Public Communication
The Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE) provides comprehensive communications assistance that helps federal, local, and state agencies educate the public on health and safety issues. Our efforts to research, craft, and deliver the right message using the most effective methods can ultimately save lives, improve health, and enhance well-being.
ORISE’s expertise lies in:
- risk communication and message development training for health, safety and environmental personnel
- media report analysis and other means of communication to identify trends
- proceeding and public meeting moderation, organization, and development
- messages, summaries, and outreach materials developed and tested for the audience
ORISE personnel understand all important elements in a comprehensive approach to communicating health information. Our systematic process includes these steps:
- Conduct formative research to collect data from appropriate sources, such as literature reviews, media analysis, and subject matter experts
- Identify and analyze the potential audiences and their needs
- Develop and submit a marketing and/or communication plan
- Identify key messages, using workshops, focus groups, and interviews
- Develop and test communication materials, including those that take into account the needs of special populations
- Develop and carry out a plan for distributing the materials via channels such as workshops, TV, radio, print, or the Web, to name a few
We combine our expertise in executing a health communication project with our client's knowledge and goals to ensure an effective campaign that can change behaviors and result in healthier lifestyles.
Project Highlights
Environmental Public Health Tracking (EPHT)
ORISE is partnering with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to establish a national Environmental Public Health Tracking (EPHT) system. It will integrate data about environmental hazards and exposures with data on diseases that may be linked to the environment. The EPHT system will be available to federal, state, and local public health departments.
Discovery Through Hindsight: When Communication Fails
ORISE developed this practical, problem-solving Web-based tool for the CDC. It is directed at helping risk communicators learn how to overcome the three biggest barriers to effective risk communication through the use of scenario-based learning.
Gardening in Lead-Contaminated Soil
Anniston, Alabama, is a small community in the northeast region of the state. The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) has been involved in the Anniston community since the mid-90s due to polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and lead contamination of the local environment. One of the chief health concerns in Anniston is the potential exposure of residents to these contaminants through gardening activities. Working with different community groups and organizations, ORISE assisted ATSDR in developing gardening-related educational materials and outreach activities.
Pandemic Influenza Communication Plan
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs (HHS ASPA), in conjunction with staff from the National Vaccine Program Office (NVPO) and the Office for Public Health Emergency Preparedness (OPHEP), are taking the lead in developing an integrated interagency approach to crisis communication in the event of an influenza pandemic. ASPA asked ORISE to assist in identifying information, developing a structure, and facilitating the development of an interagency pandemic flu operational crisis communication plan.
