Effective community mitigation and risk communication strategies are essential for controlling infectious disease outbreaks and maintaining public trust. Public health agencies must navigate evolving challenges while leveraging innovative solutions to enhance preparedness and response efforts. This resource hub shares tools, success stories, and actionable strategies to strengthen community engagement and improve infectious disease outcomes.
Building Trust Before a Crisis
Trust is built over time, and communities may be more likely to follow guidance from agencies they have an established relationship with. A lack of trust can lead to resistance to evidence-based public health measures such as vaccination, quarantine, or protective behaviors.
What Health Agencies Can Do:
- Engage year-round: Build relationships with community organizations, faith-based groups, and local influencers before a crisis occurs.
- Host listening-sessions: Conduct forums where community members can express concerns about public health policies and interventions.
- Amplify trusted voices: Partner with community leaders to co-create messaging that resonates with their networks.
Reaching Multilingual Communities
Public health emergencies affect all communities, yet language barriers, cultural differences, and limited access to traditional media can prevent critical health information from reaching these populations. Failure to provide accessible messaging can contribute to disparities in health outcomes.
What Health Agencies Can Do:
- Develop multilingual resources: Ensure public health messaging is translated into commonly spoken languages in the community.
- Leverage ethnic media and social networks: Work with radio stations, newspapers, and digital platforms that serve specific language groups.
- Train bilingual community health workers: Equip trusted messengers to deliver public health information in a culturally relevant way.
Fostering Empowerment through Action
By communicating data to focus on clear, actionable steps individuals can take to support an evidence-based response to infectious disease threats, health departments can help make individuals feel in control of their safety. For example, CDC shares Community Mitigation Guidelines to Prevent Pandemic Influenza, with personal nonpharmaceutical interventions including voluntary isolation, hand hygiene, and covering coughs and sneezes. Consistent focus on actionable guidance is key in helping people mitigate risk while maintaining a sense of agency.
Managing Misinformation and Evolving Guidance
During public health crises, misinformation can spread faster than facts. As guidance evolves based on new evidence, agencies must communicate updates effectively to prevent confusion and distrust.
What Health Agencies Can Do:
- Be transparent about uncertainty: Acknowledge that scientific recommendations may change as new information becomes available.
- Monitor social media and respond quickly: Use real-time tracking tools to identify and correct misinformation.
- Use plain language and visuals: Break down complex information into easily digestible formats like infographics and short videos.
Choosing the Right Channels and Messengers
Information is best received when it comes from trusted sources — and those sources can vary significantly across communities. Health departments can strengthen their communication efforts by partnering with individuals and organizations that are already embedded in and trusted by the target audience.
For example:
- In rural communities, local pharmacists, local news radio, or school representatives (such as school nurses, the school board, or parent teacher associations) may have significant influence. Communication may look like community forums hosted by religious leaders, presentations to community services groups (e.g., Jaycees, Rotary Club, etc.), or tabling at county fairs, community celebrations, and more. Interested in learning more? Check out:
- Emergency Preparedness and Response for Infectious Disease Outbreaks | The Rural Health Information Hub
- Strategies to Improve Communication and Messaging in Rural Populations: Guidance for Supporting Vaccination | CDC Foundation (PDF download).
- Peer-reviewed articles
- Lessons learned: enhancing rural risk communication for future health crises through the PHERCC framework
- COVID-19 Risk and Crisis Communication Challenges and Opportunities: Qualitative Insights from Rural Wastewater Surveillance Partners
- Enhancing Rural Health Dialogue: The Crucial Role of Reflective Practice in Family Physician Involvement
- In urban settings, businesses (such as barbershops and nail salons), neighborhood associations, and mutual aid networks may offer direct access to community members. This may include advertisement on billboards or mass transit centers, presentations to community service groups, including fraternities and sororities, or tabling at festivals. The resources below share additional considerations for communicating about data, surveillance, and forecasting in urban settings.
- Peer-reviewed articles
- For youth and young adults, social media platforms, paired with influencers who promote science-based content, can increase message visibility and relevance. Health departments can also co-create content with these messengers to ensure cultural and linguistic relevance. Materials might include:
- Radio public services announcements recorded in local dialects or delivered by known community members.
- Instagram reels with side-by-side data visualizations and voiceovers.
- Flyers distributed in a variety of high traffic locations (e.g., schools, colleges, bars, restaurants, community service organizations, public transit).
Choosing the right channel is not just about broadcasting — it's about fostering dialogue and trust. Additional resources include:
- Communication Toolkit | Adolescent and School Health | CDC
- Managing Communicable Disease in Schools | Michigan Departments of Education and Health and Human Services
- Talking with Children During Infectious Disease Outbreaks | Anthem
This section highlights a successful and innovative solution your peers implemented to address challenges with training and resources. This story presents the factors that catalyzed the innovation, the existing policies or funding mechanisms that facilitated action, the potential barriers the agency faced, the collaborations and partnerships the agency leveraged, and tips for implementing and/or scaling the solution.
North Dakota’s Innovation in Collaboration, Training, and Knowledge Management Through Advanced Video Production and Communication Capabilities
Introduction
North Dakota, characterized by its vast terrain and sparsely populated regions, has historically grappled with challenges in real-time communication, collaboration, and workforce knowledge management, particularly within the realm of emergency medical services (EMS). In the pre-internet 1990s, the North Dakota Department of Health (NDDOH) pioneered the use of VHS tapes and DVDs for EMS training, marking its initial steps in video communications and laying the groundwork for broader knowledge generation, management, and dissemination within the state.
This modest beginning in video communications set the stage for a more ambitious vision. Recognizing the emerging needs of the digital age, NDDOH took the initiative to create a sophisticated video production studio. Designed with a primary set to accommodate up to six presenters and a secondary set for solo broadcasts, this studio was architected to handle a variety of communication demands. To further address the state's geographical challenges, NDDOH introduced a mobile field unit, replicating the studio's capabilities and ensuring consistent outreach across North Dakota.
But the studio represented more than just physical infrastructure; it became a centralized location for collaboration and knowledge-sharing. This system allowed NDDOH to unify the state under a coordinated response mechanism. Its primary uses included:
- Statewide collaboration for preparedness: Facilitating regular engagements with hospitals, long-term care facilities, and local public health units for both statewide and regional preparedness planning sessions.
- Tactical communications during emergencies: Conducting real-time communication during crises by interlinking emergency operation centers across the state.
- Knowledge dissemination and training: Offering both real-time and pre-recorded public health and medical preparedness training for various stakeholders.
Serving as the nerve center for these activities, the video production studio dramatically amplified North Dakota’s capacity for both planning and rapid response during health and medical emergencies. For instance, during potential hospital evacuations, the system could seamlessly connect all 48 hospitals in the state, optimizing communication flow. During the COVID-19 crisis, the system played an instrumental role in keeping hospitals updated with expert presentations and enabling them to share their current challenges and updates. While not a replacement for other systems like bed capacity trackers, it offers an interactive platform for enhanced real-time collaboration.
The transition from traditional text and printed materials to dynamic video content has been a game-changer. The state has not only enhanced its communication efficacy but also fostered invaluable interagency relationships, thanks to the interactive nature of the live programming. Integrating knowledge management with this communication framework ensures that content is not only relayed but also well-understood and applied where necessary.
Funding and Policies
The journey from rudimentary EMS training to today's sophisticated digital platform required substantial investment. Initially, the system was modest, serving the EMS needs with VHS tapes and DVDs. However, the scope expanded thanks to funding from programs like Public Health Emergency Preparedness and the Hospital Preparedness Program.
Collaborations and Partnerships
While funding provided the means, partnerships were the driving force behind the initiative's success. Collaborating with professional associations representing public health, hospitals, long-term care, EMS and others from various health sectors was essential to and enriched the system. These partnerships, combined with the NDDOH’s technological foundation, resulted in a transformative platform that bridged gaps and catered to a wide audience.
Tips for Implementing and Scaling
Consider the following lessons learned from NDDOH’s experience:
- Lay a robust technological foundation: Begin by understanding the unique geographical and demographic challenges your region faces. For areas with vast distances or sparse populations, like North Dakota, it is crucial to have a dedicated broadcasting studio equipped for diverse broadcasting needs. As the digital landscape progresses, ensure you stay updated with the latest communication platforms suitable for your region's requirements.
- Invest in mobile and flexible solutions: Prioritize the development of mobile broadcasting units or platforms that can be easily deployed across different locations. This helps minimize geographical barriers and allows you to reach a broader audience effectively.
- Foster collaboration and engagement: Regularly engage with key stakeholders, including hospitals, care facilities, and local public health officials. Implement platforms that support both real-time and pre-recorded communication, ensuring you cater to a variety of scenarios and stakeholder preferences. The interactive nature of North Dakota's system, especially during crises like the COVID-19 pandemic, stands as testimony to the power of such engagement.
- Secure diverse funding and build strong partnerships: Explore a range of funding sources, leveraging programs and grants tailored for public health initiatives. Collaborate closely with professional health associations and other entities in the sector. These partnerships can offer both financial support and invaluable expertise and feedback to help you refine your communication strategies.
- Stay adaptable and open to evolution: The world of technology in public health is dynamic. Regularly reassess your communication tools, gather feedback, and be open to refining your strategies. This ensures that your methods remain relevant, effective, and in line with both technological advancements and the evolving needs of your stakeholders.
APPLYING THIS KNOWLEDGE TO INFECTIOUS DISEASE
Advanced video production and media capabilities in a state/territorial health department could significantly enhance infectious disease practice and policy through:
- Enhanced training: High-quality video content can provide engaging and effective training materials, improving staff understanding and retention of complex infectious disease concepts.
- Public education: Media capabilities can be used to create public awareness campaigns about infectious diseases and their prevention and treatment, leading to better public health outcomes.
- Real-time updates: Video and media can be used to provide real-time updates during infectious disease outbreaks, ensuring that both the public and health professionals have the most current information.
- Remote learning: Advanced video production allows health departments to create comprehensive online learning modules, enabling remote training and education, which is particularly useful during times of social distancing.
- Policy communication: Media capabilities can be used to effectively communicate policy changes and strategies related to infectious disease control to both health professionals and the public.
- Community engagement: Video and other media can be used to share stories and experiences from the community, fostering a sense of engagement and trust, which is crucial during public health emergencies.
- Interdepartmental collaboration: Media capabilities can facilitate better communication and collaboration between different departments and sectors involved in infectious disease control, leading to more coordinated and effective responses.
- Accessibility: High-quality video content with features like subtitles and sign language interpretation can make information about infectious diseases more accessible to diverse audiences, including those with hearing impairments.
This section encompasses a collection of pertinent tools and resources curated from ASTHO's Public Health Innovations Catalog and various other sources to help you navigate and comprehend the intricacies of this subject area. Garner insights and experiences from your peers, enabling you to start building solutions tailored to your health department.
Feeling inspired to address the unique challenges facing your department? With just one click, you can better understand your department's specific gaps and craft a persuasive action plan to present to your leadership and partners.
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