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

Lundgren, Regina E.; McMakin, Andrea H.

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0470416890 ISBN 13: 9780470416891

Publisher: Wiley-IEEE Press, 2009

Synopsis

A fully updated edition of the preeminent book on risk communication

For more than a decade, Risk Communication: A Handbook for Communicating Environmental, Safety, and Health Risks has been a trusted compendium of strategies and guidance for effectively conveying risk information. Managers, scientists, engineers, students, communication specialists, healthcare professionals, agency representatives, and consultants in more than twenty countries have benefited from its contemporary, practical advice on what to do and what to avoid for successful risk communication.

Now in its Fourth Edition, the handbook has been updated with expanded coverage of laws, approaches, messages, and technology-based applications such as social media, as well as all-new information on international risk communication.

The handbook guides readers on:

• Understanding Risk Communication—Approaches to communicating risk; laws that mandate risk communication; constraints to effective risk communication; ethical issues; and principles of risk communication
• Planning the Risk Communication Effort—Determine purpose and objectives; analyze your audience; develop your message; determine appropriate methods; set a schedule; and develop a communication plan
• Putting Risk Communication into Action—Information materials; visual representation of risks; face-to-face communication; working with the media; stakeholder participation; and technology-assisted communication
• Evaluating Risk Communication Efforts—Why it's important to evaluate risk communication efforts; types of evaluation; and conducting the evaluation
• Special Cases in Risk Communication—Emergency risk communication and international risk communication

Combining in-depth scientific underpinnings and the greatest breadth of information available, this book makes the topic of risk communication accessible to those who need it most. It is intended as an introduction to the field as well as a refresher and reference book for those communicating environmental, safety, and health risks in government, industry, and academia.

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: Wiley-IEEE Press
• Publication date: 2009
• ISBN 10: 0470416890
• ISBN 13: 9780470416891
• Binding: Paperback
• Language: English
• Edition number: 4
• Number of pages: 380