Experts at EPREP Program Study Pandemic, Other Public Health Emergencies to Gain Insight into Best Practices

Key Points:

• A group of experts from Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health’s EPREP Program interviewed individuals representing governments from 19 countries to understand effective communication during large-scale emergencies.
• The researchers identified nine crucial principles for effective communication, including timely information, transparency, coordination, and proactivity.
• The social media landscape complicates emergency risk communication due to mis- and disinformation.
• Enhancing digital literacy and critical thinking are important for the population to appraise information accurately.
• The study emphasizes the need for government agencies, scientists, and private companies to collaborate and share their communication capabilities prior to an emergency.
• EPREP experts have been focused on emergency risk communication for over two decades and have received funding from government agencies and international institutions.
• The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated EPREP’s research on misinformation, vaccine hesitancy, and effective government response to public health crises.
• EPREP researchers share their knowledge with government representatives through conferences, workshops, and forums.
• EPREP led a forum in Lisbon on countering misinformation and promoting a reliable information ecosystem.
• The event emphasized the contagious spread of misinformation during the pandemic and the importance of science diplomacy in addressing global problems.

hot take:

The EPREP Program at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health is making strides in understanding effective communication during public health emergencies. Their research highlights the challenges posed by the social media landscape and the importance of digital literacy in combating misinformation. By emphasizing proactive and transparent communication, collaborating with international partners, and sharing communication capabilities prior to emergencies, governments can improve their response and protect public health. It’s time to bridge the gap between science and communication for a healthier and more informed world.

Original article:https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/news/features/emergency-preparedness-experts-preach-the-power-of-communication/