Enhancing Emergency
Preparedness, Response,
and Recovery Management
for Vulnerable Populations
Task 4: Compendium of Risk
Communications
ANDREW M. PARKER, STEFANIE STERN,
LISA S. MEREDITH, LISA R. SHUGARMAN,
ELLEN BURKE BECKJORD, ANITA CHANDRA,
STEPHANIE L. TAYLOR
WR-583
June 2008
Prepared for the United States Department of Health and Human Services,
Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation
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2
Enhancing Emergency Preparedness, Response, and Recovery Management for
Vulnerable Populations
(Task Order 07EASPE000074)
Task 4: Compendium of Risk Communications
BACKGROUND
Risk communication is a critical component of public health emergency preparedness,
response, and recovery efforts [1], as it provides an all-important link for the public to
make informed decisions about what actions to take. According to the U.S. House of
Representatives [2], public health emergency communication should be non-
discriminatory, with equal access and utility to all individuals. As described in the
literature review in Task 3 of this project [3], vulnerable populations face specific
challenges in their ability to access, process, and act on risk communication and may
have particular needs before, during, and after emergencies.
To assist planning and response efforts for these more vulnerable populations, we
created a compendium to obtain and inventory relevant communication, o