United States Department of

Health & Human ServicesOffice of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response

Federal Communicators NetworkFebruary 6, 2014

Gretchen Michael, JDDirector of Communications

Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and ResponseU.S. Department of Health and Human Service

Using Risk Communications in a Crisis

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ASPR: Resilient People. Healthy Communities. A Nation Prepared. 2 2

ASPR brings together policy, science, and emergency operations

ASPR: Resilient People. Healthy Communities. A Nation Prepared. 3

Events are unpredictable, and each is a chance to improve for the next

2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011

National Health SecurityStrategy

H1N1 Pandemic

2011 Tornadoes

Deepwater Horizon

9/11 and Anthrax

Re-emerging H5N1

Katrina, Rita, Wilma

Ike, Gustav Japan EarthquakeNuclear Event

Haiti earthquake

MCM Enterprise ReviewProject BioShield PAHPA

2012

Hurricanes Isaac and

Sandy

Bioterrorism Act

2013

Boston bombings

H7N9

ASPR: Resilient People. Healthy Communities. A Nation Prepared.

Being a resilient nation takes all of us

ASPR: Resilient People. Healthy Communities. A Nation Prepared.

Anatomy of a Crisis

• Uncertainty • Heightened public emotions

(fear, anxiety, denial, outrage)• Limited access to facts• Rumor, gossip, speculation,

assumption, and inference

• = Unstable information environment

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ASPR: Resilient People. Healthy Communities. A Nation Prepared.

• Risk – a threat to that which we value

─ Individual health and well-being─ Loved ones─ Property─ Job─ Reputation─ Credit rating─ Personal information

Risk

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ASPR: Resilient People. Healthy Communities. A Nation Prepared.

• Scientists, risk managers, businesses, etc:─ Evidence-based

• General public:─ Personal─ Social─ Cultural─ Moral─ Psychological─ Emotional

Risk Perception

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ASPR: Resilient People. Healthy Communities. A Nation Prepared.

Less Acceptable: More Acceptable:Low trust High trustBenefits not clear Benefits understoodNot controllable Individual controlInvoluntary exposure Voluntary exposureNo alternatives Alternatives availableUnfair distribution Fair distributionDreaded consequence Common consequenceAffects children Affects everyoneHuman origin Natural originHigh media concern Low media concernHigh symbolism Low symbolism

• Source: Slovic, Fischhoff et al

Influences on the Acceptability of Risk

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ASPR: Resilient People. Healthy Communities. A Nation Prepared.

Risk Perception

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Lifetime risk of dying from…

Heart Disease 1 in 5

Cancer 1 in 7

Stroke 1 in 24

Car Accident 1 in 84

Fall 1 in 200

Drowning 1 in 1,100

Commercial Aircraft 1 in 5,000

Lighting 1 in 80,000

Shark Attack 1 in 3,750,000

ASPR: Resilient People. Healthy Communities. A Nation Prepared.

• Communications activities of an organization or agency facing a crisis

• Typically, a crisis─ Occurs unexpectedly─ May not be in the organization’s control─ Requires an immediate response─ May cause harm to the organization’s reputation, image or

viability

What is Crisis Communications?

ASPR: Resilient People. Healthy Communities. A Nation Prepared.

• Exchange of information about real or perceived threats

• Provides information on expected positive/negative outcomes and their probability

• Empowers decision making

Risk Communications

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ASPR: Resilient People. Healthy Communities. A Nation Prepared.

• Through risk communications, the communicator hopes to provide the audience with information about the expected type (good or bad) and magnitude (weak or strong) of an outcome from a behavior or exposure.

• Typically, through risk communications, the communicator hopes to provide the audience with information about adverse outcomes, including probabilities of those outcomes occurring.

─ Should I undergo a medical treatment?─ What are the risks of living next to a nuclear power plant?─ Do I elect to vaccinate a healthy baby against whooping cough

What is Risk Communications?

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ASPR: Resilient People. Healthy Communities. A Nation Prepared.

• Global, instant “breaking news” environment

• In United States alone, 70,000 media outlets

• News cycle is 24/7 no news cycle; • deadlines are immediate.

• Social media

Today’s Media Environment

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ASPR: Resilient People. Healthy Communities. A Nation Prepared.

Social Media

Uses

• Messaging• Monitoring• Surveillance

• Instantaneous and unfiltered

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ASPR: Resilient People. Healthy Communities. A Nation Prepared.

Putting Principles into Practice

• Express empathy and caring• Acknowledge people’s fear• Explain what you know AND

what you don’t know • Don’t over reassure• Be honest, frank and open• Give people actions they can

take• Make a public commitment to

gather and share information as it becomes available

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ASPR: Resilient People. Healthy Communities. A Nation Prepared.

2009 H1N1 Flu Communications Strategy

• The HHS response to 2009 H1N1 pandemic was led by science and continually evolved to meet the nation’s needs as events unfolded and more information became available

• HHS’ mission to protect public health was supported by a communication strategy that is based on the emergency risk communications principles of quickly, proactively and transparently communicating accurate information to the public and partners.

• We decided that, as the most trusted source for public health information, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention would be the day-to-day face of information about the 2009 H1N1 Pandemic

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ASPR: Resilient People. Healthy Communities. A Nation Prepared.

• As the most trusted source for public health information, we decided that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention would be the day-to-day face of information about the 2009 H1N1 Pandemic

• This strategy included stating clearly goals and actions in response to the evolving situation and acknowledging what was NOT known.

• We also tried to set expectations that information and advice would change quickly as the situation evolved.

• Developed Flu.gov, a one-stop-shop across for the federal government for all information on H1N1 influenza

2009 H1N1 Principles

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ASPR: Resilient People. Healthy Communities. A Nation Prepared.

Risk Communications is used in the public sector and the private sector

Dear Target Guest,

As you may have heard or read, Target learned in mid-December that criminals forced their way into our systems and took guest information, including debit and credit card data. Late last week, as part of our ongoing investigation, we learned that additional information, including name, mailing address, phone number or email address, was also taken. I am writing to make you aware that your name, mailing address, phone number or email address may have been taken during the intrusion.

I am truly sorry this incident occurred and sincerely regret any inconvenience it may cause you. Because we value you as a guest and your trust is important to us, Target is offering one year of free credit monitoring to all Target guests who shopped in U.S. stores, through Experian’s® ProtectMyID® product which includes identity theft insurance where available. …

Thank you for your patience and loyalty to Target. You can find additional information and FAQs about this incident at our Target.com/databreach website. If you have further questions, you may call us at ….

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Empathy

What you know and what you

don’t know

How to protect yourself

Where to go for more

information

Honesty

ASPR: Resilient People. Healthy Communities. A Nation Prepared.

Resources

• Crisis and Emergency Risk Communications

• CDC training program—in person or on-demand online

• Draws from lessons learned during public health emergencies and incorporates best practices from the fields of risk and crisis communication

• http://www.bt.cdc.gov/cerc/

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ASPR: Resilient People. Healthy Communities. A Nation Prepared.

ASPR on the Web

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PHE.gov: www.phe.gov

Facebook:  www.facebook.com/phegov

PHE.gov Newsroom: www.phe.gov/newsroom

YouTube:  www.youtube.com/phegov

Flickr:  www.flickr.com/phegov  

Twitter:  twitter.com/phegov