2008 ORAU Annual Report - Oak Ridge Associated Universities

45
Capabilities in Health
Communication and Training
Enhancing National Preparedness for Public Health Threats
• Public Communication:
Develop evidence-based health
communication programs and social
marketing initiatives using strategies
and interventions that are effective
with target populations
• Public Health Preparedness:
Prepare federal agencies and state
health departments for public health
crises through exercises, drills,
emergency communication planning,
and crisis/risk communications
• Training and Education:
Develop specialized health
communication training programs
and learning tools using interactive
electronic technologies and outreach
education for the public
• Research and Evaluation:
Assess human health hazards and
behavioral change strategies through
scientific research, audience
analysis, and message testing
FY08 by the Numbers
• Planned, conducted, and evaluated
pandemic flu tabletop exercises for five
international airports—Honolulu,
Miami, Newark, Dallas, and
Anchorage
• Designed, developed, and conducted
four pandemic flu regional workshops—
Champaign, IL; Peoria, IL;
Winston-Salem, NC; and
Summit County, OH
s public fear about pandemic diseases, radiological terrorism,
climate change, and other serious health threats increases,
so does the need for effective public health communication and
health research. ORAU is helping improve the health of the nation
through preparing for catastrophic public health events, controlling the
spread of infectious disease, and conducting environmental health
research. We are developing health communication materials, health
preparedness exercises, and customized, Web based training and
tools for all levels of government and the public health system.
Customers and Partners
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
• National Library of Medicine (NLM)
• National Cancer Institute (NCI)
• U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)
• U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)
• U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
• U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC)
• The Center for Risk Communication
• Battelle
• American Institute for Research
• Linguastat
• Environ Corporation
Developing Communication and Training
Solutions for Public Health Threats
Public health threats pose a serious danger to all Americans.
Numerous chronic diseases, such as cancer, heart disease, and
diabetes, are reaching epidemic proportions. Experts warn that
pandemic flu and chemical, biological, or radiological attacks by
terrorists are very real possibilities. Yet approximately half of
American adults do not understand basic health information, and much
of the healthcare community is unprepared to cope with these potential
health crises.
To address these issues, ORAU is developing practical and innovative
tools to help its customers, such as the CDC, educate the public, train
healthcare workers, and facilitate health communication at all levels.
Communicating the Vaccine Safety Message
Understanding why parents choose not to vaccinate their children is key
to protecting public health. Misinformation and concerns about side
effects sometimes overshadow the critical importance of these vaccines.
Through focused discussions with physicians and parents, ORAU and
its partners are identifying barriers to immunization and developing
new strategies to communicate vaccine effectiveness and safety.
Changing trends in where parents turn for trusted information suggest
that expanding the health message to alternative communication
channels may be the catalyst needed to increase participation in
vaccination programs.
Health Communication and Training
Investigating Physicians’
Concerns About Vaccines
Challenge: A number of recent events
have had the potential to reshape both
public and professional opinions about
the safety and value of vaccination
against infectious diseases. A
possible association between the
measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR)
vaccine and autism, the number of
immunizations administered at one
time, and financial issues for providers
are among possible concerns that
physicians encounter when they
administer immunizations, especially
to infants.
Solution: ORAU worked with the CDC
to conduct individual interviews with
pediatricians and family physicians to
explore their potential concerns with
infant immunizations.
Result: The investigation found that
recent events have not yet been a
significant factor in either parentphysician
discussions or in physicians’
beliefs and vaccination behaviors.
However, parent-physician discussions
regarding vaccine safety concerns
are now a standard practice and are
growing. This study contributed to the
formation of a federal task force on
vaccine safety and the current ORAUassisted
work with HHS to develop and
test vaccine safety messages.
• Distributed more than 9,800
Radiological Terrorism Preparedness
Toolkits across the U.S. and to 14
foreign countries—more than 25,000
health professionals completed the
online course
CONTACT US:
health.communication@orau.org
technical.training@orau.org
(865) 576-3420
www.orau.org/busops/healthcomm/
Photo credit: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention