The latest issue of the peer-reviewed Journal of Communication in Healthcare: Strategies, Media and Engagement in Global Health includes a special themed section on risk communication in the Ebola crisis and other epidemics and emerging disease outbreaks.
The issue (Volume 7.4) features many authoritative opinions, interviews, and perspectives on different aspects of the Ebola crisis and risk communication. Contributions are made by experts from USAID, the World Health Organization, Columbia University, and other international organisations, providing their perspectives on this topic. This special section of the Journal aims to provide readers with an in-depth look at key issues and strategies from the frontline of the Ebola crisis as well as important reflections and perspectives on the history and potential future of risk communication and disease outbreak control.
"We have planned for a while to include a special themed section on risk communication in epidemics and emerging disease settings in our December issue, and the Ebola crisis has further demonstrated the importance of this topic" says Renata Schiavo, PhD, MA, the Journal's Editor-in-Chief.
"Our global health and social development communities are now provided with an opportunity to join forces and advocate for additional investment in and preparedness on risk communication, especially in developing countries and within other vulnerable population settings" adds Dr. Schiavo, who is also Founding President of the Health Equity Initiative, and Senior Lecturer at Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health.
Original research articles in the issue, outside of the special themed section, provide useful new evidence, models, lessons learned, and insights on timely health and risk communication topics including: the potential role and design of health information technologies for patient-centred communication and care; the use of community-engaging communication methods such as photovoice to engage adolescents around obesity prevention behaviours; and parental acceptance of adolescent immunisation in underserved communities and implications for communication interventions.
The Editorial by Renata Schiavo, Guest Editorial by Asiya Odugleh-Kolev (both on Ebola), three interviews on the Ebola crisis with prominent experts in the field, and an opinion piece on the challenges and complexities of risk communication in the modern world are all free to access online. Browse the issue at www.maneyonline.com/toc/cih/7/4.