Public Affairs in Health (PAH)

Best Practice

Leveraging the Power of the Faith-based Community and its Critical Communication Role during Public Health Emergencies

John P. Philbin, Ph.D., APR and Nichole M. Urban, MPH, CHES

Abstract

Faith-based leaders are trusted and can serve an integral role in delivering critical health information, especially during times when victims, responders, and observers may question the credibility of communication from other sources. Faith-based community leaders are key partners in preparing for, responding to, and recovering from disasters—because they are trusted. Considering the decline in public confidence in government and industrial institutions, public affairs officers should integrate risk communication principles and faith-based leaders into their strategic communication plans.

The New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH) conducted several risk communication workshops to establish and enhance relationships among faith communities. These workshops had the following purposes: (1) Train faith community and health department representatives in risk communication practices and principles; (2) Offer an opportunity for the two groups to discuss ways to collaborate on public health emergency preparedness and response; and (3) Provide an opportunity to network.

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Introduction

When communication is discussed in the context of health departments and other emergency services organizations, most often it is associated with interoperability challenges of the technology. However, there is a “human” element to communication that can have profound psychological, emotional, physiological, and behavioral consequences on how affected populations and observers prepare, respond, and recover from disasters.

A growing body of empirically-based research from risk communication reveals there are principles of risk communication that can enhance our ability to make more effective decisions, communicate more clearly, and be understood more easily. So, why aren’t we integrating them more into our public health emergency communication efforts?

As a science-based approach, risk communication research reveals that there are proven methodologies to improve the likelihood that critical information will be received by those who are involved in high stress, high concern or controversial situations. Risk communication principles may be successfully applied to create positive outcomes. For example, understanding that people process information in “chunks” according to the research, leaders can develop and organize communication in a manner that improves the chances that messages will be received and accepted by recipients.

Additionally, communication during high stress situations demands attention to three principle attributes: compassion, conviction, and optimism.

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Important Role for Faith-Based Community Leaders

The New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH), in its continuing efforts to better prepare their response to emergency situations, has invested in risk communication workshops to establish and enhance relationships among faith communities. NYSDOH understands the communication challenges regarding public health preparedness are great; however, by leveraging the credibility, integrity, and trust enjoyed by faith-based leaders, NYSDOH is taking advantage of fundamental attributes that facilitate the delivery of emergency information to significant portions of our communities. Faith-based leaders are trusted and can serve an integral role in delivering critical health information, especially during times when disaster victims, first responders, and observers may question the credibility of communication emerging from non-faith-based sources.

In 2007, to aid in developing partnerships between health departments and their local faith communities, NYSDOH, with the Consortium for Risk and Crisis Communication, offered free risk communication workshops throughout the state. These workshops had the following purposes: (1) Train faith community and health department representatives in risk communication practices and principles; (2) Offer an opportunity for the two groups to discuss ways to collaborate on public health emergency preparedness and response; and (3) Provide an opportunity to network together.

More recently, NYSDOH continued this important work by conducting additional risk communication workshops throughout the state. There was an emphasis on mass-fatality messaging and acquiring feedback from participants on how to respond to a lack of capacity at medical facilities and inadequate medical equipment such as ventilators, which is likely to emerge as an issue during a pandemic. These workshops sought to improve participants’ risk communication skills and address the following psychosocial impacts of disasters, which included: (1) Risk and protective factors; (2) Stages of response and recovery; (3) Intervention strategies; (4) Individual and collective preparedness and recovery; and (5) Issues of special populations.

The workshops focused primarily on faith-based leaders; however, attendance was complemented with staff from local health departments, social work agencies, and non-governmental organizations (NGOs). The training centered on understanding best practices in risk and crisis communications, psychosocial principles and practices, and employing these techniques in high stress situations, especially given the high probability of mass-fatality that may accompany a public health emergency or disaster.

By using a science-based, critical body of knowledge that has enormous potential benefits to communities that will play important roles in response and recovery, NYSDOH is enabling communities that can serve vital communication facilitation roles in preparing for, responding to, and recovering from disasters.

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Best Practices for Faith Leaders Communicating during Public Health Emergencies

Most individuals who have experience in incident management or as first responders understand the imperative to establish pre-need relationships with others who will arrive in support of a disaster operation. What many experienced professionals in this environment do not fully understand or appreciate is how communication must change to account for the resulting stress. Risk communication principles can have immediate and long-term positive effects on our ability to prepare for, respond to, and recover from disasters. The empirical data from the research used in these workshops support this. The fact is that communication under normal circumstances is different than communication during times of stress. Disaster victims, as well as those who are responding, process information differently; therefore, it is important to communicate in a manner that will increase the likelihood that the information will be received and understood by recipients.

Workshop participants were nearly unanimous in their assessments and observations that the risk communication information they received during the eight-hour training was very valuable and they intended to employ the tools and techniques when they returned to their communities.
The research suggests that the key components of early intervention with respect to mental health should focus on securing basic needs, providing psychological first aid, conducting needs assessments, monitoring the rescue and recovery environment, providing outreach and information, delivering technical assistance, consultation, and training, fostering resilience and recovery; conducting triage and referral, and providing treatment.

Of considerable importance for the participants of these workshops, however, is the special role that faith leaders serve in assisting the communities affected by disasters (See Box “The Most Frequently Asked Questions of Faith Leaders during a Disaster or Crisis”).

Although there is research that reveals the “77 Most Frequently Questions Asked by Journalists During an Emergency or Crisis,” (Hyer & Covello, 2005) which can aid in preparing responses in advance of disasters, additional research would affirm and provide more frequently asked questions of faith leaders. Workshop participants believed there was significant value in preparing responses to these questions in advance based on risk communication principles.

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The most frequently asked questions of faith leaders during a disaster or crisis

• Why did God let this happen?
• Why me?
• Why not me?
• Is there a God?
• Has God abandoned us?
• Is God punishing us?
• How do I/we get through this?
• How do I/we know if God is listening?
• How can we forgive those who have done this?

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Conclusion

Faith-based community leaders can play an important role in preparing for, responding to, and recovering from disasters—because they are trusted. When combined with the decline in public confidence in institutions, such as the government and industry, public affairs officers should consider more formally integrating risk communication principles and faith-based leaders into their strategic communication plans.

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Corresponding Author

Dr. John “Pat” Philbin recently served as FEMA’s Director of External Affairs and the Coast Guard’s Chief of Public Affairs. He is currently President of Strategic Communication Solutions, LLC and Senior Associate with PIER Systems, Inc. Dr. Philbin can be reached at (703) 819-0457 / Philbin.john@gmail.com

Nichole M. Urban is a senior health education specialist and project manager with the Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education. Ms. Urban can be reached at (865) 241-1321 / Nichole.Urban@orise.orau.gov

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References

Hyer, Randall N., Covello, Vincent T. (2005) Effective Media Communication During Public Health Emergencies. Geneva, Switzerland: World Health Organization, pp. 2-3.

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