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Flashcards in Risk Assessment Deck (26)
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1
Q

What is Risk?

A

A probability or threat of damage, injury, liability, loss, or any other negative occurrence that is caused by external or internal vulnerabilities, and that may be avoided through preemptive action

2
Q

Equation for Risk

A

Risk= Hazard + Outrage

3
Q

What is risk according to Dr. Sandman

A

The most important fact about risk communication is the incredibly low correlation between a risk’s “hazard” (how much harm it’s likely to do) and its “outrage” (how upset it’s likely to make people). What is dangerous is not always upsetting and what is upsetting isn’t always dangerous.

4
Q

Risk Communication

A

Talking about things that COULD go wrong

5
Q

Crisis Management

A

Talking about things that HAVE gone wrong

6
Q

Risk Perception

A

We think about it logically and emotionally.
- Combination of thought and emotion
-Thinking (logic) focuses on the hazard and
the probability it will occur
·Hazard-something that can go wrong
·Probability-likelihood of it happening
- Feeling involves fear, anger, or other emotions that are evoked when considering potential consequences and value of what may be lost
·Consequences-implications of the hazard
·Value-subjective evaluation of the
importance of what may be lost

7
Q

Fear Factors

A
  • It is automatic
  • It comes early
  • It is temporary
  • It is a small over-reaction
  • It may need guidance
  • It is slow to extinguish
  • Easily re-established
  • Contagious
8
Q

Denial

A

-Denial is less common than fear
-More dangerous than fear
-More common response than panic
Denial is reduced when:
·we legitimize the fear
·we take actions to address fear
·we make decisions to act from a given
range of options

9
Q

Trust

A

Trust is:
·slowly acquired
·readily extinguished
·difficult to re-establish

10
Q

What is risk communication?

A

} Public health activities to ensure that messages and strategies designed to prevent exposure, adverse human health effects, and diminished quality of life are effectively communicated to the
public
} Most often used to describe an organization facing a crisis and the need to communicate about that crisis to stakeholders and the public

11
Q

Who is our audience?

A

-Clients (animal owners, farmers, producers)
-Employees at a vet clinic, dairy, or processing
plant
-Reporters at a press conference
-The public at a town meeting

12
Q

Factors that Contributed to the Growth of Risk Communication

A

} Public interest in health, safety, and environmental issues, and media coverage of them
} The demand for information generated by public concern about risks from the past, present, and future activities
} The number and reach of right-to-know laws relating to exposures to risk agents
} Mistrust in risk management authorities and public demands for the right to participate as a full partner
} Awareness by gov’t and industry that risk controversies often threaten the achievement of their organizational goals
} Awareness by all sides that the public’s response to a risk can be amplified or attenuated by those who wish to manipulate it

13
Q

Harmful Human Behavior During a Crisis

A
} Demands for unneeded treatment
} Disorganized group behavior
(looting/stealing)
} Bribery/fraud
} Increased tobacco and alcohol use
} Increased multiple unexplained physical symptoms (MUPS)
14
Q

Risk Communication can….

A

} Empower audiences to make informed decisions
} Decrease illness, injury, and death
} Counter/correct rumors
} Build support for a response plan
} Assist in executing a response plan
} Keep decision-makers well informed
} Tailor communication to take emotional responses into account
} Discourages negative behavior and/or encourages constructive responses to danger

15
Q

When the hazard is high and outrage is low:

A

When the hazard is high and outrage is low: ·task = precaution advocacy
·alerting insufficiently upset people to serious
risk ·“Watch out!”

16
Q

When hazard is low and outrage is high:

A

When hazard is low and outrage is high:
·task=outrage management
·reassuring excessively upset people about
small risks ·“Calm down!”

17
Q

When the hazard is high and outrage is also high:

A

When the hazard is high and outrage is also high: ·
task= crisis communication
·helping appropriately upset people cope with
serious risks
·“We’ll get through this together”

18
Q

When hazard and outrage are both intermediate:

A

When hazard and outrage are both intermediate:
·sweet spot
·dialoging with interested people about a
significant but not urgent risk ·“And what do you think?”

19
Q

11 best practices of Risk Communication

A

1) Risk and communication is an on-going process
2) Conduct pre-event planning and preparedness activities
3) Foster partnerships with public-accept and involve as partners
4) Collaborate and coordinate with credible sources
5) Meet the needs of the media and remain accessible
6) Listen to the public’s concerns and understand your audience

7) Communicate clearly with compassion, concern, and empathy
8) Demonstrate honesty,candor,and openness
9) Treat emotions as legitimate
10) Accept uncertainty and ambiguity
11) Give people meaningful actions to do (build self-efficacy)

20
Q

2 Common Risk- Communication Mistakes Made in Vet Med

A
  • Withholding information: not divulging information about a potentially zoonotic disease that has been identified in animals in the area- with the intent to prevent panic- may actually lead to panic down the road if people become ill and discover that the disease had been found in animals months earlier
  • Over-assurance of audience: telling a client that there is no risk of disease in their animals if the animals are vaccinated- to lessen their fear -may lead to greater fear/panic if the animals later become ill
21
Q

Risk Communication Life Cycle

A
  • Pre-crisis
  • Initial
  • Maintenance
  • Resolution
  • Evaluation
22
Q

Pre-crisis

A

•Be prepared •Foster alliances •Test messages

23
Q

Initial

A

•Acknowledge the event with empathy
•Explain and inform the public in simplest terms •Establish agency/spokesperson credibility •Provide emergency courses of action
•Commit to stakeholders and public to continued communication

24
Q

Maintenance

A
  • Help public more accurately understand its own risks
  • Provide background and encompassing information to those who need it
  • Gain understanding and support for response and recovery plans
  • Listen to stakeholders and audience feedback, and correct misinformation
  • Explain emergency recommendations •Empower risk/benefit decision-making
25
Q

Resolution

A
  • Improve appropriate public response in future similar emergencies through education
  • Honestly examine problems and mishaps, and then reinforce what worked in the response and recovery efforts
  • Persuade the public to support policy and resource allocation to the problem
  • Promote the activities and capabilities of the agency
26
Q

Evaluation

A
  • Evaluate communication plan and performance •Document lessons learned
  • Determine specific actions to improve crisis systems or in the crisis plan