholders committed to ensuring public accessibility.

An obesity/cardiometabolic risk reduction disease management program: a population-based approach.

PubMed

Villagra, Victor G

2009-04-01

Obesity is a critical health concern that has captured the attention of public and private healthcare payers who are interested in controlling costs and mitigating the long-term economic consequences of the obesity epidemic. Population-based approaches to obesity management have been proposed that take advantage of a chronic care model (CCM), including patient self-care, the use of community-based resources, and the realization of care continuity through ongoing communications with patients, information technology, and public policy changes. Payer-sponsored disease management programs represent an important conduit to delivering population-based care founded on similar CCM concepts. Disease management is founded on population-based disease identification, evidence-based care protocols, and collaborative practices between clinicians. While substantial clinician training, technology infrastructure commitments, and financial support at the payer level will be needed for the success of disease management programs in obesity and cardiometabolic risk reduction, these barriers can be overcome with the proper commitment. Disease management programs represent an important tool to combat the growing societal risks of overweight and obesity.

Arctic Risk Management (ARMNet) Network: Linking Risk Management Practitioners and Researchers Across the Arctic Regions of Canada and Alaska To Improve Risk, Emergency and Disaster Preparedness and Mitigation Through Comparative Analysis and Applied Research

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Garland, A.

2015-12-01

The Arctic Risk Management Network (ARMNet) was conceived as a trans-disciplinary hub to encourage and facilitate greater cooperation, communication and exchange among American and Canadian academics and practitioners actively engaged in the research, management and mitigation of risks, emergencies and disasters in the Arctic regions. Its aim is to assist regional decision-makers through the sharing of applied research and best practices and to support greater inter-operability and bilateral collaboration through improved networking, joint exercises, workshops, teleconferences, radio programs, and virtual communications (eg. webinars). Most importantly, ARMNet is a clearinghouse for all information related to the management of the frequent hazards of Arctic climate and geography in North America, including new and emerging challenges arising from climate change, increased maritime polar traffic and expanding economic development in the region. ARMNet is an outcome of the Arctic Observing Network (AON) for Long Term Observations, Governance, and Management Discussions, www.arcus.org/search-program. The AON goals continue with CRIOS (www.ariesnonprofit.com/ARIESprojects.php) and coastal erosion research (www.ariesnonprofit.com/webinarCoastalErosion.php) led by the North Slope Borough Risk Management Office with assistance from ARIES (Applied Research in Environmental Sciences Nonprofit, Inc.). The constituency for ARMNet will include all northern academics and researchers, Arctic-based corporations, First Responders (FRs), Emergency Management Offices (EMOs) and Risk Management Offices (RMOs), military, Coast Guard, northern police forces, Search and Rescue (SAR) associations, boroughs, territories and communities throughout the Arctic. This presentation will be of interest to all those engaged in Arctic affairs, describe the genesis of ARMNet and present the results of stakeholder meetings and webinars designed to guide the next stages of the Project.

Intimate partner violence among rural South African men: Alcohol use, sexual decision-making, and partner communication

PubMed Central

Hatcher, Abigail M.; Colvin, Christopher J.; Ndlovu, Nkuli; Dworkin, Shari L.

2014-01-01

Nearly one-third of South African men report enacting intimate partner violence (IPV). Beyond direct health consequences for women, IPV is also linked to varied risk behaviours among men who enact it, including alcohol abuse, risky sex, and poor health care uptake. Little is known about how to reduce IPV perpetration among men. We conducted retrospective, in-depth interviews with men (n=53) who participated in a rural South African program that targeted masculinities, HIV risk, and IPV. We conducted computer-assisted thematic qualitative coding alongside a simple rubric to understand how the program may lead to changes in IPV perpetration. Many men described new patterns of reduced alcohol intake and improved partner communication, allowing them to respond in ways that did not lead to the escalation of violence. Sexual decision-making changed via reduced sexual entitlement and increased mutuality about whether to have sex. Men articulated the intertwined nature of each of these topics, suggesting a syndemic lens may be useful for understanding IPV. These data suggest that alcohol and sexual relationship skills may be useful levers for future IPV programming, and that IPV may be a tractable issue as men learn new skills for enacting masculinities in their household and in intimate relationships. PMID:24939358

Health promotion communications system: a model for a dispersed population.

PubMed

Foran, M; Campanelli, L C

1995-11-01

1. Corporations with geographically dispersed populations need to provide flexible health promotion programs tailored to meet specific employee interests and needs. 2. Bell Atlantic developed a dispersed model approach based on the transtheoretical model of behavior change. The key to this model is to identify at which stage the individual is operating and provide appropriate information and behavior change programs. 3. Components of the program include: health risk appraisal; exercise/activity tracking system; on line nurse health information service; network of fitness facilities; employee assistance programs; health library available by fax; health film library; network of health promotion volunteers; and targeted health and marketing messaged via corporate media.

The impact of Thai family matters on parent-adolescent sexual risk communication attitudes and behaviors.

PubMed

Cupp, Pamela K; Atwood, Katharine A; Byrnes, Hilary F; Miller, Brenda A; Fongkaew, Warunee; Chamratrithirong, Aphichat; Rhucharoenpornpanich, Orratai; Rosati, Michael J; Chookhare, Warunee

2013-01-01

This article reports on a combined family-based substance abuse and HIV-prevention intervention targeting families with 13-14-year-old children in Bangkok, Thailand. Families (n = 340) were randomly and proportionally selected from 7 districts in Bangkok with half randomly assigned to an experimental or control condition. Families in the intervention condition were exposed to 5 interactive booklets about adolescent substance use and risky sexual behavior. Trained health educators followed up by phone to encourage completion of each booklet. Primary outcomes reported in this article include whether the intervention increased the frequency of parent-child communication in general or about sexual risk taking in particular as well as whether the intervention reduced discomfort discussing sexual issues. The authors also tested to see whether booklet completion was associated with communication outcomes at the 6-month follow-up. Multivariate findings indicate that the intervention had a significant impact on the frequency of general parent-child communication on the basis of child reports. The intervention had a marginal impact on the frequency of parent-child communication about sexual issues on the basis of parent reports. Booklet completion was associated with reduced discomfort discussing sex and was marginally associated with frequency of parent-child discussion of sex on the basis of parent reports only. These findings indicate that a family-based program can influence communication patterns.

Zika reveals India's risk communication challenges and needs.

PubMed

Vijaykumar, Santosh; Raamkumar, Aravind Sesagiri

2018-04-12

India's approach to disseminating information about the first three cases of the Zika virus was criticised nationally and internationally after the issue came to light in May 2017 through a World Health Organization news release. We analyse the incident from a risk communication perspective. This commentary recaps the events and synthesises key arguments put forth by the news media and public health stakeholders. We use Peter Sandman's risk = hazard + outrage framework - also adopted by India's risk communication planners - to analyse India's risk communication response and contextualise it against the mandate of the National Risk Communication Plan and Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme. We conclude with recommendations for India's risk communication policymakers, including the need to develop capacity for risk communication research and scholarship in the country.

Expanding CERC beyond public health: sharing best practices with healthcare managers via virtual learning.

PubMed

Hewitt, Anne M; Spencer, Susan S; Ramloll, Rameshsharma; Trotta, Heidi

2008-10-01

Developed by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention in 2002, the Crisis Emergency and Risk Communication (CERC) training module is a nationally and internationally recognized communication model. With the looming threat of a pandemic and the potential for a protracted ongoing siege, a valuable opportunity exists to introduce crisis and emergency preparedness communication best practices to a new population--health care managers and administrators. The CERC toolkit and resources, provide an easy, turn-key solution and a validated template for educators who are not directly involved in public health education but desire to share this content. In this example, graduate students enrolled in an Master of Health Administration program, used a Play2Train scenario, located in the virtual learning environment of SecondLife (2007), to incorporate concepts from the CERC model. By applying the CERC best practices in a real-time virtual learning scenario, students learned collaboration and the leadership competencies necessary to help implement Joint Commission on Accreditation of Health Organizations emergency communication protocols and community collaboration requirements. By expanding the impact of the CERC model and developing unified risk communication responses and information sharing, all health professionals can enhance the effectiveness of their emergency preparedness plans so that the public can be better served.

Risk Assessment Terminology: Risk Communication Part 1

PubMed Central

Bentley, Stefano; Giacometti, Federica; Piva, Silvia; Serraino, Andrea

2016-01-01

The paper describes the terminology of risk communication in the view of food safety: the theory of stakeholders, the citizens’ involvement and the community interest and consultation are reported. Different aspects of risk communication (public communication, scientific uncertainty, trust, care, consensus and crisis communication) are discussed. PMID:27800435

The application of mobile satellite services to emergency response communications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Freibaum, J.

1980-01-01

The application of an integrated satellite/terrestrial emergency response communications system in disaster relief operations is discussed. Large area coverage communications capability, full-time availability, a high degree of mobility, plus reliability, are pointed out as criteria for an effective emergency communications system. Response time is seen as a major factor determining the possible survival and/or protection of property. These criteria, can not be met by existing communications systems and complete blackouts were experienced during the past decades caused by either interruption or destruction of existing power lines, and overload or inadequacy of remaining lines. Several emergency cases, caused by either hurricanes, tornados, or floods, during which communication via satellite was instrumental to inform rescue and relief teams, are described in detail. Seismic Risk Maps and charts of Major Tectonic Plates Earthquake Epicenters are given, and it is noted that, 35 percent of the U.S. population is living in critical areas. National and international agreements for the implementation of a satellite-aided global Search and Rescue Program is mentioned. Technological and economic breakthroughs are still needed in large multibeam antennas, switching circuits, and low cost mobile ground terminals. A pending plan of NASA to initiate a multiservice program in 1982/83, with a Land Mobile Satellite capability operating in the 806 - 890 MHz band as a major element, may help to accelerate the needed breakthroughs.

Engagement of Adolescents in a Health Communications Program to Prevent Noncommunicable Diseases: Multiplicadores Jóvenes, Lima, Peru, 2011

PubMed Central

Diez-Canseco, Francisco; Boeren, Yulissa; Quispe, Renato; Chiang, Mey lin

2015-01-01

Background Several risk factors for noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), including obesity, are associated with behaviors established in infancy that persist throughout adolescence and adulthood. As such, adolescents should be engaged in the design and implementation of NCD prevention strategies. Community Context In Lima, Peru’s capital, the proportion of adolescents aged 15 to 19 is 9.3% of the city’s population, and school enrollment rates are high. The prevalence of excess weight in Peruvian adolescents is 14.2%, and prevalence has not declined in recent years. Also recently, NCDs and their risk factors have gained more attention in public health and policy areas, with regulatory action focusing on healthful nutrition to address obesity and related NCDs. The Multiplicadores Jóvenes (Young Multipliers) project was conducted among adolescents aged 15 to 17 from 9 public secondary schools in peri-urban areas of Lima, Peru. Methods The project provided basic communication tools and knowledge of NCD prevention and public health research to adolescents during 16 weekly participatory sessions to enable them to design and disseminate healthful lifestyle promotion messages to their school peers. Outcome Thirty of 45 participants finished the program. Seven communications campaigns were designed and implemented in schools, reaching 1,200 students. The participants gained motivation, increased knowledge, and developed communication skills that were combined to implement healthful lifestyle promotion campaigns. Interpretation Engaging young people in public health promotion activities was feasible and advantageous for the design of tailored prevention-related content and its dissemination among peers. PMID:25742065

Proceedings of the Biennial EO/EEO Research Symposium (4th) Held in Cocoa Beach, Florida on December 5-7, 2001

DTIC Science & Technology

2003-01-01

Sinister Software, who wrote the SALES CALL program, and to Dr. Tanja Blackstone , Program Officer at ONR who was of great support during the grant...real risk of being prey to the ecological fallacy. Indeed, those that used non-American subjects tended to accept the Hofstede categorization of the...Journalism and Mass Communication, Southeast Colloquium. New Orleans. Newspaper Coverage 180 Peach, L. J. (1996). Gender ideology in the ethics of

Naval Outpatient Medical Care and Services: A Comparison of the Perceptions of Satisfaction Held by Sub-Groupings of a Beneficiary Population

DTIC Science & Technology

1985-07-01

include: a Health Care Consumers’ Council that provides a formal communication mechanism between health care managers and the consumers; 5 a Patient... Management Program (HCQA/RMP). The method for identifying the patients’ level of satisfaction is through satisfaction survey questionnaires and the purpose...care they receive in Military Treatment Facilities. This is part of a feedback mechanism of the Quality Assurance/Risk Management Program developed to

[Improving communication skills of physicians caring for adolescents by simulation].

PubMed

Reister, Gad; Stoffman, Nava

2011-04-01

Although the unique characteristics and abilities of youths were noted in ancient ages, it was only later that the process of adolescence was studied and understood. Adolescents are considered a healthy population when compared to younger kids and adults. However, unlike other age groups, the morbidity and mortality of adolescents has not decreased in the last decades, probably due to risk-taking behaviors. Since the 1950s, the need for a special medical and health approach in treating adolescents was established. Yet, only a few countries incorporate such approaches when educating and training students, residents and fellows in physicians programs. Youths are treated by physicians of many disciplines, despite the fact that only a minority were trained in adolescent medicine. Simulation of medical situations with standard patients has become a significant tool for improving the communication skills of healthcare providers. The article in this edition of Harefuah describes the use of a simulated-patient-based education system in improving the communication skills of physicians of different fields. The authors presented the positive feedback of the participants in the program and demonstrated that following the program there was a positive influence on their practice when dealing with adolescents. We call to incorporate the teaching of adolescent medicine in all Levels, starting at medical school. Using the simulation tool is very helpful in improving the communication skills of medical personnel.

Environmental risk communication as an educational process

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schottenfeld, Faith

The purpose of this study was to explore the dynamics of the environmental risk communication process. The goal was to look at the totality of the process by examining the different components: entry to communication (what brings people into the process), maintenance of communication (behaviors of participants, pathways to successful risk communication, barriers to successful risk communication, characteristics of the dialogue) and outcomes of risk communication (what has been learned, what moves the process to social action, what else can come of the process). Interviews and critical incidents were used to explore the experiences of risk communicators in four different practice settings: academia, industry/trade groups, community-based organizations and government. Twenty-four people completed critical incident stories and sixteen participated in in-depth interviews. Data were coded and analyzed for themes. Findings illustrated that successful risk communication results from a deliberative, or purposeful process. This process includes a systematic approach to identifying and inviting people to participate, while considering specific motivating factors that affect participation. Risk communication is maintained by creating and nurturing structured forums for dialogue by acknowledging the varying perspectives of the people who participate and the contextual settings of environmental risks. The result of effective dialogue may range from increased knowledge, to transformative learning to social action and policy change. The researcher recommended that a multi-disciplinary team including risk communicators, adult educators and scientists can work most effectively to plan, implement and evaluate a risk communication process.

Scientific risk communication about controversial issues influences public perceptions of scientists' political orientations and credibility.

PubMed

Vraga, Emily; Myers, Teresa; Kotcher, John; Beall, Lindsey; Maibach, Ed

2018-02-01

Many scientists communicate with the public about risks associated with scientific issues, but such communication may have unintended consequences for how the public views the political orientations and the credibility of the communicating scientist. We explore this possibility using an experiment with a nationally representative sample of Americans in the fall of 2015. We find that risk communication on controversial scientific issues sometimes influences perceptions of the political orientations and credibility of the communicating scientist when the scientist addresses the risks of issues associated with conservative or liberal groups. This relationship is moderated by participant political ideology, with liberals adjusting their perceptions of the scientists' political beliefs more substantially when the scientist addressed the risks of marijuana use when compared with other issues. Conservatives' political perceptions were less impacted by the issue context of the scientific risk communication but indirectly influenced credibility perceptions. Our results support a contextual model of audience interpretation of scientific risk communication. Scientists should be cognizant that audience members may make inferences about the communicating scientist's political orientations and credibility when they engage in risk communication efforts about controversial issues.

Case Outcomes in a Communication-and-Resolution Program in New York Hospitals.

PubMed

Mello, Michelle M; Greenberg, Yelena; Senecal, Susan K; Cohn, Janet S

2016-12-01

To determine case outcomes in a communication-and-resolution program (CRP) implemented to respond to adverse events in general surgery. Five acute-care hospitals in New York City. Following CRP implementation, hospitals recorded information about each CRP event for 22 months. Risk managers prospectively collected data in collaboration with representatives from the hospital's insurer. External researchers administered an online satisfaction survey to clinicians involved in CRP events. Among 125 CRP cases, disclosure conversations were carried out in 92 percent, explanations were conveyed in 88 percent, and apologies were offered in 72.8 percent. Three quarters of events did not involve substandard care. Compensation offers beyond bill waivers were deemed appropriate in 9 of 30 of cases in which substandard care caused harm and communicated in six such cases. In 44 percent of cases, hospitals identified steps that could be taken to improve safety. Clinicians had low awareness of the workings of the CRP, but high satisfaction with their experiences. The bulk of CRPs' work is in investigating and communicating about events not caused by substandard care. These CRPs were quite successful in handling such events, but less consistent in offering compensation in cases involving substandard care. © Health Research and Educational Trust.

Cancer risk communication in mainstream and ethnic newspapers.

PubMed

Stryker, Jo Ellen; Fishman, Jessica; Emmons, Karen M; Viswanath, Kasisomayajula

2009-01-01

We wanted to understand how cancer risks are communicated in mainstream and ethnic newspapers, to determine whether the 2 kinds of newspapers differ and to examine features of news stories and sources that might predict optimal risk communication. Optimal risk communication was defined as presenting the combination of absolute risk, relative risk, and prevention response efficacy information. We collected data by conducting a content analysis of cancer news coverage from 2003 (5,327 stories in major newspapers, 565 stories in ethnic newspapers). Comparisons of mainstream and ethnic newspapers were conducted by using cross-tabulations and Pearson chi2 tests for significance. Logistic regression equations were computed to calculate odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals for optimal risk communication. In both kinds of newspapers, cancer risks were rarely communicated numerically. When numeric presentations of cancer risks were used, only 26.2% of mainstream and 29.5% of ethnic newspaper stories provided estimates of both absolute and relative risk. For both kinds of papers, only 19% of news stories presented risk communication optimally. Cancer risks were more likely to be communicated optimally if they focused on prostate cancer, were reports of new research, or discussed medical or demographic risks. Research is needed to understand how these nonnumeric and decontextualized presentations of risk might contribute to inaccurate risk perceptions among news consumers.

Communicating about risk: strategies for situations where public concern is high but the risk is low.

PubMed

Hooker, Claire; Capon, Adam; Leask, Julie

2017-01-15

In this article, we summarise research that identifies best practice for communicating about hazards where the risk is low but public concern is high. We apply Peter Sandman's 'risk = hazard + outrage' formulation to these risks, and review factors associated with the amplification of risk signals. We discuss the structures that determine the success of risk communication strategies, such as the capacity for early communication to 'capture' the dominant representation of risk issues, the importance of communicating uncertainty, and the usefulness of engaging with communities. We argue that, when facing trade-offs in probable outcomes from communication, it is always best to choose strategies that maintain or build trust, even at the cost of initial overreactions. We discuss these features of successful risk communication in relation to a range of specific examples, particularly opposition to community water fluoridation, Ebola, and routine childhood immunisation.

Families OverComing under Stress (FOCUS) for Early Childhood: Building Resilience for Young Children in High Stress Families

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mogil, Catherine; Paley, Blair; Doud, Tricia; Havens, Linda; Moore-Tyson, Jessica; Beardslee, William R.; Lester, Patricia

2010-01-01

Parental distress and trauma affects the entire family, including the youngest children. Families OverComing Under Stress (FOCUS) is a targeted prevention program for high-risk families that aims to enhance family cohesion, support the parent-child relationship, and build emotional regulation, communication, and problem-solving skills across the…

40 CFR 721.3025 - Fatty acids C12-18, C18 unsaturated, C12-18 alkyl esters (generic).

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

..., C12-18 alkyl esters (generic). 721.3025 Section 721.3025 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL... communication program. A significant new use of these substances is any manner or method of manufacture, import, or processing associated with any use of these substances without providing risk notification as...

Maturity Model for E-Learning Classroom, Bimodal and Virtual Courses in Higher Education: A Preliminary Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Espinoza-Guzma, Julia; Chávez, María Manuela Pintor; Zermeño, Marcela Georgina Gómez

2017-01-01

The use of information and communication technologies (ICT) in higher education, in many cases, does not necessarily correspond to an organizational, sustainable and consistent initiative in all courses or undergraduate programs imparted. An associated risk is wasting the potential of ICTs to contribute to the quality of education. This is an…

A municipal forest report card: Results for California, USA

Treesearch

E.Gregory McPherson; Louren Kotow

2013-01-01

This study integrates two existing computer programs, the Pest Vulnerability Matrix and i-Tree Streets, into a decision-support tool for assessing municipal forest stability and recommending strategies to mitigate risk of loss. A report card concept was developed to communicate levels of performance in terms that managers and the public easily understand. Grades were...

Targeting AIDS through information, education, and communications programs: implications for Africa and the Caribbean.

PubMed

Ward, W B

1989-01-01

IEC campaigns targeted at acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) must seek to achieve the maximum impact within a contest of extremely limited resources. This implies a careful assessment of population groups and behaviors that carry the highest risk. Rather than expending large sums of money on mass media campaigns, the approach should be to target IEC activities at the social networks of those most at risk. This may include, for example, prostitutes, homosexual men, hotel and tourist employees, students, and military personnel. Once epidemiologic studies have identified the at-risk population, volunteers form these groups should be recruited and trained to reach their peers through the networks available to them. This education component of IEC work takes priority. The second step involves information diffusion to health providers who are likely to come into contact with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected individuals, especially those who have access to pregnant women and mothers. Some of these providers are not aware of the risks involved in the reuse of immunization needles. The third step--communication with the general public--is aimed at making the population aware of the factors that place people at risk of HIV infection. Radio seems to be the media capable of reaching the greatest numbers, although traditional means of communication should not be neglected. The IEC effort should consider options at the community, institutional, and individual levels and address those factors that enable, reinforce, and predispose appropriate health behaviors.

Fears, Feelings, and Facts: Interactively Communicating Benefits and Risks of Medical Radiation With Patients

PubMed Central

Dauer, Lawrence T.; Thornton, Raymond H.; Hay, Jennifer L.; Balter, Rochelle; Williamson, Matthew J.; St. Germain, Jean

2013-01-01

OBJECTIVE As public awareness of medical radiation exposure increases, there has been heightened awareness among patients and physicians of the importance of holistic benefit-and-risk discussions in shared medical decision making. CONCLUSION We examine the rationale for informed consent and risk communication, draw on the literature on the psychology of radiation risk communication to increase understanding, examine methods commonly used to communicate radiation risk, and suggest strategies for improving communication about medical radiation benefits and risk. PMID:21427321

Speech and language interventions for infants aged 0 to 2 years at high risk for cerebral palsy: a systematic review

PubMed Central

Chorna, Olena; Hamm, Ellyn; Cummings, Caitlin; Fetters, Ashley; Maitre, Nathalie L

2017-01-01

Aim We evaluated the level of evidence of speech, language, and communication interventions for infants at high-risk for, or with a diagnosis of, cerebral palsy (CP) from 0 to 2 years old. Method We performed a systematic review of relevant terms. Articles were evaluated based on the level of methodological quality and evidence according to A Measurement Tool to Assess Systematic Reviews (AMSTAR) and Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) guidelines. Results The search terms provided 17 publications consisting of speech or language interventions. There were no interventions in the high level of evidence category. The overall level of evidence was very low. Promising interventions included Responsivity and Prelinguistic Milieu Teaching and other parent–infant transaction frameworks. Interpretation There are few evidence-based interventions addressing speech, language, and communication needs of infants and toddlers at high risk for CP, and none for infants diagnosed with CP. Recommendation guidelines include parent–infant transaction programs. PMID:27897320

In backyards, on front lawns: examining informal risk communication and communicators.

PubMed

Rickard, Laura N

2011-09-01

Risk communicators are often envisioned as government officials, public relations practitioners, or health workers. Yet much of the public's risk information comes from informal messages and unofficial carriers. Referred to in this study as "informal risk communicators" (IRCs), these individuals are often service workers who relay risk information to public audiences, though often outside of their formal job descriptions. Literatures in the health communication, science and technology studies, and risk communication fields have considered ideas relevant to explaining these individuals, and the risk communication work they perform. To further explore this category of individuals, this study examines the communicative practices of commercial pesticide applicators, using both in-depth interviews and surveys. Through their interactions with clients, these individuals offer care, as well as project expertise and identity; however, the extent to which this work is recognized and validated is less clear. Both applied and theoretical implications of this research are considered.

The parent-adolescent relationship education (PARE) program: a curriculum for prevention of STDs and pregnancy in middle school youth.

PubMed

Lederman, Regina P; Mian, Tahir S

2003-01-01

The Parent-Adolescent Relationship Education (PARE) Program, designed for parents and middle school students, focuses on strengthening family communication about sexual issues and behaviors to help prevent teen pregnancy, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), and other sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). The program includes content about reproduction, STDs and Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS), contraception, sex risks, and safe-sex behaviors. The course uses social learning and cognitive behavioral concepts to enhance decision-making, refusal, and resistance skills. A randomized treatment or control group design is used to assign parent-child dyads to an experimental education group (social learning) or an attention-control group (traditional didactic teaching). Three post-program maintenance or booster sessions are held at 6-month intervals and at times prior to peak teen conception periods to reinforce the knowledge and skills learned. Pre- and posttests for parents and students assess group differences in parental involvement and communication, contraception, sex attitudes and intentions, sex behaviors (initiation of sexual intercourse, frequency, number of partners, contraceptive practices, refusal skills), and the incidence of pregnancy.

An ongoing six-year innovative osteoporosis disease management program: challenges and success in an IPA physician group environment.

PubMed

Woo, Ann; Hittell, Jodi; Beardsley, Carrie; Noh, Charles; Stoukides, Cheryl A; Kaul, Alan F

2004-01-01

The goal of this ongoing comprehensive osteoporosis disease management initiative is to provide the adult primary care physicians' (PCPs) offices with a program enabling them to systematically identify and manage their population for osteoporosis. For over six years, Hill Physicians Medical Group (Hill Physicians) has implemented multiple strategies to develop a best practice for identifying and treating members who were candidates for osteoporosis therapy. Numerous tools were used to support this disease management effort, including: evidence-based clinical practice guidelines, patient education sessions, the Simple Calculated Osteoporosis Risk Estimation (SCORE) questionnaire tool, member specific reports for PCPs, targeted member mailings, office-based Peripheral Instantaneous X-ray Imaging (PIXI) test and counseling, dual x-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) scan guidelines, and web-based Electronic Simple Calculated Osteoporosis Risk Estimation (eSCORE) questionnaire tools. Hill Physicians tabulated results for patients who completed 2649 SCORE tests, screened 978 patients with PIXI tests, and identified 338 osteopenic and 124 osteoporotic patients. The preliminary results of this unique six-year ongoing educational initiative are slow but promising. New physician offices express interest in participating and those offices that have participated in the program continue to screen for osteoporosis. Hill Physicians' message is consistent and is communicated to the physicians repeatedly in different ways in accordance with the principles of educational outreach. Physicians who have conducted the program have positive feedback from their patients and office staff and have begun to communicate their experience to their peers.

Enhancing the effectiveness of HIV/AIDS prevention programs targeted to unique population groups in Thailand: lessons learned from applying concepts of diffusion of innovation and social marketing.

PubMed

Svenkerud, P J; Singhal, A

1998-01-01

Diffusion of innovations theory and social marketing theory have been criticized for their limited applicability in influencing unique population groups (e.g., female commercial sex workers (CSWs) working in low-class brothels). This study investigated the applicability of these two theoretical frameworks in outreach efforts directed to unique populations at high risk for HIV/AIDS in Bangkok, Thailand. Further, this study examined Thai cultural characteristics that influence communication about HIV/AIDS prevention. The results suggest that certain concepts and strategies drawn from the two frameworks were used more or less by effective outreach programs, providing several policy-relevant lessons. Cultural constraints, such as the lack of visibility of the disease and traditional sexual practices, influenced communication about HIV/AIDS prevention.

Communication about family members' risk of melanoma: self-reported practices of dermatologists in the United States.

PubMed

Oliveria, Susan A; Heneghan, Maureen K; Halpern, Allan C; Hay, Jennifer L; Geller, Alan C

2012-05-01

To assess current self-reported communication and screening practices of dermatologists to their patients with melanoma about family members' risk of melanoma at the time of diagnosis and to understand the barriers that dermatologists encounter in communicating risk to patients. Descriptive survey study. Office-based practicing physicians in the United States. One thousand dermatologists. Melanoma risk communication practices. Of 974 eligible dermatologists, 406 completed the survey (response rate, 41.7%). Almost 85% of dermatologists reported that they often or always communicate risk to patients with melanoma about their first-degree relatives, and almost 80% reported that they often or always advise their patients with melanoma that their older children (18 years) may be at greater risk of skin cancer. However, less than 50% of dermatologists routinely offered to screen first-degree relatives who live nearby, while only 19.7% used medical record reminders to note communication of melanoma risk to family members. Most dermatologists reported no major barriers to melanoma risk communication. However, the presence of "any risk communication barrier" (time constraints, absence of guidelines, or lack of written material) was associated with reduced melanoma risk communication practices by dermatologists. The observed high rates of self-reported risk communication by dermatologists to patients with melanoma about their first-degree family members are encouraging. However, the reported low rates of actual screening of first-degree relatives warrant easy-to-administer office-based medical record reminders to facilitate and optimize screening of at-risk relatives.

Scientific risk communication about controversial issues influences public perceptions of scientists' political orientations and credibility

PubMed Central

2018-01-01

Many scientists communicate with the public about risks associated with scientific issues, but such communication may have unintended consequences for how the public views the political orientations and the credibility of the communicating scientist. We explore this possibility using an experiment with a nationally representative sample of Americans in the fall of 2015. We find that risk communication on controversial scientific issues sometimes influences perceptions of the political orientations and credibility of the communicating scientist when the scientist addresses the risks of issues associated with conservative or liberal groups. This relationship is moderated by participant political ideology, with liberals adjusting their perceptions of the scientists' political beliefs more substantially when the scientist addressed the risks of marijuana use when compared with other issues. Conservatives' political perceptions were less impacted by the issue context of the scientific risk communication but indirectly influenced credibility perceptions. Our results support a contextual model of audience interpretation of scientific risk communication. Scientists should be cognizant that audience members may make inferences about the communicating scientist's political orientations and credibility when they engage in risk communication efforts about controversial issues. PMID:29515820

Communications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stouffer, Donald D.

1990-01-01

Communication in its many forms is a critical component for an effective Space Grant Program. Good communication is needed within individual Space Grant College/Consortia, for example between consortium affiliates and the consortium program office. Effective communication between the several programs, NASA Headquarters, and NASA field centers also is required. Further, communication among the above program elements, industry, local and state government, and the public also are necessary for meeting program objectives.

RISK COMMUNICATION IN ACTION: THE TOOLS OF MESSAGE MAPPING

EPA Science Inventory

Risk Communication in Action: The Tools of Message Mapping, is a workbook designed to guide risk communicators in crisis situations. The first part of this workbook will review general guidelines for risk communication. The second part will focus on one of the most robust tools o...

Tailoring in risk communication by linking risk profiles and communication preferences: The case of speeding of young car drivers.

PubMed

Geber, Sarah; Baumann, Eva; Klimmt, Christoph

2016-12-01

Speeding is one of the most relevant risk behaviors for serious and fatal accidents, particularly among young drivers. This study presents a tailoring strategy for anti-speeding communication. By referring to their motivational dispositions toward speeding derived from motivational models of health behavior, young car drivers were segmented into different risk groups. In order to ensure that risk communication efforts would actually be capable to target these groups, the linkage between the risk profiles and communication preferences were explored. The study was conducted on the basis of survey data of 1168 German car drivers aged between 17 and 24 years. The data reveal four types of risk drivers significantly differing in their motivational profiles. Moreover, the findings show significant differences in communication habits and media use between these risk groups. By linking the risk profiles and communication preferences, implications for tailoring strategies of road safety communication campaigns are derived. Promising segmentation and targeting strategies are discussed also beyond the current case of anti-speeding campaigns. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Risk communication: Uncertainties and the numbers game

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ortigara, M.

1995-08-30

The science of risk assessment seeks to characterize the potential risk in situations that may pose hazards to human health or the environment. However, the conclusions reached by the scientists and engineers are not an end in themselves - they are passed on to the involved companies, government agencies, legislators, and the public. All interested parties must then decide what to do with the information. Risk communication is a type of technical communication that involves some unique challenges. This paper first defines the relationships between risk assessment, risk management, and risk communication and then explores two issues in risk communication:more » addressing uncertainty and putting risk number into perspective.« less

The patient perspective: utilizing focus groups to inform care coordination for high-risk medicaid populations.

PubMed

Sheff, Alex; Park, Elyse R; Neagle, Mary; Oreskovic, Nicolas M

2017-07-25

Care coordination programs for high-risk, high-cost patients are a critical component of population health management. These programs aim to improve outcomes and reduce costs and have proliferated over the last decade. Some programs, originally designed for Medicare patients, are now transitioning to also serve Medicaid populations. However, there are still gaps in the understanding of what barriers to care Medicaid patients experience, and what supports will be most effective for providing them care coordination. We conducted two focus groups (n = 13) and thematic analyses to assess the outcomes drivers and programmatic preferences of Medicaid patients enrolled in a high-risk care coordination program at a major academic medical center in Boston, MA. Two focus groups identified areas where care coordination efforts were having a positive impact, as well as areas of unmet needs among the Medicaid population. Six themes emerged from the focus groups that clustered in three groupings: In the first group (1) enrollment in an existing medical care coordination programs, and (2) provider communication largely presented as positive accounts of assistance, and good relationships with providers, though participants also pointed to areas where these efforts fell short. In the second group (3) trauma histories, (4) mental health challenges, and (5) executive function difficulties all presented challenges faced by high-risk Medicaid patients that would likely require redress through additional programmatic supports. Finally, in the third group, (6) peer-to-peer support tendencies among patients suggested an untapped resource for care coordination programs. Programs aimed at high-risk Medicaid patients will want to consider programmatic adjustments to attend to patient needs in five areas: (1) provider connection/care coordination, (2) trauma, (3) mental health, (4) executive function/paperwork and coaching support, and (5) peer-to-peer support.

Environmental Hazards Assessment Program. Volume 4: Annual report, July 1, 1993--June 30, 1994

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

The Medical University of South Carolina`s (MUSC) vision is to become the premier national resource for medical information and for environmental/health risk assessment. A key component to the success of the many missions of the Environmental Hazards Assessment Program (EHAP) is timely access to large volumes of data. The significant growth in the number of environmental/health information systems that has occurred over the past few years has made data access challenging. This study documents the results of the needs assessment effort conducted to determine the information access and processing requirements of EHAP. The following topics are addressed in this report:more » immunological consequences of beryllium exposure; assessment of genetic risks to environmental diseases; low dose-rate radiation health effects; environmental risk perception in defined populations; information support and access systems; and environmental medicine and risk communication: curriculum and a professional support network-Department of Family Medicine.« less

Bioastronautics Roadmap: A Risk Reduction Strategy for Human Space Exploration

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2005-01-01

The Bioastronautics Critical Path Roadmap is the framework used to identify and assess the risks to crews exposed to the hazardous environments of space. It guides the implementation of research strategies to prevent or reduce those risks. Although the BCPR identifies steps that must be taken to reduce the risks to health and performance that are associated with human space flight, the BCPR is not a "critical path" analysis in the strict engineering sense. The BCPR will evolve to accommodate new information and technology development and will enable NASA to conduct a formal critical path analysis in the future. As a management tool, the BCPR provides information for making informed decisions about research priorities and resource allocation. The outcome-driven nature of the BCPR makes it amenable for assessing the focus, progress and success of the Bioastronautics research and technology program. The BCPR is also a tool for communicating program priorities and progress to the research community and NASA management.

Development and evaluation of a risk communication curriculum for medical students.

PubMed

Han, Paul K J; Joekes, Katherine; Elwyn, Glyn; Mazor, Kathleen M; Thomson, Richard; Sedgwick, Philip; Ibison, Judith; Wong, John B

2014-01-01

To develop, pilot, and evaluate a curriculum for teaching clinical risk communication skills to medical students. A new experience-based curriculum, "Risk Talk," was developed and piloted over a 1-year period among students at Tufts University School of Medicine. An experimental study of 2nd-year students exposed vs. unexposed to the curriculum was conducted to evaluate the curriculum's efficacy. Primary outcome measures were students' objective (observed) and subjective (self-reported) risk communication competence; the latter was assessed using an Observed Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) employing new measures. Twenty-eight 2nd-year students completed the curriculum, and exhibited significantly greater (p<.001) objective and subjective risk communication competence than a convenience sample of 24 unexposed students. New observational measures of objective competence in risk communication showed promising evidence of reliability and validity. The curriculum was resource-intensive. The new experience-based clinical risk communication curriculum was efficacious, although resource-intensive. More work is needed to develop the feasibility of curriculum delivery, and to improve the measurement of competence in clinical risk communication. Risk communication is an important advanced communication skill, and the Risk Talk curriculum provides a model educational intervention and new assessment tools to guide future efforts to teach and evaluate this skill. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effect of Promoting High-Quality Staff Interactions on Fall Prevention in Nursing Homes: A Cluster-Randomized Trial.

PubMed

Colón-Emeric, Cathleen S; Corazzini, Kirsten; McConnell, Eleanor S; Pan, Wei; Toles, Mark; Hall, Rasheeda; Cary, Michael P; Batchelor-Murphy, Melissa; Yap, Tracey; Anderson, Amber L; Burd, Andrew; Amarasekara, Sathya; Anderson, Ruth A

2017-11-01

New approaches are needed to enhance implementation of complex interventions for geriatric syndromes such as falls. To test whether a complexity science-based staff training intervention (CONNECT) promoting high-quality staff interactions improves the impact of an evidence-based falls quality improvement program (FALLS). Cluster-randomized trial in 24 nursing homes receiving either CONNECT followed by FALLS (intervention), or FALLS alone (control). Nursing home staff in all positions were asked to complete surveys at baseline, 3, 6, and 9 months. Medical records of residents with at least 1 fall in the 6-month pre- and postintervention windows (n = 1794) were abstracted for fall risk reduction measures, falls, and injurious falls. CONNECT taught staff to improve their connections with coworkers, increase information flow, and use cognitive diversity in problem solving. Intervention components included 2 classroom sessions, relationship mapping, and self-monitoring. FALLS provided instruction in the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality's Falls Management Program. Primary outcomes were (1) mean number of fall risk reduction activities documented within 30 days of falls and (2) median fall rates among residents with at least 1 fall during the study period. In addition, validated scales measured staff communication quality, frequency, timeliness, and safety climate. Surveys were completed by 1545 staff members, representing 734 (37%) and 811 (44%) of eligible staff in intervention and control facilities, respectively; 511 (33%) respondents were hands-on care workers. Neither the CONNECT nor the FALLS-only facilities improved the mean count of fall risk reduction activities following FALLS (3.3 [1.6] vs 3.2 [1.5] of 10); furthermore, adjusted median recurrent fall rates did not differ between the groups (4.06 [interquartile range {IQR}, 2.03-8.11] vs 4.06 [IQR, 2.04-8.11] falls/resident/y). A modest improvement in staff communication measures was observed overall (mean, 0.03 [SE, 0.01] points on a 5-point scale; P = .03) and for communication timeliness (mean, 0.8 [SE, 0.03] points on a 5-point scale; P = .02). There was wide variation across facilities in intervention penetration. An intervention targeting gaps in staff communication and coordination did not improve the impact of a falls quality improvement program. New approaches to implementing evidence-based care for complex conditions in the nursing home are urgently needed. clinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT00636675.

Debating Nuclear Energy: Theories of Risk and Purposes of Communication.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mirel, Barbara

1994-01-01

Applies theoretical principles of risk perception and communication (from various psychological, social, political, and cultural dynamics) to a sample risk communication on nuclear energy to determine realistic expectations for persuasive risk communications. Stresses that rhetorical researchers need to explore and test the extent to which written…

Mental health consultant to law enforcement: Secret Service development of a Mental Health Liaison Program.

PubMed

Coggins, M H; Pynchon, M R

1998-01-01

The Mental Health Liaison Program developed and used by the Secret Service is presented as a model for comprehensive, multidimensional interactions between law enforcement and mental health systems, with particular focus on assessing and preventing violent behavior. The structure of the program pairs consultants--psychologists and psychiatrists--with Secret Service field offices to provide (a) consultation regarding risk assessment and case management of individuals who threaten or display inappropriate interest in the President or other protectees; (b) training for agents on risk assessment, mental illness, and mental health care issues; and (c) liaison activities between the Secret Service and the mental health community. Practical benefits to the Secret Service are discussed to encourage more systematic use of broad based psychological and psychiatric consultation to law enforcement, with a goal of enhanced intersystem communication and collaboration. The need for program evaluation and outcome research is discussed in the context of applying the model to improve other mental health and law enforcement systems interactions.

Parent–Adolescent Relationship Education (PARE): Program Delivery to Reduce Risks for Adolescent Pregnancy and STDs

PubMed Central

Lederman, Regina P.; Chan, Wenyaw; Roberts-Gray, Cynthia

2008-01-01

The first author recruited parent–adolescent dyads (N = 192) into after-school prevention education groups at middle schools in southeast Texas. This author placed participants in either (1) an Interactive Program (IP) in which they role-played, practiced resistance skills, and held parent–child discussions or (2) an Attention Control Program (ACP) that used the same curriculum but was delivered in a traditional, didactic format. Questionnaires administered at the beginning and end of the 4-session program and again after booster sessions in 3 subsequent semesters provided measures of social controls (eg, communication with parents) and self controls (eg, protection against risk) on the youths' sexual health behaviors. Linear mixed models adjusted for gender, age, and ethnicity showed that the IP, in comparison with the ACP, achieved significant gains in social control by increasing parental rules about having sex and other risky behaviors and also enhanced students' self-control by increasing their knowledge about prevention and enhancing resistance responses when pressured to have sex. PMID:18316271

Parent-adolescent relationship education (PARE): program delivery to reduce risks for adolescent pregnancy and STDs.

PubMed

Lederman, Regina P; Chan, Wenyaw; Roberts-Gray, Cynthia

2008-01-01

The first author recruited parent-adolescent dyads (N = 192) into after-school prevention education groups at middle schools in southeast Texas. This author placed participants in either (1) an Interactive Program (IP) in which they roleplayed, practiced resistance skills, and held parent-child discussions or (2) an Attention Control Program (ACP) that used the same curriculum but was delivered in a traditional, didactic format. Questionnaires administered at the beginning and end of the 4-session program and again after booster sessions in 3 subsequent semesters provided measures of social controls (eg, communication with parents) and self controls (eg, protection against risk) on the youths' sexual health behaviors. Linear mixed models adjusted for gender, age, and ethnicity showed that the IP, in comparison with the ACP, achieved significant gains in social control by increasing parental rules about having sex and other risky behaviors and also enhanced students' self-control by increasing their knowledge about prevention and enhancing resistance responses when pressured to have sex.

Consumer responses to communication about food risk management.

PubMed

van Dijk, Heleen; Houghton, Julie; van Kleef, Ellen; van der Lans, Ivo; Rowe, Gene; Frewer, Lynn

2008-01-01

Recent emphasis within policy circles has been on transparent communication with consumers about food risk management decisions and practices. As a consequence, it is important to develop best practice regarding communication with the public about how food risks are managed. In the current study, the provision of information about regulatory enforcement, proactive risk management, scientific uncertainty and risk variability were manipulated in an experiment designed to examine their impact on consumer perceptions of food risk management quality. In order to compare consumer reactions across different cases, three food hazards were selected (mycotoxins on organically grown food, pesticide residues, and a genetically modified potato). Data were collected from representative samples of consumers in Germany, Greece, Norway and the UK. Scores on the "perceived food risk management quality" scale were subjected to a repeated-measures mixed linear model. Analysis points to a number of important findings, including the existence of cultural variation regarding the impact of risk communication strategies-something which has obvious implications for pan-European risk communication approaches. For example, while communication of uncertainty had a positive impact in Germany, it had a negative impact in the UK and Norway. Results also indicate that food risk managers should inform the public about enforcement of safety laws when communicating scientific uncertainty associated with risks. This has implications for the coordination of risk communication strategies between risk assessment and risk management organizations.

ORGANIZATIONAL RISK COMMUNICATION

EPA Science Inventory

Ris communication tools in organizations differs in several ways from many of tools and techniques developed for public meetings. The traditional view of risk communication seeks to manage the public outrage ssociated with site-based issues. Organizational risk communication seek...

Risk Management Implementation Tool

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wright, Shayla L.

2004-01-01

Continuous Risk Management (CM) is a software engineering practice with processes, methods, and tools for managing risk in a project. It provides a controlled environment for practical decision making, in order to assess continually what could go wrong, determine which risk are important to deal with, implement strategies to deal with those risk and assure the measure effectiveness of the implemented strategies. Continuous Risk Management provides many training workshops and courses to teach the staff how to implement risk management to their various experiments and projects. The steps of the CRM process are identification, analysis, planning, tracking, and control. These steps and the various methods and tools that go along with them, identification, and dealing with risk is clear-cut. The office that I worked in was the Risk Management Office (RMO). The RMO at NASA works hard to uphold NASA s mission of exploration and advancement of scientific knowledge and technology by defining and reducing program risk. The RMO is one of the divisions that fall under the Safety and Assurance Directorate (SAAD). I worked under Cynthia Calhoun, Flight Software Systems Engineer. My task was to develop a help screen for the Continuous Risk Management Implementation Tool (RMIT). The Risk Management Implementation Tool will be used by many NASA managers to identify, analyze, track, control, and communicate risks in their programs and projects. The RMIT will provide a means for NASA to continuously assess risks. The goals and purposes for this tool is to provide a simple means to manage risks, be used by program and project managers throughout NASA for managing risk, and to take an aggressive approach to advertise and advocate the use of RMIT at each NASA center.

The power and the pain of adolescents' digital communication: Cyber victimization and the perils of lurking.

PubMed

Underwood, Marion K; Ehrenreich, Samuel E

2017-01-01

Many adolescents are heavily engaged with social media and text messaging (George & Odgers, 2015; Lenhart, 2015), yet few psychologists have studied what digital communication means for adolescents' relationships and adjustment. This article proposes that psychologists should embrace the careful study of adolescents' digital communication. We discuss theoretical frameworks for understanding adolescents' involvement with social media, present less widely recognized perils of intense involvement with social media, and highlight positive features of digital communication. Coconstruction theory suggests that adolescents help to create the content of digital communication that shapes their lives, and that there may be strong continuity between adolescents' offline and online lives (Subrahmanyam, Smahel, & Greenfield, 2006). However, psychological theories and research methods could further illuminate the power and the pain of adolescents' digital communication. Psychologists need to understand more about subtle but potentially serious risks that adolescents might face: The agony of victimization by even a single episode of cyberbullying and the pain of social exclusion and comparison resulting from vast amounts of time reading large social media feeds and seeing friends doing things without you and comparing your inner emotional experience to everyone else's highly groomed depictions of their seemingly marvelous lives. If we seek to understand developmental psychopathology and to help youth at risk, psychologists need to embrace careful study of the content of adolescents' online communication, parents need to talk with their children about their own online experiences and become familiar with social media themselves, and clinicians need to address adolescents' online social lives in prevention and treatment programs. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

The Power and the Pain of Adolescents’ Digital Communication: Cyber Victimization and the Perils of Lurking

PubMed Central

Underwood, Marion K.; Ehrenreich, Samuel E.

2016-01-01

Many adolescents are heavily engaged with social media and text messaging (George & Odgers, 2016; Lenhart, 2015), yet few psychologists have studied what digital communication means for adolescents’ relationships and adjustment. This paper proposes that psychologists should embrace the careful study of adolescents’ digital communication. We discuss theoretical frameworks for understanding adolescents’ involvement with social media, present less widely recognized perils of intense involvement with social media, and highlight positive features of digital communication. Co-construction theory suggests that adolescents help to create the content of digital communication that shapes their lives, and that there may be strong continuity between adolescents’ offline and online lives (Subrahmanyam, Smahel, & Greenfield, 2006). However, psychological theories and research methods could further illuminate the power and the pain of adolescents’ digital communication. Psychologists need to understand more about subtle but potentially serious risks that adolescents might face: the agony of victimization by even a single episode of cyberbullying and the pain of social exclusion and comparison resulting from vast amounts of time reading large social media feeds and seeing friends doing things without you and comparing your inner emotional experience to everyone else’s highly groomed depictions of their seemingly marvelous lives. If we seek to understand developmental psychopathology and to help youth at risk, psychologists need to embrace careful study of the content of adolescents’ online communication, parents need to talk with their children about their own online experiences and become familiar with social media themselves, and clinicians need to address adolescents’ online social lives in prevention and treatment programs. PMID:28221066

Is knowledge important? Empirical research on nuclear risk communication in two countries.

PubMed

Perko, Tanja; Zeleznik, Nadja; Turcanu, Catrinel; Thijssen, Peter

2012-06-01

Increasing audience knowledge is often set as a primary objective of risk communication efforts. But is it worthwhile focusing risk communication strategies solely on enhancing specific knowledge? The main research questions tackled in this paper were: (1) if prior audience knowledge related to specific radiation risks is influential for the perception of these risks and the acceptance of communicated messages and (2) if gender, attitudes, risk perception of other radiation risks, confidence in authorities, and living in the vicinity of nuclear/radiological installations may also play an important role in this matter. The goal of this study was to test empirically the mentioned predictors in two independent case studies in different countries. The first case study was an information campaign for iodine pre-distribution in Belgium (N = 1035). The second was the information campaign on long-term radioactive waste disposal in Slovenia (N = 1,200). In both cases, recurrent and intensive communication campaigns were carried out by the authorities aiming, among other things, at increasing specific audience knowledge. Results show that higher prior audience knowledge leads to more willingness to accept communicated messages, but it does not affect people’s perception of the specific risk communicated. In addition, the influence of prior audience knowledge on the acceptance of communicated messages is shown to be no stronger than that of general radiation risk perception. The results in both case studies suggest that effective risk communication has to focus not only on knowledge but also on other more heuristic predictors, such as risk perception or attitudes toward communicated risks.

Healthcare use for communicable diseases among migrant workers in comparison with Thai workers.

PubMed

Rakprasit, Jutarat; Nakamura, Keiko; Seino, Kaoruko; Morita, Ayako

2017-02-07

This study examines healthcare use in 2011 for communicable diseases among migrant workers compared with Thai workers in Thailand. The relative risks (RRs) of 14 communicable diseases (803,817 cases between ages 18 and 59) were calculated using the National Epidemiological Surveillance System, a nationwide hospital database. Regarding the migrant workers, 71.0% were Burmese and 17.3% were Cambodians. Significantly high comparative RRs for migrant workers were found for tuberculosis (TB) (male, RR=1.41; female, RR=2.33), sexually transmitted infections (STIs) (male, RR=2.39; female, RR=1.64), and malaria (male, RR=8.31; female, RR=11.45). Significantly low comparative RRs for migrant workers were found for diarrhea (male, RR=0.39; female, RR=0.28), food poisoning (male, RR=0.33; female, RR=0.24), dengue (male, RR=0.82; female, RR=0.68), and others. By occupation, RRs for TB and STIs were high among laborers but low among farmers. RRs for malaria among farmers (male, RR=18.26, female, RR=25.49) was higher than among laborers (male, RR=10.04; female, RR=13.93). The study indicated a higher risk of TB, STIs, and malaria for migrant workers, but a lower risk of diarrhea, food poisoning, dengue, and others. Although general health support program for migrants have promoted maternal and child health, prevention of communicable diseases should be further strengthened to meet the needs of migrants.

Risk and protective factors associated with adolescent girls' substance use: Data from a nationwide Facebook sample.

PubMed

Schwinn, Traci M; Schinke, Steven P; Hopkins, Jessica; Thom, Bridgette

2016-01-01

Despite overall reductions in teenage substance use, adolescent girls' rates of substance use remain unacceptably high. This article examines whether girls' substance use is associated with general risk and protective factors (goal setting, problem solving, refusal skills, peer use, and self-efficacy) and gender-specific risk and protective factors (communication style, coping skills, self-esteem, body image, perceived stress, anxiety, and depression). Cross-sectional data were collected in 2013 via online surveys from a nationwide sample of adolescent girls (N = 788), aged 13 and 14 years, who were recruited through Facebook. In multivariate analyses, controlling for correlates of adolescent substance use, 11 of the 13 general and gender-specific risk and protective factors were consistently associated with past-month alcohol, cigarette, and other drug use in the expected direction; past-month marijuana use was associated with 8 of the 13 factors. Refusal skills, peer use, coping, and depressive mood were most consistently and strongly associated with substance use. Substance abuse prevention programs targeting adolescent girls should focus on such general risk and protective factors as problem solving, refusal skills, peer influences, and self-efficacy, as well as such gender-specific risk and protective factors as communication style, coping, self-esteem, body image, perceived stress, and mood management.

[A virtual patient to improve doctor-patient communication : reality or fiction ?

PubMed

Bragard, I; Guillaume, M; Ghuysen, A; Servotte, J C; Ortiz, I; Pétré, B

2018-02-01

The transformations of the health system and the preferences of the patients themselves have led healthcare professionals to rethink the place and role of the patient in the healthcare system, putting the caregivercare relationship and communication at the heart of public health issues. The literature shows that empathic communication is associated with better adherence to treatment, better patient satisfaction and less litigation. However, the initial training programs of health professionals are little oriented towards this field. Moreover, they are mainly based on a direct transition from theory to clinical practice with all the risks that this entails for patients. Some recent studies suggest an interest in virtual reality simulation for the development of these communication skills. This article offers an overview of the potential of virtual clinical simulation as a complementary or even alternative method to traditional teaching methods. Different studies will illustrate these innovations in the training of physicians in clinical reasoning, empathic communication, and in a highly emotional situation such as breaking bad news.

Perceived Risk of Dengue in Ones' Living Environment as a Determinant of Behavior Change through Social Mobilization and Communication: Evidence from a High Risk Area in Sri Lanka.

PubMed

Banneheke, Hasini; Paranavitane, Sarath; Jayasuriya, Vathsala; Banneheka, Sarath

2016-09-01

The aim of this study was to assess community knowledge and behavioral impact of the social mobilization and communication strategy applied in a dengue high-risk area in Sri Lanka. A group of adults visiting selected primary care facilities in Colombo district were interviewed to collect socio-demographic data, attributes of knowledge regarding dengue and the responsive behaviors adopted by them following the dengue control program though the media and social marketing campaigns. These attributes were classified as 'good', 'fair,' or 'poor' by developing a composite scale for analysis and interpretation of data. The primary source of information was television in the majority. The overall knowledge of the disease, vector and control methods was poor. The overall level of contribution to dengue control activities was good. Awareness of the disease and its complications had not contributed to favorable behavior changes. While the social mobilization and behavior change campaign in Sri Lanka had low impact on knowledge and behaviors, a better understating of community perceptions of DF and how these perceptions are formulated within the social and cultural context; would be useful to improve uptake. This knowledge would be valuable for program planners to strengthen dengue control activities in SL and other similar settings across the region.

Rotavirus vaccination and intussusception – Science, surveillance, and safety: A review of evidence and recommendations for future research priorities in low and middle income countries

PubMed Central

Yen, Catherine; Healy, Kelly; Tate, Jacqueline E.; Parashar, Umesh D.; Bines, Julie; Neuzil, Kathleen; Santosham, Mathuram; Steele, A. Duncan

2016-01-01

ABSTRACT As of January 2016, 80 countries have introduced rotavirus vaccines into their national immunization programs. Many have documented significant declines in rotavirus-specific and all-cause diarrheal illnesses following vaccine introduction. Two globally licensed rotavirus vaccines have been associated with a low risk of intussusception in several studies. In July 2014, the Rotavirus Organization of Technical Allies Council convened a meeting of research and advocacy organizations, public health experts, funders, and vaccine manufacturers to discuss post-marketing intussusception surveillance and rotavirus vaccine impact data. Meeting objectives were to evaluate updated data, identify and prioritize research gaps, discuss best practices for intussusception monitoring in lower-income settings and risk communication, and provide insight to country-level stakeholders on best practices for intussusception monitoring and communication. Meeting participants agreed with statements from expert bodies that the benefits of vaccination with currently available rotavirus vaccines outweigh the low risk of vaccination-associated intussusception. However, further research is needed to better understand the relationship of intussusception to wild-type rotavirus and rotavirus vaccines and delineate potential etiologies and mechanisms of intussusception. Additionally, evidence from research and post-licensure evaluations should be presented with evidence of the benefits of vaccination to best inform policymakers deciding on vaccine introduction or vaccination program sustainability. PMID:27322835

Effect of Communication Errors During Calls to an Antimicrobial Stewardship Program

PubMed Central

Linkin, Darren R.; Fishman, Neil O.; Landis, J. Richard; Barton, Todd D.; Gluckman, Steven; Kostman, Jay; Metlay, Joshua P.

2011-01-01

Objective To determine the effect of inaccurate communication of patient data—from clinicians caring for inpatients to prior-approval antimicrobial stewardship programs (ASP) staff (practitioners)—on the incidence of inappropriate antimicrobial recommendations by ASP practitioners Design A retrospective cohort design was utilized. The accuracy of communicated patient data was evaluated against patients’ medical records for pre-determined, clinically significant inaccuracies. Inappropriate antimicrobial recommendations were defined when an expert panel unanimously rated the actual recommendations as inappropriate after reviewing vignettes derived from inpatients’ medical records. Setting The setting was an academic medical center with a prior-approval ASP. Patients All inpatient subjects of ASP prior-approval calls were eligible for inclusion. Results The panel agreed on whether the antimicrobial recommendation was inappropriate or not in 163 (82%) of 200 ASP calls; the 163 calls were then the basis for further analyses. After controlling for confounders, inaccurate communications were associated with inappropriate antimicrobial recommendations with an odds ratio (OR) of 2.2 (p=0.03). In secondary analyses of specific data types, only inaccuracies of microbiological data were associated with the study outcome (OR 7.5, p=0.002). The most common reason given by panelists for an inappropriate rating was that antimicrobials were not indicated. Conclusions Inaccurate communication of patient data, particularly microbiological data, during prior-approval calls is associated with an increased risk of inappropriate antimicrobial recommendations from the ASP. Clinicians and ASP practitioners should work to confirm critical communicated data prior to use in prescribing decisions. PMID:17994518

Testing Map Features Designed to Convey the Uncertainty of Cancer Risk: Insights Gained From Assessing Judgments of Information Adequacy and Communication Goals

PubMed Central

Severtson, Dolores J.

2015-01-01

Barriers to communicating the uncertainty of environmental health risks include preferences for certain information and low numeracy. Map features designed to communicate the magnitude and uncertainty of estimated cancer risk from air pollution were tested among 826 participants to assess how map features influenced judgments of adequacy and the intended communication goals. An uncertain versus certain visual feature was judged as less adequate but met both communication goals and addressed numeracy barriers. Expressing relative risk using words communicated uncertainty and addressed numeracy barriers but was judged as highly inadequate. Risk communication and visual cognition concepts were applied to explain findings. PMID:26412960

Testing Map Features Designed to Convey the Uncertainty of Cancer Risk: Insights Gained From Assessing Judgments of Information Adequacy and Communication Goals.

PubMed

Severtson, Dolores J

2015-02-01

Barriers to communicating the uncertainty of environmental health risks include preferences for certain information and low numeracy. Map features designed to communicate the magnitude and uncertainty of estimated cancer risk from air pollution were tested among 826 participants to assess how map features influenced judgments of adequacy and the intended communication goals. An uncertain versus certain visual feature was judged as less adequate but met both communication goals and addressed numeracy barriers. Expressing relative risk using words communicated uncertainty and addressed numeracy barriers but was judged as highly inadequate. Risk communication and visual cognition concepts were applied to explain findings.

Implementation of Risk Management in NASA's CEV Project- Ensuring Mission Success

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Perera, Jeevan; Holsomback, Jerry D.

2005-12-01

Most project managers know that Risk Management (RM) is essential to good project management. At NASA, standards and procedures to manage risk through a tiered approach have been developed - from the global agency-wide requirements down to a program or project's implementation. The basic methodology for NASA's risk management strategy includes processes to identify, analyze, plan, track, control, communicate and document risks. The identification, characterization, mitigation plan, and mitigation responsibilities associated with specific risks are documented to help communicate, manage, and effectuate appropriate closure. This approach helps to ensure more consistent documentation and assessment and provides a means of archiving lessons learned for future identification or mitigation activities.A new risk database and management tool was developed by NASA in 2002 and since has been used successfully to communicate, document and manage a number of diverse risks for the International Space Station, Space Shuttle, and several other NASA projects and programs including at the Johnson Space Center. Organizations use this database application to effectively manage and track each risk and gain insight into impacts from other organization's viewpoint to develop integrated solutions. Schedule, cost, technical and safety issues are tracked in detail through this system.Risks are tagged within the system to ensure proper review, coordination and management at the necessary management level. The database is intended as a day-to- day tool for organizations to manage their risks and elevate those issues that need coordination from above. Each risk is assigned to a managing organization and a specific risk owner who generates mitigation plans as appropriate. In essence, the risk owner is responsible for shepherding the risk through closure. The individual that identifies a new risk does not necessarily get assigned as the risk owner. Whoever is in the best position to effectuate comprehensive closure is assigned as the risk owner. Each mitigation plan includes the specific tasks that will be conducted to either decrease the likelihood of the risk occurring and/or lessen the severity of the consequences if they do occur. As each mitigation task is completed, the responsible managing organization records the completion of the task in the risk database and then re-scores the risk considering the task's results. By keeping scores updated, a managing organization's current top risks and risk posture can be readily identified including the status of any risk in the system.A number of metrics measure risk process trends from data contained in the database. This allows for trend analysis to further identify improvements to the process and assist in the management of all risks. The metrics will also scrutinize both the effectiveness and compliance of risk management requirements.The risk database is an evolving tool and will be continuously improved with capabilities requested by the NASA project community. This paper presents the basic foundations of risk management, the elements necessary for effective risk management, and the capabilities of this new risk database and how it is implemented to support NASA's risk management needs.

Evaluation of a visual risk communication tool: effects on knowledge and perception of blood transfusion risk.

PubMed

Lee, D H; Mehta, M D

2003-06-01

Effective risk communication in transfusion medicine is important for health-care consumers, but understanding the numerical magnitude of risks can be difficult. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of a visual risk communication tool on the knowledge and perception of transfusion risk. Laypeople were randomly assigned to receive transfusion risk information with either a written or a visual presentation format for communicating and comparing the probabilities of transfusion risks relative to other hazards. Knowledge of transfusion risk was ascertained with a multiple-choice quiz and risk perception was ascertained by psychometric scaling and principal components analysis. Two-hundred subjects were recruited and randomly assigned. Risk communication with both written and visual presentation formats increased knowledge of transfusion risk and decreased the perceived dread and severity of transfusion risk. Neither format changed the perceived knowledge and control of transfusion risk, nor the perceived benefit of transfusion. No differences in knowledge or risk perception outcomes were detected between the groups randomly assigned to written or visual presentation formats. Risk communication that incorporates risk comparisons in either written or visual presentation formats can improve knowledge and reduce the perception of transfusion risk in laypeople.

Defining moments in risk communication research: 1996-2005.

PubMed

McComas, Katherine A

2006-01-01

Ten years ago, scholars suggested that risk communication was embarking on a new phase that would give increased attention to the social contexts that surround and encroach on public responses to risk information. A decade later, many researchers have answered the call, with several defining studies examining the social and psychological influences on risk communication. This article reviews risk communication research appearing in the published literature since 1996. Among studies, social trust, the social amplification of risk framework, and the affect heuristic figured prominently. Also common were studies examining the influence of risk in the mass media. Among these were content analyses of media coverage of risk, as well as investigations of possible effects resulting from coverage. The use of mental models was a dominant method for developing risk message content. Other studies examined the use of risk comparisons, narratives, and visuals in the production of risk messages. Research also examined how providing information about a risk's severity, social norms, and efficacy influenced communication behaviors and intentions to follow risk reduction measures. Methods for conducting public outreach in health risk communication rounded out the literature.

Communicating Low-Probability High-Consequence Risk, Uncertainty and Expert Confidence: Induced Seismicity of Deep Geothermal Energy and Shale Gas.

PubMed

Knoblauch, Theresa A K; Stauffacher, Michael; Trutnevyte, Evelina

2018-04-01

Subsurface energy activities entail the risk of induced seismicity including low-probability high-consequence (LPHC) events. For designing respective risk communication, the scientific literature lacks empirical evidence of how the public reacts to different written risk communication formats about such LPHC events and to related uncertainty or expert confidence. This study presents findings from an online experiment (N = 590) that empirically tested the public's responses to risk communication about induced seismicity and to different technology frames, namely deep geothermal energy (DGE) and shale gas (between-subject design). Three incrementally different formats of written risk communication were tested: (i) qualitative, (ii) qualitative and quantitative, and (iii) qualitative and quantitative with risk comparison. Respondents found the latter two the easiest to understand, the most exact, and liked them the most. Adding uncertainty and expert confidence statements made the risk communication less clear, less easy to understand and increased concern. Above all, the technology for which risks are communicated and its acceptance mattered strongly: respondents in the shale gas condition found the identical risk communication less trustworthy and more concerning than in the DGE conditions. They also liked the risk communication overall less. For practitioners in DGE or shale gas projects, the study shows that the public would appreciate efforts in describing LPHC risks with numbers and optionally risk comparisons. However, there seems to be a trade-off between aiming for transparency by disclosing uncertainty and limited expert confidence, and thereby decreasing clarity and increasing concern in the view of the public. © 2017 Society for Risk Analysis.

"Saving Sex for Later": Developing a Parent-Child Communication Intervention to Delay Sexual Initiation among Young Adolescents

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

O'Donnell, Lydia; Wilson-Simmons, Renee; Dash, Kim; Jeanbaptiste, Varzi; Myint-U, Athi; Moss, Jesse; Stueve, Ann

2007-01-01

Young adolescents in communities with high rates of early sexual initiation are at risk of multiple negative health outcomes. Although sex education programs for this age group are often controversial, surveys document that many mothers and fathers would appreciate guidance about how to discuss sexuality with their children. This paper presents an…

Using Probabilistic Terrorism Risk Modeling for Regulatory Benefit-Cost Analysis. Application to the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative Implemented in the Land Environment

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-05-01

Dixon and Stern, 2004), and gun violence prevention programs ( Tita et al., 2003). As DHS considers promulgating regulations and implementing new...communication 2/21/07. Tita , G., K. J. Riley, G. Ridgeway, C. A. Grammich, A. Abrahamse, and P. W. Greenwood (2003), Reducing Gun Violence: Results

Examining communication- and media-based recreational sedentary behaviors among Canadian youth: results from the COMPASS study.

PubMed

Leatherdale, Scott T; Harvey, Amanda

2015-05-01

To examine the prevalence of different communication- and media-based sedentary behaviors and examine how they are associated with modifiable risk behaviors and key demographic correlates among a large sample of youth. Data from 23,031 grade 9 to grade 12 students in Year 1 (2012-2013) of the COMPASS study (Canada) were used to examine the prevalence of sedentary behaviors by gender and by grade. The between-school variance in sedentary behaviors was calculated and models were developed to examine how modifiable risk factors and demographic correlates were associated with sedentary behaviors. Youth averaged 494 (± 313) min/day of sedentary behavior and 96.7% of the sample exceeded the sedentary behavior guidelines of no more than 2h per day. Significant between-school random variation in the sedentary behaviors was identified. Substance use, weight status, ethnicity, and gender were the main predictors of the sedentary behaviors examined. The vast majority of youth in the COMPASS sample are considered highly sedentary. The evidence clearly suggests we need to develop more effective methods of intervening, that school-based programming is warranted, and that gender-specific programming may be required. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Grassroots Engagement and the University of Washington: Evaluating Science Communication Training Created by Graduate Students for Graduate Students

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rohde, J. A.; Clarkson, M.; Houghton, J.; Chen, W.

2016-12-01

Science graduate students increasingly seek science communication training, yet many do not have easy access to training programs. Students often rely on a "do it yourself" approach to gaining communication skills, and student created science communication programs are increasingly found at universities and institutions across the U.S. In 2010, graduate students at the University of Washington led a grassroots effort to improve their own communication and outreach by creating "The Engage Program." With a focus on storytelling and public speaking, this graduate level course not only trains students in science communication but also gives them real world experience practicing that training at a public speaker series at Town Hall Seattle. The Engage Program was fortunate in that it was able to find institutional champions at University of Washington and secure funding to sustain the program over the long-term. However, many grassroots communication programs find it difficult to gain institutional support if there is a perceived lack of alignment with university priorities or lack of return on investment. In order to justify and incentivize institutional support for instruction in science communication, student leaders within the program initiated, designed and carried out an evaluation of their own program focused on assessing the impact of student communication, evaluating the effectiveness of the program in teaching communication skills, and quantifying the benefits of communication training to both the students and their institution. Project leaders created the opportunity for this evaluation by initiating a crowdfunding campaign, which has helped to further engage public support of science communication and incentivized student participation in the program, and may also inspire future program leaders to pursue similar program optimizations.

Quality Indicators for Multidisciplinary Team Functioning in Community-Based Children’s Mental Health Services

PubMed Central

Kutash, Krista; Acri, Mary; Pollock, Michele; Armusewicz, Kelsey; Hoagwood, Kimberly Eaton

2014-01-01

The current study examined the organizational social context in 21 community-based programs serving youth at-risk for out-of-home care due to emotional or behavioral disorders and their families and program performance on five quality indicators of team functioning in teams that included a family support specialist. Results indicate that programs with higher performance on structures to facilitate teamwork, informal communication mechanisms among team members, and the ability to integrate family support specialists as equal members of the team showed more positive organizational functioning. Implications for the role of quality indicators in health care reform efforts are discussed. PMID:23873037

Observations, Ideas, and Opinions: Systems Engineering and Integration for Return to Flight

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gafka, George K.

2006-01-01

This presentation addresses project management and systems engineering and integration challenges for return to flight, focusing on the Thermal Protection System Tile Repair Project (TRP). The program documentation philosophy, communication with program requirements flow and philosophy and planned deliverables and documentation are outlined. The development of TRP 'use-as-is' analytical tools is also highlighted and emphasis is placed on the use flight history to assess pre-flight and real-time risk. Additionally, an overview is provided of the repair procedure, including an outline of the logistics deployment chart.

Risk/Benefit Communication about Food-A Systematic Review of the Literature.

PubMed

Frewer, L J; Fischer, A R H; Brennan, M; Bánáti, D; Lion, R; Meertens, R M; Rowe, G; Siegrist, M; Verbeke, W; Vereijken, C M J L

2016-07-26

A systematic review relevant to the following research questions was conducted (1) the extent to which different theoretical frameworks have been applied to food risk/benefit communication and (2) the impact such food risk/benefit communication interventions have had on related risk/benefit attitudes and behaviors. Fifty four papers were identified. The analysis revealed that (primarily European or US) research interest has been relatively recent. Certain food issues were of greater interest to researchers than others, perhaps reflecting the occurrence of a crisis, or policy concern. Three broad themes relevant to the development of best practice in risk (benefit) communication were identified: the characteristics of the target population; the contents of the information; and the characteristics of the information sources. Within these themes, independent and dependent variables differed considerably. Overall, acute risk (benefit) communication will require advances in communication process whereas chronic communication needs to identify audience requirements. Both citizen's risk/benefit perceptions and (if relevant) related behaviors need to be taken into account, and recommendations for behavioral change need to be concrete and actionable. The application of theoretical frameworks to the study of risk (benefit) communication was infrequent, and developing predictive models of effective risk (benefit) communication may be contingent on improved theoretical perspectives.

Communicating vaccine safety in the context of immunization programs in low resource settings.

PubMed

Arwanire, Edison M; Mbabazi, William; Mugyenyi, Possy

2015-01-01

Vaccines are effective in preventing infectious diseases and their complications, hence reducing morbidity and infectious disease mortaity. Successful immunization programs, however, depend on high vaccine acceptance and coverage rates. In recent years there has been an increased level of public concern towards real or perceived adverse events associated with immunizations, leading to many people in high- as well as low-resource settings to refuse vaccines. Health care workers therefore must be able to provide parents and guardians of children with the most current and accurate information about the benefits and risks of vaccination. Communicating vaccine safety using appropriate channels plays a crucial role in maintaining public trust and confidence in vaccination programs. Several factors render this endeavor especially challenging in low-resource settings where literacy rates are low and access to information is often limited. Many languages are spoken in most countries in low-resource settings, making the provision of appropriate information difficult. Poor infrastructure often results in inadequate logistics. Recently, some concerned consumer groups have been able to propagate misinformation and rumors. To successfully communicate vaccine safety in a resource limited setting it is crucial to use a mix of communication channels that are both culturally acceptable and effective. Social mobilization through cultural, administrative and political leaders, the media or text messages (SMS) as well as the adoption of the Village Health Team (VHT) strategy whereby trained community members (Community Health Workers (CHWs)) are providing primary healthcare, can all be effective in increasing the demand for immunization.

Institutionalizing Lessons Learned

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

McBrayer, Robert O.; Thomas, Dale

2001-01-01

The NASA Integrated Action Team (NIAT) was formed by the NASA Administrator in March 2000. The purpose of this team was to identify the actions that NASA must take to address systemic findings reported in 4 different anomaly investigations. Team membership represented senior managers from all the field centers and NASA Headquarters. NIAT report addressed 165 findings and developed 17 action plans that are described in five themes: people and teams, technology, risk, formulation rigor, and communications. The NIAT actions present a systems solution for strengthening formulation and implementation of programs and improving the environment for their support. NIAT results included: enhancing success by avoiding failures that could have been prevented through good planning and sound practice; ensuring that prudent risks do not compromise safety; and ensuring that mission risks are objectively assessed, appropriately mitigated and consciously accepted by the program team and customers. Definitions of Faster, Better, Cheaper and Success Criteria were also developed and included as part of the NIAT report. As a result of the NIAT report, program and project management process changes were incorporated into NASA's quality system documentation, including NPG 7120.513, "NASA Program and Project Management Processes and Requirements. This paper describes the NIAT results and the resulting updates to NPG 7120.5 that keep this program and project management description a living process.

Risk communication in the case of the Fukushima accident: Impact of communication and lessons to be learned.

PubMed

Perko, Tanja

2016-10-01

Risk communication about the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant accident in 2011 was often not transparent, timely, clear, nor factually correct. However, lessons related to risk communication have been identified and some of them are already addressed in national and international communication programmes and strategies. The Fukushima accident may be seen as a practice scenario for risk communication with important lessons to be learned. As a result of risk communication failures during the accident, the world is now better prepared for communication related to nuclear emergencies than it was 5 years ago The present study discusses the impact of communication, as applied during the Fukushima accident, and the main lessons learned. It then identifies pathways for transparent, timely, clear and factually correct communication to be developed, practiced and applied in nuclear emergency communication before, during, and after nuclear accidents. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2016;12:683-686. © 2016 SETAC. © 2016 SETAC.

An update on risk communication in the Arctic

PubMed Central

Krümmel, Eva-Maria; Gilman, Andrew

2016-01-01

Background Arctic residents can be exposed to a wide range of contaminants through consumption of traditional (country) foods (i.e. food from wild animals and plants that are hunted, caught or collected locally in the Arctic). Yet these foods provide excellent nutrition, promote social cohesion, meet some spiritual needs for connectedness to the land and water, reinforce cultural ties, are economically important and promote overall good health for many. The risk and benefit balance associated with the consumption of traditional Arctic foods is complicated to communicate and has been referred to as the “Arctic Dilemma”. This article gives an update on health risk communication in the Arctic region. It briefly summarizes some research on risk communication methodologies as well as approaches to an evaluation of the outcomes of risk communication initiatives. It provides information on specific initiatives in several Arctic countries, and particularly those that were directed at Indigenous populations. This article also summarizes some international versus local risk communication activities and the complexity of developing and delivering messages designed for different audiences. Finally, the potential application of social media for risk communication and a summary of “best practices” based on published literature and a survey of Inuit in a few Arctic countries are described. Conclusion Several of the risk communication initiatives portrayed in this article indicate that there is only limited awareness of the outcome of risk communication messages. In some cases, risk communication efforts appear to have been successful, at least when effectiveness is measured in an indirect way, for example, by lower contaminant levels. However, due to missing effectiveness evaluation studies, uncertainty remains as to whether a specific risk communication method was successful and could be clearly linked to behavioural changes that resulted in decreased contaminant exposure. PMID:27974140

Risk communication of vaccines: challenges in the post-trust environment.

PubMed

Bouder, Frederic

2015-01-01

Highly publicised vaccine scares and recent debates about the risks suggest that public trust in immunisation programmes is fragile. For instance, the recent outbreak of Measles in Wales was the direct result of almost fifteen years of distrust for the MMR vaccine in the UK. This article shows how the latest science on risk communication will help critical actors, especially policy-makers, to build trust when they communicate risks to citizens and patients. The article offers policy advice on risk communication based on the results of three vaccines case studies. Five procedural principles which were developed for the UK government - the so-called "five As" of public risk communication are used to structure the discussion. Conclusions and recommendations suggest ways to move forward and build a two-way proactive risk communication practice.

Comparative effectiveness of audit-feedback versus additional physician communication training to improve cancer screening for patients with limited health literacy.

PubMed

Price-Haywood, Eboni G; Harden-Barrios, Jewel; Cooper, Lisa A

2014-08-01

We designed a continuing medical education (CME) program to teach primary care physicians (PCP) how to engage in cancer risk communication and shared decision making with patients who have limited health literacy (HL). We evaluated whether training PCPs, in addition to audit-feedback, improves their communication behaviors and increases cancer screening among patients with limited HL to a greater extent than only providing clinical performance feedback. Four-year cluster randomized controlled trial. Eighteen PCPs and 168 patients with limited HL who were overdue for colorectal/breast/cervical cancer screening. Communication intervention PCPs received skills training that included standardized patient (SP) feedback on counseling behaviors. All PCPs underwent chart audits of patients' screening status semiannually up to 24 months and received two annual performance feedback reports. PCPs experienced three unannounced SP encounters during which SPs rated PCP communication behaviors. We examined between-group differences in changes in SP ratings and patient knowledge of cancer screening guidelines over 12 months; and changes in patient cancer screening rates over 24 months. There were no group differences in SP ratings of physician communication at baseline. At follow-up, communication intervention PCPs were rated higher in general communication about cancer risks and shared decision making related to colorectal cancer screening compared to PCPs who only received performance feedback. Screening rates increased among patients of PCPs in both groups; however, there were no between-group differences in screening rates except for mammography. The communication intervention did not improve patient cancer screening knowledge. Compared to audit and feedback alone, including PCP communication training increases PCP patient-centered counseling behaviors, but not cancer screening among patients with limited HL. Larger studies must be conducted to determine whether lack of changes in cancer screening were due to clinic/patient sample size versus ineffectiveness of communication training to change outcomes.

Linking International Development Actors to Geophysical Infrastructure: Exploring an IRIS Community Role in Bridging a Communications Gap

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lerner-Lam, A.; Aster, R.; Beck, S.; Ekstrom, G.; Fisher, K.; Meltzer, A.; Nyblade, A.; Sandvol, E.; Willemann, R.

2008-12-01

Over the past quarter century, national investments in high-fidelity digital seismograph networks have resulted in a global infrastructure for real-time in situ earthquake monitoring. Many network operators adhere to community-developed standards, with the result that there are few technical impediments to data sharing and real-time information exchange. Two unanswered questions, however, are whether the existing models of international collaboration will ensure the stability and sustainability of global earthquake monitoring, and whether the participating institutions can work with international development agencies and non- governmental organizations in meeting linked development and natural hazard risk reduction goals. Since the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, many of these actors are enlarging their commitments to natural hazard risk reduction and building national technical capacities, among broader programs in poverty alleviation and adaptation to environmental stress. Despite this renewed commitment, international development organizations, with notable exceptions, have been relatively passive in discussions of how the existing earthquake monitoring infrastructure could be leveraged to support risk-reduction programs and meet sustainable development goals. At the same time, the international seismological community - comprising universities and government seismological surveys - has built research and education initiatives such as EarthScope, AfricaArray, and similar programs in China, Europe and South America, that use innovative instrumentation technologies and deployment strategies to enable new science and applications, and promote education and training in critical sectors. Can these developments be combined? Recognizing this communication or knowledge gap, the IRIS International Working Group (IWG) explores the link between the activities of IRIS Members using IRIS facilities and the missions of international development agencies, such as US AID, the World Bank, other international development banks, and agencies of the United Nations. Interests of US seismologists are served by encouraging development of modern seismographic systems in countries around the world to collect data that are useful in research as well as hazard mitigation and other national interests. Activities of the IWG to date include communicating the benefits of geophysical infrastructure and training to disaster risk reduction programs within the United Nations and development banks, coordinating an initiative to leverage retired PASSCAL data loggers through long-term loans to network operators in foreign countries, preparing a white paper outlining IRIS capabilities relevant to international development, and conducting a workshop, "Out of Africa", on modernizing geophysical infrastructure in the Americas and Southeast Asia through projects that are closely tied to university education and academic research.

Academic-Community Partnership to Develop a Patient-Centered Breast Cancer Risk Reduction Program for Latina Primary Care Patients.

PubMed

Castañeda, Sheila F; Giacinto, Rebeca E; Medeiros, Elizabeth A; Brongiel, Ilana; Cardona, Olga; Perez, Patricia; Talavera, Gregory A

2016-06-01

This collaborative study sought to address Latina breast cancer (BC) disparities by increasing health literacy (HL) in a community health center situated on the US-Mexico border region of San Diego County. An academic-community partnership conducted formative research to develop a culturally tailored promotora-based intervention with 109 individuals. The Spanish language program, entitled Nuestra Cocina: Mesa Buena, Vida Sana (Our Kitchen: Good Table, Healthy Life), included six sessions targeting HL, women's health, BC risk reduction, and patient-provider communication; sessions include cooking demonstrations of recipes with cancer-risk-reducing ingredients. A pilot study with 47 community health center Latina patients was conducted to examine the program's acceptability, feasibility, and ability to impact knowledge and skills. Pre- and post-analyses demonstrated that participants improved their self-reported cancer screening, BC knowledge, daily fruit and vegetable intake, and ability to read a nutrition label (p < 0.05). Results of the pilot study demonstrate the importance of utilizing patient-centered culturally appropriate noninvasive means to educate and empower Latina patients.

Design of the BRISC study: a multicentre controlled clinical trial to optimize the communication of breast cancer risks in genetic counselling.

PubMed

Ockhuysen-Vermey, Caroline F; Henneman, Lidewij; van Asperen, Christi J; Oosterwijk, Jan C; Menko, Fred H; Timmermans, Daniëlle R M

2008-10-03

Understanding risks is considered to be crucial for informed decision-making. Inaccurate risk perception is a common finding in women with a family history of breast cancer attending genetic counseling. As yet, it is unclear how risks should best be communicated in clinical practice. This study protocol describes the design and methods of the BRISC (Breast cancer RISk Communication) study evaluating the effect of different formats of risk communication on the counsellee's risk perception, psychological well-being and decision-making regarding preventive options for breast cancer. The BRISC study is designed as a pre-post-test controlled group intervention trial with repeated measurements using questionnaires. The intervention-an additional risk consultation-consists of one of 5 conditions that differ in the way counsellee's breast cancer risk is communicated: 1) lifetime risk in numerical format (natural frequencies, i.e. X out of 100), 2) lifetime risk in both numerical format and graphical format (population figures), 3) lifetime risk and age-related risk in numerical format, 4) lifetime risk and age-related risk in both numerical format and graphical format, and 5) lifetime risk in percentages. Condition 6 is the control condition in which no intervention is given (usual care). Participants are unaffected women with a family history of breast cancer attending one of three participating clinical genetic centres in the Netherlands. The BRISC study allows for an evaluation of the effects of different formats of communicating breast cancer risks to counsellees. The results can be used to optimize risk communication in order to improve informed decision-making among women with a family history of breast cancer. They may also be useful for risk communication in other health-related services. Current Controlled Trials ISRCTN14566836.

NASA compendium of satellite communications programs

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1975-01-01

A comprehensive review is given of worldwide satellite communication programs that range in time from the inception of satellite communications to mid-1974. Particular emphasis is placed on program results, including experiments conducted, communications system operational performance, and technology employed. The background for understanding these results is established through brief summaries of the program organization, system configuration, and satellite and ground terminal characteristics. Major consideration is given to the communications system aspects of each program, but general spacecraft technology and other experiments conducted as part of the same program are mentioned summarily.

An electronic patient risk communication board.

PubMed

Ohashi, Kumiko; Caligtan, Christine A; Benoit, Angela N; Breydo, Eugene M; Carroll, Diane L; Keohane, Carol A; Bates, David W; Dykes, John S; Dykes, Patricia C

2012-01-01

Communication failures have been identified as the root cause of the majority of medical malpractice claims and patient safety violations. We believe it is essential to share key patient risk information with healthcare team members at the patient's bedside. In this study, we developed an electronic Patient Risk Communication Board (ePRCB) to assist in bridging the communication gap between all health care team members. The goal of the ePRCB is to effectively communicate the patient's key risk factors, such as a fall risk or risk of aspiration, to the healthcare team and to reduce adverse events caused by communication failures. The ePRCB will transmit patient risk information and tailored interventions with easy-to-understand icons on an LCD screen at the point of care. A set of patient risk reminder icons was developed and validated by focus groups. We used the results of the evaluation to refine the icons for the ePRCB.

An Electronic Patient Risk Communication Board

PubMed Central

Ohashi, Kumiko; Caligtan, Christine A.; Benoit, Angela N.; Breydo, Eugene M.; Carroll, Diane L.; Keohane, Carol A.; Bates, David W.; Dykes, John S.; Dykes, Patricia C.

2012-01-01

Communication failures have been identified as the root cause of the majority of medical malpractice claims and patient safety violations. We believe it is essential to share key patient risk information with healthcare team members at the patient’s bedside. In this study, we developed an electronic Patient Risk Communication Board (ePRCB) to assist in bridging the communication gap between all health care team members. The goal of the ePRCB is to effectively communicate the patient’s key risk factors, such as a fall risk or risk of aspiration, to the healthcare team and to reduce adverse events caused by communication failures. The ePRCB will transmit patient risk information and tailored interventions with easy-to-understand icons on an LCD screen at the point of care. A set of patient risk reminder icons was developed and validated by focus groups. We used the results of the evaluation to refine the icons for the ePRCB. PMID:24199109

Maternal verbal responses to communication of infants at low and heightened risk of autism.

PubMed

Leezenbaum, Nina B; Campbell, Susan B; Butler, Derrecka; Iverson, Jana M

2014-08-01

This study investigates mothers' responses to infant communication among infants at heightened genetic risk (high risk) of autism spectrum disorder compared to infants with no such risk (low risk). A total of 26 infants, 12 of whom had an older sibling with autism spectrum disorder, were observed during naturalistic in-home interaction and semistructured play with their mothers at 13 and 18 months of age. Results indicate that overall, mothers of low-risk and high-risk infants were highly and similarly responsive to their infants' communicative behaviors. However, examination of infant vocal and gestural communication development together with maternal verbal responses and translations (i.e. verbally labeling a gesture referent) suggests that delays in early communication development observed among high-risk infants may alter the input that these infants receive; this in turn may have cascading effects on the subsequent development of communication and language. © The Author(s) 2013.

Herbicides and forest ecosystems - approaches to risk communication

Treesearch

Charles K. McMahon

1992-01-01

Abstract.It has become apparent to many risk experts that without good communication, risk assessment and risk management efforts may be largely in vain. For the public, perception is reality when it comes to the interpretation of risk information and the shaping of regulatory policy. The findings of several- risk communication experts are reviewed...

Examining the Acceptability of mHealth Technology in HIV Prevention Among High-Risk Drug Users in Treatment.

PubMed

Shrestha, Roman; Huedo-Medina, Tania B; Altice, Frederick L; Krishnan, Archana; Copenhaver, Michael

2017-11-01

Despite promising trends of the efficacy of mobile health (mHealth) based strategies to a broad range of health conditions, very few if any studies have been done in terms of the examining the use of mHealth in HIV prevention efforts among people who use drugs in treatment. Thus, the goal of this study was to gain insight into the real-world acceptance of mHealth approaches among high-risk people who use drugs in treatment. A convenience sample of 400 HIV-negative drug users, who reported drug- and/or sex-related risk behaviors, were recruited from a methadone clinic in New Haven, Connecticut. Participants completed standardized assessments of drug- and sex-related risk behaviors, neurocognitive impairment (NCI), and measures of communication technology access and utilization, and mHealth acceptance. We found a high prevalence of current ownership and use of mobile technologies, such as cell phone (91.5%) including smartphone (63.5%). Participants used mobile technologies to communicate mostly through phone calls (M = 4.25, SD = 1.24), followed by text messages (M = 4.21, SD = 1.29). Participants expressed interest in using mHealth for medication reminders (72.3%), receive information about HIV (65.8%), and to assess drug-related (72.3%) and sex-related behaviors (64.8%). Furthermore, participants who were neurocognitively impaired were more likely to use cell phone without internet and show considerable interest in using mHealth as compared to those without NCI. The findings from this study provide empirical evidence that mHealth-based programs, specifically cell phone text messaging-based health programs, may be acceptable to this high-risk population.

The effects of crew resource management on teamwork and safety climate at Veterans Health Administration facilities.

PubMed

Schwartz, Miriam E; Welsh, Deborah E; Paull, Douglas E; Knowles, Regina S; DeLeeuw, Lori D; Hemphill, Robin R; Essen, Keith E; Sculli, Gary L

2017-11-09

Communication failure is a significant source of adverse events in health care and a leading root cause of sentinel events reported to the Joint Commission. The Veterans Health Administration National Center for Patient Safety established Clinical Team Training (CTT) as a comprehensive program to enhance patient safety and to improve communication and teamwork among health care professionals. CTT is based on techniques used in aviation's Crew Resource Management (CRM) training. The aviation industry has reached a significant safety record in large part related to the culture change generated by CRM and sustained by its recurrent implementation. This article focuses on the improvement of communication, teamwork, and patient safety by utilizing a standardized, CRM-based, interprofessional, immersive training in diverse clinical areas. The Teamwork and Safety Climate Questionnaire was used to evaluate safety climate before and after CTT. The scores for all of the 27 questions on the questionnaire showed an increase from baseline to 12 months, and 11 of those increases were statistically significant. A recurrent training is recommended to maintain the positive outcomes. CTT enhances patient safety and reduces risk of patient harm by improving teamwork and facilitating clear, concise, specific and timely communication among health care professionals. © 2017 American Society for Healthcare Risk Management of the American Hospital Association.

Risk Communication and the Pharmaceutical Industry: what is the reality?

PubMed

Edwards, Brian; Chakraborty, Sweta

2012-11-01

Risk communication is central to the risk management strategy of a pharmaceutical company. Pharmaceutical companies primarily communicate risk through labelling tools such as the Summary of Product Characteristics (SmPC), package insert, patient information leaflet (PIL) and the carton, which are currently regulated based on templates such as those of the EU. Recent research raises concern about how effective the SmPC is alone in communicating risk. There is some evidence that carton design can influence risk comprehension. Processes to check new trade names cannot be confused with existing names is a simple measure to mitigate one form of risk. Given the central role and the vast amount of resource that is consumed, it is surprising there has not been extensive original research to see whether product information such as the SmPC is a good tool for communicating risk. Recently, EU agencies have assessed the communication value of the PIL and revised the template and guidelines. However, no evaluation of user testing has been conducted at European level since the introduction of these new requirements. As regards 'Dear Healthcare Professional Communications', there is inconsistent evidence about their ability to change patient and physician behaviour. There is a dearth of evidence about what sort of communications materials are the most effective under which circumstances. The use of templates restricts the flexibility of companies to adapt their risk messages to their targets. Effective communication requires understanding how different audiences perceive the message and what the fundamental drivers are for altering patient and prescriber behaviour to be safer. This requires careful consideration of the relationship between risk communication, perception and management. However, the focus of a company's risk communication plan is normally on the International Conference on Harmonisation (ICH) regions and their regulations. Although the same regulatory tools are used globally, we are not aware of any research into their effectiveness outside the ICH regions. What listed companies can communicate about benefits and risks is strongly influenced by the obligations of companies to the market and investors. There needs to be internal coordination for simultaneous release. Internal communications about significant issues should be restricted to those who know how to manage the risk of insider dealing from internal communications that may later be made public. Unfortunately, there is evidence that some companies do not have a cohesive strategy for communicating risk which should take into account all forms of promotional material and company-sponsored information sources on the Internet. A pharmaceutical company is not the only stakeholder responsible for communicating risks on their products. However, the relative roles and responsibilities of all relevant stakeholders are not defined and are often unclear. This means it is difficult to evaluate whether a company's actions might be duplicative or inefficient. We recommend that companies have a dedicated communications group whose role is to coordinate the company's communications strategy mapped to objectives that have been agreed with key stakeholders apart from just regulatory agencies. This same group can assess effectiveness of the communications, monitor audience reaction and adjust the communication strategy accordingly.

The communication media in postliteracy education: New dimensions of literacy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Semali, Ladislaus M.

1993-05-01

Postliteracy programs have been used to produce written materials for newly literate adults, but this narrow view falls short of preventing relapse into illiteracy. Furthermore, the gradual move away from mass educational programs and government financing of education has put postliteracy at greater risk. This study tests levels of retention of literacy among neo-literates in Tanzania who gained a literacy certificate five years ago. Some modest success is noted. The pattern of radio broadcasting, newspaper coverage and library provision in the country is summarized, and the influence of these media on literacy retention assessed. Investment in them is seen as crucial to the maintenance of literacy. However, it is also suggested that the cultural context cannot be overlooked, that the importance of oral communication does not swiftly diminish and that excessive emphasis on functional postliteracy texts does not coincide with the leisure-time interests of neo-literates.

RISK COMMUNICATION AS A RISK MANAGEMENT TOOL: A RISK COMMUNICATION WORKBOOK

EPA Science Inventory

Communicating information about environmental risk to the people most affected by it is one of the major challenges faced by risk managers and community decision makers. Changing human behavior is a far more complex task than designing water retention systems or managing storm wa...

Communication Electronics. Florida Vocational Program Guide.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

University of South Florida, Tampa. Dept. of Adult and Vocational Education.

This packet contains a program guide and Career Merit Achievement Plan (Career MAP) for the implementation of a communication electronics (communications technician) program in Florida secondary and postsecondary schools. The program guide describes the program content and structure, provides a program description, lists job titles under the…

Multi-dimensional perspectives of flood risk - using a participatory framework to develop new approaches to flood risk communication

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rollason, Edward; Bracken, Louise; Hardy, Richard; Large, Andy

2017-04-01

Flooding is a major hazard across Europe which, since, 1998 has caused over €52 million in damages and displaced over half a million people. Climate change is predicted to increase the risks posed by flooding in the future. The 2007 EU Flood Directive cemented the use of flood risk maps as a central tool in understanding and communicating flood risk. Following recent flooding in England, an urgent need to integrate people living at risk from flooding into flood management approaches, encouraging flood resilience and the up-take of resilient activities has been acknowledged. The effective communication of flood risk information plays a major role in allowing those at risk to make effective decisions about flood risk and increase their resilience, however, there are emerging concerns over the effectiveness of current approaches. The research presented explores current approaches to flood risk communication in England and the effectiveness of these methods in encouraging resilient actions before and during flooding events. The research also investigates how flood risk communications could be undertaken more effectively, using a novel participatory framework to integrate the perspectives of those living at risk. The research uses co-production between local communities and researchers in the environmental sciences, using a participatory framework to bring together local knowledge of flood risk and flood communications. Using a local competency group, the research explores what those living at risk from flooding want from flood communications in order to develop new approaches to help those at risk understand and respond to floods. Suggestions for practice are refined by the communities to co-produce recommendations. The research finds that current approaches to real-time flood risk communication fail to forecast the significance of predicted floods, whilst flood maps lack detailed information about how floods occur, or use scientific terminology which people at risk find confusing or lacking in realistic grounding. This means users do not have information they find useful to make informed decisions about how to prepare for and respond to floods. Working together with at-risk participants, the research has developed new approaches for communicating flood risk. These approaches focus on understanding flood mechanisms and dynamics, to help participants imagine their flood risk and link potential scenarios to reality, and provide forecasts of predicted flooding at a variety of scales, allowing participants to assess the significance of predicted flooding and make more informed judgments on what action to take in response. The findings presented have significant implications for the way in which flood risk is communicated, changing the focus of mapping from probabilistic future scenarios to understanding flood dynamics and mechanisms. Such ways of communicating flood risk embrace how people would like to see risk communicated, and help those at risk grow their resilience. Communicating in such a way has wider implications for flood modelling and data collection. However, these represent potential opportunities to build more effective local partnerships for assessing and managing flood risks.

The NLM evaluation lecture series: introduction to the special section on evaluating health communication programs.

PubMed

Logan, Robert A; Kreps, Gary L

2014-12-01

This article introduces the Journal of Health Communication's special section, Evaluating Health Communication Programs. This special section is based on a public lecture series supported by the National Library of Medicine titled "Better Health: Evaluating Health Communication Programs" designed to share best practices for using evaluation research to develop, implement, refine, and institutionalize the best health communication programs for promoting public health. This introduction provides an overview to the series, summarizes the major presentations in the series, and describe implications from the series for translational health communication research, interventions, and programs that can enhance health outcomes.

Using a family systems approach to investigate cancer risk communication within melanoma families.

PubMed

Harris, Julie N; Hay, Jennifer; Kuniyuki, Alan; Asgari, Maryam M; Press, Nancy; Bowen, Deborah J

2010-10-01

The family provides an important communication nexus for information and support exchange about family cancer history, and adoption of family-wide cancer risk reduction strategies. The goals of this study were to (1) use the family systems theory to identify characteristics of this sample of families at increased risk of developing melanoma and (2) to relate familial characteristics to the frequency and style of familial risk communication. Participants were first-degree relatives (n=313) of melanoma patients, recruited into a family web-based intervention study. We used multivariable logistic regression models to analyze the association between family functioning and family communication. Most participants were female (60%), with an average age of 51 years. Fifty percent of participants reported that they spoke to their relatives about melanoma risk and people were more likely to speak to their female family members. Familial adaptation, cohesion, coping, and health beliefs were strongly associated with an open style of risk communication within families. None were associated with a blocked style of risk communication. Only cohesion and adaptation were associated with the amount of risk communication that occurred within families. Overall, individuals who came from families that were more highly cohesive, adaptable, and shared strong beliefs about melanoma risk were more likely to communicate openly about melanoma. The fact that this association was not consistent across blocked communication and communication frequency highlights the multifaceted nature of this process. Future research should focus on the interplay between different facets of communication. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

A guide to understanding and implementing risk evaluation and mitigation strategies in organ transplantation.

PubMed

Gabardi, Steven; Tichy, Eric M

2013-03-01

To review the components of the Congressional mandate for risk evaluation and mitigation strategies (REMS) managed by the Food and Drug Administration and assess their impact on health care providers practicing within the organ transplant arena. A non-date-limited search of MEDLINE and EMBASE (January 2007-June 2012) was conducted by using the following search terms: risk evaluation and mitigation strategies, REMS, and organ transplant, including a query of the individual organs. Information from the Federal Register and the Food and Drug Administration was also evaluated. REMS are strategies implemented to manage known or potential risks associated with medications and to ensure ongoing pharmacovigilance throughout the life of a pharmaceutical product. Elements of REMS programs may consist of 3 levels: a medication guide, communication plan, and elements to assure safe use. A medication guide is used to help prevent serious adverse events, aid in patients' decision making, and enhance medication adherence. Communication plans help educate health care providers and encourage adherence with REMS. The elements to assure safe use is a restrictive process implemented when it is deemed necessary to ensure safe access for patients to products with known serious risks. In transplant medicine, REMS currently exist for belatacept (medication guide and communication plan) and the mycophenolic acid derivatives (medication guide and elements to assure safe use). REMS are another step in the evolution of the development and marketing of pharmaceutical agents. Use of REMS in solid-organ transplant is becoming common. Transplant clinicians must provide required patient education and become involved with other aspects of REMS implementation to reduce the serious risks of pharmaceuticals and to improve patients' outcomes.

Description and performance of a digital mobile satellite terminal

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lay, N.; Jedrey, T.; Parkyn, J.; Divsalar, D.

1990-01-01

A major goal of the Mobile Satellite Experiment (MSAT-X) program at the Jet Propulsion Lab (JPL) is the development of an advanced digital terminal for use in land mobile satellite communication. The terminal has been developed to minimize the risk of applying advanced technologies to future commercial mobile satellite systems (MSS). Testing with existing L band satellites was performed in fixed, land mobile and aeronautical mobile environments. JPL's development and tests of its mobile terminal have demonstrated the viability of narrowband digital voice communications in a land mobile environment through geostationary satellites. This paper provides a consolidated description of the terminal architecture and the performance of its individual elements.

76 FR 21741 - Twenty-First Century Communications and Video Programming Accessibility Act; Announcement of Town...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-04-18

... FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION [DA 11-428] Twenty-First Century Communications and Video... The Twenty-First Century Communications and Video Programming Accessibility Act (the Act or CVAA... orientation to the Act, and discussed the advanced communications and video programming changes required by...

Risk communication as a core public health competence in infectious disease management: Development of the ECDC training curriculum and programme.

PubMed

Dickmann, Petra; Abraham, Thomas; Sarkar, Satyajit; Wysocki, Piotr; Cecconi, Sabrina; Apfel, Franklin; Nurm, Ülla-Karin

2016-01-01

Risk communication has been identified as a core competence for guiding public health responses to infectious disease threats. The International Health Regulations (2005) call for all countries to build capacity and a comprehensive understanding of health risks before a public health emergency to allow systematic and coherent communication, response and management. Research studies indicate that while outbreak and crisis communication concepts and tools have long been on the agenda of public health officials, there is still a need to clarify and integrate risk communication concepts into more standardised practices and improve risk communication and health, particularly among disadvantaged populations. To address these challenges, the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) convened a group of risk communication experts to review and integrate existing approaches and emerging concepts in the development of a training curriculum. This curriculum articulates a new approach in risk communication moving beyond information conveyance to knowledge- and relationship-building. In a pilot training this approach was reflected both in the topics addressed and in the methods applied. This article introduces the new conceptual approach to risk communication capacity building that emerged from this process, presents the pilot training approach developed, and shares the results of the course evaluation.

75 FR 20608 - Risk Communication Advisory Committee; Notice of Meeting

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-04-20

...] Risk Communication Advisory Committee; Notice of Meeting AGENCY: Food and Drug Administration, HHS... Communication Advisory Committee. General Function of the Committee: To provide advice and recommendations to... relevant to improving risk communication at FDA, and discuss applications or gaps for strategic planning of...

Communication by Mothers with Breast Cancer or Melanoma with Their Children

PubMed Central

Gaber, Rikki; Desai, Sapna; Smith, Maureen; Eilers, Steve; Blatt, Hanz; Guevara, Yanina; Robinson, June K.

2013-01-01

Communication of familial risk of breast cancer and melanoma has the potential to educate relatives about their risk, and may also motivate them to engage in prevention and early detection practices. With the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) privacy laws, the patient often becomes the sole communicator of such risks to family members. This study surveys mothers diagnosed with either breast cancer or melanoma and their adult children about their family communication style, knowledge of increased risk, and early detection practices. In both cancer groups, most mothers alerted their children of the risk and need for early detection practices. Breast cancer mothers communicated risk and secondary prevention with early detection by breast self-examination and mammograms whereas the melanoma mothers communicated risk and primary prevention strategies like applying sunscreen and avoiding deliberate tanning. Open communication about health matters significantly increased the likelihood that children engaged in early detection and/or primary prevention behaviors. Examining the information conveyed to at-risk family members, and whether such information motivated them to engage in early detection/prevention behaviors, is key to guiding better cancer prevention communication between doctors and patients. PMID:23965923

Communication by mothers with breast cancer or melanoma with their children.

PubMed

Gaber, Rikki; Desai, Sapna; Smith, Maureen; Eilers, Steve; Blatt, Hanz; Guevara, Yanina; Robinson, June K

2013-08-08

Communication of familial risk of breast cancer and melanoma has the potential to educate relatives about their risk, and may also motivate them to engage in prevention and early detection practices. With the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) privacy laws, the patient often becomes the sole communicator of such risks to family members. This study surveys mothers diagnosed with either breast cancer or melanoma and their adult children about their family communication style, knowledge of increased risk, and early detection practices. In both cancer groups, most mothers alerted their children of the risk and need for early detection practices. Breast cancer mothers communicated risk and secondary prevention with early detection by breast self-examination and mammograms whereas the melanoma mothers communicated risk and primary prevention strategies like applying sunscreen and avoiding deliberate tanning. Open communication about health matters significantly increased the likelihood that children engaged in early detection and/or primary prevention behaviors. Examining the information conveyed to at-risk family members, and whether such information motivated them to engage in early detection/prevention behaviors, is key to guiding better cancer prevention communication between doctors and patients.

Communicating With Residents About Risks Following the Fukushima Nuclear Accident.

PubMed

Murakami, Michio; Sato, Akiko; Matsui, Shiro; Goto, Aya; Kumagai, Atsushi; Tsubokura, Masaharu; Orita, Makiko; Takamura, Noboru; Kuroda, Yujiro; Ochi, Sae

2017-03-01

The Fukushima nuclear accident in March 2011 posed major threats to public health. In response, medical professionals have tried to communicate the risks to residents. To investigate forms of risk communication and to share lessons learned, we reviewed medical professionals' activities in Fukushima Prefecture from the prefectural level to the individual level: public communication through Fukushima Health Management Surveys, a Yorozu ("general") health consultation project, communications of radiological conditions and health promotion in Iitate and Kawauchi villages, dialogues based on whole-body counter, and science communications through online media. The activities generally started with radiation risks, mainly through group-based discussions, but gradually shifted to face-to-face communications to address comprehensive health risks to individuals and well-being. The activities were intended to support residents' decisions and to promote public health in a participatory manner. This article highlights the need for a systematic evaluation of ongoing risk communication practices, and a wider application of successful approaches for Fukushima recovery and for better preparedness for future disasters.

[Communication on health and safety risk control in contemporary society: an interdisciplinary approach].

PubMed

Rangel-S, Maria Ligia

2007-01-01

This paper discusses communication as a technology for risk control with health and safety protection and promotion, within the context of a "risk society". As a component of Risk Analysis, risk communication is a technology that appears in risk literature, with well defined objectives, principles and models. These aspects are described and the difficulties are stressed, taking into consideration the multiple rationales related to risks in the culture and the many different aspects of risk regulation and control in the so-called "late modernity". Consideration is also given to the complexity of the communications process, guided by theoretical and methodological discussions in the field. In order to understand the true value of the communications field for risk control with health and safety protection and promotion, this paper also offers an overview of communication theories that support discussions of this matter, proposing a critical approach to models that include the dimensions of power and culture in the context of a capitalist society.

Post-Interview Communication During Application to Orthopaedic Surgery Residency Programs.

PubMed

Brooks, Jaysson T; Reidler, Jay S; Jain, Amit; LaPorte, Dawn M; Sterling, Robert S

2016-10-05

Post-interview communication from residency programs to applicants is common during the U.S. residency match process. The goals of this study were to understand the frequency and type of post-interview communication, how this communication influences applicants' ranking of programs, whether programs use "second-look" visits to gauge or to encourage applicant interest, and the financial costs to applicants of second-look visits. A post-match survey was sent to 1,198 applicants to one academic orthopaedic residency program over 2 years. The response rates were 15% in 2014 and 31% in 2015, totaling 293 responses used for analysis. Sixty-four percent of applicants reported having post-interview communication with one or more programs. Seventeen percent said that communication caused them to rank the contacting program higher or to keep the program ranked as number 1. Twenty percent felt pressured to reveal their rank position, and 8% were asked to rank a program first in exchange for the program's promise to rank the applicant first. Applicants who received post-interview communication had odds that were 13.5 times higher (95% confidence interval, 6.2 to 30 times higher) of matching to the programs that contacted them. Ninety percent of applicants said that communication from a program did not change how they ranked the program with which they eventually matched. Seventeen percent were encouraged to attend second-look visits, incurring a mean cost of $600 (range, $20 to $8,000). Orthopaedic residency programs continue to communicate with applicants in ways that violate the National Resident Matching Program's Match Communication Code of Conduct, and they continue to encourage second-look visits. To improve the integrity of the match, we suggest that programs use no-reply e-mails to minimize influence and pressure on applicants, interviewers and applicants review the Code of Conduct on interview day and provide instructions on reporting violations to the National Resident Matching Program, all post-interview communication be directed to a standardized or neutral third party, and programs actively discourage second-look visits and stop requiring second-look visits. Copyright © 2016 by The Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery, Incorporated.

Climate change risk perception and communication: addressing a critical moment?

PubMed

Pidgeon, Nick

2012-06-01

Climate change is an increasingly salient issue for societies and policy-makers worldwide. It now raises fundamental interdisciplinary issues of risk and uncertainty analysis and communication. The growing scientific consensus over the anthropogenic causes of climate change appears to sit at odds with the increasing use of risk discourses in policy: for example, to aid in climate adaptation decision making. All of this points to a need for a fundamental revision of our conceptualization of what it is to do climate risk communication. This Special Collection comprises seven papers stimulated by a workshop on "Climate Risk Perceptions and Communication" held at Cumberland Lodge Windsor in 2010. Topics addressed include climate uncertainties, images and the media, communication and public engagement, uncertainty transfer in climate communication, the role of emotions, localization of hazard impacts, and longitudinal analyses of climate perceptions. Climate change risk perceptions and communication work is critical for future climate policy and decisions. © 2012 Society for Risk Analysis.

School dropout prevention: what arts-based community and out-of-school-time programs can contribute.

PubMed

Charmaraman, Linda; Hall, Georgia

2011-01-01

Out-of-school-time programs, especially arts-based programs, can be critical players in a community's efforts to prevent school dropout. This research review suggests the following approaches for arts-based programs: (1) recruitment and retention of target populations with multiple risk factors; (2) long-term skill development that engages youth behaviorally, emotionally, and academically rather than a drop-in culture; (3) an emphasis on the critical ingredient of real-world applications through performance; (4) staff development and mentoring; (5) a strategic community-level plan for dropout prevention; (6) and program content reframed toward competencies that underlie better school performance and prosocial behavior, such as communication, initiative, problem solving, motivation, and self-efficacy. Copyright © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc., A Wiley Company.

Communication skills training in surgical residency: a needs assessment and metacognition analysis of a difficult conversation objective structured clinical examination.

PubMed

Falcone, John L; Claxton, René N; Marshall, Gary T

2014-01-01

The objective structured clinical examination (OSCE) can be used to evaluate the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education Core Competencies of Professionalism and Interpersonal and Communication Skills. The aim of this study was to describe general surgery resident performance on a "difficult conversation" OSCE. In this prospective study, junior and senior residents participated in a 2-station OSCE. Junior stations involved discussing operative risks and benefits and breaking bad news. Senior stations involved discussing goals of care and discussing transition to comfort measures only status. Residents completed post-OSCE checklist and Likert-based self-evaluations of experience, comfort, and confidence. Trained standardized patients (SPs) evaluated residents using communication skill-based checklists and Likert-based assessments. Pearson correlation coefficients were determined between self-assessment and SP assessment. Mann-Whitney U tests were conducted between junior and senior resident variables, using α = 0.05. There were 27 junior residents (age 28.1 ± 1.9 years [29.6% female]) and 27 senior residents (age 32.1 ± 2.5 years [26.9% female]). The correlation of self-assessment and SP assessment of overall communication skills by junior residents was -0.32 on the risks and benefits case and 0.07 on the breaking bad news case. The correlation of self-assessment and SP assessment of overall communication skills by senior residents was 0.30 on the goals of care case and 0.26 on the comfort measures only case. SP assessments showed that junior residents had higher overall communication skills than senior residents (p = 0.03). Senior residents perceived that having difficult conversations was more level appropriate (p < 0.001), and they were less nervous having difficult conversations (p < 0.01) than junior residents. We found that residents perform difficult conversations well, that subjective and objective skills are correlated, and that skills-based training is needed across all residency levels. This well-received method may be used to observe, document, and provide resident feedback for these important skills. © 2014 Published by Association of Program Directors in Surgery on behalf of Association of Program Directors in Surgery.

Proceedings from the Communication Across the Curriculum Strand. NCA 2001 Summer Conference: Engaging 21st Century Communication Students.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dannels, Deanna; Jackson, Nancy; Robertson, Terry; Sheckles, Ted; Tomlinson, Stephanie

This Proceedings from the Communication across the Curriculum (CXC) strand of the National Communication Association's 2001 Summer Conference first highlights and describes five of the most common types of programs across the nation: Speaking Intensive Programs, Combined Speaking and Writing Programs, Discipline-Specific Programs, Faculty…

The State of Communication Education in Family Medicine Residencies.

PubMed

Jansen, Kate L; Rosenbaum, Marcy E

2016-06-01

Communication skills are essential to medical training and have lasting effects on patient satisfaction and adherence rates. However, relatively little is reported in the literature identifying how communication is taught in the context of residency education. Our goal was to determine current practices in communication curricula across family medicine residency programs. Behavioral scientists and program directors in US family medicine residencies were surveyed via email and professional organization listservs. Questions included whether programs use a standardized communication model, methods used for teaching communication, hours devoted to teaching communication, as well as strengths and areas for improvement in their program. Analysis identified response frequencies and ranges complemented by analysis of narrative comments. A total of 204 programs out of 458 family medicine residency training sites responded (45%), with 48 out of 50 US states represented. The majority of respondents were behavioral scientists. Seventy-five percent of programs identified using a standard communication model; Mauksch's patient-centered observation model (34%) was most often used. Training programs generally dedicated more time to experiential teaching methods (video review, work with simulated patients, role plays, small groups, and direct observation of patient encounters) than to lectures (62% of time and 24% of time, respectively). The amount of time dedicated to communication education varied across programs (average of 25 hours per year). Respondent comments suggest that time dedicated to communication education and having a formal curriculum in place are most valued by educators. This study provides a picture of how communication skills teaching is conducted in US family medicine residency programs. These findings can provide a comparative reference and rationale for residency programs seeking to evaluate their current approaches to communication skills teaching and develop new or enhanced curricula.

Child-Mediated Stroke Communication: Findings from Hip Hop Stroke

PubMed Central

Williams, Olajide; DeSorbo, Alexandra; Noble, James; Gerin, William

2011-01-01

Background and Purpose Low thrombolysis rates for acute ischemic stroke is linked to delays in seeking immediate treatment due to low public stroke awareness. We aimed to assess whether “Child-Mediated Stroke Communication” (CMSC) could improve stroke literacy parents of children enrolled in a school-based stroke literacy program called Hip Hop Stroke (HHS). Methods Parents of children aged 9 to 12 years from two public schools in Harlem, NYC, were recruited to participate in stroke literacy questionnaires before and after their child’s participation in HHS, a novel CMSC intervention delivered in school auditoriums. Parental recall of stroke information communicated through their child was assessed 1-week following the intervention. Results Fifth and Sixth grade students (n =182) were enrolled into HHS. 102 parents were approached in person to participate; 75 opted to participate and 71 completed both pretest and post-test (74% response rate and 95% retention rate). Parental stroke literacy improved after the program: before the program, 3 parents of 75 (3.9%) were able to identify the five cardinal stroke symptoms, distracting symptom (chest pains), and had an urgent action plan (calling 911), compared to 21 of 71 parents (29.6%) post-intervention (p<0.001). The FAST mnemonic was known by 2 (2.7%) of participants before the program vs. 29 (41%) after program completion (p<0.001). Conclusions Knowledge of stroke signs and symptoms remains low among residents of this high-risk population. The use of Child-Mediated Stroke Communication suggests that schoolchildren aged 9-12 may be effective conduits of critical stroke knowledge to their Parents. PMID:22033995

Building a Communication, Education, an Outreach Program for the ShakeAlert National Earthquake Early Warning Program

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

DeGroot, R. M.; Strauss, J. A.; Given, D. D.; Cochran, E. S.; Burkett, E. R.; Long, K.

2016-12-01

Earthquake Early Warning (EEW) systems can provide as much as tens of seconds of warning to people and automated systems before strong shaking arrives. The United States Geological Survey (USGS) and its partners are developing an EEW system for the West Coast of the United States. To be an integral part of successful implementation, EEW engagement programs and materials must integrate with and leverage broader earthquake risk programs. New methods and products for dissemination must be multidisciplinary, cost effective, and consistent with existing hazards education efforts. Our presentation outlines how the USGS and its partners will approach this effort in the context of the EEW system through the work of a multistate and multiagency committee that participates in the design, implementation, and evaluation of a portfolio of programs and products. This committee, referred to as the ShakeAlert Joint Committee for Communication, Education, and Outreach (ShakeAlert CEO), is working to identify, develop, and cultivate partnerships with EEW stakeholders including Federal, State, academic partners, private companies, policy makers, and local organizations. Efforts include developing materials, methods for delivery, and reaching stakeholders with information on EEW, earthquake preparedness, and emergency protective actions. It is essential to develop standards to ensure information communicated via the EEW alerts is consistent across the public and private sector and achieving a common understanding of what actions users take when they receive an EEW warning. The USGS and the participating states and agencies acknowledge that the implementation of EEW is a collective effort requiring the participation of hundreds of stakeholders committed to ensuring public accessibility.

"Risk, respect, responsibility": educational strategies to promote safe medicine use.

PubMed

Rucker, N Lee

2003-12-01

Nearly four billion outpatient prescriptions will be dispensed in the United States by 2005. Many people using these medicines will be targeted for educational programs promoting their safe, appropriate use. Such programs have been, or soon will be, developed by virtually all major health care system stakeholders, including: government agencies, the pharmaceutical industry, non-profit organizations and coalitions. After examining changes in 1) health professionals' communication of patient medicine information, and 2) consumers' roles and attitudes, an overview of recent U.S. and international consumer education programs is presented. Despite the proliferation of these programs, most share a weak link in evaluating success and in affecting behavior change. Finally, suggestions for future initiatives are offered, particularly regarding improving evaluation methods.

[Role of vaccination in chronic disease prevention and control].

PubMed

Wang, Zhuoqun; Huang, Shue; Zhao, Yanfang; Zhao, Wenhua; Liang, Xiaofeng

2015-08-01

Chronic non-communicable disease is a major public health problem affecting the health of residents in china. Evidence shows that, in addition to four major risk factors, i.e. unreasonable dietary, lack of physical activity, smoking and drinking, epidemic and severe outcome of chronic disease is associated with many infectious diseases. Increasingly cancers have been shown to have an infectious etiology. There is also a significantly increased risk of infectious disease such as influenza, pneumonia and other infectious disease in people with pre-existing chronic non-communicable diseases like diabetes, heart disease, and lung diseases. And more than that, there is a high risk of susceptibility to death and severe outcomes among them. Epidemiological studies has confirmed, that through targeted vaccine inoculation, liver cancer, cervical cancer can be effectively prevented, while influenza or pneumonia vaccine are related to reduced risk of hospitalization or death and hospitalization expenses regarding with a variety of chronic diseases. World Health Organization and several other professional organizations have put forward recommendations on vaccine inoculation of chronic disease patients. Programs targeting infectious factors are also an important aspect of chronic diseases prevention and control, therefore, related researches need to be strengthened in the future.

Communicating cardiovascular disease risk: an interview study of General Practitioners' use of absolute risk within tailored communication strategies.

PubMed

Bonner, Carissa; Jansen, Jesse; McKinn, Shannon; Irwig, Les; Doust, Jenny; Glasziou, Paul; McCaffery, Kirsten

2014-05-29

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) prevention guidelines encourage assessment of absolute CVD risk - the probability of a CVD event within a fixed time period, based on the most predictive risk factors. However, few General Practitioners (GPs) use absolute CVD risk consistently, and communication difficulties have been identified as a barrier to changing practice. This study aimed to explore GPs' descriptions of their CVD risk communication strategies, including the role of absolute risk. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with a purposive sample of 25 GPs in New South Wales, Australia. Transcribed audio-recordings were thematically coded, using the Framework Analysis method to ensure rigour. GPs used absolute CVD risk within three different communication strategies: 'positive', 'scare tactic', and 'indirect'. A 'positive' strategy, which aimed to reassure and motivate, was used for patients with low risk, determination to change lifestyle, and some concern about CVD risk. Absolute risk was used to show how they could reduce risk. A 'scare tactic' strategy was used for patients with high risk, lack of motivation, and a dismissive attitude. Absolute risk was used to 'scare' them into taking action. An 'indirect' strategy, where CVD risk was not the main focus, was used for patients with low risk but some lifestyle risk factors, high anxiety, high resistance to change, or difficulty understanding probabilities. Non-quantitative absolute risk formats were found to be helpful in these situations. This study demonstrated how GPs use three different communication strategies to address the issue of CVD risk, depending on their perception of patient risk, motivation and anxiety. Absolute risk played a different role within each strategy. Providing GPs with alternative ways of explaining absolute risk, in order to achieve different communication aims, may improve their use of absolute CVD risk assessment in practice.

NASA compendium of satellite communications programs

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1971-01-01

A comprehensive review of worldwide satellite communication programs is reported that ranges in time from the inception of satellite communications to mid-1971. Particular emphasis is placed on program results, including experiments conducted, communications system operational performance, and technology employed.

Media Use and the Cancer Communication Strategies of Cancer Survivors.

PubMed

Yoon, Heesoo; Sohn, Minsung; Jung, Minsoo

2016-09-01

Communication related to health not only substantially affects perceptions and behaviors related to health but is also positively associated with the extent of health-information seeking and the practice of preventive behavior. Despite the fact that the number of cancer survivors has increased dramatically, there are few studies of the lack of health information, factors which act as barriers, and the difficulties in follow-up care experienced by cancer survivors. Therefore, we reviewed media utilization and the types of media used by cancer survivors with regard to risk communication and suggested appropriate strategies for cancer communication. According to the results, health communication contributed to health promotion by providing health-related information, consolidating social support factors such as social solidarity and trust, and reducing anxiety. In particular, participatory health communication may establish preventive programs which reflect the needs of communities, expand accessibility to better quality healthcare, and intensify healthy living by reducing health inequalities. Therefore, when people do not have an intention to obtain cancer screening, we need to intervene to change their behavior, norms, and degrees of self-efficacy. The findings of this study may help those involved in building partnerships by assisting in their efforts to understand and communicate with the public.

Perception and communication of risk in decision making by persons with dementia.

PubMed

Stevenson, Mabel; Savage, Beverley; Taylor, Brian J

2017-01-01

Communication of risks must involve people with dementia meaningfully to ensure informed and inclusive decision-making processes. This qualitative study explored concepts of risk from the perspective of persons with dementia and their experiences of communicating risk with family members and professionals. Data was analysed using grounded theory. Seventeen people in Northern Ireland with mild-moderate dementia who had recently made a decision about their daily life or care involving consideration of risks were interviewed between November 2015 and November 2016. A wide range of actual or feared risks were identified relating to: daily activities; hobbies and socialising; mental health and medicines; and risks to and from others. 'Risk' often held emotional rather than probability connotations. Constructive communications to address issues were presented. Problem-solving models of both active and passive decision-making about risks were evident. Effective risk communication in informed decision-making processes about health and social care is discussed.

Challenges of drug risk communications in the Philippines.

PubMed

Hartigan-Go, Kenneth

2012-11-01

Risk communication in the context of patient care is about conveying balanced information on benefit and risk of medical products and procedures and developments in health. It is an integral part of pharmacovigilance and healthcare communications and involves stakeholders such as regulators, industry, health professionals and patients. In the Philippines, many factors can interfere with effective risk communication and affect the safety of patients when medicinal products are used: poverty, literacy, age, social media, practice and behaviour of health professionals, industry marketing, patient expectations and product quality. These factors must be taken into consideration when formulating effective risk communications to ensure patient safety.

A PARENT–ADOLESCENT INTERVENTION TO INCREASE SEXUAL RISK COMMUNICATION: RESULTS OF A RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIAL

PubMed Central

Villarruel, Antonia M.; Cherry, Carol Loveland; Cabriales, Esther Gallegos; Ronis, David L.; Zhou, Yan

2009-01-01

This article reports results of a randomized controlled trial designed to test an intervention to increase parent–adolescent sexual risk communication among Mexican parents. Data were analyzed from parents (n = 791) randomly assigned to an HTV risk reduction or health promotion intervention. Measures were administered at pretest, posttest, and 6– and 12–month follow–ups. Generalized estimation equation (GEE) analysis indicates parents in the HIV risk reduction intervention reported significantly more general communication (p < .005), more sexual risk communication (p < .001) and more comfort with communication (p < .001) than parents in the control intervention. Behavioral, normative, and control beliefs significantly mediated the effect of the intervention on all communication outcomes. This study demonstrates the efficacy of an intervention to increase the quality and quantity of parent–adolescent communication related to general and sex–specific communication. PMID:18956979

Beyond HIV-serodiscordance: Partnership communication dynamics that affect engagement in safer conception care

PubMed Central

Burns, Bridget F.; Bajunirwe, Francis; Kabakyenga, Jerome; Bwana, Mwebesa; Ng, Courtney; Kastner, Jasmine; Kembabazi, Annet; Sanyu, Naomi; Kusasira, Adrine; Haberer, Jessica E.; Bangsberg, David R.; Kaida, Angela

2017-01-01

Introduction We explored acceptability and feasibility of safer conception methods among HIV-affected couples in Uganda. Methods We recruited HIV-positive men and women on antiretroviral therapy (ART) (‘index’) from the Uganda Antiretroviral Rural Treatment Outcomes cohort who reported an HIV-negative or unknown-serostatus partner (‘partner’), HIV-serostatus disclosure to partner, and personal or partner desire for a child within two years. We conducted in-depth interviews with 40 individuals from 20 couples, using a narrative approach with tailored images to assess acceptability of five safer conception strategies: ART for the infected partner, pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) for the uninfected partner, condomless sex timed to peak fertility, manual insemination, and male circumcision. Translated and transcribed data were analyzed using thematic analysis. Results 11/20 index participants were women, median age of 32.5 years, median of 2 living children, and 80% had HIV-RNA <400 copies/mL. Awareness of HIV prevention strategies beyond condoms and abstinence was limited and precluded opportunity to explore or validly assess acceptability or feasibility of safer conception methods. Four key partnership communication challenges emerged as primary barriers to engagement in safer conception care, including: (1) HIV-serostatus disclosure: Although disclosure was an inclusion criterion, partners commonly reported not knowing the index partner’s HIV status. Similarly, the partner’s HIV-serostatus, as reported by the index, was frequently inaccurate. (2) Childbearing intention: Many couples had divergent childbearing intentions and made incorrect assumptions about their partner’s desires. (3) HIV risk perception: Participants had disparate understandings of HIV transmission and disagreed on the acceptable level of HIV risk to meet reproductive goals. (4) Partnership commitment: Participants revealed significant discord in perceptions of partnership commitment. All four types of partnership miscommunication introduced constraints to autonomous reproductive decision-making, particularly for women. Such miscommunication was common, as only 2 of 20 partnerships in our sample were mutually-disclosed with agreement across all four communication themes. Conclusions Enthusiasm for safer conception programming is growing. Our findings highlight the importance of addressing gendered partnership communication regarding HIV disclosure, reproductive goals, acceptable HIV risk, and commitment, alongside technical safer conception advice. Failing to consider partnership dynamics across these domains risks limiting reach, uptake, adherence to, and retention in safer conception programming. PMID:28880892

Effectiveness of early identification and electronic interventions for teens with risk factors for the development of heart disease and diabetes.

PubMed

Webber, Pam; Marsh, Wallace; Jung, Lorena; Gardiner, Mary; James, Jasmine; McMullan, Pam

2016-01-01

Serum risk factors for the development of heart disease and diabetes are not routinely evaluated in teens. The intent of this study was to determine the prevalence of these risk factors in teens and evaluate the effectiveness of a two-part electronic education program (recurring electronic lifestyle education program [REEP]) on reducing risks. Teens (n = 170) were recruited from one urban and one rural high school in the mid-Atlantic in 2014. Following baseline data collection in February, REEP was initiated and data collection repeated at 12 weeks. Data were analyzed and students sent a report with results and recommendations. One or more serum and/or physical risk factors were found in the majority of students with low vitamin D and elevated body mass index (BMI) being the most common. Correlations existed between elevated BMI and elevated diastolic blood pressure, low vitamin D, and low high-density lipoprotein. All but one risk factor (BMI) improved at 12 weeks. The majority of teens had one or more physical and/or serum risk factors. Using multiple electronic methods to deliver healthy lifestyle recommendations helps lower these risks. Also, Blackboard, an electronic learning platform, was found to be an effective data management and communication center. ©2015 American Association of Nurse Practitioners.

Evidence based communication for health promotion: Indian lessons of last decade.

PubMed

Suresh, K

2011-01-01

Good health promotion programs which help achieve public health goals are derived from using a mix of epidemiological and social and behavioral science research information. Social data informed by behavioral theories provides a lens of understanding how recommended behaviors are adopted by different individuals within the population over a period of time. In addition to social and epidemiological data, evidence based and scientifically planned and monitored strategic communication interventions have to be linked to available service components of the program. Communication is increasingly understood as an enabler of individual and social level change to achieve established developmental goals including health. Democratization movements and the advent of the internet have changed the environment around any program communication from top-down, expert-to-consumer (vertical) communication towards non-hierarchical, dialogue-based (horizontal) communication, through which the public increasingly questions recommendations of experts and public institutions on the basis of their own, often web based, research. The amount of information available has increased greatly, including scientifically valid data and evidence-based recommendations alongside poor quality data, personal opinions, and misinformation. Evidence-based approaches include engagement with and listening to stakeholders, and being transparent about decision making, and honest and open about uncertainty and risks. Decision and policy makers cannot assume what the public wants without undertaking social science and decision science research. The Global Polio Eradication Initiative and Integrated Disease Surveillance Projects (IDSP) in India haves shown that monitoring of public concerns needs to be continuous and responsive, and hand in hand with the monitoring of technical strategies and appropriate Information Technology support for, not only data transmission but also for videoconferencing and community involvement through toll free 24 × 7 call service with universal access. This article elucidates the vital role of Health Promotion, a research based communication process, in achieving developmental, particularly health goals. It underscores that communication is as much a science as an art, as much process as it is about outcomes. It advocates for increased linkages between epidemiological research and social science research in planning effective health promotion interventions with quality service delivery.

Risk communication related to animal products derived from biotechnology.

PubMed

McCrea, D

2005-04-01

Previous chapters of this review have dealt with the key considerations related to the application of biotechnology in veterinary science and animal production. This article explores the theory and practice of risk communication and sets out the basic principles for good risk communication when dealing with new technologies, uncertainty, and cautious and sceptical consumers. After failure to communicate with consumers and stakeholders about the risk to human health from bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) in the 1990s, Government Agencies in the United Kingdom have made significant improvements in risk communication. The official inquiry that followed the BSE crisis concluded that a policy of openness was the correct approach, and this article emphasises the importance of consultation, consistency and transparency. There are, however, many different factors that affect public perception of risk (religious, political, social, cultural, etc.) and developing effective risk communication strategies must take all of these complex issues into consideration.

Primary care providers' cancer genetic testing-related knowledge, attitudes, and communication behaviors: A systematic review and research agenda.

PubMed

Hamilton, Jada G; Abdiwahab, Ekland; Edwards, Heather M; Fang, Min-Lin; Jdayani, Andrew; Breslau, Erica S

2017-03-01

Primary care providers (PCPs) can play a critical role in helping patients receive the preventive health benefits of cancer genetic risk information. Thus, the objective of this systematic review was to identify studies of US PCPs' knowledge, attitudes, and communication-related behaviors regarding genetic tests that could inform risk-stratification approaches for breast, colorectal, and prostate cancer screening in order to describe current findings and research gaps. We conducted a systematic search of six electronic databases to identify peer-reviewed empirical articles relating to US PCPs and genetic testing for breast, colorectal, or prostate cancer published in English from 2008 to 2016. We reviewed these data and used narrative synthesis methods to integrate findings into a descriptive summary and identify research needs. We identified 27 relevant articles. Most focused on genetic testing for breast cancer (23/27) and colorectal cancer risk (12/27); only one study examined testing for prostate cancer risk. Most articles addressed descriptive research questions (24/27). Many studies (24/27) documented PCPs' knowledge, often concluding that providers' knowledge was incomplete. Studies commonly (11/27) examined PCPs' attitudes. Across studies, PCPs expressed some concerns about ethical, legal, and social implications of testing. Attitudes about the utility of clinical genetic testing, including for targeted cancer screening, were generally favorable; PCPs were more skeptical of direct-to-consumer testing. Relatively fewer studies (9/27) examined PCPs' communication practices regarding cancer genetic testing. This review indicates a need for investigators to move beyond descriptive research questions related to PCPs' knowledge and attitudes about cancer genetic testing. Research is needed to address important gaps regarding the development, testing, and implementation of innovative interventions and educational programs that can improve PCPs' genetic testing knowledge, assuage concerns about the appropriateness of cancer genetic testing, and promote open and effective patient-provider communication about genetic risk and genetic testing.

Informing Comprehensive HIV Prevention: A Situational Analysis of the HIV Prevention and Care Context, North West Province South Africa

PubMed Central

Lippman, Sheri A.; Treves-Kagan, Sarah; Gilvydis, Jennifer M.; Naidoo, Evasen; Khumalo-Sakutukwa, Gertrude; Darbes, Lynae; Raphela, Elsie; Ntswane, Lebogang; Barnhart, Scott

2014-01-01

Objective Building a successful combination prevention program requires understanding the community’s local epidemiological profile, the social community norms that shape vulnerability to HIV and access to care, and the available community resources. We carried out a situational analysis in order to shape a comprehensive HIV prevention program that address local barriers to care at multiple contextual levels in the North West Province of South Africa. Method The situational analysis was conducted in two sub-districts in 2012 and guided by an adaptation of WHO’s Strategic Approach, a predominantly qualitative method, including observation of service delivery points and in-depth interviews and focus groups with local leaders, providers, and community members, in order to recommend context-specific HIV prevention strategies. Analysis began during fieldwork with nightly discussions of findings and continued with coding original textual data from the fieldwork notebooks and a select number of recorded interviews. Results We conducted over 200 individual and group interviews and gleaned four principal social barriers to HIV prevention and care, including: HIV fatalism, traditional gender norms, HIV-related stigma, and challenges with communication around HIV, all of which fuel the HIV epidemic. At the different levels of response needed to stem the epidemic, we found evidence of national policies and programs that are mitigating the social risk factors but little community-based responses that address social risk factors to HIV. Conclusions Understanding social and structural barriers to care helped shape our comprehensive HIV prevention program, which address the four ‘themes’ identified into each component of the program. Activities are underway to engage communities, offer community-based testing in high transmission areas, community stigma reduction, and a positive health, dignity and prevention program for stigma reduction and improve communication skills. The situational analysis process successfully shaped key programmatic decisions and cultivated a deeper collaboration with local stakeholders to support program implementation. PMID:25028976

Informing comprehensive HIV prevention: a situational analysis of the HIV prevention and care context, North West Province South Africa.

PubMed

Lippman, Sheri A; Treves-Kagan, Sarah; Gilvydis, Jennifer M; Naidoo, Evasen; Khumalo-Sakutukwa, Gertrude; Darbes, Lynae; Raphela, Elsie; Ntswane, Lebogang; Barnhart, Scott

2014-01-01

Building a successful combination prevention program requires understanding the community's local epidemiological profile, the social community norms that shape vulnerability to HIV and access to care, and the available community resources. We carried out a situational analysis in order to shape a comprehensive HIV prevention program that address local barriers to care at multiple contextual levels in the North West Province of South Africa. The situational analysis was conducted in two sub-districts in 2012 and guided by an adaptation of WHO's Strategic Approach, a predominantly qualitative method, including observation of service delivery points and in-depth interviews and focus groups with local leaders, providers, and community members, in order to recommend context-specific HIV prevention strategies. Analysis began during fieldwork with nightly discussions of findings and continued with coding original textual data from the fieldwork notebooks and a select number of recorded interviews. We conducted over 200 individual and group interviews and gleaned four principal social barriers to HIV prevention and care, including: HIV fatalism, traditional gender norms, HIV-related stigma, and challenges with communication around HIV, all of which fuel the HIV epidemic. At the different levels of response needed to stem the epidemic, we found evidence of national policies and programs that are mitigating the social risk factors but little community-based responses that address social risk factors to HIV. Understanding social and structural barriers to care helped shape our comprehensive HIV prevention program, which address the four 'themes' identified into each component of the program. Activities are underway to engage communities, offer community-based testing in high transmission areas, community stigma reduction, and a positive health, dignity and prevention program for stigma reduction and improve communication skills. The situational analysis process successfully shaped key programmatic decisions and cultivated a deeper collaboration with local stakeholders to support program implementation.

Developing Effective Communications about Extreme Weather Risks.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bruine de Bruin, W.

2014-12-01

Members of the general public often face complex decisions about the risks that they face, including those associated with extreme weather and climate change adaptation. Scientific experts may be asked to develop communications with the goal of improving people's understanding of weather and climate risks, and informing people's decisions about how to protect against these risks. Unfortunately, scientific experts' communication efforts may fail if they lack information about what people need or want to know to make more informed decisions or what wording people prefer use to describe relevant concepts. This presentation provides general principles for developing effective risk communication materials that aim for widespread dissemination, such as brochures and websites. After a brief review of the social science evidence on how to design effective risk communication materials, examples will focus on communications about extreme weather events and climate change. Specifically, data will be presented from ongoing projects on flood risk perception, public preparedness for heat waves, and public perceptions of climate change. The presentation will end with specific recommendations about how to improve recipients' understanding about risks and inform decisions. These recommendations should be useful to scientific experts who aim to communicate about extreme weather, climate change, or other risks.

78 FR 37821 - Joint Meeting of the Risk Communication Advisory Committee and Tobacco Products Scientific...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-06-24

...] Joint Meeting of the Risk Communication Advisory Committee and Tobacco Products Scientific Advisory...). The meeting will be open to the public. Name of Committee: Risk Communication Advisory Committee and... information on consumer perceptions and comprehension, and how to effectively communicate information about...

Dissemination of go sun smart in outdoor recreation: effect of program exposure on sun protection of guests at high-altitude ski areas.

PubMed

Walkosz, Barbara J; Buller, David B; Andersen, Peter A; Scott, Michael D; Dignan, Mark B; Cutter, Gary R; Liu, Xia; Maloy, Julie A

2014-09-01

Go Sun Smart is a theory-based health communication program designed to influence sun-protection behaviors of employees and guests at high-altitude ski areas to reduce skin cancer risk. The effects of Go Sun Smart, in a Phase IV dissemination randomized posttest-only trial, on sun-protection behaviors of ski area guests are reported. Program use was assessed by on-site observation and guest message exposure, and sun protection was measured in intercept surveys at ski areas. Dissemination strategy-enhanced versus basic-was not significantly related to sun safety practices. Additional analyses examined the relation between message exposure and guests' sun safety practices. Ski areas displaying at least 6 Go Sun Smart materials in guest-only areas and 9 Go Sun Smart materials throughout the area increased guests' message exposure. Higher message exposure within the high-use ski areas was associated with improved sun protection by guests but not within the low-use ski areas. The authors underscore the importance of program implementation and message exposure on the success of evidence-based health communication efforts applied industrywide.

Effect of mobile technology featuring visual scene displays and just-in-time programming on communication turns by preadolescent and adolescent beginning communicators.

PubMed

Holyfield, Christine; Caron, Jessica Gosnell; Drager, Kathryn; Light, Janice

2018-03-05

Visual scene displays (VSDs) and just-in-time programming supports are augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) technology features with theoretical benefits for beginning communicators of all ages. The goal of the current study was to evaluate the effects of a communication application (app) on mobile technology that supported the just-in-time programming of VSDs on the communication of preadolescents and adolescents who were beginning communicators. A single-subject multiple-baseline across participant design was employed to evaluate the effect of the AAC app with VSDs programmed just-in-time by the researcher on the communication turns expressed by five preadolescents and adolescents (9-18 years old) who were beginning communicators. All five participants demonstrated marked increases in the frequency of their communication turns after the onset intervention. Just-in-time programming support and VSDs are two features that may positively impact communication for beginning communicators in preadolescence and adolescence. Apps with these features allow partners to quickly and easily capture photos of meaningful and motivating events and provide them immediately as VSDs with relevant vocabulary to support communication in response to beginning communicators' interests.

The role of incentive design, incentive value, communications strategy, and worksite culture on health risk assessment participation.

PubMed

Seaverson, Erin L D; Grossmeier, Jessica; Miller, Toni M; Anderson, David R

2009-01-01

To examine the impact of financial incentives, communications strategy, and worksite culture on health risk assessment (HRA) participation rates. A cross-sectional study design was used to examine factors that influence employee participation, including incentive value, incentive design, communications strategy, and worksite culture. Large private-sector and public-sector employers. Thirty-six employers (n = 559,988 employees) that provided financial incentives to promote employee HRA participation. Organizations implemented the HRA as part of a more comprehensive worksite health promotion strategy that included follow-up interventions and a variety of other components. The primary outcome of interest was employee HRA participation. Information on program design and structure, as well as on HRA eligibility and participation, was collected for each organization via standard client report and semistructured interviews with account managers. General linear regression models were used to examine the extent to which factors influence HRA participation independently and when controlled for other factors. Incentive value (r2 = .433; p < .000), benefits-integrated incentive design (r2 = .184; p = .009), culture (r2 = .113; p = .045), and communications strategy (r = .300; p = .001) had positive bivariate associations with HRA participation rates. When all factors were included in the model, incentive value (p = .001) and communications strategy (p = .023) were significantly associated with HRA participation. Variance accounted for by all factors combined was R12 = .584. This study suggests that incentive value, incentive type, supportive worksite culture, and comprehensive communications strategy may all play a role in increasing HRA participation.

Using the CAUSE Model to Understand Public Communication about Water Risks: Perspectives from Texas Groundwater District Officials on Drought and Availability.

PubMed

VanDyke, Matthew S; King, Andy J

2017-12-05

Public communication about drought and water availability risks poses challenges to a potentially disinterested public. Water management professionals, though, have a responsibility to work with the public to engage in communication about water and environmental risks. Because limited research in water management examines organizational communication practices and perceptions, insights into research and practice can be gained through investigation of current applications of these risk communication efforts. Guided by the CAUSE model, which explains common goals in communicating risk information to the public (e.g., creating Confidence, generating Awareness, enhancing Understanding, gaining Satisfaction, and motivating Enactment), semistructured interviews of professionals (N = 25) employed by Texas groundwater conservation districts were conducted. The interviews examined how CAUSE model considerations factor in to communication about drought and water availability risks. These data suggest that many work to build constituents' confidence in their districts. Although audiences and constituents living in drought-prone areas were reported as being engaged with water availability risks and solutions, many district officials noted constituents' lack of perceived risk and engagement. Some managers also indicated that public understanding was a secondary concern of their primary responsibilities and that the public often seemed apathetic about technical details related to water conservation risks. Overall, results suggest complicated dynamics between officials and the public regarding information access and motivation. The article also outlines extensions of the CAUSE model and implications for improving public communication about drought and water availability risks. © 2017 Society for Risk Analysis.

Same score, different message: perceptions of offender risk depend on Static-99R risk communication format.

PubMed

Varela, Jorge G; Boccaccini, Marcus T; Cuervo, Veronica A; Murrie, Daniel C; Clark, John W

2014-10-01

The popular Static-99R allows evaluators to convey results in terms of risk category (e.g., low, moderate, high), relative risk (compared with other sexual offenders), or normative sample recidivism rate formats (e.g., 30% reoffended in 5 years). But we do not know whether judges and jurors draw similar conclusions about the same Static-99R score when findings are communicated using different formats. Community members reporting for jury duty (N = 211) read a tutorial on the Static-99R and a description of a sexual offender and his crimes. We varied his Static-99R score (1 or 6) and risk communication format (categorical, relative risk, or recidivism rate). Participants rated the high-scoring offender as higher risk than the low-scoring offender in the categorical communication condition, but not in the relative risk or recidivism rate conditions. Moreover, risk ratings of the high-scoring offender were notably higher in the categorical communication condition than the relative risk and recidivism rate conditions. Participants who read about a low Static-99R score tended to report that Static-99R results were unimportant and difficult to understand, especially when risk was communicated using categorical or relative risk formats. Overall, results suggest that laypersons are more receptive to risk results indicating high risk than low risk and more receptive to risk communication messages that provide an interpretative label (e.g., high risk) than those that provide statistical results. PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2014 APA, all rights reserved.

Achieving the sustainable development goals: a case study of the complexity of water quality health risks in Malawi.

PubMed

Holm, Rochelle; Wandschneider, Philip; Felsot, Allan; Msilimba, Golden

2016-07-15

Suppose 35 % of the households with children under 5 years of age in a low-income suburban neighborhood in a developing country have diarrhea where improved water sources are available. Clearly, something is amiss-but what? In addition to focusing on the need to examine water quality among water sources that meet the 'improved' category when assessing health risk, the relative importance of the range of transmission routes for diarrhea is unknown. In Malawi, relevant baseline data affecting human health are simply not available, and acquiring data is hampered by a lack of local analytical capacity for characterizing drinking water quality. The objective of this work is to develop a risk communication program with partnership among established regional development professionals for effectively meeting the sustainable development goals. A field study was conducted in the city of Mzuzu, Malawi, to study water quality (total coliform and Escherichia coli) and human dimensions leading to development of a public health risk communication strategy in a peri-urban area. A structured household questionnaire was administered to adult residents of 51 households, encompassing 284 individuals, who were using the 30 monitored shallow wells. The water quality data and human dimension questionnaire results were used to develop a household risk presentation. Sixty-seven percent and 50 % of well water and household drinking water samples, respectively, exceeded the WHO health guideline of zero detections of E. coli. Technology transfer was advanced by providing knowledge through household risk debriefing/education, establishing a water quality laboratory at the local university, and providing training to local technicians. Communicating the science of water quality and health risks in developing countries requires sample collection and analysis by knowledgeable personnel trained in the sciences, compiling baseline data, and, ultimately, an effective risk presentation back to households to motivate behavioral changes to effectively protect future water resources and human health.

Educational Communications Programs in the Public Schools of New York State; Data from the Educational Communications Survey. Preliminary Draft.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Twyford, Loran C., Jr.

To make comparisons between school districts and to establish standards for educational communications programs, each Director of Educational Communications in each school district in New York State submitted data about his educational communication program. In summary tables for each school district, the following data are presented: the number…

The distinction between risk and hazard: understanding and use in stakeholder communication.

PubMed

Scheer, Dirk; Benighaus, Christina; Benighaus, Ludger; Renn, Ortwin; Gold, Stefan; Röder, Bettina; Böl, Gaby-Fleur

2014-07-01

A major issue in all risk communication efforts is the distinction between the terms "risk" and "hazard." The potential to harm a target such as human health or the environment is normally defined as a hazard, whereas risk also encompasses the probability of exposure and the extent of damage. What can be observed again and again in risk communication processes are misunderstandings and communication gaps related to these crucial terms. We asked a sample of 53 experts from public authorities, business and industry, and environmental and consumer organizations in Germany to outline their understanding and use of these terms using both the methods of expert interviews and focus groups. The empirical study made clear that the terms risk and hazard are perceived and used very differently in risk communication depending on the perspective of the stakeholders. Several factors can be identified, such as responsibility for hazard avoidance, economic interest, or a watchdog role. Thus, communication gaps can be reduced to a four-fold problem matrix comprising a semantic, conceptual, strategic, and control problem. The empirical study made clear that risks and hazards are perceived very differently depending on the stakeholders' perspective. Their own worldviews played a major role in their specific use of the two terms hazards and risks in communication. © 2014 Society for Risk Analysis.

Evaluation of bluetooth low power for physiological monitoring in a home based cardiac rehabilitation program.

PubMed

Martin, Timothy; Ding, Hang; D'Souza, Matthew; Karunanithi, Mohan

2012-01-01

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of mortality in Australia, and places large burdens on the healthcare system. To assist patients with CVDs in recovering from cardiac events and mediating cardiac risk factors, a home based cardiac rehabilitation program, known as the Care Assessment Platform (CAP), was developed. In the CAP program, patients are required to manually enter health information into their mobile phones on a daily basis. The manual operation is often subject to human errors and is inconvenient for some elderly patients. To improve this, an automated wireless solution has been desired. The objectives of this paper are to investigate the feasibility of implementing the newly released Bluetooth 4.0 (BT4.0) for the CAP program, and practically evaluate BT4.0 communications between a developed mobile application and some emulated healthcare devices. The study demonstrated that BT4.0 addresses usability, interoperability and security for healthcare applications, reduces the power consumption in wireless communication, and improves the flexibility of interface for software development. This evaluation study provides an essential mobile BT4.0 framework to incorporate a large range of healthcare devices for clinical assessment and intervention in the CAP program, and hence it is useful for similar development and research work of other mobile healthcare solutions.

Crisis and emergency risk communication as an integrative model.

PubMed

Reynolds, Barbara; W Seeger, Matthew

2005-01-01

This article describes a model of communication known as crisis and emergency risk communication (CERC). The model is outlined as a merger of many traditional notions of health and risk communication with work in crisis and disaster communication. The specific kinds of communication activities that should be called for at various stages of disaster or crisis development are outlined. Although crises are by definition uncertain, equivocal, and often chaotic situations, the CERC model is presented as a tool health communicators can use to help manage these complex events.

Threshold Evaluation of Emergency Risk Communication for Health Risks Related to Hazardous Ambient Temperature.

PubMed

Liu, Yang; Hoppe, Brenda O; Convertino, Matteo

2018-04-10

Emergency risk communication (ERC) programs that activate when the ambient temperature is expected to cross certain extreme thresholds are widely used to manage relevant public health risks. In practice, however, the effectiveness of these thresholds has rarely been examined. The goal of this study is to test if the activation criteria based on extreme temperature thresholds, both cold and heat, capture elevated health risks for all-cause and cause-specific mortality and morbidity in the Minneapolis-St. Paul Metropolitan Area. A distributed lag nonlinear model (DLNM) combined with a quasi-Poisson generalized linear model is used to derive the exposure-response functions between daily maximum heat index and mortality (1998-2014) and morbidity (emergency department visits; 2007-2014). Specific causes considered include cardiovascular, respiratory, renal diseases, and diabetes. Six extreme temperature thresholds, corresponding to 1st-3rd and 97th-99th percentiles of local exposure history, are examined. All six extreme temperature thresholds capture significantly increased relative risks for all-cause mortality and morbidity. However, the cause-specific analyses reveal heterogeneity. Extreme cold thresholds capture increased mortality and morbidity risks for cardiovascular and respiratory diseases and extreme heat thresholds for renal disease. Percentile-based extreme temperature thresholds are appropriate for initiating ERC targeting the general population. Tailoring ERC by specific causes may protect some but not all individuals with health conditions exacerbated by hazardous ambient temperature exposure. © 2018 Society for Risk Analysis.

75 FR 5335 - Risk Communication Advisory Committee; Notice of Meeting

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-02-02

...] Risk Communication Advisory Committee; Notice of Meeting AGENCY: Food and Drug Administration, HHS... Communication Advisory Committee. General Function of the Committee: To provide advice and recommendations to... previously issued communications, emphasizing communications challenges. Examples, selected for illustrative...

NASA Aerospace Flight Battery Program: Generic Safety, Handling and Qualification Guidelines for Lithium-Ion (Li-Ion) Batteries; Availability of Source Materials for Lithium-Ion (Li-Ion) Batteries; Maintaining Technical Communications Related to Aerospace Batteries (NASA Aerospace Battery Workshop). Volume 1, Part 1

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Manzo, Michelle A.; Brewer, Jeffrey C.; Bugga, Ratnakumar V.; Darcy, Eric C.; Jeevarajan, Judith A.; McKissock, Barbara I.; Schmitz, Paul C.

2010-01-01

This NASA Aerospace Flight Battery Systems Working Group was chartered within the NASA Engineering and Safety Center (NESC). The Battery Working Group was tasked to complete tasks and to propose proactive work to address battery related, agency-wide issues on an annual basis. In its first year of operation, this proactive program addressed various aspects of the validation and verification of aerospace battery systems for NASA missions. Studies were performed, issues were discussed and in many cases, test programs were executed to generate recommendations and guidelines to reduce risk associated with various aspects of implementing battery technology in the aerospace industry. This document contains Part 1 - Volume I: Generic Safety, Handling and Qualification Guidelines for Lithium-Ion (Li-Ion) Batteries, Availability of Source Materials for Lithium-Ion (Li-Ion) Batteries, and Maintaining Technical Communications Related to Aerospace Batteries (NASA Aerospace Battery Workshop).

Pediatric oncology survivorship: conveying risks and communicating information at the right time for the individual.

PubMed

McCarthy, Maria C; Campo, Monica; Drew, Sarah E

2013-09-01

To summarize and discuss recent research (2011-2013) examining the communication needs of childhood cancer survivors with respect to long-term health risks and considering the developmental needs of children, adolescents and young adults. Survivors' levels of awareness of ongoing health risks are low, indicating that clinical strategies for communicating risks and empowering young people as active partners in their own healthcare are lacking. Research examining the information needs of very young survivors is sparse. Adolescent and young adults may be particularly vulnerable given their lack of health-risk knowledge combined with expected developmental risk-taking behaviors. Strategies to manage individual information preferences of survivors are required, along with strategies to manage the triadic (child, parent, health professional) nature of communications. Internet technologies offer an important mechanism for communication of health risks to survivors, families and primary healthcare providers. International efforts must continue to articulate systematic yet flexible approaches to communication with children, adolescents and young adults that can be applied across the cancer treatment continuum and into surveillance and long-term survivorship. Information and communication needs of this population are complex and reliance on age as a proxy for capacity to participate in healthcare communication is inadequate.

Meeting CCS communication challenges head-on: Integrating communications, planning, risk assessment, and project management

USGS Publications Warehouse

Greenberg, S.; Gauvreau, L.; Hnottavange-Telleen, K.; Finley, R.; Marsteller, S.

2011-01-01

The Midwest Geological Sequestration Consortium, Schlumberger Carbon Services, and Archer Daniels Midland has implemented a comprehensive communications plan at the Illinois Basin - Decatur Project (IBDP), a one million metric tonne Carbon Capture and Storage project in Decatur, IL, USA funded by the U.S. Department of Energy's National Energy Technology Laboratory. The IBDP Communication Plan includes consortium information, funding and disclaimer citations, description of target audiences, media communications guidelines, paper and presentations guidelines, site visit information, crisis communication, on-site photography regulations, and other components. The creation, development, and implementation processes for the IBDP Communication Plan (the Plan) are shared in this paper. New communications challenges, such as how to address add-on research requests, data sharing and management, scope increase, and contract agreements have arisen since the Plan was completed in January 2009, resulting in development of new policies and procedures by project management. Integrating communications planning, risk assessment, and project management ensured that consistent, factual information was developed and incorporated into project planning, and constitutes the basis of public communications. Successful integration has allowed the IBDP to benefit from early identification and mitigation of the potential project risks, which allows more time to effectively deal with unknown and unidentified risks that may arise. Project risks and risks associated with public perception can be managed through careful planning and integration of communication strategies into project management and risk mitigation. ?? 2011 Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Risk communication, risk perception, and public health.

PubMed

Aakko, Eric

2004-01-01

Risk communication is about building trust while deploying an interactive and ongoing communication process in which audience members are active participants. This interactive participation may not solve a public health crisis, but it will help reduce unwarranted fear, anxiety and distrust. Consequently, if a government agency fails to understand how to effectively communicate about health risks, their trustworthiness and credibility may suffer, and a crisis event may go from bad to worse.

Evaluation and communication: using a communication audit to evaluate organizational communication.

PubMed

Hogard, Elaine; Ellis, Roger

2006-04-01

This article identifies a surprising dearth of studies that explicitly link communication and evaluation at substantive, theoretical, and methodological levels. A three-fold typology of evaluation studies referring to communication is proposed and examples given. The importance of organizational communication in program delivery is stressed and illustrative studies reviewed. It is proposed that organizational communication should be considered in all program evaluations and that this should be approached through communication audit. Communication audits are described with particular reference to established survey questionnaire instruments. Two case studies exemplify the use of such instruments in the evaluation of educational and social programs.

Drinking Water Cyanotoxin Risk Communication Toolbox

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

The drinking water cyanotoxin risk communication toolbox is a ready-to-use, “one-stop-shop” to support public water systems, states, and local governments in developing, as they deem appropriate, their own risk communication materials.

Risks associated with communication delays in infants from underserved South African communities.

PubMed

van der Linde, Jeannie; Swanepoel, De Wet; Glascoe, Frances P; Louw, E M; Hugo, Jannie F M; Vinck, Bart

2015-01-01

For optimal development young children need warm, responsive, enriched and communicative environments for learning social, language, and other skills. Infants and toddlers exposed to psychosocial risk lack enriched environments and may present with communication delays. To investigate the relationship between psychosocial risks and communication delays in infants from underserved communities in South Africa. Primary healthcare facilities in Tshwane district, South Africa. A parent interview and Rossetti Infant Toddler Language Scales were used to collect data from caregivers of 201 infants aged 6–12 months, selected through convenience sampling. Associations between communication delays and risks were determined (Chi-square and Fisher's exact tests). A log-linear model analysis was used to model the simultaneous effect of significant risks on the probability of having communication delays. Communication delays were present in 13% of infants. Infants with two or more siblings, born from mothers aged 18–29 years who own their house, had a 39% chance of presenting with communication delays. Developmental screening and early intervention is important in primary healthcare contexts in South Africa, as a clear relationship has been established between three risk factors and communication delays in infants.

Mobile satellite communications technology - A summary of NASA activities

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dutzi, E. J.; Knouse, G. H.

1986-01-01

Studies in recent years indicate that future high-capacity mobile satellite systems are viable only if certain high-risk enabling technologies are developed. Accordingly, NASA has structured an advanced technology development program aimed at efficient utilization of orbit, spectrum, and power. Over the last two years, studies have concentrated on developing concepts and identifying cost drivers and other issues associated with the major technical areas of emphasis: vehicle antennas, speech compression, bandwidth-efficient digital modems, network architecture, mobile satellite channel characterization, and selected space segment technology. The program is now entering the next phase - breadboarding, development, and field experimentation.

Exploring risk communication - results of a research project focussed on effectiveness evaluation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Charrière, Marie; Bogaard, Thom; Junier, Sandra; Mostert, Erik

2016-04-01

The need for effective science communication and outreach efforts is widely acknowledged in the academic community. In the field of Disaster Risk Reduction, the importance of communication is clearly stressed, e.g. in the newly adopted Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030 (under the 1st priority of action: understanding disaster risk). Consequently, we see increasing risk communication activities. However, the effectiveness of these activities is rarely evaluated. To address this gap, several research activities were conducted in the context of the Marie Curie Initial Training Network "Changes", the results of which we will present and discuss. First, results of a literature review show, among others, that research on effectiveness is mainly focussed on the assessment of users' needs and their ability to understand the content, rather than on the final impact of the risk communication efforts. Moreover, lab-environment research is more often undertaken than assessment of real communication efforts. Second, a comparison between perceptions of risk managers and the general public of risk communication in a French Alps Valley highlighted a gap between the two groups in terms of amount of information needed (who wants more), the important topics to address (what) and the media to use (how). Third, interviews with developers of smartphone applications for disseminating avalanche risk information showed a variety of current practices and the absence of measurements of real their effectiveness. However, our analysis allowed identifying good practices that can be an inspiration for risk communication related to other hazards. Fourth, an exhibition has been set up following a collaborative approached based on stakeholder engagement. Using a pre/post-test design, the immediate impact of the exhibition, which aimed at increasing the risk awareness of the population (Ubaye Valley, France), was measured. The data obtained suggests that visiting the exhibition increased risk awareness. It appeared that general indicators to measure change in risk awareness, such as perceived awareness or vulnerability, are more powerful than specific ones, such as perceived consequences of a given natural hazard event. Moreover, although the collaborative process was not formally assessed, we observed that the development of the exhibition promoted relationships between stakeholders, the engagement of local stakeholders in science, the exchange between generations, and further communication efforts. This broad collection of research activities applied addressed different viewpoints on the topic of the effectiveness of risk communication related to natural hazards. The evaluation of existing practices allowed identifying current limitations of risk communication and helped develop a research design that enables testing the effectiveness of a real communication effort. Based on this research, recommendations for risk communication applications and further evaluation research can be made.

Risk communication and human biomonitoring: which practical lessons from the Belgian experience are of use for the EU perspective?

PubMed

Keune, Hans; Morrens, Bert; Loots, Ilse

2008-06-05

In order to investigate and monitor environmental health in Flanders (the Dutch speaking part of Belgium), the Flemish government funded the Centre of Expertise for Environment and Health, which started a human biomonitoring campaign in 2001. In addition to environmental health experts measuring environmental pollutants and health effects in human beings, social scientific experts at the Centre focus on risk communication associated with the human biomonitoring campaign. In the literature about risk communication an evolution can be traced from traditional, one-way communication, restricted to the dissemination of information from experts to the public, to more modern, two-way risk communication, with a focus on participation and cooperation between scientists, policy-makers and the public.Within the Centre of Expertise for Environment and Health this discourse was first translated into some general principles and guidelines for external communication, at a 'Ten Commandments level'. These principles needed to be incorporated in the day-to-day practice of human biomonitoring research. The social scientific experts at the Centre developed a combined risk communication strategy. On the one hand the strategy consists of traditional risk communication for external communication purposes, for example information meetings and digital newsletters. On the other hand it consists of a step by step approach of incorporating more modern risk communication, for example a risk perception questionnaire, dialogical experiments for involving local stakeholders, and an action-plan for interpreting results for policy making. With a parallel strategy of traditional and modern communication, of external and internal reflection, and through different social scientific projects, the Flemish Centre of Expertise of Environment and Health incorporates risk communication in the day-to-day practice of human biomonitoring research. A direct and continuous involvement of the social scientist, an openness between all colleagues involved, and the awareness of a fine balance between quality and practicability are important success factors. These lessons may be helpful and inspirational for a European human biomonitoring project.

The Development of Referential Communication and Autism Symptomatology in High-Risk Infants

PubMed Central

Ibañez, Lisa V.; Grantz, Caroline J.; Messinger, Daniel S.

2013-01-01

Non-verbal referential communication is impaired in children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD). However, the development of difficulties with referential communication in the younger siblings of children with ASD (High-Risk Siblings)—and the degree to which early referential communication predicts later autism symptomatology—is not clear. We modeled the early developmental trajectories of three types of referential communication: responding to joint attention (RJA), initiating joint attention (IJA), and initiating behavioral requests (IBR) across 8, 10, 12, 15, and18 months of age in High-Risk Siblings (n = 40) and the infant siblings of children without ASD (Low-Risk Siblings; n = 21). Hierarchical Linear Modeling indicated that High-Risk Siblings exhibited lower levels of baseline RJA and IJA and a lower rate of linear change in IBR than Low-Risk Siblings. When the 10 High-Risk Siblings who received an ASD diagnosis were excluded from analyses, group differences in the development of referential communication remained significant only for RJA. Baseline levels of IJA were associated with later ASD symptomatology among High-Risk Siblings, suggesting that individual differences in referential communication development at 8 months may index early manifestations of ASD. PMID:24403864

Periodontal Management by Risk Assessment: A Pragmatic Approach.

PubMed

Mullins, Joanna M; Even, Joshua B; White, Joel M

2016-06-01

An evidence-based periodontal disease risk assessment and diagnosis system has been developed and combined with a clinical decision support and management program to improve treatment and measure patient outcomes. There is little agreement on a universally accepted periodontal risk assessment, periodontal diagnosis, and treatment management tool and their incorporation into dental practice to improve patient care. This article highlights the development and use of a practical periodontal management and risk assessment program that can be implemented in dental settings. The approach taken by Willamette Dental Group to develop a periodontal disease risk assessment, periodontal diagnosis, and treatment management tool is described using evidence-based best practices. With goals of standardized treatment interventions while maintaining personalized care and improved communication, this process is described to facilitate its incorporation into other dental settings. Current electronic health records can be leveraged to enhance patient-centered care through the use of risk assessments and standardized guidelines to more effectively assess, diagnose, and treat patients to improve outcomes. Dental hygienists, and other committed providers, with their emphasis on prevention of periodontal disease can be principal drivers in creation and implementation of periodontal risk assessments and personalized treatment planning. Willamette Dental Group believes that such evidence-based tools can advance dentistry to new diagnostic and treatment standards. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Assessing communications effectiveness in meeting corporate goals of public health organizations.

PubMed

Brown, Gordon D; Bopp, Kenneth D; Boren, Suzanne Austin

2005-01-01

Much evaluation of health communications in public health is considered from a program perspective of smoking cessation, weight reduction, education on sexually transmitted diseases, etc. These studies have advanced the knowledge base of communications theory and evaluation and have contributed to program effectiveness. In program-based evaluation the communications process is structured as part of the program itself. This article extends program-based communications evaluation to view communications from the perspective of the consumer and how effectively public health departments respond to consumer expectations. It develops a conceptual model for evaluating elements of communications such as its importance in defining mission and goals within the community, managing strategic constituencies, and enlisting individuals and groups as customers and co-producers of health. It gives a broader perspective on how communications in public heath organizations are managed and a basis for assessing whether they are being managed effectively.

Marburg biosafety and biosecurity scale (MBBS): a framework for risk assessment and risk communication.

PubMed

Dickmann, Petra; Apfel, Franklin; Biedenkopf, Nadine; Eickmann, Markus; Becker, Stephan

2015-01-01

Current risk assessment and risk communication of biosafety and biosecurity concerns lack a convenient metric and conceptual framework. The absence of such a systematic tool makes communication more difficult and can lead to ambiguous public perception of and response to laboratory biosafety incidents and biosecurity threats. A new 7-category scoring scale is proposed for incidents and situations in laboratories related to the handling of human and animal pathogens. The scale aims to help clarify risk categories, facilitate coordination and communication, and improve public understanding of risk related to biosafety and biosecurity.

The influence of media communication on risk perception and behavior related to mad cow disease in South Korea.

PubMed

Park, Jee-Eun; Sohn, Aeree

2013-08-01

The purpose of this study was to ascertain the influence of media communication on risk behavior related to mad cow disease (MCD). Mothers of elementary school students in Seoul were recruited as the survey participants of this study. Media reports affected risk behavior related to MCD. Also, knowledge and attitude toward MCD affects risk behavior. Risk-related information provided by the media should maintain consistency and objectivity. For effective risk communication, there should be an open communication between the government and public, experts, and related industries, who should all collaborate.

Parent-child communication processes: preventing children's health-risk behavior.

PubMed

Riesch, Susan K; Anderson, Lori S; Krueger, Heather A

2006-01-01

Review individual, family, and environmental factors that predict health-risk behavior among children and to propose parent-child communication processes as a mechanism to mediate them. Improving parent-child communication processes may: reduce individual risk factors, such as poor academic achievement or self-esteem; modify parenting practices such as providing regulation and structure and acting as models of health behavior; and facilitate discussion about factors that lead to involvement in health-risk behaviors. Assessment strategies to identify youth at risk for health-risk behavior are recommended and community-based strategies to improve communication among parents and children need development.

Changing Beliefs and Behaviors Related to Sexually Transmitted Diseases in Vulnerable Women: A Qualitative Study.

PubMed

Boroumandfar, Zahra; Kianpour, Masoud; Zargham, Ali; Abdoli, Samereh; Tayeri, Katayoun; Salehi, Mehrdad; Momeni, Godratollah; Khorvash, Farzin

2017-01-01

The first step in health education is awareness of the people and their acceptance to change their behavior. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the effects of empowerment program towards the concept of self-care and prevention of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) in women at risk of STDs. The present study was conducted as a qualitative approach (step of action and observation of an action) by using conventional content analysis method. An empowerment program regarding STDs (Action) was performed among 32 (with convenient sample) drug user women with addicted husbands referring to the counseling center for vulnerable women (drop in enter) in Isfahan in 2015. The knowledge of quiddity, transmission, and prevention of STDs, as well as some items of life skills such as self-awareness, interpersonal communication, and assertive behavior were taught in an educational program. Teaching methods were lectures, group, and individual training and role play. The impact of the program on modified belief and behavior change regarding STDs was evaluated with structured interviews. Analysis of the obtained results yielded three categories. The categories were awareness of STD, believing in being at risk, and decision and change. Promoting self-care and prevention through education programs based on action research can make a significant reduction in the incidence of problems and cause a behavior change in women with the disease or those at risk for STDs.

Sex in the New World: an empowerment model for HIV prevention in Latina immigrant women.

PubMed

Gómez, C A; Hernández, M; Faigeles, B

1999-04-01

In 1996, nearly 60% of U.S. AIDS cases among Latinas were attributed to unprotected sex with men. Economic disadvantage, language barriers, and strong cultural gender norms regarding sex exacerbate the risk for HIV infection among Latina immigrant women. Through a collaboration among scientists and providers, this study was designed to evaluate the impact of a multifaceted empowerment program for Latina immigrant women on HIV risk behaviors. Women (N = 74) were followed for the first 6 months of their participation and attended up to nine distinct types of activities (e.g., information meetings, friendship circles, and workshops). Although the program was not developed to specifically target HIV risk behaviors, women showed significant increases in sexual communication comfort, were less likely to maintain traditional sexual gender norms, and reported changes in decision-making power. Targeting broader sociocultural issues may increase the necessary skills for Latina women to prevent HIV infection from their sexual partners. Successful collaborations between scientists and providers are critical in developing effective, community-relevant interventions.

Bio-Terrorism: Steps to Effective Public Health Risk Communication and Fear Management

DTIC Science & Technology

2004-06-01

outline the challenges of communicating risk prior to, during and following a bio-terrorism event as well as the relationship between the content of...particularly challenging for a system based on thorough research and data analysis. Risk communication in a bio-terrorism event will involve...Ultimately, the Anthrax events confirmed the difficulty in communicating risk when scientific data is not available. Adding to the challenges imposed by an

Communicating actionable risk for terrorism and other hazards.

PubMed

Wood, Michele M; Mileti, Dennis S; Kano, Megumi; Kelley, Melissa M; Regan, Rotrease; Bourque, Linda B

2012-04-01

We propose a shift in emphasis when communicating to people when the objective is to motivate household disaster preparedness actions. This shift is to emphasize the communication of preparedness actions (what to do about risk) rather than risk itself. We have called this perspective "communicating actionable risk," and it is grounded in diffusion of innovations and communication theories. A representative sample of households in the nation was analyzed using a path analytic framework. Preparedness information variables (including content, density, and observation), preparedness mediating variables (knowledge, perceived effectiveness, and milling), and preparedness actions taken were modeled. Clear results emerged that provide a strong basis for communicating actionable risk, and for the conclusion both that information observed (seeing preparedness actions that other have taken) and information received (receiving recommendations about what preparedness actions to take) play key, although different, roles in motivating preparedness actions among the people in our nation. © 2011 Society for Risk Analysis.

Predicting Response to Reassurances and Uncertainties in Bioterrorism Communications for Urban Populations in New York and California

PubMed Central

Vaughan, Elaine; Tinker, Tim L.; Truman, Benedict I.; Edelson, Paul; Morse, Stephen S.

2015-01-01

Recent national plans for recovery from bioterrorism acts perpetrated in densely populated urban areas acknowledge the formidable technical and social challenges of consequence management. Effective risk and crisis communication is one priority to strengthen the U.S.’s response and resilience. However, several notable risk events since September 11, 2001, have revealed vulnerabilities in risk/crisis communication strategies and infrastructure of agencies responsible for protecting civilian populations. During recovery from a significant biocontamination event, 2 goals are essential: (1) effective communication of changing risk circumstances and uncertainties related to cleanup, restoration, and reoccupancy; and (2) adequate responsiveness to emerging information needs and priorities of diverse populations in high-threat, vulnerable locations. This telephone survey study explored predictors of public reactions to uncertainty communications and reassurances from leaders related to the remediation stage of an urban-based bioterrorism incident. African American and Hispanic adults (N = 320) were randomly sampled from 2 ethnically and socioeconomically diverse geographic areas in New York and California assessed as high threat, high vulnerability for terrorism and other public health emergencies. Results suggest that considerable heterogeneity exists in risk perspectives and information needs within certain sociodemographic groups; that success of risk/crisis communication during recovery is likely to be uneven; that common assumptions about public responsiveness to particular risk communications need further consideration; and that communication effectiveness depends partly on preexisting values and risk perceptions and prior trust in leaders. Needed improvements in communication strategies are possible with recognition of where individuals start as a reference point for reasoning about risk information, and comprehension of how this influences subsequent interpretation of agencies’ actions and communications. PMID:22582813

Predicting response to reassurances and uncertainties in bioterrorism communications for urban populations in New York and California.

PubMed

Vaughan, Elaine; Tinker, Tim L; Truman, Benedict I; Edelson, Paul; Morse, Stephen S

2012-06-01

Recent national plans for recovery from bioterrorism acts perpetrated in densely populated urban areas acknowledge the formidable technical and social challenges of consequence management. Effective risk and crisis communication is one priority to strengthen the U.S.'s response and resilience. However, several notable risk events since September 11, 2001, have revealed vulnerabilities in risk/crisis communication strategies and infrastructure of agencies responsible for protecting civilian populations. During recovery from a significant biocontamination event, 2 goals are essential: (1) effective communication of changing risk circumstances and uncertainties related to cleanup, restoration, and reoccupancy; and (2) adequate responsiveness to emerging information needs and priorities of diverse populations in high-threat, vulnerable locations. This telephone survey study explored predictors of public reactions to uncertainty communications and reassurances from leaders related to the remediation stage of an urban-based bioterrorism incident. African American and Hispanic adults (N=320) were randomly sampled from 2 ethnically and socioeconomically diverse geographic areas in New York and California assessed as high threat, high vulnerability for terrorism and other public health emergencies. Results suggest that considerable heterogeneity exists in risk perspectives and information needs within certain sociodemographic groups; that success of risk/crisis communication during recovery is likely to be uneven; that common assumptions about public responsiveness to particular risk communications need further consideration; and that communication effectiveness depends partly on preexisting values and risk perceptions and prior trust in leaders. Needed improvements in communication strategies are possible with recognition of where individuals start as a reference point for reasoning about risk information, and comprehension of how this influences subsequent interpretation of agencies' actions and communications.

Risky communication: pitfalls in counseling about risk, and how to avoid them.

PubMed

O'Doherty, K; Suthers, G K

2007-08-01

A genetic counselor is often faced with the difficult task of conveying a set of complex and highly abstract factors associated with the client's risk of developing a familial disorder. The client is faced with the even more difficult task of making significant health-related decisions about an event which may or may not eventuate. Although there is a large corpus of research on this topic, much of the knowledge on risk communication is difficult to apply in a practical context. In this paper we draw together some insights on risk communication and decision-making under conditions of uncertainty, and apply them directly to the problem of communicating familial cancer risk. In particular, we focus on the distinction between individual risk and observed frequencies of adverse events, various framing effects, and contextualizing risk communication. We draw attention to some of the potential pitfalls in counseling about risk and offer avenues for circumventing them.

Risk Perception and Communication in Commercial Reusable Launch Vehicle Operations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hardy, Terry L.

2005-12-01

A number of inventors and entrepreneurs are currently attempting to develop and commercially operate reusable launch vehicles to carry voluntary participants into space. The operation of these launch vehicles, however, produces safety risks to the crew, to the space flight participants, and to the uninvolved public. Risk communication therefore becomes increasingly important to assure that those involved in the flight understand the risk and that those who are not directly involved understand the personal impact of RLV operations on their lives. Those involved in the launch vehicle flight may perceive risk differently from those non-participants, and these differences in perception must be understood to effectively communicate this risk. This paper summarizes existing research in risk perception and communication and applies that research to commercial reusable launch vehicle operations. Risk communication is discussed in the context of requirements of United States law for informed consent from any space flight participants on reusable suborbital launch vehicles.

Assessing the effect of public health information by incentivised risk estimation: An example on Swedish snus.

PubMed

Bergsvik, Daniel; Rogeberg, Ole

2018-04-01

The provision of accurate information on health damaging behaviours and products is a widely accepted and widespread governmental task. It is easily mismanaged. This study demonstrates a simple method which can help to evaluate whether such information corrects recipient risk beliefs. Participants assess risks numerically, before and after being exposed to a relevant risk communication. Accuracy is incentivised by awarding financial prizes to answers closest to a pursued risk belief. To illustrate this method, 228 students from the University of Oslo, Norway, were asked to estimate the mortality risk of Swedish snus and cigarettes twice, before and after being exposed to one of three risk communications with information on the health dangers of snus. The data allow us to measure how participants updated their risk beliefs after being exposed to different risk communications. Risk information from the government strongly distorted risk perceptions for snus. A newspaper article discussing the relative risks of cigarettes and snus reduced belief errors regarding snus risks, but increased belief errors regarding smoking. The perceived quality of the risk communication was not associated with decreased belief errors. Public health information can potentially make the public less informed on risks about harmful products or behaviours. This risk can be reduced by targeting identified, measurable belief errors and empirically assessing how alternative communications affect these. The proposed method of incentivised risk estimation might be helpful in future assessments of risk communications. Copyright © 2018 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Communication strategies to optimize commitments and investments in iron programming.

PubMed

Griffiths, Marcia

2002-04-01

There is consensus that a communications component is crucial to the success of iron supplementation and fortification programs. However, in many instances, we have not applied what we know about successful advocacy and program communications to iron programs. Communication must play a larger and more central role in iron programs to overcome several common shortcomings and allow the use of new commitments and investments in iron programming to optimum advantage. One shortcoming is that iron program communication has been driven primarily by the supply side of the supply-demand continuum. That is, technical information has been given without thought for what people want to know or do. To overcome this, the communication component, which should be responsive to the consumer perspective, must be considered at program inception, not enlisted late in the program cycle as a remedy when interventions fail to reach their targets. Another shortcoming is the lack of program focus on behavior. Because the "technology" of iron, a supplement, or fortified or specific local food must be combined with appropriate consumer behavior, it is not enough to promote the technology. The appropriate use of technology must be ensured, and this requires precise and strategically crafted communications. A small number of projects from countries as diverse as Indonesia, Egypt, Nicaragua and Peru offer examples of successful communications efforts and strategies for adaptation by other countries.

Factors associated with parent-child communication about HIV/AIDS in the United States and Kenya: a cross-cultural comparison.

PubMed

Poulsen, Melissa N; Miller, Kim S; Lin, Carol; Fasula, Amy; Vandenhoudt, Hilde; Wyckoff, Sarah C; Ochura, Juliet; Obong'o, Christopher O; Forehand, Rex

2010-10-01

This study explored parent-child communication about HIV/AIDS among two populations disproportionately affected by HIV. Similar computer-assisted surveys were completed by parents of pre-teens, including 1,115 African American parents of 9-12-year-old children in southeastern US and 403 parents of 10-12-year-old children in Nyanza Province, Kenya. Multivariate analyses identified factors associated with parental report of ever talking to their child about HIV/AIDS. Twenty-nine percent of US parents and 40% in Kenya had never talked to their pre-teen about HIV/AIDS. In both countries, communication was more likely if parents perceived their child to be ready to learn about sex topics, had gotten information to educate their child about sex, and had greater sexual communication responsiveness (skill, comfort, and confidence communicating about sexuality). Programs are needed that help parents assess children's readiness to learn about sexual issues; access accurate information about adolescent sexual risks; and acquire the responsiveness needed to discuss sexual issues, including HIV/AIDS.

Reputation, relationships, risk communication, and the role of trust in the prevention and control of communicable disease: a review.

PubMed

Cairns, Georgina; de Andrade, Marisa; MacDonald, Laura

2013-01-01

Population-level compliance with health protective behavioral advice to prevent and control communicable disease is essential to optimal effectiveness. Multiple factors affect perceptions of trustworthiness, and trust in advice providers is a significant predeterminant of compliance. While competency in assessment and management of communicable disease risks is critical, communications competency may be equally important. Organizational reputation, quality of stakeholder relationships and risk information provision strategies are trust moderating factors, whose impact is strongly influenced by the content, timing and coordination of communications. This article synthesizes the findings of 2 literature reviews on trust moderating communications and communicable disease prevention and control. We find a substantial evidence base on risk communication, but limited research on other trust building communications. We note that awareness of good practice historically has been limited although interest and the availability of supporting resources is growing. Good practice and policy elements are identified: recognition that crisis and risk communications require different strategies; preemptive dialogue and planning; evidence-based approaches to media relations and messaging; and building credibility for information sources. Priority areas for future research include process and cost-effectiveness evaluation and the development of frameworks that integrate communication and biomedical disease control and prevention functions, conceptually and at scale.

Learning clinical communication skills: outcomes of a program for professional practitioners.

PubMed

Carvalho, Irene P; Pais, Vanessa G; Almeida, Susana S; Ribeiro-Silva, Raquel; Figueiredo-Braga, Margarida; Teles, Ana; Castro-Vale, Ivone; Mota-Cardoso, Rui

2011-07-01

To assess the effects of a communication skills program on professional practitioners' performance and self-confidence in clinical interviewing. Twenty-five health professionals took 3 months of basic communication skills followed by 3 months of advanced communication skills. An additional quarter dealt with self-awareness and communication in special situations. Participants' performances were evaluated in clinical interviews with standardized patients before, during and after the program by external observers and standardized patients, using standardized instruments. Participants assessed their own confidence in their communication skills before and after the program. Data were analysed using GLM repeated-measures procedures in SPSS. Basic communication skills and self-confidence improved throughout the 6 months; competencies declined but self-confidence continued to increase 4 months later. Compared with taking no course, differences were statistically significant after the 6 months (external observers only) and 4 months later (external observers and participants). The program effectively improved communication skills, although significantly only when assessed by external observers. Four months later, effects were significant in communication skills (external observers), despite the decline and in self-confidence. While periodical enrollment in programs for the practice of communication skills may help maintain performance, more knowledge on communication and self-awareness may enhance self-confidence. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Cross-Cutting Risk Framework: Mining Data for Common Risks Across the Portfolio

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Klein, Gerald A., Jr.; Ruark, Valerie

2017-01-01

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) defines risk management as an integrated framework, combining risk-informed decision making and continuous risk management to foster forward-thinking and decision making from an integrated risk perspective. Therefore, decision makers must have access to risks outside of their own project to gain the knowledge that provides the integrated risk perspective. Through the Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) Flight Projects Directorate (FPD) Business Change Initiative (BCI), risks were integrated into one repository to facilitate access to risk data between projects. With the centralized repository, communications between the FPD, project managers, and risk managers improved and GSFC created the cross-cutting risk framework (CCRF) team. The creation of the consolidated risk repository, in parallel with the initiation of monthly FPD risk managers and risk governance board meetings, are now providing a complete risk management picture spanning the entire directorate. This paper will describe the challenges, methodologies, tools, and techniques used to develop the CCRF, and the lessons learned as the team collectively worked to identify risks that FPD programs projects had in common, both past and present.

Interdisciplinary Analysis of Drought Communication Through Social Media Platforms and Risk Communication

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wygant, M.

2015-12-01

As droughts continue to impact businesses and communities throughout the United States, there needs to be a greater emphasis on drought communication through interdisciplinary approaches, risk communication, and digital platforms. The purpose of this research is to provide an overview of the current literature on communicating drought and suggests areas for further improvement. Specifically, this research focuses on communicating drought through social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. It also focuses on the conglomeration of theoretical frameworks within the realm of risk communication, to provide a strong foundation towards future drought communication. This research proposal provides a critical step to advocate for paradigmatic shifts within natural hazard communication.

Mediating the social and psychological impacts of terrorist attacks: the role of risk perception and risk communication.

PubMed

Rogers, M Brooke; Amlôt, Richard; Rubin, G James; Wessely, Simon; Krieger, Kristian

2007-06-01

The public's understanding of chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear (CBRN) related issues and their likely actions following a CBRN incident is an issue of great concern, as public psychological and behavioural responses will help determine subsequent morbidity and mortality rates. This paper explores the role of effective government communication with the public and its role in mediating the social and psychological impact of terrorist attacks. We examine the importance of effective communication in reducing morbidity and mortality in the event of a terrorist attack and explore the impact of risk perceptions in determining the success or failure of risk communication strategies. This includes the examination of the role of fear as a health risk, and the identification of factors relevant to public trust in risk communication. Finally, an investigation of the type of information desired by members of the public leads the authors to make risk communication recommendations targeted at the promotion of more adaptive behaviours in response to CBRN attacks.

Information Processing Techniques Program. Volume II. Communications- Adaptive Internetting

DTIC Science & Technology

1977-09-30

LABORATORY INFORMATION PROCESSING TECHNIQUES PROGRAM VOLUME II: COMMUNICATIONS-ADAPTIVE INTERNETTING I SEMIANNUAL TECHNICAL SUMMARY REPORT TO THE...MASSACHUSETTS ABSTRACT This repori describes work performed on the Communications-Adaptive Internetting program sponsored by the Information ... information processing techniques network speech terminal communicatlons-adaptive internetting 04 links digital voice communications time-varying

Seeing the Forest through the Trees: A Challenge Facing Communication across the Curriculum Programs.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Garside, Colleen

2002-01-01

Notes that communication across the curriculum programs (CXCPs) are designed to increase students' communication competence and enhance student learning. Examines the challenge of maintaining the integrity of multiple disciplines when communication gets taken across the curriculum. Concludes with suggestions for future program directions and…

PACE and the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Zimring, Mark; Fuller, Merrian

The FHFA regulates Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, and the 12 Federal Home Loan Banks (the government-sponsored enterprises - GSEs). On June 18, 2009, James B. Lockhart III, then Director of FHFA, released a letter expressing concern about the negative impact of energy loan tax assessment programs (ELTAPs) - also known as Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) programs - on both the housing finance system and homeowner program participants. Subsequently, a number of PACE proponents responded to the concerns laid out in the FHFA letter. In early Fall 2009, word circulated that FHFA was planning to follow its June letter withmore » guidance to other agencies, possibly including Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, discouraging them from buying loans on properties subject to PACE-type assessment liens. This triggered a second round of stakeholder letters, several of which were addressed to President Obama. On October 18, 2009, the White House, in what some believe was an attempt to obviate the need for FHFA guidance, released a Policy Framework for PACE Financing Programs that outlined best practices guidance for homeowner and lender protection. As of February 2010, FHFA and the GSEs have agreed to monitor PACE programs and work with stakeholders and the Administration to consider additional guidance beyond the Policy Framework and to collect more information on PACE program efficacy and risks. A summary of the communications timeline and highlights of the communications are provided.« less

Talking About Type 2 Diabetes: Family Communication From the Perspective of At-Risk Relatives.

PubMed

Myers, Melanie F; Fernandes, Sara L; Arduser, Lora; Hopper, Jennifer L; Koehly, Laura M

2015-12-01

The purpose of this study was to describe type 2 diabetes (T2DM) communication and risk reduction recommendations from the perspective of family members at risk for T2DM based on family history. Semistructured qualitative interviews were conducted with 33 individuals with a first-degree relative with T2DM. Participants were recruited from the community and a previous pharmacogenetics study. Deductive and inductive codes were applied to the transcripts. Conversations with family members with and without T2DM focused on symptoms and disease management of the family member with T2DM. With at-risk relatives, conversations also focused on prevention. Lack of perceived relevance to family members without T2DM was a barrier to communication. Recommendations to facilitate communication included education of an at-risk family member to increase awareness of risk, followed by sharing of learned information with others. Efforts are needed to increase awareness and improve communication about T2DM risk factors, familial risk, and risk reduction behaviors within families with a family history of T2DM. Family members with and without T2DM should be encouraged to communicate with their relatives about T2DM and the risk to family members. Identification of family members who can facilitate communication, education, and modeling of healthy behaviors may increase awareness and motivate at-risk individuals to engage in risk-reducing behaviors. © 2015 The Author(s).

The potential risk of communication media in conveying critical information in the aircraft maintenance organisation: a case study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shukri, S. Ahmad; Millar, R. M.; Gratton, G.; Garner, M.

2016-10-01

In the world of aircraft maintenance organisation, verbal and written communication plays a pivotal role in transferring critical information in relation to aircraft safety and efficiency. The communication media used to convey the critical information between departments at an aircraft maintenance organisation have potential risk in misunderstanding of the information. In this study, technical and non-technical personnel from five different departments at an aircraft maintenance organisation were interviewed on the communication media they normally utilised to communicate six different work procedures that are closely related to aircraft safety and efficiency. This is to discover which communication media pose higher risk in misunderstanding critical information. The findings reveal that written communication pose higher risk of misinterpretation compared with verbal communication when conveying critical information between departments.

Tailored Communication to Enhance Adaption Across the Breast Cancer Spectrum

DTIC Science & Technology

2005-10-01

cancer risk assessment programs and adherence to screening recommendations among underserved African- American women; 2) use of a "teachable moment...cancer represents a serious health issue for African American women. Higher morbidity and mortality rates in this population may be due, in part, to...recommendations among African American women (Miller, 1995; Miller, 1996; Miller, Shoda, & Hurley, 1996; Miller, Fang, et al., 1999). These data will be used

Parental influences on adolescent sexual behaviors.

PubMed

Rupp, Richard; Rosenthal, Susan L

2007-12-01

Parents play a significant role in the sexual development and behaviors of their children. Parental monitoring and supervision are important avenues for keeping adolescents from risky situations and activities while the teen develops responsible decision-making skills. A supportive relationship between the parent and adolescent is important for enhancing communication and supervision. In this article we discuss programs that were designed to improve parenting skills to decrease adolescent sexual risk behaviors.

Risk Factors of Non-Communicable Diseases and Metabolic Syndrome

PubMed Central

Esmailnasab, N; Moradi, G; Delaveri, A

2012-01-01

Background Metabolic syndrome is a common nmetabolic ndisorder, which leads to early Cardio Vascular Disease and diabetes type II. The goal of this study was to determine the prevalence of metabolic syndrome and its risk factors in Kurdistan, Iran. Method: The data was extracted from provincial section of Iranian national non-communicable surveillance survey conducted in 2005. The study was a population-based survey with multi-stage cluster sampling method. Adult Treatment Panel-III measures were used for assessing the prevalence of metabolic syndrome among residents of Kurdistan Province aged 25 to 64 yr. EPI-Info 6 was used to enter the data and the data was analyzed using SPSS 11.5. Results: Totally, 1194 participants were recruited in our survey. The prevalence of metabolic syndrome was 29.1%. The prevalence was 41.3% among women and 17.1% among men (P= 0.001). As we go higher among age groups, the prevalence increases. Conclusion: This is the first study to investigate the metabolic syndrome in Kurdistan and Kurd ethnicity. The high level of metabolic syndromes prevalence especially among women shows the need and importance of suitable and effective preventive programs. These preventive programs must promote changes in lifestyle, especially with respect to nutrition, physical activities, and control of blood pressure. PMID:23113214

Assessing the effects of a complementary parent intervention and prior exposure to a preadolescent program of HIV risk reduction for mid-adolescents.

PubMed

Stanton, Bonita; Wang, Bo; Deveaux, Lynette; Lunn, Sonja; Rolle, Glenda; Li, Xiaoming; Braithwaite, Nanika; Dinaj-Koci, Veronica; Marshall, Sharon; Gomez, Perry

2015-03-01

We (1) evaluated the impact of an evidence-based HIV prevention program with and without a parent component among mid-adolescents living in the Caribbean and (2) determined the effect of prior receipt of a related intervention during preadolescence on intervention response. A randomized, controlled 4-cell trial of a 10-session, theory-based HIV prevention intervention involving 2564 Bahamian grade-10 youths (some of whom had received a comparable intervention in grade 6) was conducted (2008-2011). Randomization occurred at the level of the classroom with follow-up at 6, 12, and 18 months after intervention. The 3 experimental conditions all included the youths' curriculum and either a youth-parent intervention emphasizing adolescent-parent communication, a parent-only goal-setting intervention, or no parent intervention. An intervention delivered to mid-adolescents in combination with a parent-adolescent sexual-risk communication intervention increased HIV/AIDS knowledge, condom-use skills, and self-efficacy and had a marginal effect on consistent condom use. Regardless of prior exposure to a similar intervention as preadolescents, youths benefited from receipt of the intervention. Preadolescents and mid-adolescents in HIV-affected countries should receive HIV prevention interventions that include parental participation.

Communicating cardiovascular disease risk: an interview study of General Practitioners’ use of absolute risk within tailored communication strategies

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Cardiovascular disease (CVD) prevention guidelines encourage assessment of absolute CVD risk - the probability of a CVD event within a fixed time period, based on the most predictive risk factors. However, few General Practitioners (GPs) use absolute CVD risk consistently, and communication difficulties have been identified as a barrier to changing practice. This study aimed to explore GPs’ descriptions of their CVD risk communication strategies, including the role of absolute risk. Methods Semi-structured interviews were conducted with a purposive sample of 25 GPs in New South Wales, Australia. Transcribed audio-recordings were thematically coded, using the Framework Analysis method to ensure rigour. Results GPs used absolute CVD risk within three different communication strategies: ‘positive’, ‘scare tactic’, and ‘indirect’. A ‘positive’ strategy, which aimed to reassure and motivate, was used for patients with low risk, determination to change lifestyle, and some concern about CVD risk. Absolute risk was used to show how they could reduce risk. A ‘scare tactic’ strategy was used for patients with high risk, lack of motivation, and a dismissive attitude. Absolute risk was used to ‘scare’ them into taking action. An ‘indirect’ strategy, where CVD risk was not the main focus, was used for patients with low risk but some lifestyle risk factors, high anxiety, high resistance to change, or difficulty understanding probabilities. Non-quantitative absolute risk formats were found to be helpful in these situations. Conclusions This study demonstrated how GPs use three different communication strategies to address the issue of CVD risk, depending on their perception of patient risk, motivation and anxiety. Absolute risk played a different role within each strategy. Providing GPs with alternative ways of explaining absolute risk, in order to achieve different communication aims, may improve their use of absolute CVD risk assessment in practice. PMID:24885409

The feasibility of implementing a communication skills training course in pediatric hematology/oncology fellowship.

PubMed

Weintraub, Lauren; Figueiredo, Lisa; Roth, Michael; Levy, Adam

Communication skills are a competency highlighted by the Accreditation Council on Graduate Medical Education; yet, little is known about the frequency with which trainees receive formal training or what programs are willing to invest. We sought to answer this question and designed a program to address identified barriers. We surveyed pediatric fellowship program directors from all disciplines and, separately, pediatric hematology/oncology fellowship program directors to determine current use of formal communication skills training. At our institution, we piloted a standardized patient (SP)-based communication skills training program for pediatric hematology/oncology fellows. Twenty-seven pediatric hematology/oncology program directors and 44 pediatric program directors participated in the survey, of which 56% and 48%, respectively, reported having an established, formal communication skills training course. Multiple barriers to implementation of a communication skills course were identified, most notably time and cost. In the pilot program, 13 pediatric hematology/oncology fellows have participated, and 9 have completed all 3 years of training. Precourse assessment demonstrated fellows had limited comfort in various areas of communication. Following course completion, there was a significant increase in self-reported comfort and/or skill level in such areas of communication, including discussing a new diagnosis (p =.0004), telling a patient they are going to die (p =.005), discussing recurrent disease (p <.001), communicating a poor prognosis (p =.002), or responding to anger (p ≤.001). We have designed a concise communication skills training program, which addresses identified barriers and can feasibly be implemented in pediatric hematology/oncology fellowship.

Direct-to-Consumer Promotion of Prescription Drugs on Mobile Devices: Content Analysis

PubMed Central

Sullivan, Helen W; Dolina, Suzanne; Lynch, Molly; Squiers, Linda B

2017-01-01

Background US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulations state that any prescription drug promotion that presents drug benefits to consumers must also disclose certain information about the drug’s risks in a similar manner. Nearly three-quarters of all US mobile phone subscribers use a smartphone, and over half report receiving mobile advertisements on their device. Objective The objective of this project was to investigate how prescription drugs are being promoted to consumers using mobile technologies. We were particularly interested in the presentation of drug benefits and risks, with regard to presence, placement, and prominence. Methods We analyzed a sample of 51 mobile promotional communications and their associated linked landing pages. We assessed the content and format of the mobile communications and landing pages with regard to presentation of drug benefits and risks. Results Of the 51 mobile communications we coded, 41% (21/51) were product claim communications (includes the drug name, benefits, and risks), 22% (11/51) were reminder communications (includes drug name only), and 37% (19/51) were help-seeking communications (includes information about the medical condition but not the drug name). Some of the product claim communications (5/21, 24%) required scrolling to see all the benefit information; in contrast, 95% (20/21) required scrolling to see all the risk information. Of the 19 product claim communications that presented both benefits and risks, 95% (18/19) presented benefits before risks and 47% (9/19) used a bigger font for benefits than for risks. Most mobile communications (35/51, 69%) linked to branded drug websites with both benefits and risks, 25% (13/51) linked to a landing page with benefits but no visible risks, and 6% (3/51) linked to a landing page with risks but no visible benefits. Few landing pages (4/51, 8%) required scrolling to see all the benefit information; in contrast, 51% (26/51) required scrolling to see all the risk information. Of the 35 landing pages with both benefit and risk information, 71% (25/35) presented benefits before risks and 51% (18/35) used a bigger font for benefits than for risks. Conclusions These results indicate that, while risks and benefits are both represented in mobile communications and their associated landing pages, they are not equally prominent and accessible. This has implications for compliance with FDA fair balance regulations. PMID:28676469

Energy essays: a focus on utility communication

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Selnow, G.W.; Crano, W.D.; Ludwig, S.

The following papers are included: (1) technology, customers, and the feedback loop, (2) utility communications: a need for understanding the American character, (3) utility programs and grass roots communication, (4) reading the tea leaves of public opinion, (5) the need for public opinion surveys in utility communication programs, (6) the role of assessment in effective utility communication programs, (7) utility customer communication; perspectives on current public policy and law, (8) customer communications - a notion in motion, (9) communication when your customer is your owner, (10) radio advertising, (11) television advertising, (12) newspaper advertising, and (13) magazine advertising. (MOW)

75 FR 21011 - National Protection and Programs Directorate; Statewide Communication Interoperability Plan...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-04-22

... Directorate/Cybersecurity and Communications/Office of Emergency Communications, has submitted the following... Homeland Security (DHS), National Protection and Programs Directorate/Cybersecurity and Communications...

What You Should Get from a Professionally Oriented Master's Degree Program in Technical Communication.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carliner, Saul

1992-01-01

Cites reasons for pursuing a curriculum in technical communication, lists objectives a program should achieve, and outlines a four-part program that includes theory, professional skills, technical proficiency, and an internship. Lists schools offering programs in technical communication. (SR)

Building an Interdepartmental Major in Speech Communication.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Litterst, Judith K.

This paper describes a popular and innovative major program of study in speech communication at St. Cloud University in Minnesota: the Speech Communication Interdepartmental Major. The paper provides background on the program, discusses overall program requirements, presents sample student options, identifies ingredients for program success,…

Problematic communications during 2016 fellowship recruitment in internal medicine.

PubMed

Cornett, Patricia A; Williams, Chris; Alweis, Richard L; McConville, John; Frank, Michael; Dalal, Bhavin; Kopelman, Richard I; Luther, Vera P; O'connor, Alec B; Muchmore, Elaine A

2017-01-01

Some internal medicine residency program directors have expressed concerns that their third-year residents may have been subjected to inappropriate communication during the 2016 fellowship recruitment season. The authors sought to study applicants' interpersonal communication experiences with fellowship programs. Many respondents indicated that they had been asked questions that would constitute violations of the National Residency Matching Program (NRMP) Communications Code of Conduct agreement, including how they plan to rank specific programs. Moreover, female respondents were more likely to have been asked questions during interview experiences about other programs to which they applied, and about their family plans. Post-interview communication policies were not made clear to most applicants. These results suggest ongoing challenges for the internal medicine community to improve communication with applicants and uniform compliance with the NRMP communications code of conduct during the fellowship recruitment process.

Mentoring At-Risk Middle School Students to Reduce Communication Apprehension

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jones, Kevin T.; Procopio, Claire H.

2017-01-01

Research has demonstrated the efficacy of mentoring at-risk students in a number of fields from physical education to math and science. While separate research has found that many at-risk students lack effective communication skills, little research has explored the potential of communication mentoring in improving at-risk students' communication…

Right-to-try laws and individual patient "compassionate use" of experimental oncology medications: A call for improved provider-patient communication.

PubMed

Hoerger, Michael

2016-01-01

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration's Expanded Access program allows patients with life-threatening diagnoses, such as advanced cancer, to use experimental medications without participating in clinical research (colloquially, "Compassionate Use"). Sixteen U.S. states recently passed "right-to-try" legislation aimed at promoting Expanded Access. Acknowledging popular support, Expanded Access could undermine clinical trials that benefit public health. Moreover, existing norms in oncologic care, for example, often lead patients to pursue intense treatments near the end of life, at the expense of palliation, and improved communication about the risks and benefits of Expanded Access would more often discourage its use.

Communicating Qualitative Risk to a Rural Audience

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Vandergraaf, T.T.

Although many risk assessment involve complex mathematical models and a thorough understanding, communicating the risk to the general public can present a considerable challenge. Comprehending a 'one-in-a-million' risk some 10 000 years in the future can be a challenge to the average citizen who is surrounded by more imminent dangers and who has, by virtue of their familiarity, become immune to them. A number of years ago, the then Japan Atomic Energy Institute (JAERI) signed a multi-year cooperative agreement with Atomic Energy of Canada, Ltd (AECL) that included a number of self-contained radioisotope diffusion and migration experiments to be performedmore » under in situ geochemical conditions in a specially designed radiochemistry laboratory at a depth of 240 metres in AECL's Underground Research Laboratory (URL) near Lac du Bonnet, Manitoba, Canada. This underground facility has been excavated in a previously undisturbed granite pluton in the Canadian Shield to study various aspects of high-level nuclear waste management. The region has been the home to AECL's Whiteshell Laboratories since the early 1960's and is surrounded by lakes, forests, some agriculture and mining activity. The economy of town, Lac du Bonnet is based on tourism, forestry, mining and agriculture. The relationship between Lac du Bonnet and AECL has generally been good although there have been attempts by a few local citizens, aided by antinuclear activists from Winnipeg, Manitoba's capital, to curtail the operation of the URL. Although the use of radioisotopes was approved by the then-Atomic Energy Control Board, the Canadian regulatory body, maintaining good working relations with the elected officials of the neighbouring communities was essential to the proposed radioisotope migration experiments. One reason for this was that minute quantities of radioisotope solutions needed to be transported over a distance of {approx}25 km between the URL and the Whiteshell Laboratories over public roads. As part of the public affairs program, the author, before his retirement from AECL, presented a comparison between the amounts of radioisotopes used in the migration experiments and those present in commonly used consumer products. This comparison proved to be adequate to gain the trust and support of the neighbouring communities. This trust was maintained by a rigorous communication program between the project manager and representatives of the local communities, environmental and law enforcement agencies. In summary: The need to present an experimental program to non-scientists presented a golden opportunity to relate the qualitative risk of using radioisotopes in a non-traditional environment to that associated with widely used consumer items and medical therapeutic and diagnostic materials. Although the amounts of radioisotopes used in these experiments are orders of magnitude lower than those in the disposal of nuclear wastes, the approach presented here may have merit in bridging the gap between the scientific community and the general public. The success of the approach used became clear when, towards the end of the experimental program, some of the elected officials expressed satisfaction with the extension of the program for new, a five-year, period. (authors)« less

Bound for Sydney town: health surveillance on international cruise vessels visiting the Port of Sydney.

PubMed

Ferson, Mark J; Ressler, Kelly-Anne

2005-04-18

A program for routine health surveillance on international cruise ships visiting the Port of Sydney has been developed since 1998. Before introduction of this program, ships only reported quarantinable diseases and were not aware of the Australian requirement to report other infectious diseases. Voluntary routine reporting, developed in partnership with the cruise ship industry, provides timely information on all infectious diseases of public health interest during every cruise. During 1999-2003, the program resulted in detection of and response to 14 outbreaks of gastroenteritis or acute respiratory infection, affecting more than 1400 passengers and crew. The program has improved preventive action, and risk communication and management by cruise ship operators, and led to more timely investigation and support by public health authorities.

Science, Technology, and Communication: Program Design in the Past, Present, and Future. Proceedings of the Annual Meeting of the Council for Programs in Technical and Scientific Communication (26th, Santa Fe, New Mexico, October 14-16, 1999).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rude, Carolyn, Ed.

Based on the theme of the past, present, and future of science, technology, and communication programs, this proceedings presents 49 papers delivered at the 1999 annual meeting of the Council for Programs in Technical and Scientific Communication (CPTSC). Papers in the proceedings are divided into 12 subsections: The Shape of Programs: Past,…

[The perils of risk communication and the role of the mass media].

PubMed

Rossmann, C; Brosius, H-B

2013-01-01

Based on theories and empirical results from communication science, the present paper provides an overview of the role of mass media in risk communication. It is guided by the following questions: How do risk issues find their way into the media and how does the media depict them? How do mass-mediated risk messages affect people's perception of risks, knowledge, attitudes, and behavior? What potential does the media have in disseminating health risk information in campaigns? Hence, the present paper aims to provide a basis for the appropriate use of mass media in health risk communication so as to make use of the potential of mass media without neglecting its limits.

RISK COMMUNICATION FOR ES&H PROFESSIONALS AND LINE SUPERVISORS PARTICIPANT MANUAL COURSE NUMBER 004111 REV 0.1 JULY 2011

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

ALDRIDGE PK; ROCKS S

This course will help you successfully apply risk communication principles when interacting with workers regarding work hazards. What Is the Difference Between a Risk and a Hazard? In many cases, the terms 'risk' and 'hazard' are incorrectly used interchangeably. A hazard is a physical condition or practice with the potential for causing harm/adverse effects. A risk is the probability of harm/adverse effects occurring from an exposure to a hazard. It is modified by the severity of harm (the consequence). Once a hazard is identified, a risk assessment is conducted to determine the severity of the risk. It uses scientific methodsmore » and rigorous tests to determine the effects of the risk on people and the environment. Risk Management takes data from the risk assessment and writes policies to help protect people and the environment against the risk. Risk communication is an ongoing process that starts soon after a hazard is identified and continues through the writing of policies. In the past, governing agencies did not do a good job of communicating risk; they would only communicate about risk after studies had been conducted and policies written.« less

Mandatory communication training of all employees with patient contact.

PubMed

Ammentorp, Jette; Graugaard, Lars Toke; Lau, Marianne Engelbrecht; Andersen, Troels Præst; Waidtløw, Karin; Kofoed, Poul-Erik

2014-06-01

In 2010 a communication program that included mandatory communication skills training for all employees with patient contact was developed and launched at a large regional hospital in Denmark. We describe the communication program, the implementation process, and the initial assessment of the process to date. The cornerstone of the program is a communication course based on the Calgary Cambridge Guide and on the experiences of several efficacy and effectiveness studies conducted at the same hospital. The specific elements of the program are described in steps and a preliminary assessment based on feedback from the departments will be presented. The elements of the communication program are as follows: (1) education of trainers; (2) courses for health professionals employed in clinical departments; (3) education of new staff; (4) courses for health professionals in service departments; and (5) maintenance of communication skills. Thus far, 70 of 86 staff have become certified trainers and 17 of 18 departments have been included in the program. Even though the communication program is resource-intensive and competes with several other development projects in the clinical departments, the experiences of the staff and the managers are positive and the program continues as planned. Copyright © 2014 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd.. All rights reserved.

The use of third-party review to reduce health and environmental hazards from surfactants and cleaning products in the janitorial industry.

PubMed

Okumura, Kazuhiro

2009-05-01

The demand for environmentally preferable products is increasing in the area of Institutional and Industrial (I&I) cleaners. The GreenBlue Institute (GreenBlue) and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (U.S. EPA's) Design for Environment (DfE) launched two programs to review surfactant ingredients and final cleaning products, with the National Sanitation Foundation (NSF) conducting third-party reviews. The Local Hazardous Waste Management Program (LHWMP) in King County, Washington, has a strategic goal to reduce the risk of exposure of hazardous chemicals to vulnerable populations such as janitorial workers. This report summarizes the NSF partnership with GreenBlue, CleanGredients, and U.S. EPA's DfE to perform third-party reviews of cleaning product ingredients and its relevance to LHWMP's interest in reducing risks to workers in the janitorial industry. Due to information barriers, workers in the janitorial industry are at risk daily to these hazardous chemicals. The surfactant and formulator review program will make positive contributions towards the reduction of toxic chemical exposure to the employees of the janitorial industry. With proper communication and an increased use of less toxic cleaners, exposures to vulnerable populations can be reduced.

Risk communication strategy development using the aerospace systems engineering process

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dawson, S.; Sklar, M.

2004-01-01

This paper explains the goals and challenges of NASA's risk communication efforts and how the Aerospace Systems Engineering Process (ASEP) was used to map the risk communication strategy used at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory to achieve these goals.

Understanding the Contribution of Family History to Colorectal Cancer Risk and Its Clinical Implications: A State-of-the-Science Review

PubMed Central

Lowery, Jan T; Ahnen, Dennis J; Schroy, Paul C.; Hampel, Heather; Baxter, Nancy; Boland, C. Richard; Burt, Randall W; Butterly, Lynn; Doerr, Megan; Doroshenk, Mary; Feero, W. Gregory; Henrikson, Nora; Ladabaum, Uri; Lieberman, David; McFarland, Elizabeth G; Peterson, Susan K; Raymond, Martha; Samadder, N. Jewel; Syngal, Sapna; Weber, Thomas K.; Zauber, Ann G; Smith, Robert

2017-01-01

Background Persons with a family history (FH) of colorectal cancer (CRC) or adenomas that are not due to known hereditary syndromes have increased risk for CRC. Understanding these risks, screening recommendations and screening behaviors can inform strategies to reduce CRC burden in these families. Methods A comprehensive review of literature published within the past 10 years was conducted to assess what is known about cancer risk, screening guidelines, adherence and barriers to screening and effective interventions in persons with FH of CRC, and to identify FH tools used to identify these individuals and inform care. Results Existing data show that having one affected first-degree relative (FDR) increases CRC risk by 2-fold, and risk increases with multiple affected FDRs and younger age at diagnosis. There was variability in screening recommendations across consensus guidelines. Screening adherence was <50% and lower in persons under age 50. Having a provider’s recommendation, multiple affected relatives and family encouragement facilitated screening; insufficient collection of FH, low knowledge of guidelines, and poor family communication were important barriers. Effective interventions incorporated strategies for overcoming barriers but these have not been tested broadly in clinical settings. Conclusions Four strategies for reducing CRC in persons with familial risk are suggested: 1) improve how we collect and utilize cancer FH, 2) establish consensus for screening guidelines by FH, 3) enhance provider-patient knowledge of guidelines and communication about CRC risk, 4) encourage survivors to promote screening within their families, and partner with existing screening programs to expand reach to high-risk groups. PMID:27258162

Universal screening for Lynch syndrome among patients with colorectal cancer: Patient perspectives on screening and sharing results with at-risk relatives

PubMed Central

Hunter, Jessica Ezzell; Arnold, Kathleen A.; Cook, Jennifer E.; Zepp, Jamilyn; Gilmore, Marian J.; Rope, Alan F.; Davis, James V.; Bergen, Kellene M.; Esterberg, Elizabeth; Muessig, Kristin R.; Peterson, Susan K.; Syngal, Sapna; Acheson, Louise; Wiesner, Georgia; Reiss, Jacob; Goddard, Katrina A.B.

2018-01-01

Universal screening for Lynch syndrome (LS) among all cases of colorectal cancer (CRC) could increase the diagnosis of LS and reduce morbidity and mortality of LS-associated cancers. Given universal screening includes all patients, irrespective of high risk factors such early age at onset or family history of CRC, it is important to understand perspectives of all patients and not just those at high risk. As part of a study to assess the feasibility and implementation of universal screening, 189 patients newly diagnosed with CRC were surveyed about their interest in screening for LS and communication of results with at-risk family members. Overall, participants responded positively regarding screening for LS, with most wanting to know their genetic risks in general (86%) and risk of hereditary CRC (93%). Prior to receiving screening results, most participants stated they intended to share their screening results with parents (89%), siblings (96%), and children (96%). Of the 28 participants who received a positive LS screening result, 26 (93%) reported sharing their result with at least one first-degree family member. Interest in screening for LS and communication of screening results with family members was not associated with high risk factors. This study indicates that patients are interested in being screened for LS and that sharing information on the risk of LS with at-risk family members is not a significant barrier. These findings provide novel insight into patient perspectives about screening for LS and can guide successful implementation of universal screening programs. PMID:28176204

Non-Verbal Communication Training: An Avenue for University Professionalizing Programs?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gazaille, Mariane

2011-01-01

In accordance with today's workplace expectations, many university programs identify the ability to communicate as a crucial asset for future professionals. Yet, if the teaching of verbal communication is clearly identifiable in most university programs, the same cannot be said of non-verbal communication (NVC). Knowing the importance of the…

Effects of a worksite program to improve the cardiovascular health of female health care workers.

PubMed

Low, Vivian; Gebhart, Bonnie; Reich, Christine

2015-01-01

Reducing cardiovascular risk for female health care workers supports self-care and facilitates a culture of health promotion. We examined the effect of individualized motivational communications on risk and measured program participation at a busy hospital, utilizing cardiac rehabilitation resources. Women (40-65 years old) who self-identified as having increased cardiovascular risk and ready for change were randomly assigned to weekly motivational counseling or control. All participants were offered classes (weight/diet, stress, exercise, and smoking cessation) and gym access. Physical and perceptual measures were recorded before and after the 6-month program to measure change. Followup 1 year later measured current weight, stress, and physical activity. Participants (n = 57) ranked weight as their greatest concern (42%). Compared with control, the intervention group resulted in greater: weight loss (7.2 vs 3.8 pounds); stress reduction (6.5 vs 4.7; Cohen stress scale); and exercise days per week (1.4 vs 1.2). Differences were not statistically significant in this small sample, but all changes consistently favored the intervention. Program participation was low, as was participation in the 1-year followup, although those responding indicated maintenance or further improvement. These consistent and positive findings are promising but only suggestive because of the small sample size. Future studies should focus on how to get more buy-in from employees, to help insure persistence toward health goals. Study results assisted development of a comprehensive Web-based employee wellness motivational program to address the issues of on-site participation. Attention to health risks in health care workers remains an important area of study.

How do family physicians communicate about cardiovascular risk? Frequencies and determinants of different communication formats.

PubMed

Neuner-Jehle, Stefan; Senn, Oliver; Wegwarth, Odette; Rosemann, Thomas; Steurer, Johann

2011-04-05

Patients understand information about risk better if it is communicated in numerical or visual formats (e.g. graphs) compared to verbal qualifiers only. How frequently different communication formats are used in clinical primary care settings is unknown. We collected socioeconomic and patient understanding data using questionnaires and audio-recorded consultations about cardiovascular disease risk. The frequencies of the communication formats were calculated and multivariate regression analysis of associations between communication formats, patient and general practitioner characteristics, and patient subjective understanding was performed. In 73% of 70 consultations, verbal qualifiers were used exclusively to communicate cardiovascular risk, compared to numerical (11%) and visual (16%) formats. Female GPs and female patient's gender were significantly associated with a higher use of verbal formats compared to visual formats (p=0.001 and p=0.039, respectively). Patient subjective understanding was significantly higher in visual counseling compared to verbal counseling (p=0.001). Verbal qualifiers are the most often used communication format, though recommendations favor numerical and visual formats, with visual formats resulting in better understanding than others. Also, gender is associated with the choice of communication format. Barriers against numerical and visual communication formats among GPs and patients should be studied, including gender aspects. Adequate risk communication should be integrated into physicians' education.

The Influence of Media Communication on Risk Perception and Behavior Related to Mad Cow Disease in South Korea

PubMed Central

Park, Jee-Eun; Sohn, Aeree

2013-01-01

Objectives The purpose of this study was to ascertain the influence of media communication on risk behavior related to mad cow disease (MCD). Methods Mothers of elementary school students in Seoul were recruited as the survey participants of this study. Results Media reports affected risk behavior related to MCD. Also, knowledge and attitude toward MCD affects risk behavior. Conclusion Risk-related information provided by the media should maintain consistency and objectivity. For effective risk communication, there should be an open communication between the government and public, experts, and related industries, who should all collaborate. PMID:24159557

A practical approach to communicating benefit-risk decisions of medicines to stakeholders.

PubMed

Leong, James; Walker, Stuart; Salek, Sam

2015-01-01

The importance of a framework for a systematic structured assessment of the benefits and risks has been established, but in addition, it is necessary that the benefit-risk decisions and the processes to derive those decisions are documented and communicated to various stakeholders for accountability. Hence there is now a need to find appropriate tools to enhance communication between regulators and other stakeholders, in a manner that would uphold transparency, consistency and standards. A retrospective, non-comparative study was conducted to determine the applicability and practicality of a summary template in documenting benefit-risk assessment and communicating benefit-risk balance and conclusions for reviewers to other stakeholders. The benefit-risk (BR) Summary Template and its User Manual was evaluated by 12 reviewers within a regulatory agency in Singapore, the Health Sciences Authority (HSA). The BR Summary Template was found to be adequate in documenting benefits, risks, relevant summaries and conclusions, while the User Manual was useful in guiding the reviewer in completing the template. The BR Summary Template was also considered a useful tool for communicating benefit-risk decisions to a variety of stakeholders. The use of a template may be of value for the communicating benefit-risk assessment of medicines to stakeholders.

NASA's Optical Communications Program for 2015 and Beyond

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cornwell, Donald M.

2015-01-01

NASA's Space Communications and Navigation (SCaN) program at NASA headquarters is pursuing a vibrant and wide-ranging optical communications program for further planetary and near-Earth missions following the spectacular success of NASA's Lunar Laser Communication Demonstration (LLCD) from the Lunar Atmosphere and Dust Environment Explorer (LADEE) spacecraft orbiting the moon in 2013. This invited paper will discuss NASA's new laser communication missions, key scenarios and details, and the plans to infuse this new technology into NASA's existing communications networks.

Introduction of a guide to enhance risk communication among low-income and minority populations: a grassroots community engagement approach.

PubMed

Rowel, Randy; Sheikhattari, Payam; Barber, Tanyka M; Evans-Holland, Myrtle

2012-01-01

Low-income populations, especially those belonging to minority groups, are among the most vulnerable groups before, during, and after a natural disaster. One of the factors that can be attributed to their vulnerability is the ineffectiveness of traditional risk communication systems in reaching this population. Many low-income populations are distrustful of government agencies and those who typically communicate risk messages. Consequently, traditional systems are not as effective in reaching these communities. Furthermore, traditional systems have been based on the social media that the general population uses and not based on social networks of disadvantaged populations which are more important than formal channels in these communities for dissemination of information. To bridge the gap, an approach is needed that relies on trusted agencies and leaders to educate and warn low-income communities about possible public health threats. A grassroots approach can enhance the capacity of the risk communication systems to more effectively reach vulnerable populations by engaging grassroots organizations in risk communication activities. The Guide to Enhance Grassroots Risk Communication Among Low-Income Populations provides strategies and guidance that can assist agencies in upgrading their systems for risk communication by building partnerships with local community stakeholders.

Importance of risk communication during and after a nuclear accident.

PubMed

Perko, Tanja

2011-07-01

Past nuclear accidents highlight communication as one of the most important challenges in emergency management. In the early phase, communication increases awareness and understanding of protective actions and improves the population response. In the medium and long term, risk communication can facilitate the remediation process and the return to normal life. Mass media play a central role in risk communication. The recent nuclear accident in Japan, as expected, induced massive media coverage. Media were employed to communicate with the public during the contamination phase, and they will play the same important role in the clean-up and recovery phases. However, media also have to fulfill the economic aspects of publishing or broadcasting, with the "bad news is good news" slogan that is a well-known phenomenon in journalism. This article addresses the main communication challenges and suggests possible risk communication approaches to adopt in the case of a nuclear accident. Copyright © 2011 SETAC.

Health Literacy Training for Public Health Nurses in Fukushima: A Multi-site Program Evaluation.

PubMed

Goto, Aya; Lai, Alden Yuanhong; Rudd, Rima E

2015-09-01

Public health nurses (PHNs) are community residents' access points to health information and services in Japan. After the Fukushima nuclear accident, they were challenged to communicate radiation-related health information to best meet community needs. We previously developed and evaluated the outcome of a single-site health literacy training program to augment PHNs' ability to improve community residents' access to written health information. This paper presents an evaluation of an identical training program using data combined from multiple sites, and further included proximal and distal evaluations to document the impact of health literacy training in a post-disaster setting. A total of 64 participants, primarily experienced PHNs, attended one of three multi-session health literacy workshops conducted in multiple sites across Fukushima. Quantitative and qualitative data on PHNs' training satisfaction, self-evaluation of achievements regarding training goals, and application of learned skills were collected and analyzed. Each workshop consisted of two 2-hour sessions introducing health literacy and assessment tools and developing skills to improve written materials, followed by a one-month follow-up assessment on PHNs' application of the gained skills in the field. Post-training evaluations on the appropriateness and usefulness of the workshop were highly positive. At the end of the one-month follow-up, 45% of participants had gained confidence in assessing and revising written materials and had applied the skills they had gained to develop and communicate health information in various settings and modes. This increase in confidence was associated with further application of the learned skills at the municipal level. However, participants reported difficulties in explaining risks, and the need to learn more about plain language to be able to paraphrase professional terms. This paper highlighs the positive outcomes of health literacy training among PHNs. Practical strategies to reinforce their skills to use plain language and communicate the epidemiological concept of risk are also recommended.

Interdisciplinary approach to hydrological hazard mitigation and disaster response and effects of climate change on the occurrence of flood severity in central Alaska

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kontar, Y. Y.; Bhatt, U. S.; Lindsey, S. D.; Plumb, E. W.; Thoman, R. L.

2015-06-01

In May 2013, a massive ice jam on the Yukon River caused flooding that destroyed much of the infrastructure in the Interior Alaska village of Galena and forced the long-term evacuation of nearly 70% of its residents. This case study compares the communication efforts of the out-of-state emergency response agents with those of the Alaska River Watch program, a state-operated flood preparedness and community outreach initiative. For over 50 years, the River Watch program has been fostering long-lasting, open, and reciprocal communication with flood prone communities, as well as local emergency management and tribal officials. By taking into account cultural, ethnic, and socioeconomic features of rural Alaskan communities, the River Watch program was able to establish and maintain a sense of partnership and reliable communication patterns with communities at risk. As a result, officials and residents in these communities are open to information and guidance from the River Watch during the time of a flood, and thus are poised to take prompt actions. By informing communities of existing ice conditions and flood threats on a regular basis, the River Watch provides effective mitigation efforts in terms of ice jam flood effects reduction. Although other ice jam mitigation attempts had been made throughout US and Alaskan history, the majority proved to be futile and/or cost-ineffective. Galena, along with other rural riverine Alaskan communities, has to rely primarily on disaster response and recovery strategies to withstand the shock of disasters. Significant government funds are spent on these challenging efforts and these expenses might be reduced through an improved understanding of both the physical and climatological principals behind river ice breakup and risk mitigation. This study finds that long term dialogue is critical for effective disaster response and recovery during extreme hydrological events connected to changing climate, timing of river ice breakup, and flood occurrence in rural communities of the Far North.

Communication of uncertainty regarding individualized cancer risk estimates: effects and influential factors.

PubMed

Han, Paul K J; Klein, William M P; Lehman, Tom; Killam, Bill; Massett, Holly; Freedman, Andrew N

2011-01-01

To examine the effects of communicating uncertainty regarding individualized colorectal cancer risk estimates and to identify factors that influence these effects. Two Web-based experiments were conducted, in which adults aged 40 years and older were provided with hypothetical individualized colorectal cancer risk estimates differing in the extent and representation of expressed uncertainty. The uncertainty consisted of imprecision (otherwise known as "ambiguity") of the risk estimates and was communicated using different representations of confidence intervals. Experiment 1 (n = 240) tested the effects of ambiguity (confidence interval v. point estimate) and representational format (textual v. visual) on cancer risk perceptions and worry. Potential effect modifiers, including personality type (optimism), numeracy, and the information's perceived credibility, were examined, along with the influence of communicating uncertainty on responses to comparative risk information. Experiment 2 (n = 135) tested enhanced representations of ambiguity that incorporated supplemental textual and visual depictions. Communicating uncertainty led to heightened cancer-related worry in participants, exemplifying the phenomenon of "ambiguity aversion." This effect was moderated by representational format and dispositional optimism; textual (v. visual) format and low (v. high) optimism were associated with greater ambiguity aversion. However, when enhanced representations were used to communicate uncertainty, textual and visual formats showed similar effects. Both the communication of uncertainty and use of the visual format diminished the influence of comparative risk information on risk perceptions. The communication of uncertainty regarding cancer risk estimates has complex effects, which include heightening cancer-related worry-consistent with ambiguity aversion-and diminishing the influence of comparative risk information on risk perceptions. These responses are influenced by representational format and personality type, and the influence of format appears to be modifiable and content dependent.

Integrating design science theory and methods to improve the development and evaluation of health communication programs.

PubMed

Neuhauser, Linda; Kreps, Gary L

2014-12-01

Traditional communication theory and research methods provide valuable guidance about designing and evaluating health communication programs. However, efforts to use health communication programs to educate, motivate, and support people to adopt healthy behaviors often fail to meet the desired goals. One reason for this failure is that health promotion issues are complex, changeable, and highly related to the specific needs and contexts of the intended audiences. It is a daunting challenge to effectively influence health behaviors, particularly culturally learned and reinforced behaviors concerning lifestyle factors related to diet, exercise, and substance (such as alcohol and tobacco) use. Too often, program development and evaluation are not adequately linked to provide rapid feedback to health communication program developers so that important revisions can be made to design the most relevant and personally motivating health communication programs for specific audiences. Design science theory and methods commonly used in engineering, computer science, and other fields can address such program and evaluation weaknesses. Design science researchers study human-created programs using tightly connected build-and-evaluate loops in which they use intensive participatory methods to understand problems and develop solutions concurrently and throughout the duration of the program. Such thinking and strategies are especially relevant to address complex health communication issues. In this article, the authors explore the history, scientific foundation, methods, and applications of design science and its potential to enhance health communication programs and their evaluation.

Postinterview communication with residency applicants: a call for clarity!

PubMed

Frishman, Gary N; Matteson, Kristen A; Bienstock, Jessica L; George, Karen E; Ogburn, Tony; Rauk, Phillip N; Schnatz, Peter F; Learman, Lee A

2014-10-01

The residency match is an increasingly competitive process. Communication from medical student applicants to programs varies, and the effect this has on their rank status is unclear. We assessed how obstetrics and gynecology program directors interpret and act on postinterview communication initiated by applicants by conducting an anonymous cross-sectional web-based survey of allopathic obstetrics and gynecology program directors. One hundred thirty-seven program directors (55%) responded to the survey. Twenty-nine percent would consider ranking an applicant more favorably if the applicant expressed interest (beyond a routine thank you) or if a faculty mentor personally known to the program director stated that the applicant was ranking the program first. Fifty-two percent indicated that they would rank an applicant more favorably if a mentor known to them endorsed the applicant as outstanding. Approximately 30% responded that applicants who did not communicate with their program were disadvantaged compared with those who did. Approximately 17% stated it was desirable to create additional specialty-specific guidelines regarding postinterview contact between programs and applications. Based on the wide variation in how program directors interpret and act on postinterview communication from applicants, residency programs should formulate and communicate a clear policy about whether they request and how they respond to postinterview communication from applicants and their mentors. This will establish a more level playing field and eliminate potential inequities resulting from inconsistent communication practices. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The State of Enrollment Management in Journalism and Mass Communication Programs.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rawlins, Brad L.; Soenksen, Roger; Jensen, Matt

Some programs in journalism and mass communication have been forced to incorporate limited enrollment strategies, as undergraduate interest in these programs continues to grow. After 4 years of moderate growth, undergraduate enrollments in journalism and mass communication programs increased dramatically in the year 2000. Some of the limited…

Strengths and Gaps in Physicians' Risk Communication: A Scenario Study of the Influence of Numeracy on Cancer Screening Communication.

PubMed

Petrova, Dafina; Kostopoulou, Olga; Delaney, Brendan C; Cokely, Edward T; Garcia-Retamero, Rocio

2018-04-01

Many patients have low numeracy, which impedes their understanding of important information about health (e.g., benefits and harms of screening). We investigated whether physicians adapt their risk communication to accommodate the needs of patients with low numeracy, and how physicians' own numeracy influences their understanding and communication of screening statistics. UK family physicians ( N = 151) read a description of a patient seeking advice on cancer screening. We manipulated the level of numeracy of the patient (low v. high v. unspecified) and measured physicians' risk communication, recommendation to the patient, understanding of screening statistics, and numeracy. Consistent with best practices, family physicians generally preferred to use visual aids rather than numbers when communicating information to a patient with low (v. high) numeracy. A substantial proportion of physicians (44%) offered high quality (i.e., complete and meaningful) risk communication to the patient. This was more often the case for physicians with higher (v. lower) numeracy who were more likely to mention mortality rates, OR=1.43 [1.10, 1.86], and harms from overdiagnosis, OR=1.44 [1.05, 1.98]. Physicians with higher numeracy were also more likely to understand that increased detection or survival rates do not demonstrate screening effectiveness, OR=1.61 [1.26, 2.06]. Most physicians know how to appropriately tailor risk communication for patients with low numeracy (i.e., with visual aids). However, physicians who themselves have low numeracy are likely to misunderstand the risks and unintentionally mislead patients by communicating incomplete information. High-quality risk communication and shared decision making can depend critically on factors that improve the risk literacy of physicians.

Risk communication and decision-making in the prevention of invasive breast cancer.

PubMed

Partridge, Ann H

2017-08-01

Risk communication surrounding the prevention of invasive breast cancer entails not only understanding of the disease, risks and opportunities for intervention. But it also requires understanding and implementation of optimal strategies for communication with patients who are making these decisions. In this article, available evidence for the issues surrounding risk communication and decision making in the prevention of invasive breast cancer are reviewed and strategies for improvement are discussed. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Communication of medical product risk: how effective is effective enough?

PubMed

Goldman, Stephen A

2004-01-01

Ever-increasing attention is being paid worldwide to the safety of medical products, and the risks associated with their use. The integral role of risk communication in overall risk management is demonstrated by several recent market withdrawals of drugs, in which a perceived incapability of healthcare systems to manage well-characterised, avoidable risks was a significant factor. With advances in clinical pharmacology, pharmacogenomics and pharmacoepidemiology expanding our knowledge of medical products, effective delivery of the latest safety-related information to health professionals and consumers becomes even more imperative. In this regard, it is important to evaluate whether current modes of risk communication lead to desired changes in relevant behaviours such as prescribing or drug monitoring, particularly in context with which achieved level of effectiveness is deemed acceptable. This is crucial, as there have been product-specific risk communication efforts that achieved a fair degree of success, yet were not seen as effective enough to prevent market withdrawal of the medical product in question. In the service of improving public health through enhanced risk communication, it is essential to critically assess current methods, both as to results achieved (or not), and whether each method is applicable to the various types of risks associated with medical product use. Furthermore, just as combining methods may well improve overall risk communication, there are societal and psychological factors that must be considered in attempting to maximise effectiveness. However, in assessing risk communication effectiveness, the particular benefit- risk relationship of any individual medical product must also be part of the evaluative process.

Factors associated with confidence in decision making and satisfaction with risk communication among patients with atrial fibrillation.

PubMed

Hedberg, Berith; Malm, Dan; Karlsson, Jan-Erik; Årestedt, Kristofer; Broström, Anders

2018-06-01

Atrial fibrillation is a prevalent cardiac arrhythmia. Effective communication of risks (e.g. stroke risk) and benefits of treatment (e.g. oral anticoagulants) is crucial for the process of shared decision making. The aim of this study was to explore factors associated with confidence in decision making and satisfaction with risk communication after a follow-up visit among patients who three months earlier had visited an emergency room for atrial fibrillation related symptoms. A cross-sectional design was used and 322 patients (34% women), mean age 66.1 years (SD 10.5 years) with atrial fibrillation were included in the south of Sweden. Clinical examinations were done post an atrial fibrillation episode. Self-rating scales for communication (Combined Outcome Measure for Risk Communication and Treatment Decision Making Effectiveness), uncertainty in illness (Mishel Uncertainty in Illness Scale-Community), mastery of daily life (Mastery Scale), depressive symptoms (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale) and vitality, physical health and mental health (36-item Short Form Health Survey) were used to collect data. Decreased vitality and mastery of daily life, as well as increased uncertainty in illness, were independently associated with lower confidence in decision making. Absence of hypertension and increased uncertainty in illness were independently associated with lower satisfaction with risk communication. Clinical atrial fibrillation variables or depressive symptoms were not associated with satisfaction with confidence in decision making or satisfaction with risk communication. The final models explained 29.1% and 29.5% of the variance in confidence in decision making and satisfaction with risk communication. Confidence in decision making is associated with decreased vitality and mastery of daily life, as well as increased uncertainty in illness, while absence of hypertension and increased uncertainty in illness are associated with risk communication satisfaction.

Communication Competence among Teachers: The Ohio Solution.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

DeWine, Sue; Pearson, Judy C.

1989-01-01

Describes a summer instructional program for elementary and secondary teachers involving a set of workshops on basic communication concepts, nonverbal communication, organizational communication, listening, and small group communication. Discusses issues of marketing the program, defending its academic validity, and decreasing the gap between the…

Audits Can Add Panache to Your Communication Program.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Banach, William J.

1982-01-01

Suggests that school systems "audit" their communication system to assess their communication needs. Provides two tests that audit a school system's environment and its community. The test results indicate whether the system's communication program should emphasize formal or informal communication methods. (RW)

75 FR 417 - National Protection and Programs Directorate; Statewide Communication Interoperability Plan...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-01-05

... Communication Interoperability Plan Implementation Report AGENCY: National Protection and Programs Directorate... Directorate/Cybersecurity and Communications/Office of Emergency Communications, has submitted the following... INFORMATION: The Office of Emergency Communications (OEC), formed under Title XVIII of the Homeland Security...

Communication skills training on how to break bad news for Japanese nurses in oncology: effects of training on nurses' confidence and perceived effectiveness.

PubMed

Fukui, Sakiko; Ogawa, Keiko; Fukui, Naoshi

2010-03-01

Delivering bad news is an important communication skill for oncology nurses. No Asian study has developed a communication skills training program. We investigated the effect of such a program on the confidence and practical competence of Japanese oncology nurses. Thirty-one nurses participated, based on Western work in a 6-h workshop; the effect was assessed for 3 months. We evaluated the program effect by measuring nurse-rated confidence regarding communication with patients three times (before, immediately after, and 3 months after the program), in addition to interviewing them on the perception of the program at T3. On nurse-rated confidence in communication, 16/21 items were significantly increased 3 months after the program, and almost all nurses were positive about the course effectiveness. Communication skills training increased Japanese nurses' confidence as well as being perceived as effective.

Findings from an Organizational Network Analysis to Support Local Public Health Management

PubMed Central

Caldwell, Michael; Rockoff, Maxine L.; Gebbie, Kristine; Carley, Kathleen M.; Bakken, Suzanne

2008-01-01

We assessed the feasibility of using organizational network analysis in a local public health organization. The research setting was an urban/suburban county health department with 156 employees. The goal of the research was to study communication and information flow in the department and to assess the technique for public health management. Network data were derived from survey questionnaires. Computational analysis was performed with the Organizational Risk Analyzer. Analysis revealed centralized communication, limited interdependencies, potential knowledge loss through retirement, and possible informational silos. The findings suggested opportunities for more cross program coordination but also suggested the presences of potentially efficient communication paths and potentially beneficial social connectedness. Managers found the findings useful to support decision making. Public health organizations must be effective in an increasingly complex environment. Network analysis can help build public health capacity for complex system management. PMID:18481183

Communicating Medical Needs to Non-Medical Managers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bacal, Kira; Miller, Robert; Doerr, Harold

2004-01-01

Differences in communication styles and languages between groups often lead to miscommunication, confusion, and/or frustration. Engineers, computer specialists, clinicians, and managers often utilize the English language in very different ways, with different groups using the same words to represent different concepts ("complaint" is a typical example). In addition, medical issues are often perceived as "off-nominal" and not "primary mission tasks" by managers, which can cause them to assign lower priorities to medical training time and resources. Knowledge bases differ due to variations in training and skill sets, and the goals (both immediate and long-term) of the communicators may also vary, with managers being primarily concerned with overall mission objectives, while clinicians focus on individual or group health issues. Furthermore, true communication is only possible when clinicians possess a deep understanding of mission requirements as well as the ability to communicate medical requirements on a priority basis using risk assessment, added value, and cost benefit analysis. These understandable differences may contribute to difficulties in expressing concerns and ideas in an efficient manner, particularly in projects, such as the space program or many military operations, where these varied groups must collaborate, and where the final decisions must be made by fully informed mission commanders. Methods: Three scenario-based approaches were developed utilizing decision trees and problem based learning, to help define and integrate these concepts. Results: Use of these techniques by NASA and military personnel will be presented. Discussion: To enhance communication, particularly of medical needs, one must identify the concerns and motivating factors for the other groups; for example, members of management may focus on financial concerns, a desire for risk mitigation, public perceptions, mission objectives, etc. Training clinicians to frame issues in these terms may lead to better understanding of the medical concerns by other groups.

Effects of the Advanced Innovative Internet-Based Communication Education Program on Promoting Communication Between Nurses and Patients With Dementia.

PubMed

Chao, Hui-Chen; Kaas, Merrie; Su, Ying-Hwa; Lin, Mei-Feng; Huang, Mei-Chih; Wang, Jing-Jy

2016-06-01

Effective communication between nurses and patients with dementia promotes the quality of patient care by improving the identification of patient needs and by reducing the miscommunication-related frustration of patients and nurses. This study evaluates the effects of an advanced innovative Internet-based communication education (AIICE) program on nurses' communication knowledge, attitudes, frequency of assessing patient communication capacity, and communication performance in the context of care for patients with dementia. In addition, this study attempts to evaluate the indirect effects of this program on outcomes for patients with dementia, including memory and behavior-related problems and depressive symptoms. A quasi-experimental research design with a one-group repeated measure was conducted. Convenience sampling was used to recruit nurses from long-term care facilities in southern Taiwan. Data were analyzed using general estimating equations to compare changes over time across three points: baseline, fourth-week posttest, and 16th-week posttest. One hundred five nurses completed the AIICE program and the posttest surveys. The findings indicate that nurses' communication knowledge, frequency in assessing patients' communication capacity, and communication performance had improved significantly over the baseline by either the 4th- or 16th-week posttest (p < .01). However, communication attitude showed no significant improvement in the posttest survey (p = .40). Furthermore, the findings indicate that the memory and behavior-related problems and the depressive symptoms of patients had decreased significantly by the 16th-week posttest (p = .05). This study showed that the AIICE program improves nurses' communication knowledge, frequency to assess patients' communication capacity, and communication performance and alleviates the memory and behavior-related problems and depressive symptoms of patients. The continuous communication training of nurses using the AIICE program is thus recommended.

Brief Communication: The dark side of risk and crisis communication: legal conflicts and responsibility allocation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Scolobig, A.

2015-06-01

Inadequate, misinterpreted, or missing risk and crisis communication may be a reason for practitioners, and sometimes science advisors, to become the subjects of criminal investigations. This work discusses the legal consequences of inadequate risk communication in these situations. After presenting some cases, the discussion focuses on three critical issues: the development of effective communication protocols; the role, tasks, and responsibilities of science advisors; and the collateral effects of practitioners' defensive behaviours. For example, if the avoidance of personal liability becomes a primary objective for practitioners, it may clash with other objectives, such as the protection of vulnerable communities or the transparency of decision making. The conclusion presents some ideas for future research on the legal aspects of risk communication.

Reducing disaster risk in rural Arctic communities through effective communication strategies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kontar, Y. Y.

2015-12-01

Communication is the process of exchanging and relaying vital information that has bearing on the effectiveness of all phases of emergency management: mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery, making it one of the most important activities in disasters. Lack of communication between emergency managers, policy makers, and communities at risk may result in an inability to accurately identify disaster risk, and failure to determine priorities during a hazard event. Specific goals of communication change during the four phases of emergency management. Consequently, the communication strategy changes as well. Communication strategy also depends on a variety of attitudinal and motivational characteristics of the population at risk, as well as socioeconomic, cultural, and geographical features of the disaster-prone region. In May 2013, insufficient communication patterns between federal, state, tribal agencies, and affected communities significantly contributed to delays in the flood response and recovery in several rural villages along the Yukon River in central Alaska. This case study finds that long term dialogue is critical for managing disaster risk and increasing disaster resilience in rural Northern communities. It introduces new ideas and highlights best practices in disaster communication.

Family communication in a population at risk for hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

PubMed

Batte, Brittany; Sheldon, Jane P; Arscott, Patricia; Huismann, Darcy J; Salberg, Lisa; Day, Sharlene M; Yashar, Beverly M

2015-04-01

Encouraging family communication is an integral component of genetic counseling; therefore, we sought to identify factors impacting communication to family members at risk for Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy (HCM). Participants (N = 383) completed an online survey assessing: 1) demographics (gender, genetic test results, HCM family history, and disease severity); 2) illness representations; 3) family functioning and cohesiveness; 4) coping styles; 5) comprehension of HCM autosomal dominant inheritance; and 6) communication of HCM risk information to at-risk relatives. Participants were a national sample of individuals with HCM, recruited through the Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy Association. Data from 183 participants were analyzed using a logistic regression analysis, with family communication as a dichotomous dependent variable. We found that female gender and higher comprehension of autosomal dominant inheritance were significant predictors of participants' communication of HCM risk information to all their siblings and children. Our results suggest that utilizing interventions that promote patient comprehension (e.g., a teaching-focused model of genetic counseling) are important and may positively impact family communication within families with HCM.

Risk Communication Strategies: Lessons Learned from Previous Disasters with a Focus on the Fukushima Radiation Accident.

PubMed

Svendsen, Erik R; Yamaguchi, Ichiro; Tsuda, Toshihide; Guimaraes, Jean Remy Davee; Tondel, Martin

2016-12-01

It has been difficult to both mitigate the health consequences and effectively provide health risk information to the public affected by the Fukushima radiological disaster. Often, there are contrasting public health ethics within these activities which complicate risk communication. Although no risk communication strategy is perfect in such disasters, the ethical principles of risk communication provide good practical guidance. These discussions will be made in the context of similar lessons learned after radiation exposures in Goiania, Brazil, in 1987; the Chernobyl nuclear power plant accident, Ukraine, in 1986; and the attack at the World Trade Center, New York, USA, in 2001. Neither of the two strategies is perfect nor fatally flawed. Yet, this discussion and lessons from prior events should assist decision makers with navigating difficult risk communication strategies in similar environmental health disasters.

Designing a Master's Program in Corporate Communication at an Urban University: A Case Study.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Patterson, Margaret Jones

To assess how an urban university can take advantage of its setting to design a master's program in corporate communication, a 1987 study of the master's program in corporate communication at Duquesne University of Pittsburgh was conducted. Data were obtained through a survey of 590 local communication professionals, of whom 270 responded (a…

Risk communication and human biomonitoring: which practical lessons from the Belgian experience are of use for the EU perspective?

PubMed Central

Keune, Hans; Morrens, Bert; Loots, Ilse

2008-01-01

Background In order to investigate and monitor environmental health in Flanders (the Dutch speaking part of Belgium), the Flemish government funded the Centre of Expertise for Environment and Health, which started a human biomonitoring campaign in 2001. In addition to environmental health experts measuring environmental pollutants and health effects in human beings, social scientific experts at the Centre focus on risk communication associated with the human biomonitoring campaign. Methods In the literature about risk communication an evolution can be traced from traditional, one-way communication, restricted to the dissemination of information from experts to the public, to more modern, two-way risk communication, with a focus on participation and cooperation between scientists, policy-makers and the public. Within the Centre of Expertise for Environment and Health this discourse was first translated into some general principles and guidelines for external communication, at a 'Ten Commandments level'. These principles needed to be incorporated in the day-to-day practice of human biomonitoring research. Results The social scientific experts at the Centre developed a combined risk communication strategy. On the one hand the strategy consists of traditional risk communication for external communication purposes, for example information meetings and digital newsletters. On the other hand it consists of a step by step approach of incorporating more modern risk communication, for example a risk perception questionnaire, dialogical experiments for involving local stakeholders, and an action-plan for interpreting results for policy making. Conclusion With a parallel strategy of traditional and modern communication, of external and internal reflection, and through different social scientific projects, the Flemish Centre of Expertise of Environment and Health incorporates risk communication in the day-to-day practice of human biomonitoring research. A direct and continuous involvement of the social scientist, an openness between all colleagues involved, and the awareness of a fine balance between quality and practicability are important success factors. These lessons may be helpful and inspirational for a European human biomonitoring project. PMID:18541065

Challenges of asthma management for school nurses in districts with high asthma hospitalization rates.

PubMed

Liberatos, Penny; Leone, Jennifer; Craig, Ann Marie; Frei, Elizabeth Mary; Fuentes, Natalie; Harris, India Marie

2013-12-01

School nurses play a central role in assisting elementary school children in managing their asthma, especially those in higher-risk school districts that are at increased risk of uncontrolled asthma. Study purposes are to (1) identify barriers to asthma management by school nurses in higher-risk school districts; and (2) assess the extent to which National Asthma Education and Prevention Program (NAEPP) recommendations are followed in these districts. School districts containing at least one zipcode with high asthma hospitalization rates among children (0-14 years) in a New York State county were identified. Nurses in 44 elementary schools were surveyed about asthma management during 2008. Both quantitative and qualitative data were collected. Study nurses learned of children with asthma mainly through school records and when students presented with symptoms rather than through parents. The major obstacles to asthma management were communication with parents and parental support. Reluctance of some physicians to diagnose asthma in these children presented a barrier and contributed to the nurses' ability to gain parental cooperation. Adherence to the NAEPP school recommendations was inconsistent. Improvement in the communication among parents, school nurses, and providers is critical to the improvement of asthma management for children in high-risk school districts. © 2013, American School Health Association.

Adult Mortality Attributable to Preventable Risk Factors for Non-Communicable Diseases and Injuries in Japan: A Comparative Risk Assessment

PubMed Central

Ikeda, Nayu; Inoue, Manami; Iso, Hiroyasu; Ikeda, Shunya; Satoh, Toshihiko; Noda, Mitsuhiko; Mizoue, Tetsuya; Imano, Hironori; Saito, Eiko; Katanoda, Kota; Sobue, Tomotaka; Tsugane, Shoichiro; Naghavi, Mohsen; Ezzati, Majid; Shibuya, Kenji

2012-01-01

Background The population of Japan has achieved the longest life expectancy in the world. To further improve population health, consistent and comparative evidence on mortality attributable to preventable risk factors is necessary for setting priorities for health policies and programs. Although several past studies have quantified the impact of individual risk factors in Japan, to our knowledge no study has assessed and compared the effects of multiple modifiable risk factors for non-communicable diseases and injuries using a standard framework. We estimated the effects of 16 risk factors on cause-specific deaths and life expectancy in Japan. Methods and Findings We obtained data on risk factor exposures from the National Health and Nutrition Survey and epidemiological studies, data on the number of cause-specific deaths from vital records adjusted for ill-defined codes, and data on relative risks from epidemiological studies and meta-analyses. We applied a comparative risk assessment framework to estimate effects of excess risks on deaths and life expectancy at age 40 y. In 2007, tobacco smoking and high blood pressure accounted for 129,000 deaths (95% CI: 115,000–154,000) and 104,000 deaths (95% CI: 86,000–119,000), respectively, followed by physical inactivity (52,000 deaths, 95% CI: 47,000–58,000), high blood glucose (34,000 deaths, 95% CI: 26,000–43,000), high dietary salt intake (34,000 deaths, 95% CI: 27,000–39,000), and alcohol use (31,000 deaths, 95% CI: 28,000–35,000). In recent decades, cancer mortality attributable to tobacco smoking has increased in the elderly, while stroke mortality attributable to high blood pressure has declined. Life expectancy at age 40 y in 2007 would have been extended by 1.4 y for both sexes (men, 95% CI: 1.3–1.6; women, 95% CI: 1.2–1.7) if exposures to multiple cardiovascular risk factors had been reduced to their optimal levels as determined by a theoretical-minimum-risk exposure distribution. Conclusions Tobacco smoking and high blood pressure are the two major risk factors for adult mortality from non-communicable diseases and injuries in Japan. There is a large potential population health gain if multiple risk factors are jointly controlled. Please see later in the article for the Editors' Summary PMID:22291576

Risky Business: The Science and Art of Radiation Risk Communication in the High Risk Context of Space Travel

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Elgart, Shona Robin; Shavers, Mark; Huff, Janice; Patel, Zarana; Semones, Edward

2016-01-01

Successfully communicating the complex risks associated with radiation exposure is a difficult undertaking; communicating those risks within the high-risk context of space travel is uniquely challenging. Since the potential risks of space radiation exposure are not expected to be realized until much later in life, it is hard to draw comparisons between other spaceflight risks such as hypoxia and microgravity-induced bone loss. Additionally, unlike other spaceflight risks, there is currently no established mechanism to mitigate the risks of incurred radiation exposure such as carcinogenesis. Despite these challenges, it is the duty of the Space Radiation Analysis Group (SRAG) at NASA's Johnson Space Center to provide astronauts with the appropriate information to effectively convey the risks associated with exposure to the space radiation environment. To this end, astronauts and their flight surgeons are provided with an annual radiation risk report documenting the astronaut's individual radiation exposures from space travel, medical, and internal radiological procedures throughout the astronaut's career. In an effort to improve this communication and education tool, this paper critically reviews the current report style and explores alternative report styles to define best methods to appropriately communicate risk to astronauts, flight surgeons, and management.

Health risk communication at the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Johnson, B.L.

The purpose of this paper is to describe efforts related to risk communication at the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR). The agency was created by Congress to fulfill health-related responsibilities specified in Superfund. Four areas are described for which ATSDR has responsibility under Superfund in the context of how each area relates to risk communication. These include health assessments, toxicological profiles, medical education and consultation, and exposure registries. The discussion is structured around four elements: a description of the activity, the message that is being communicated, the target audience, and how the risk is communicated to thismore » group.« less

Being Accountable or Filling in Forms: Managers and Clinicians' Views About Communicating Risk.

PubMed

Clancy, Leonie; Happell, Brenda

2017-01-01

Assessment, documentation, and prevention of risk are central to mental health services. However, there is a paucity of research examining how risk is perceived by key stakeholders including managers and clinicians. Qualitative, exploratory design. In-depth interviews were held with 22 senior managers and 21 clinicians. Communicating risk was a major theme to emerge. For managers, accountability was a primary consideration in communicating risk and therefore influential over nursing practice. Clinicians were more likely to view the organizational processes of communicating risk as a bureaucratic exercise. The significant difference between managers and clinicians is problematic for achieving consumer-focused mental health service delivery, a more critical approach to risk is essential in preserving the therapeutic relationship. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

CardioBengo study protocol: a population based cardiovascular longitudinal study in Bengo Province, Angola.

PubMed

Pedro, João M; Rosário, Edite; Brito, Miguel; Barros, Henrique

2016-03-01

Cardiovascular diseases and other non-communicable diseases are major causes of morbidity and mortality, responsible for 38 million deaths in 2012, 75 % occurring in low- and middle-income countries. Most of these countries are facing a period of epidemiological transition, being confronted with an increased burden of non-communicable diseases, which challenge health systems mainly designed to deal with infectious diseases. With the adoption of the World Health Organization "Global Action Plan for the Prevention and Control of non-communicable diseases, 2013-2020", the national dimension of risk factors for non-communicable diseases must be reported on a regular basis. Angola has no national surveillance system for non-communicable diseases, and periodic population-based studies can help to overcome this lack of information. CardioBengo will collect information on risk factors, awareness rates and prevalence of symptoms relevant to cardiovascular diseases, to assist decision makers in the implementation of prevention and treatment policies and programs. CardioBengo is designed as a research structure that comprises a cross-sectional component, providing baseline information and the assembling of a cohort to follow-up the dynamics of cardiovascular diseases risk factors in the catchment area of the Dande Health and Demographic Surveillance System of the Health Research Centre of Angola, in Bengo Province, Angola. The World Health Organization STEPwise approach to surveillance questionnaires and procedures will be used to collect information on a representative sex-age stratified sample, aged between 15 and 64 years old. CardioBengo will recruit the first population cohort in Angola designed to evaluate cardiovascular diseases risk factors. Using the structures in place of the Dande Health and Demographic Surveillance System and a reliable methodology that generates comparable results with other regions and countries, this study will constitute a useful tool for the surveillance of cardiovascular diseases. Like all longitudinal studies, a strong concern exists regarding dropouts, but strategies like regular visits to selected participants and a strong community involvement are in place to minimize these occurrences.

A Comparison of China's Risk Communication in Response to SARS and H7N9 Using Principles Drawn From International Practice.

PubMed

Qiu, Wuqi; Chu, Cordia; Hou, Xiaohui; Rutherford, Shannon; Zhu, Bin; Tong, Zhendong; Mao, Ayan

2017-10-04

China's emergency management of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) was heavily criticized, whereas the H7N9 response was praised by the international community. Aims The aims of this study were to examine and compare the strengths and weaknesses of risk communication conducted in response to SARS and H7N9 and their associated social impacts on affected communities in China. A qualitative comparative case study approach was employed in the present study, using a set of 8 risk communication principles selected from international literature to suit the Chinese context for the comparative analysis of emergency responses of SARS and H7N9. The study found significant differences in the risk communication conducted in the 2 cases. The SARS outbreak fully exposed China's lack of experience in public health risk communication. By contrast, the Chinese government's risk communication strategies had improved significantly during the H7N9 outbreak. Discussion Trust is the basis for communication. Maintaining an open and honest attitude and actively engaging stakeholders to address their risk information needs will serve to build trust and facilitate multi-sector collaborations in dealing with a public health crisis. From SARS to H7N9, risk communication practices in China greatly improved, which, in turn, lessened adverse social impacts and improved outcomes in emergency management of public health crises. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2017; page 1 of 12).

"Like a family but better because you can actually trust each other": the Expect Respect dating violence prevention program for at-risk youth.

PubMed

Ball, Barbara; Kerig, Patricia K; Rosenbluth, Barri

2009-01-01

Expect Respect, a teen dating violence prevention program, was among four programs selected by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to participate in an empowerment evaluation project. As one aspect of this project, a qualitative study was designed to investigate the effects of Expect Respect support groups for at-risk youth. The goal was to understand the "how and why" of the program's impact on participants. Group interviews were conducted with five boys' and five girls' support groups after completion of the program. Settings included public middle and high schools and alternative schools in juvenile detention. Participants were asked to describe significant learning experiences in support groups as well as changes in their relationships resulting from program participation. Youths across all groups reported learning new skills including improved communication, anger control, and alternatives to violence. They reported increased knowledge about healthy relationships and warning signs of dating violence and expanded awareness of their own and others' abusive behaviors. Changed relationship norms were uniquely expressed by a boys' group in juvenile detention. Findings indicate that the experience of emotional safety in groups and positive relationships among group members were instrumental in the learning process.

76 FR 58519 - Risk Communication Advisory Committee; Notice of Meeting

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-09-21

...] Risk Communication Advisory Committee; Notice of Meeting AGENCY: Food and Drug Administration, HHS... Communication Advisory Committee. General Function of the Committee: To provide advice and recommendations to... discuss implications, for strategic communication, of recent theoretical developments on information use...

Communicating Risk.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Feldman, Joyce

1993-01-01

Communicating the environmental risk involved in projects like public incinerators is part of the education of the community. Presents an outline for communicating with the community that includes communication within the project office; solicitation of public input; development of small group informational activities; shared responsibilities;…

Involving consumers in health research: what do consumers say?

PubMed

Todd, Angela L; Nutbeam, Don

2018-06-14

To ensure that the contribution of patients and consumers in health research is better understood, respected and fully utilised. Type of program or service: Consumer representative networks that form part of a broader quality improvement program in local health services. Consultations were held with members of health consumer networks in Sydney, Northern Sydney and Western Sydney Local Health Districts, and the Sydney Children's Hospitals Network (at Westmead) about how to better involve consumers in health research. Feedback from 20 volunteers suggested that consumer involvement in research would be improved if: consumers understood more about research; communications clearly explained the research, why it was relevant to consumers and what might be involved; consumers' contributions were heard and respected; and being involved in research was made an easy and positive experience. People want to be involved in health research, and have valuable contributions to make. We must ensure that the potential contribution of patients and consumers is fully utilised, and get a great deal better at communicating benefits and risks.

Information and communication on risks related to medications and proper use of medications for healthcare professionals and the general public: precautionary principle, risk management, communication during and in the absence of crisis situations.

PubMed

Molimard, Mathieu; Bernaud, Corine; Lechat, Philippe; Bejan-Angoulvant, Theodora; Benattia, Cherif; Benkritly, Amel; Braunstein, David; Cabut, Sandrine; David, Nadine; Fourrier-Réglat, Annie; Gallet, Benoit; Gersberg, Marta; Goni, Sylvia; Jolliet, Pascale; Lamarque-Garnier, Véronique; Le Jeunne, Claire; Leurs, Irina; Liard, François; Malbezin, Muriel; Micallef, Joelle; Nguon, Marina

2014-01-01

Recent drug crises have highlighted the complexity, benefits and risks of medication communication. The difficulty of this communication is due to the diversity of the sources of information and the target audience, the credibility of spokespersons, the difficulty to communicate on scientific uncertainties and the precautionary principle, which is influenced by variable perceptions and tolerances of the risk. Globally, there is a lack of training in risk management with a tendency of modern society to refuse even the slightest risk. Communication on medications is subject to regulatory or legal requirements, often uses tools and messages that are not adapted to the target audience and is often based on a poor knowledge of communication techniques. In order to improve this situation, the available information must be coordinated by reinforcing the unique medication information website and by coordinating communication between authorities by means of a single spokesperson. A particular effort must be made in the field of training in the proper use and risk of medications for both the general population and patients but also for healthcare professionals, by setting up a unified academic on-line teaching platform for continuing medical education on medications and their proper use. © 2014 Société Française de Pharmacologie et de Thérapeutique.

The Reported Effects of a Systematic Professional Learning Program on the Knowledge, Skills, and Concerns of Australian Early Childhood Educators Who Support Young Children Displaying or at Risk of Challenging Behaviours

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Arthur-Kelly, Michael; Farrell, Genevieve; De Bortoli, Tania; Lyons, Gordon; Hinchey, Frank; Ho, Fuk Chuen; Opartkiattikul, Watinee; Baker, Fran; Fairfax, Warren

2017-01-01

High-quality early childhood education is a vital experience for young children with and without disabilities. Social and communication experiences in the context of play represent a core curriculum that sets a foundation for later learning and participation. Using a new self-report instrument, this article describes data collected in a…

Longitudinal Risk and Resilience Factors Predicting Psychiatric Disruption, Mental Health Service Utilization & Military Retention in OIF National Guard Troops

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-04-01

learning disabilities and/or emotional difficulties • Wrote integrated assessment reports • Attended Individual Education Plan ( IEP ) meetings where...worked with wide range of disabilities from autism and cerebral palsy to oppositional defiant disorder and bipolar disorder; developed leadership...therapy program for a nine year old boy with autism to foster the development of social skills; utilized sign language to increase communication

75 FR 65641 - Risk Communication Advisory Committee; Amendment of Notice

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-10-26

... DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Food and Drug Administration [Docket No. FDA-2010-N-0001] Risk Communication Advisory Committee; Amendment of Notice AGENCY: Food and Drug Administration, HHS... meeting of the Risk Communication Advisory Committee. This meeting was announced in the Federal Register...

Tailoring risk communication to improve comprehension: Do patient preferences help or hurt?

PubMed

Barnes, Andrew J; Hanoch, Yaniv; Miron-Shatz, Talya; Ozanne, Elissa M

2016-09-01

Risk communication tools can facilitate patients' understanding of risk information. In this novel study, we examine the hypothesis that risk communication methods tailored to individuals' preferences can increase risk comprehension. Preferences for breast cancer risk formats, and risk comprehension data were collected using an online survey from 361 women at high risk for breast cancer. Women's initial preferences were assessed by asking them which of the following risk formats would be the clearest: (a) percentage, (b) frequency, (c) bar graph, (d) pictogram, and (e) comparison to other women. Next, women were presented with 5 different formats for displaying cancer risks and asked to interpret the risk information presented. Finally, they were asked again which risk format they preferred. Initial preferences for risk formats were not associated with risk comprehension scores. However, women with lower risk comprehension scores were more likely to update their risk format preferences after they evaluated risks in different formats. Less numerate women were more likely to prefer graphical rather than numeric risk formats. Importantly, we found that women preferring graphical risk formats had lower risk comprehension in these formats compared to numeric formats. In contrast, women preferring numeric formats performed equally well across formats. Our findings suggest that tailoring risk communication to patient preferences may not improve understanding of medical risks, particularly for less numerate women, and point to the potential perils of tailoring risk communication formats to patient preferences. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

Preparing Graduate Students as Science Communicators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Knudson, K.; Gutstein, J.

2012-12-01

Our presentation introduces our interdisciplinary curriculum that teaches graduate students at our R-1 university to translate their research to general audiences. We also discuss the challenges we have faced and strategies we have employed to broaden graduate education at our campus to include preparation in science communication. Our "Translating Research beyond Academia" curriculum consists of three separate thematically based courses taught over the academic year: Education and Community Outreach, Science Communication and Writing, Communicating with Policy- and Decision-makers. Course goals are to provide professional development training so that graduate students become more capable professionals prepared for careers inside and outside academia while increasing the public understanding of science and technology. Open to graduate students of any discipline, each course meets weekly for two hours; students receive academic credit through a co-sponsoring graduate program. Students learn effective strategies for communicating research and academic knowledge with the media, the general public, youth, stakeholders, and decision- and policy-makers. Courses combine presentations from university and regional experts with hands-on work sessions aimed towards creating effective communications, outreach and policy plans, broader impacts statements, press releases, blogs, and policy briefs. A final presentation and reflections are required. Students may opt for further training through seminars tailored to student need. Initial results of our analyses of student evaluations and work indicate that students appreciate the interdisciplinary, problem-based approach and the low-risk opportunities for learning professional development skills and for exploring non-academic employment. Several students have initiated engaged work in their disciplines, and several have secured employment in campus science communication positions. Two have changed career plans as a direct result of our courses, opting for master's degrees to pursue science communications-related positions. One received a prestigious fellowship in science communication and media. Yet, while we are successful with students, our programs are not without challenges. Our Translating Research interdisciplinary curriculum that encourages students' exploration of non-academic career options can create problems with faculty advisors in the current environment of graduate education; Carnegie scholars and other researchers argue that the traditional master-apprentice system requires a thorough overhaul to address high attrition rates and low rates of academic employment. Secondly, we situated our communications training within our environmental research institute and outside of any graduate program's degree requirements. While this gives access to motivated graduate students and creates enriching interactions within the course context, it presents problems with campus recognition and institutionalization. We are identifying new pathways and exploring the creation of a certificate program through our University Extension. Graduate student perception can also be an issue. Our courses tend to attract a particular kind of graduate student: female, early in her academic career, in the sciences, and interested in a career outside of academia. Attracting more male graduate students to science communication remains a challenge.

Direct-to-Consumer Promotion of Prescription Drugs on Mobile Devices: Content Analysis.

PubMed

Aikin, Kathryn J; Sullivan, Helen W; Dolina, Suzanne; Lynch, Molly; Squiers, Linda B

2017-07-04

US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulations state that any prescription drug promotion that presents drug benefits to consumers must also disclose certain information about the drug's risks in a similar manner. Nearly three-quarters of all US mobile phone subscribers use a smartphone, and over half report receiving mobile advertisements on their device. The objective of this project was to investigate how prescription drugs are being promoted to consumers using mobile technologies. We were particularly interested in the presentation of drug benefits and risks, with regard to presence, placement, and prominence. We analyzed a sample of 51 mobile promotional communications and their associated linked landing pages. We assessed the content and format of the mobile communications and landing pages with regard to presentation of drug benefits and risks. Of the 51 mobile communications we coded, 41% (21/51) were product claim communications (includes the drug name, benefits, and risks), 22% (11/51) were reminder communications (includes drug name only), and 37% (19/51) were help-seeking communications (includes information about the medical condition but not the drug name). Some of the product claim communications (5/21, 24%) required scrolling to see all the benefit information; in contrast, 95% (20/21) required scrolling to see all the risk information. Of the 19 product claim communications that presented both benefits and risks, 95% (18/19) presented benefits before risks and 47% (9/19) used a bigger font for benefits than for risks. Most mobile communications (35/51, 69%) linked to branded drug websites with both benefits and risks, 25% (13/51) linked to a landing page with benefits but no visible risks, and 6% (3/51) linked to a landing page with risks but no visible benefits. Few landing pages (4/51, 8%) required scrolling to see all the benefit information; in contrast, 51% (26/51) required scrolling to see all the risk information. Of the 35 landing pages with both benefit and risk information, 71% (25/35) presented benefits before risks and 51% (18/35) used a bigger font for benefits than for risks. These results indicate that, while risks and benefits are both represented in mobile communications and their associated landing pages, they are not equally prominent and accessible. This has implications for compliance with FDA fair balance regulations. ©Kathryn J Aikin, Helen W Sullivan, Suzanne Dolina, Molly Lynch, Linda B Squiers. Originally published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research (http://www.jmir.org), 04.07.2017.

[Perception of health risks: psychological and social factors].

PubMed

Kurzenhäuser, S; Epp, A

2009-12-01

This article reviews central findings and current developments of psychological and sociological research on the perception of health risks. Risk perception is influenced by numerous psychological, social, political, and cultural factors. These factors can be categorized into (a) risk characteristics, (b) characteristics of the risk perceiving person and his/her situation, and (c) characteristics of risk communication. Thus, besides individual cognitive and affective processing of risk information, social processes of risk amplification (e.g., media effects) are also involved in the construction of individual risk perceptions. We discuss the recommendations for health risk communication that follow from these findings with regard to different communication goals.

NASA Compendium of Satellite Communications Programs

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1973-01-01

A comprehensive review is presented of worldwide communication programs that range in time from the inception of satellite communications to August 1971. The programs included are: Echo, Courier, West Ford, Telstar, Relay, Syncom, Lincoln experimental satellites, Intelsat, Tacsat, Skynet, Nato system, and Telesat.

Screening Mammography: Patient Perceptions and Preferences Regarding Communication of Estimated Breast Cancer Risk.

PubMed

Amornsiripanitch, Nita; Mangano, Mark; Niell, Bethany L

2017-05-01

Many models exist to estimate a woman's risk of development of breast cancer. At screening mammography, many imaging centers collect data required for these models to identify women who may benefit from supplemental screening and referral for cancer risk assessment. The purpose of this study was to discern perceptions and preferences of screening mammography patients regarding communication of estimated breast cancer risk. An anonymous survey was distributed to screening and surveillance mammography patients between April and June 2015. Survey questions were designed to assess patient preferences regarding the receipt and complexity of risk estimate communication, including hypothetical scenarios with and without > 20% estimated risk of breast cancer. The McNemar test and the Wilcoxon signed rank test were used with p ≤ 0.05 considered statistically significant. The survey was distributed to 1061 screening and surveillance mammography patients, and 503 patients responded (response rate, 47%). Although 86% (431/503) of patients expressed interest in learning their estimated risk, only 8% (38/503) had undergone formal risk assessment. The preferred method (241 respondents [26%]) of communication of risk < 20% was a mailed letter accompanying annual mammogram results. For risk > 20%, patients preferred oral communication and were 10-fold as likely to choose only oral communication (p < 0.000001). For risk < 20% and > 20%, patients preferred to learn their estimated risk in great detail (69% and 85%), although women were significantly more likely to choose greater detail for risk > 20% (p < 0.00001). Screening mammography patients expressed interest in learning their estimated risk of breast cancer regardless of their level of hypothetical risk.

Families Matter! Presexual Risk Prevention Intervention

PubMed Central

Lasswell, Sarah M.; Riley, Drewallyn B.; Poulsen, Melissa N.

2013-01-01

Parent-based HIV prevention programming may play an important role in reaching youths early to help establish lifelong patterns of safe and healthy sexual behaviors. Families Matter! is a 5-session, evidence-based behavioral intervention designed for primary caregivers of children aged 9 to 12 years to promote positive parenting and effective parent–child communication about sexuality and sexual risk reduction. The program’s 5-step capacity-building model was implemented with local government, community, and faith-based partners in 8 sub-Saharan African countries with good intervention fidelity and high levels of participant retention. Families Matter! may be useful in other resource-constrained settings. PMID:24028229

Development of strategies for effective communication of food risks and benefits across Europe: design and conceptual framework of the FoodRisC project.

PubMed

Barnett, Julie; McConnon, Aine; Kennedy, Jean; Raats, Monique; Shepherd, Richard; Verbeke, Wim; Fletcher, Jon; Kuttschreuter, Margôt; Lima, Luisa; Wills, Josephine; Wall, Patrick

2011-05-13

European consumers are faced with a myriad of food related risk and benefit information and it is regularly left up to the consumer to interpret these, often conflicting, pieces of information as a coherent message. This conflict is especially apparent in times of food crises and can have major public health implications. Scientific results and risk assessments cannot always be easily communicated into simple guidelines and advice that non-scientists like the public or the media can easily understand especially when there is conflicting, uncertain or complex information about a particular food or aspects thereof. The need for improved strategies and tools for communication about food risks and benefits is therefore paramount. The FoodRisC project ("Food Risk Communication - Perceptions and communication of food risks/benefits across Europe: development of effective communication strategies") aims to address this issue. The FoodRisC project will examine consumer perceptions and investigate how people acquire and use information in food domains in order to develop targeted strategies for food communication across Europe. This project consists of 6 research work packages which, using qualitative and quantitative methodologies, are focused on development of a framework for investigating food risk/benefit issues across Europe, exploration of the role of new and traditional media in food communication and testing of the framework in order to develop evidence based communication strategies and tools. The main outcome of the FoodRisC project will be a toolkit to enable coherent communication of food risk/benefit messages in Europe. The toolkit will integrate theoretical models and new measurement paradigms as well as building on social marketing approaches around consumer segmentation. Use of the toolkit and guides will assist policy makers, food authorities and other end users in developing common approaches to communicating coherent messages to consumers in Europe. The FoodRisC project offers a unique approach to the investigation of food risk/benefit communication. The effective spread of food risk/benefit information will assist initiatives aimed at reducing the burden of food-related illness and disease, reducing the economic impact of food crises and ensuring that confidence in safe and nutritious food is fostered and maintained in Europe. © 2011 Barnett et al; licensee BioMed Central Ltd.

Development of strategies for effective communication of food risks and benefits across Europe: Design and conceptual framework of the FoodRisC project

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background European consumers are faced with a myriad of food related risk and benefit information and it is regularly left up to the consumer to interpret these, often conflicting, pieces of information as a coherent message. This conflict is especially apparent in times of food crises and can have major public health implications. Scientific results and risk assessments cannot always be easily communicated into simple guidelines and advice that non-scientists like the public or the media can easily understand especially when there is conflicting, uncertain or complex information about a particular food or aspects thereof. The need for improved strategies and tools for communication about food risks and benefits is therefore paramount. The FoodRisC project ("Food Risk Communication - Perceptions and communication of food risks/benefits across Europe: development of effective communication strategies") aims to address this issue. The FoodRisC project will examine consumer perceptions and investigate how people acquire and use information in food domains in order to develop targeted strategies for food communication across Europe. Methods/Design This project consists of 6 research work packages which, using qualitative and quantitative methodologies, are focused on development of a framework for investigating food risk/benefit issues across Europe, exploration of the role of new and traditional media in food communication and testing of the framework in order to develop evidence based communication strategies and tools. The main outcome of the FoodRisC project will be a toolkit to enable coherent communication of food risk/benefit messages in Europe. The toolkit will integrate theoretical models and new measurement paradigms as well as building on social marketing approaches around consumer segmentation. Use of the toolkit and guides will assist policy makers, food authorities and other end users in developing common approaches to communicating coherent messages to consumers in Europe. Discussion The FoodRisC project offers a unique approach to the investigation of food risk/benefit communication. The effective spread of food risk/benefit information will assist initiatives aimed at reducing the burden of food-related illness and disease, reducing the economic impact of food crises and ensuring that confidence in safe and nutritious food is fostered and maintained in Europe. PMID:21569458

Risk communication and radiological/nuclear terrorism: a strategic view.

PubMed

Becker, Steven M

2011-11-01

It is now widely recognized that effective communication is a crucial element in radiological/nuclear terrorism preparedness. Whereas in the past, communication and information issues were sometimes viewed as secondary in comparison with technical concerns, today the need to improve risk communication, public information, and emergency messaging is seen as a high priority. The process of improving radiological/nuclear terrorism risk communication can be conceptualized as occurring in four overlapping phases. The first phase involves the recognition that communication and information issues will be pivotal in shaping how a radiological/nuclear terrorism incident unfolds and in determining its outcome. This recognition has helped shape the second phase, in which various research initiatives have been undertaken to provide an empirical basis for improved communication. In the third and most recent phase, government agencies, professional organizations and others have worked to translate research findings into better messages and informational materials. Like the first and second phases, the third phase is still unfolding. The fourth phase in risk communication for radiological/nuclear terrorism-a mature phase-is only now just beginning. Central to this phase is a developing understanding that for radiological/nuclear terrorism risk communication to be fully effective, it must go beyond crafting better messages and materials (as essential as that may be). This emerging fourth phase seeks to anchor radiological/nuclear communication in a broader approach: one that actively engages and partners with the public. In this article, each of the four stages is discussed, and future directions for improving radiological/nuclear terrorism risk communication are explored.

The cost-effectiveness of health communication programs: what do we know?

PubMed

Hutchinson, Paul; Wheeler, Jennifer

2006-01-01

While a considerable body of evidence has emerged supporting the effectiveness of communication programs in augmenting health, only a very small subset of studies has examined also whether these programs are cost-effective, that is, whether they achieve greater health gains for available financial resources than alternative interventions. In this article, we examine the available literature on the cost-effectiveness of health behavior change communication programs, focusing on communication interventions involving mass media, and, to a lesser extent, community mobilization and interpersonal communication or counseling. Our objective is to identify the state of past and current research efforts of the cost-effectiveness of behavior change communication programs. This review makes three principal conclusions. First, the analysis of the cost-effectiveness of health communication programs commonly has not been performed. Second, the studies reviewed here have utilized a considerable diversity of methods and have reflected varying levels of quality and adherence to standard cost-effectiveness methodologies. This leads to problems of transparency, comparability, and generalizability. Third, while the available studies generally are indicative of the cost-effectiveness of communication interventions relative to alternatives, the evidence base clearly needs to be expanded by additional rigorous cost-effectiveness analyses.

Population communication services: a global perspective.

PubMed

Piotrow, P T; Coleman, P L; Rimon, J G

1987-06-01

Communication support for health and family planning programs is receiving renewed attention. The johns Hopkins University (JHU) Population Communication Services (PCS) project was established in 1982 to respond to the increasing need for communication expertise, to provide a responsive source for advice, and to develop implement the new directions that are necessary to make family planning communication programs more effective. The project extends a range of services to government programs, private family planning associations, and to media that want to improve the content or coverage of family planning communication, JHU/PCS emphasizes the close links between good communication and good management and the need for managers at all levels, from the Minister of Health to the supervisor of grass-roots field workers, to understand the components of a communication program for the 1980s. Principles underlying the project's work include: communication as process rather than product, the audience as participant, linking mass media and interpersonal communication, coordination with and among agencies, training that is specific and relevant, IEC as institution building, use of the private sector, an attempt to recover some of the costs of IEC work, and ongoing evaluation of program activities. IEC activities can be strengthened considerably b a knowledgeable commitment at the top of the decision-making process; constant feedback from intended audiences; and interactions among service delivery personnel, influential community members, and the media. In turn, strong IEC activities can substantially strengthen existing family planning programs.

Do As I Say: Using Communication Role-Plays to Assess Sexual Assertiveness Following an Intervention

PubMed Central

Mercer Kollar, Laura M.; Davis, Teaniese L.; Monahan, Jennifer L.; Samp, Jennifer A.; Coles, Valerie B.; Bradley, Erin L. P.; Sales, Jessica McDermott; Comer, Sarah K.; Worley, Timothy; Rose, Eve; DiClemente, Ralph J.

2016-01-01

Sexual risk reduction interventions are often ineffective for women who drink alcohol. The present study examines whether an alcohol-related sexual risk reduction intervention successfully trains women to increase assertive communication behaviors and decrease aggressive communication behaviors. Women demonstrated their communication skills during interactive role-plays with male role-play partners. Young, unmarried, and nonpregnant African American women (N = 228, ages 18–24) reporting unprotected vaginal or anal sex and greater than three alcoholic drinks in the past 90 days were randomly assigned to a control, a sexual risk reduction, or a sexual and alcohol risk reduction (NLITEN) condition. Women in the NLITEN condition significantly increased assertive communication behavior compared to women in the control condition, yet use of aggressive communicative behaviors was unchanged. These data suggest assertive communication training is an efficacious component of a sexual and alcohol risk reduction intervention. Public health practitioners and health educators may benefit from group motivational enhancement therapy (GMET) training and adding a GMET module to existing sexual health risk reduction interventions. Future research should examine GMET’s efficacy in combination with other evidence-based interventions within other populations and examine talking over and interrupting one’s sexual partner as an assertive communication behavior within sexual health contexts. PMID:27164847

Do As I Say: Using Communication Role-Plays to Assess Sexual Assertiveness Following an Intervention.

PubMed

Mercer Kollar, Laura M; Davis, Teaniese L; Monahan, Jennifer L; Samp, Jennifer A; Coles, Valerie B; Bradley, Erin L P; Sales, Jessica McDermott; Comer, Sarah K; Worley, Timothy; Rose, Eve; DiClemente, Ralph J

2016-12-01

Sexual risk reduction interventions are often ineffective for women who drink alcohol. The present study examines whether an alcohol-related sexual risk reduction intervention successfully trains women to increase assertive communication behaviors and decrease aggressive communication behaviors. Women demonstrated their communication skills during interactive role-plays with male role-play partners. Young, unmarried, and nonpregnant African American women (N = 228, ages 18-24) reporting unprotected vaginal or anal sex and greater than three alcoholic drinks in the past 90 days were randomly assigned to a control, a sexual risk reduction, or a sexual and alcohol risk reduction (NLITEN) condition. Women in the NLITEN condition significantly increased assertive communication behavior compared to women in the control condition, yet use of aggressive communicative behaviors was unchanged. These data suggest assertive communication training is an efficacious component of a sexual and alcohol risk reduction intervention. Public health practitioners and health educators may benefit from group motivational enhancement therapy (GMET) training and adding a GMET module to existing sexual health risk reduction interventions. Future research should examine GMET's efficacy in combination with other evidence-based interventions within other populations and examine talking over and interrupting one's sexual partner as an assertive communication behavior within sexual health contexts. © 2016 Society for Public Health Education.

Challenges Facing Successful Scaling Up of Effective Screening for Cardiovascular Disease by Community Health Workers in Mexico and South Africa: Policy Implications.

PubMed

S, Abrahams-Gessel; Denman, C A; Ta, Gaziano; Ns, Levitt; T, Puoane

The integration of community health workers (CHWs) into primary and secondary prevention functions in health programs and services delivery in Mexico and South Africa has been demonstrated to be effective. Task-sharing related to adherence and treatment, from nurses to CHWs, has also been effectively demonstrated in these areas. HIV/AIDS and TB programs in South Africa have seen similar successes in task-sharing with CHWs in the areas of screening for risk and adherence to treatment. In the area of non-communicable diseases (NCDs), there is a policy commitment to integrating CHWs into primary health care programs at public health facilities in both Mexico and South Africa in the areas of reproductive health and infant health. Yet current programs utilizing CHWs are not integrated into existing primary health care services in a comprehensive manner for primary and secondary prevention of NCDs. In a recently completed study, CHWs were trained to perform the basic diagnostic function of primary screening to assess the risk of suffering a CVD-related event in the community using a non-laboratory risk assessment tool and referring persons at moderate to high risk to local government clinics, for further assessment and management by a nurse or physician. In this paper we compare the experience with this CVD screening study to successful programs in vaccination, reproductive health, HIV/AIDS, and TB specifically to identify the barriers we identified as limitations to replicating these programs in the area of CVD diagnosis and management. We review barriers impacting the effective translation of policy into practice, including scale up issues; training and certification issues; integrating CHW to existing primary care teams and health system; funding and resource gaps. Finally, we suggest policy recommendations to replicate the demonstrated success of programs utilizing task-sharing with CHWs in infectious diseases and reproductive health, to integrated programs in NCD.

Vaccine safety monitoring systems in developing countries: an example of the Vietnam model.

PubMed

Ali, Mohammad; Rath, Barbara; Thiem, Vu Dinh

2015-01-01

Only few health intervention programs have been as successful as vaccination programs with respect to preventing morbidity and mortality in developing countries. However, the success of a vaccination program is threatened by rumors and misunderstanding about the risks of vaccines. It is short-sighted to plan the introduction of vaccines into developing countries unless effective vaccine safety monitoring systems are in place. Such systems that track adverse events following immunization (AEFI) is currently lacking in most developing countries. Therefore, any rumor may affect the entire vaccination program. Public health authorities should implement the safety monitoring system of vaccines, and disseminate safety issues in a proactive mode. Effective safety surveillance systems should allow for the conduct of both traditional and alternative epidemiologic studies through the use of prospective data sets. The vaccine safety data link implemented in Vietnam in mid-2002 indicates that it is feasible to establish a vaccine safety monitoring system for the communication of vaccine safety in developing countries. The data link provided the investigators an opportunity to evaluate AEFI related to measles vaccine. Implementing such vaccine safety monitoring system is useful in all developing countries. The system should be able to make objective and clear communication regarding safety issues of vaccines, and the data should be reported to the public on a regular basis for maintaining their confidence in vaccination programs.

Just blowing smoke? Residents’ social construction of communication about wildfire

Treesearch

Travis Paveglio; Matthew S. Carroll; James D. Absher; Todd Norton

2009-01-01

This study uses social constructionism as a basis for understanding the effectiveness of communication about wildfire risk between agency officials and wildland-urban interface (WUI) residents. Risk communication literature demonstrates a welldocumented difference in the way land managers and stakeholders conceptualize risk. This is especially true of fire because...

Communicating with parents of high-risk infants in neonatal intensive care.

PubMed

Yee, Wendy; Ross, Sue

2006-05-01

Good communication between parents and staff about the likely outcome of high-risk infants is essential to ensure parents' full involvement in decision-making. The present paper discusses the literature on this topic to explore the best practices for professionals communicating with parents of high-risk infants.

78 FR 70954 - Risk Communications Advisory Committee; Notice of Meeting

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-11-27

... awareness and understanding of the key risk messages, as well as whether the communications are having the... DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Food and Drug Administration [Docket No. FDA-2013-N-0001] Risk Communications Advisory Committee; Notice of Meeting AGENCY: Food and Drug Administration, HHS...

Development and evaluation of the "BRISK Scale," a brief observational measure of risk communication competence.

PubMed

Han, Paul K J; Joekes, Katherine; Mills, Greg; Gutheil, Caitlin; Smith, Kahsi; Cochran, Nancy E; Elwyn, Glyn

2016-12-01

To develop and evaluate a brief observational measure of clinical risk communication competence. A 4-item checklist-type measure, the BRISK (Brief Risk Information Skill) Scale, was developed by selecting and refining items from a more comprehensive measure of clinical risk communication competence. Six volunteer raters received brief training on the measure and then used the BRISK Scale to evaluate 52 video-recorded encounters between 2nd-year medical students and standardized patients conducted as part of an Observed Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) involving a risk communication task. Internal consistency reliability, inter-rater reliability, and criterion validity were assessed. Raters reported no difficulties using the BRISK Scale; scores across all raters and subjects ranged from 0 to 16 with a mean score of 6.49 (SD=3.17). The BRISK Scale showed good internal consistency reliability (α=0.64), and inter-rater reliability at the scale level (Intraclass Correlation Coefficient (ICC)=0.79 for consistency, and 0.75 for absolute agreement) and individual-item level (ICC range: 0.62-.91). Novice raters' BRISK Scale scores were highly correlated (r=0.84, p<0.01) with expert raters' scores on the Risk Communication Content measure, a more comprehensive measure of risk communication competence. The BRISK Scale is a promising new brief observational measure of clinical risk communication competence. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Toward understanding the active SETI debate: Insights from risk communication and perception

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Korbitz, Adam

2014-12-01

Insights from the robust field of risk communication and perception have to date been almost totally absent from the policy debate regarding the relative risks and merits of Active SETI or Messaging to Extraterrestrial Intelligence (METI). For many years, the practice (or proposed practice) of Active SETI has generated a vigorous and sometimes heated policy debate within the scientific community. There have also been some negative reactions in the media toward the activities of those engaged in Active SETI. Risk communication is a scientific approach to communication regarding situations involving potentially sensitive or controversial situations in which there may be high public concern and low public trust. The discipline has found wide acceptance and utility in fields such as public health, industrial regulation and environmental protection. Insights from the scientific field of risk communication (such as omission bias, loss aversion, the availability heuristic, probability neglect, and the general human preference for voluntary over involuntary risks) may help those who have participated in either side of the debate over Active SETI to better understand why the debate has taken on this posture. Principles of risk communication and risk perception may also help those engaged in Active SETI to communicate more effectively with other scientists, the public, with the media, and with policy makers regarding their activities and to better understand and respond to concerns expressed regarding the activity.

An examination of the psychosocial factors influencing colorectal cancer patients' communication of colorectal cancer patient risk with their siblings.

PubMed

Lawsin, Catalina; Duhamel, Katherine; Itzkowitz, Steven; Brown, Karen; Lim, Helen; Jandorf, Lina

2009-11-01

This study examined psychosocial factors influencing colorectal cancer (CRC) patients' communication with their first-degree relatives regarding their CRC risk. Among a sample of CRC patients who were members of a colon registry in New York (n = 127), 60% reported discussing CRC risk with their siblings. These discussions were related to the CRC patients' age of diagnosis, such that those diagnosed before age 45 years were more likely to communicate with their siblings about CRC risk. Despite advances made in CRC prevention, compliance with screening recommendations among individuals who may be at familial risk for the disease is low. Perhaps this underrepresentation reflects how CRC patients communicate with their first-degree relatives about their potential risk for the disease. This study examined the psychosocial factors influencing whether CRC patients communicate with their siblings about CRC risk. The sample included CRC patients with siblings who enrolled in a colon disease registry at a NYC metropolitan hospital. Participants completed questionnaires regarding their current psychosocial functioning, perceived risk of sibling's development of CRC, and communication of CRC risk with their siblings. Patients were predominantly Caucasian, with a mean age of 60.4 years. Of the 127 patients, 60% engaged in discussions with their siblings regarding their CRC risk. Patients diagnosed with CRC before the age of 45 years were more likely to discuss the risk of CRC with their siblings (P < 0.01). These data suggest that CRC patients may serve as an effective vehicle to promote CRC screening and support the need for health care providers to not only educate patients of the familial risk of CRC, but to also encourage these patients to communicate this information with their siblings.

Barriers and Facilitators to Melanoma Prevention and Control Behaviors Among At-Risk Children.

PubMed

Wu, Yelena P; Parsons, Bridget G; Mooney, Ryan; Aspinwall, Lisa G; Cloyes, Kristin; Hay, Jennifer L; Kohlmann, Wendy; Grossman, Douglas; Leachman, Sancy A

2018-04-06

Melanoma prevention is essential for children who are at elevated risk for the disease due to family history. However, children who carry a familial risk for the disease do not optimally adhere to recommended melanoma preventive behaviors. The current study sought to identify perceived barriers to and facilitators of children's engagement in melanoma preventive behaviors among children at elevated risk for melanoma due to family history of the disease (i.e., having a parent with a history of melanoma) from both parents' and childrens' perspectives. Qualitative methods were employed and consisted of separate focus group discussions with children (ages 8-17 years, n = 37) and their parents (n = 39). Focus group transcripts were coded using content analysis. Parents and children reported a number of barriers and facilitators, including on the individual (e.g., knowledge and awareness, preferences), social (e.g., peer influences, family modeling and communication), and contextual (e.g., healthcare provider communication) levels. The identified categories of barriers and facilitators both confirm and extend the literature documenting the reasons children who are at elevated risk for melanoma do not engage in melanoma prevention and control behaviors. Programs aiming to decrease melanoma risk among children of melanoma survivors could help families address their barriers to preventive behavior implementation and build on facilitators. Melanoma survivors and their children could benefit from support on their interactions with healthcare providers, schools, peers, and other caregivers about melanoma prevention.

Acceptability Study of "Ascenso": An Online Program for Monitoring and Supporting Patients with Depression in Chile.

PubMed

Espinosa, H Daniel; Carrasco, Álvaro; Moessner, Markus; Cáceres, Cristian; Gloger, Sergio; Rojas, Graciela; Perez, J Carola; Vanegas, Jorge; Bauer, Stephanie; Krause, Mariane

2016-07-01

Major depression is a highly prevalent and severe mental disease. Despite the effective treatment options available, the risk of relapse is high. Interventions based on information and communication technologies generate innovative opportunities to provide support to patients after they completed treatment for depression. This acceptability study evaluated the Internet-based program Apoyo, Seguimiento y Cuidado de Enfermedades a partir de Sistemas Operativos (ASCENSO) in terms of its feasibility and acceptability in a sample of 35 patients in Chile. The study reveals high rates of acceptance and satisfaction among patients who actively used the program. As obstacles, patients mentioned technical problems, a lack of contact with other participants, and an insufficient connection between the program and the health service professionals. ASCENSO appears to be a promising complement to regular care for depression. Following improvements of the program based on participants' feedback, future research should evaluate its efficacy and cost-effectiveness.

A Concept of Constructing a Common Information Space for High Tech Programs Using Information Analytical Systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zakharova, Alexandra A.; Kolegova, Olga A.; Nekrasova, Maria E.

2016-04-01

The paper deals with the issues in program management used for engineering innovative products. The existing project management tools were analyzed. The aim is to develop a decision support system that takes into account the features of program management used for high-tech products: research intensity, a high level of technical risks, unpredictable results due to the impact of various external factors, availability of several implementing agencies. The need for involving experts and using intelligent techniques for information processing is demonstrated. A conceptual model of common information space to support communication between members of the collaboration on high-tech programs has been developed. The structure and objectives of the information analysis system “Geokhod” were formulated with the purpose to implement the conceptual model of common information space in the program “Development and production of new class mining equipment - “Geokhod”.

A Moderated Mediation Model of Parent-Child Communication, Risk Taking, Alcohol Consumption, and Sexual Experience in Early Adulthood.

PubMed

Alexopoulos, Cassandra; Cho, Jaeho

2018-05-11

The relationship between risk-taking personality and health-risk behaviors has been widely established, where people who like to take risks are more likely to engage in risky sexual behaviors such as having multiple casual partners and having unprotected sex. Drawing on a national U.S. sample from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health, the present study examined the relationship between risk-taking personality and sexual experience among adults in early adulthood, and the role of family (parent-child) communication in moderating this relationship. Findings indicated that, for both males and females, the effect of risk taking on sexual experience through alcohol use dissipated at high levels of father-child communication. However, mother-child communication did not have such moderating effects. Implications for the way in which we study parent-child communication are discussed.

Mother-daughter communication about sex: the influence of authoritative parenting style.

PubMed

Askelson, Natoshia M; Campo, Shelly; Smith, Sandi

2012-01-01

Parent-child communication about sex has been shown to delay sexual activity and increase contraceptive and condom use. The influence of authoritative parenting style and mothers' perception of daughters' risk on communication about sex was examined in this study. Mothers in a random sample (n=283) with daughters aged 9-15 years were mailed surveys asking about communication with their daughters regarding 11 sex-related topics. Multivariate linear regression was used to assess the influence of authoritative parenting style and mothers' perceptions of risk on the number of topics communicated about and age of the daughter at time of communication for a variety of sexual health communication topics. Authoritative parenting style was related to the number of topics communicated about and was a predictor of age of daughter at the time of communication about sexual intercourse, menstruation, dating/relationships, sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), HIV/AIDS, alcohol, contraceptives, and abstinence, while perceptions of risk were not significant influencers of age at the time of communication for any topics. This research points to the importance of parenting style in determining the timing of parent-child communication about sexual and other risk behaviors.

Deaf and hard of hearing social workers accessing their profession: a call to action.

PubMed

Sheridan, Martha A; White, Barbara J; Mounty, Judith L

2010-01-01

This article aims to familiarize the social work profession with a paradox in its midst. Culturally sensitive and accessible services for deaf and hard of hearing people can often best be provided by social workers who are themselves deaf and hard of hearing, who have specialized language and communication skills, as well as unique cultural knowledge of this population at risk. Yet, deaf and hard of hearing graduates of social work education programs routinely experience difficulties accessing the profession. Addressing this paradox calls for creative collaborations among professional social work organizations, social work education programs, policymakers, and deaf and hard of hearing social workers.

Risk and outbreak communication: lessons from alternative paradigms.

PubMed

Abraham, Thomas

2009-08-01

Risk communication guidelines widely used in public health are based on the psychometric paradigm of risk, which focuses on risk perception at the level of individuals. However, infectious disease outbreaks and other public health emergencies are more than public health events and occur in a highly charged political, social and economic environment. This study examines other sociological and cultural approaches from scholars such as Ulrich Beck and Mary Douglas for insights on how to communicate in such environments. It recommends developing supplemental tools for outbreak communication to deal with issues such as questions of blame and fairness in risk distribution and audiences who do not accept biomedical explanations of disease.

The influence of graphic format on breast cancer risk communication.

PubMed

Schapira, Marilyn M; Nattinger, Ann B; McAuliffe, Timothy L

2006-09-01

Graphic displays can enhance quantitative risk communication. However, empiric data regarding the effect of graphic format on risk perception is lacking. We evaluate the effect of graphic format elements on perceptions of risk magnitude and perceived truth of data. Preferences for format also were assessed. Participants (254 female primary care patients) viewed a series of hypothetical risk communications regarding the lifetime risk of breast cancer. Identical numeric risk information was presented using different graphic formats. Risk was perceived to be of lower magnitude when communicated with a bar graph as compared with a pictorial display (p < 0.0001), or with consecutively versus randomly highlighted symbols in a pictorial display (p = 0.0001). Data were perceived to be more true when presented with random versus consecutive highlights in a pictorial display (p < 0.01). A pictorial display was preferred to a bar graph format for the presentation of breast cancer risk estimates alone (p = 0.001). When considering breast cancer risk in comparison to heart disease, stroke, and osteoporosis, however, bar graphs were preferred pictorial displays (p < 0.001). In conclusion, elements of graphic format used to convey quantitative risk information effects key domains of risk perception. One must be cognizant of these effects when designing risk communication strategies.

Risk communication discourse among ecological risk assessment professionals and its implications for communication with nonexperts.

PubMed

Hunka, Agnieszka D; Palmqvist, Annemette; Thorbek, Pernille; Forbes, Valery E

2013-10-01

Risk communication, especially to the general public and end users of plant protection products, is an important challenge. Currently, much of the risk communication the general public receives is via the popular press, and risk managers face the challenge of presenting their decisions and their scientific basis to the general public in an understandable way. Therefore, we decided to explore the obstacles in risk communication, as done by expert risk assessors and managers. Using the discourse analysis framework and readability tests, we studied perspectives of 3 stakeholder groups-regulators, industry representatives, and academics across Europe. We conducted 30 confidential interviews (10 participants in each group), with part of the interview guide focused on communication of pesticide risk to the general public and the ideas experts in the field of risk assessment and management hold of the public perception of pesticides. We used the key informant approach in recruiting our participants. They were first identified as key stakeholders in ecological risk assessment of pesticides and then sampled by means of a snowball sampling technique. In the analysis, first we identified main motifs (themes) in each group, and then we moved to studying length of the sentences and grammar and to uncovering discourses present in the text data. We also used the Flesch Reading Ease test to determine the comprehension difficulty of transcribed interviews. The test is commonly used as a standard for estimating the readability of technical documents. Our results highlight 3 main obstacles standing in the way of effective communication with wider audiences. First of all, ecological risk assessment as a highly technical procedure uses the specific language of ecological risk assessment, which is also highly specialized and might be difficult to comprehend by nonexperts. Second, the idea of existing "expert-lay discrepancy," a phenomenon described in risk perception studies is visibly present in the experts' opinions. Finally, the communication flow among stakeholders was perceived as flawed, e.g., our participants did not consider themselves fully included in the communication process, despite taking part in many networks. Interestingly, both studies on the role of trust in risk perception, and research on links between daily choices and perceived risk, show that the public is more likely to rely on experts they can trust, than the experts in our study were inclined to think. © 2013 SETAC.

Engaging with Underserved Urban Communities on Climate Resilience

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Akerlof, K.; Moser, F. C.; Baja, K.; Dindinger, J. M.; Chanse, V.; Rowan, K. E.; Rohring, B.

2016-12-01

Meeting the needs of urban high-risk/low-resource communities is one of the most critical challenges in improving climate resilience nationally, but little tailored information exists to guide community engagement efforts specifically for these contexts. This case study describes a collaboration between universities, local governments, and community members working in underserved neighborhoods of the City of Baltimore and Prince George's County, Maryland. In service of current and developing community programs, the team surveyed residents door-to-door about their perceptions of the socio-environmental risks they face, their priorities for change, and the ways in which communication may build protective social capital. We highlight theoretical, applied, and pedagogical aspects of the study that inform both the promise and limitations of these collaborations. These include: 1) the role of citizen participation in climate adaptation decision-making; 2) the meaning, use, and potential impact of community data; 3) balancing differing organizational priorities, timelines, and cultures within community-based projects; and 4) research participation of undergraduate students. The results of the survey illuminate climate risk perceptions in neighborhoods facing complex stressors with lessons for communication and engagement in other urban areas facing similar adaptation challenges.

Returning negative results to individuals in a genomic screening program: lessons learned.

PubMed

Butterfield, Rita M; Evans, James P; Rini, Christine; Kuczynski, Kristine J; Waltz, Margaret; Cadigan, R Jean; Goddard, Katrina A B; Muessig, Kristin R; Henderson, Gail E

2018-06-06

In genomics, the return of negative screening results for rare, medically actionable conditions in large unselected populations with low prior risk of disease is novel and may involve important and nuanced concerns for communicating their meaning. Recruitment may result in self-selection because of participants' personal or family history, changing the characteristics of the screened population and interpretation of both positive and negative findings; prior motivations may also affect responses to results. Using data from GeneScreen, an exploratory adult screening project that targets 17 genes related to 11 medically actionable conditions, we address four questions: (1) Do participants self-select based on actual or perceived risk for one of the conditions? (2) Do participants understand negative results? (3) What are their psychosocial responses? (4) Are negative results related to changes in reported health-related behaviors? We found disproportionate enrollment of individuals at elevated prior risk for conditions being screened, and a need to improve communication about the nature of screening and meaning of negative screening results. Participants expressed no decision regret and did not report intention to change health-related behaviors. This study illuminates critical challenges to overcome if genomic screening is to benefit the general population.

When Pregnant Patients Disclose Substance Use: Missed Opportunities for Behavioral Change Counseling

PubMed Central

Chang, Judy C.; Dado, Diane; Frankel, Richard M.; Rodriguez, Keri L.; Zickmund, Susan; Ling, Bruce S.; Arnold, Robert M.

2008-01-01

Objective The first obstetric visit is an opportunity to provide counseling to women with substance abuse risks, including smoking, drug use, and alcohol use. Little is known about how obstetric care providers and patients discuss these issues. Our objective was to examine patient-provider communication about substance use behaviors during these visits. Methods We audiotaped and transcribed verbatim first prenatal visits in an outpatient hospital clinic, then qualitatively analyzed them for content and process of communication using modified grounded theory methods. Results Twenty-nine providers (21 residents, 5 midwives, 3 nurse practitioners) and 51 patients participated. Twenty-five patients were smokers, 4 used alcohol, and 11 used drugs. Provider responses to smoking disclosures included discussions of risks, encouragement to quit-cut down, affirmation of attempts to quit-cut down, and referral to smoking cessation programs. Responses to alcohol or drug disclosures included only a general statement regarding risks and referral to genetics. Conclusion Providers were less attentive to alcohol and drugs than smoking where they had pre-established patterns of response. Practice Implications Providers should discuss behavioral change strategies and motivations with pregnant patients who use drugs and/or alcohol as well as those who smoke. PMID:18620835

Industry challenge to best practice risk communication.

PubMed

McEntire, J; Boateng, A

2012-04-01

Effective food safety and food defense risk communication helps to inform consumers without causing panic and alarm. The Risk Communication Team of the Natl. Center for Food Protection and Defense has developed a list of 11 best practices recommended for effective risk communication. These practices, designed for a food defense crisis, are currently applied to food safety issues, since fortunately a food defense crisis has yet to occur. IFT examined the utility of these best practices and the limitations on their use during food safety and food defense crises by academics, trade associations, and the government. It was hypothesized that legal and business considerations as well as the nature of the event would determine the implementation of the best practices. Through the use of focus group meetings, it was discovered that there was a low level of awareness of the best practices. However, stakeholders practiced some aspects of the recommended practices. Participants felt some of the practices were related and could be consolidated. They also agreed that a food defense event will increase the urgency of the communication and include players not typically involved in food safety issues. The challenges reported by the stakeholders varied, but legal liability, as well as the impact their communications could have on an industry, were often cited. From the government perspective, their need to act within their authorities drove some of their actions with respect to communication. Determining the differences in communication limitations during food safety against food defense events can provide key information to further developing and refining risk communications and specific messages targeted for a food defense incident. Effective food safety and food defense risk communication helps to inform consumers without causing panic and alarm. Determining the differences in communication limitations during food safety against food defense events can provide key information to further developing and refining risk communications and specific messages targeted for a food defense incident. © 2012 Institute of Food Technologists®

Ethical Implications of Seismic Risk Communication in Istanbul - Insights from a Transdisciplinary, Film-based Science Communication Workshop

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ickert, Johanna; Stewart, Iain S.

2016-04-01

For more than a decade, social science studies indicate that there is little or no correlation between the provision of scientific information about geohazards and risks and the adaptive changes in individual or community behaviour that would reduce risk. Bridging that gap to effectively convey hazard science 'the last mile' to those communities at risk raises a number of ethical issues about the role and responsibilities of geoscientists as communicators. Those issues emerge from a methodological shift away from the dominant interpretation of seismic risk communication as a transfer of scientific facts to "the public", towards more inclusive transdisciplinary communication strategies that incorporate peer-role models, adopt social network-based strategies and directly engage with communities in motivating preparedness actions. With this methodological shift comes ethical dilemmas. What are the target-groups that should be prioritised? What are the professional expectations and levels of personal engagement required of geo-communicators? How able and willing are geoscientists to include other forms of knowledge (e.g. from local communities or other disciplines)? What media formats can reconcile argumentative, informational "matters of fact" with sociocultural and psychological "matters of concern"? How should scientists react to political controversies related to risk mitigation and its communication? In the context of these ethical concerns, many geoscientist struggle to switch from conventional communication modes in which they are the technical 'experts' to more community-centered, participatory modes of public engagement. We examine this research question through a case study on seismic risk communication challenges in Istanbul, a megacity with one of the highest seismic vulnerabilities in the world. Currently, there are few formal mechanisms to facilitate interchange between academic geoscientists and the general public in Istanbul. In order to reduce the city's vulnerable building stock, the civic administration has initiated major seismic retrofitting and reconstruction projects. These projects have led to widespread civic unrest and social division, with inhabitants of urban transformation areas widely complaining that their views are neither represented in the procedures of the mitigation measures nor in the seismic risk communication that accompanies them. A growing lack of trust in risk mitigation measures adds to fatalistic attitudes to undermine individual and neighbourhood preparedness actions. It is in this contested, politicized arena of multi-stakeholder interests that geoscientists attempt to communicate Istanbul's acute seismic threat. Following a critical reflection on the geo-ethics of current science communication methods, we explore the potential of transdisciplinary film-based methods to provide alternative frameworks for communicating to and engaging with at-risk communities. We argue that such an approach offers novel opportunities to address key ethical concerns by bridging different communication cultures and promoting a greater reflexivity in science communication.

78 FR 17414 - Risk Communications Advisory Committee; Notice of Meeting

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-03-21

...] Risk Communications Advisory Committee; Notice of Meeting AGENCY: Food and Drug Administration, HHS... Communications Advisory Committee. General Function of the Committee: To provide advice and recommendations to... Communication Staff, Office of Planning, Food and Drug Administration, 10903 New Hampshire Ave., Bldg. 32, Rm...

[The association between physical inactivity and other behavioural risk factors of the development of chronic non-communicative diseases among the students].

PubMed

Anishchenko, A P; Arkhangel'skaya, A N; Pustovalov, D A; Rogoznaya, E V; Urakov, A L; Gurevich, K G

The objective of the present study was to evaluate the possible association between the physical inactivity and other behavioural risk factors of the development of chronic non- communicable diseases among the young persons. A total of 216 1-2 grade students at the mean age of 18.8±1.3 years including 136 women and 80 men educated at A.I. Evdokimov Moscow State Medical Stomatological University, Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, were recruited for the examination. The participants in the study were found to be at high risk of developing chronic non-communicable diseases associated with their behavioral patterns, such as smoking and delivery (37.5% among the young men and 42.6% among the women). The bioimpedance observations revealed the augmentation of the body fat weight, the reduction of muscle mass, and the impairment of basal metabolism under the influence of hypodynamia that was also responsible for the change of homeostasis parameters revealed based on the results of the complete blood cell count. The sex-specific differences and those associated with physical activity were apparent in the prevalence of selected risk factors. The majority of the men characterized by the normal level of physical activity show the lowest occurrence of nutrition-related risk factors. However, it is the girls having no signs of hypodynamia that most frequently tend to calculate the nutritional value of their diet and follow the healthy meal strategies. The girls exhibiting the signs of physical inactivity present with the enlarged hip circumference whereas the hypodynamic men tend to show the enlarged waist circumference. The present study has demonstrated that nutritional motivation of the students depends on the level of their physical activity and smoking habits. Low physical activity appears to be responsible for the changes in the body composition and affects the parameters of homeostasis determined from the complete blood cell count. At the same time, the physical exercises are known to either prevent or slow down the development of many chronic non-communicable diseases including cardiovascular disorders. This observation opens up the prospects for the prevention of such pathology by involving the students exhibiting the low level of physical activity in the physiotherapeutic programs. On the other hand, sports activities may contribute to socialization of the students by erasing the boundaries between those «fit» and «unfit» for such behaviour. Taken together, these considerations emphasize the necessity of the specialized programs for the students with the low level of physical activity and hypodynamia. The present study has demonstrated the signs of hypodynamia in 37.5 and 43.6% of the young men and women respectively.

Understanding the partial protection of male circumcision for HIV prevention among women in Iringa Region, Tanzania: an ethnomedical model.

PubMed

Layer, Erica H; Beckham, Sarah W; Momburi, Romani B; Kennedy, Caitlin E

2013-08-01

Communicating the partial efficacy of male circumcision for HIV prevention is challenging. Understanding how people conceptualize risk can help programs communicate messages in a way that is understandable to local communities. This article explores women's ethnomedical model of disease transmission related to male circumcision in Iringa Region, Tanzania. We conducted in-depth interviews (IDIs) with 32 female partners of male circumcision clients and focus group discussions (FGDs) with married (n=3) and unmarried (n=3) women from November 2011 to February 2012. Interviews were digitally recorded, transcribed, and translated into English, and codes were developed based on emerging themes. While women understand that circumcised men are still at risk of HIV, risk is perceived to be low as long as both partners avoid abrasions during sexual intercourse and the man's penis is kept clean. Women said that HIV transmission only occurs when both partners have abrasions on their genitalia and mixing of blood occurs. Abrasions are thought to be the result of friction from fast or dry sex and are more likely to occur with uncircumcised men; thus, HIV can be prevented if a man is circumcised and couples have gentle, lubricated sex. In addition, women reported that the foreskin traps particles of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) including HIV, which can easily be passed on to female partners. In contrast, circumcised men are viewed as being able to clean themselves of disease particles and, therefore, do not easily acquire diseases or transmit them to female partners. These findings align with the scientific understanding of increased HIV risk associated with abrasions or microflora in the foreskin; however, the ethnomedical model differs from scientific understanding in that disease transmission can in fact occur without either of these conditions. Programs can build upon these findings to better convey risks along with the benefits of male circumcision.

The effect on teen driving outcomes of the Checkpoints Program in a state-wide trial.

PubMed

Simons-Morton, Bruce G; L Hartos, Jessica; Leaf, William A; Preusser, David F

2006-09-01

Crash rates among teenagers are highly elevated during the first months of licensure. Parent-imposed driving restrictions on initial driving privileges can reduce exposure to high-risk driving conditions, thus reducing crash risk while teens' driving proficiency develops. This report describes the effect of the Checkpoints Program on driving limits and outcomes. Connecticut teens who obtained a learners permit over a 9-month period were recruited, providing a final sample of 3743 who obtained driver licenses. Families were randomized to the intervention or comparison condition. Intervention families received by mail a series of persuasive communications related to high-risk teen driving and a parent-teen driving agreement, while comparison families received on the same schedule general information on driving and vehicle maintenance. Relative to the comparison group, teens and parents in the Checkpoints Program reported significantly greater limits on high-risk teen driving conditions at licensure, 3-, and 6-months post-licensure; and intervention teens reported significantly less risky driving at each reporting period. By the 12-month follow up teens in the intervention group were significantly less likely than those in the comparison group to have had a traffic violation. However, no treatment group effect was found for crashes. This is the first study to report significant effects on teen driving behavior and performance of education designed to increase parental-imposed teen driving limits.