Assignment Overview

The public health field encompasses a number of different sectors and one valuable area is crisis and emergency risk communication. When a problem arises, public health communicators need to take quick and accurate steps in order to divert or control disaster. We have seen this first hand with H1N1 flu and SARS outbreaks. It is important to understand steps that can be taken ahead of time, so when an emergency occurs you can react with effective procedures.

Case Assignment

For this case assignment, you will be using the CDC Risk Communication resource provided in your required readings section.

Step 1: Go to the website and under Risk Communication, click on “Emergency Preparedness and Response.”

Step 2: Read through the information on this page and then under Specific Hazards, click on “Recent Outbreaks & Incidents.

Step 3: Under “Select a Year,” click on 2014

Step 4: Choose one of the recent outbreaks

In your paper:

1. Identify the incident/outbreak you chose from 2014 for which risk communication was essential.
2. Describe the situation that occurred and some statistics to display the severity of the incident.
3. What types of communication/procedures were used during this incident? Provide examples on the information that was disseminated and how it aided in the situation.

Assignment Expectations

Length: 2–3 pages.

Your work will be evaluated based on the performance assessment grading rubric criteria. Review it before you begin working on the assignment.

CDC. (2011). Gateway to health communication & social marketing. Risk communication. Retrieved October 1, 2013 from http://www.cdc.gov/healthcommunication/risks/index.html