Risk Communication: A Handbook for Communicating Environmental, Safety, and Health Risks - Softcover

Lindgren, Regina E.; McMakin, Andrea H.

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0470422130 ISBN 13: 9780470422137

Publisher: IEEE, 2008

Synopsis

When health, safety, or environmental risks take center stage, communicating risk information can be a daunting challenge. The increased visibility of global terrorism and other catastrophic emergencies underscores the potential for human tragedy--along with economic, social, and political consequences. Communication must be targeted, understandable, and effective without inadvertently provoking hostility and mistrust.For over 10 years, Risk Communication, a handbook of strategies and guidance for conveying risk information effectively, has proven a valuable resource on areas such as current laws, stakeholder participation methods, and working with the news media. Managers, scientists, engineers, students, communication specialists, health care professionals, agency representatives, and consultants will benefit from contemporary, practical advice on what to do and what to avoid for successful risk communication.The book is divided into five self-contained parts. Part I provides

About this title

From the Author

Since we wrote the second edition of this book in 1998, a host of seemingly novel -- or at least alarmingly accelerating -- risks emerged around the world. Risk communication often has dealt with ongoing, somewhat predictable topics including environmental pollutants, industrial safety, and public health issues. Even disasters have a strong tradition of crisis planning.

But the fatal consequences and rapid spread of newer health, safety, and environmental risks threatened us in more personal and serious ways. The September 11, 2001, terror attacks in the United States were followed by a series of anthrax exposures, severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), West Nile virus, mad cow disease outbreaks... and even the U.S. government's unprecedented classification of obesity as a disease.

At the same time, the theories, regulations, and tools used by risk communicators were becoming increasingly sophisticated. These advances in risk communication, combined with the newer risks, compelled us to write this third edition.

We've included a new chapter on preparing for and responding to bioterrorism and other emergencies. At the request of readers, we added new sections on message development and alternative dispute resolution. We also updated and expanded the sections on laws and regulations, theoretical models, technology tools, and visual portrayal of risks. With 100 more pages of guidelines, examples, and checklists, the third edition should provide its readers, including communication practitioners, industry and public sector representatives, healthcare workers, students, teachers, and consultants, with a valuable and comprehensive guide.

From the Back Cover

When health, safety, or environmental risks take center stage, communicating risk information can be a daunting challenge. Communication must be targeted, understandable, and effective while combating apathy and avoiding provoking hostility and mistrust. For ten years, Risk Communication, a handbook of strategies and guidance for conveying risk information effectively, has proven a valuable resource. In this third edition, readers get the latest updates on pertinent topics-including current laws, approaches, technology-assisted communication, stakeholder participation methods, dealing with the news media, and using images to convey risk information. New sections explain how to develop risk communication messages and how to prepare for emergencies like bioterrorism and disease outbreaks.

Managers, health care professionals, scientists, engineers, students, communication specialists, agency representatives, and consultants will benefit from contemporary, practical advice on what to do and what to avoid for successful risk communication.

Edition details

• Publisher: IEEE
• Publication date: 2008
• ISBN 10: 0470422130
• ISBN 13: 9780470422137
• Binding: Paperback
• Language: English
• Edition number: 3
• Number of pages: 453