COMPOSING RISK MESSAGES

							  COMPOSING
RISK MESSAGES




 “Now, don’t get too technical on me!”
               Objectives:

What you want to achieve in a community



              Key message:

Your vehicle for communicating the objectives
                  Objectives

The objectives are what we want to do -- not
how we want to do it.

They should be:

   Clear
   Measurable
   Complete
   Achievable
  They are important because

Clear, measurable, achievable
objectives help you to focus on the
knowledge, attitudes, and behavior that
you want to change in the community
         Key for composing the messages


   What does the community want to know?

   What does the community need to know?

   What do you want the community to know?

   Can the information be misunderstood?

•   Don’t have more than three key messages
•   Try out your messages with reliable members of your public
         Keys for composing the messages
                               (Continued)


   Examine the concerns of your public

    Answer the questions: who?, what?,
    how?, when? and where?
   The messages must be consistent
    with the actions

    (don’t say everything is fine if you are
    wearing safety equipment)
Characteristics of messages that
    are easy to understand

   Written in clear, simple language

   Presented in an easy-to-understand format

   Visually attractive

   Logically organized

   Understood at first reading
   Write material that is easy to
           understand
 Identify your audience and determine what you need
  to say

 Select a suitable format, for example, a question-and-
  answer format

 Satisfy the needs of your public by organizing your ideas

 Speak to the reader directly

 Check the tone of the document
Write material that is easy to
      understand (Cont.)

   Use short sentences

   Use singular pronouns

   Use the present tense

   Use the active voice
                       Keys
Be clear, and avoid:

    A lot of abbreviations

    Using the same word with different meanings

    Technicisms

    Complex constructions
       Prepare visually attractive
              documents

   Leave enough blank space

   Use lists, charts, columns, and boxes

   Use bullets or numbering
Inconsistent messages




   The scientific community is divided as to whether
           this product is hazardous or not
To be complete, the information should
               include:

1. The nature of the risk
2. The benefits of reducing the
   risk
3. The alternatives available
4. Uncertainty of the risks and
   the benefits
5. Aspects of risk management
 Problems arising from the message


 Deficient scientific knowledge
  and data; inaccurate models
  and methods for risk
  estimation

 Complex technical analyses
  that are incomprehensible for
  the general public
           The accuracy of a message
                 is affected by:
 Real or perceived defense of the source
 Background of deceit, misinterpretation,
  or coercion on the part of the source
 Previous statements by the source
  which do not support the present
  message
The accuracy of a message
  is affected by (Continued)


 Contradictory messages from other
  reliable sources
 Real or perceived incompetence of the
  source
 The scheme of the message itself
                        JOKES




                      IS THERE A THREAT
 ARE YOUR SOCKS        LURKING IN YOUR     ARE YOUR SOCKS
KILLING YOU? TUNE      SOCKS DRAWER ?     KILLING YOUR KIDS?
IN AT 11.00 AND WE    YOU WILL GET YOUR    FIND OUT AT 11:00
   WILL TELL YOU       ANSWER AT 11:00




 ARE WE DYING FROM
                                              SOCKS, ARE
    A MYSTERIOUS
                                              THEY YOUR
 DISEASE CAUSED BY
                                               ENEMIES?
     OUR SOCKS?
   TUNE IN AT 11:00
When composing risk messages, we may choose
one that is so extensive and complex that it can be
understood only by experts. On the other hand, we
may write a message that is easily understood by
non-experts, but is inaccurate and able to be
manipulated.
A message should:


    Emphasize information about
     practical actions that individuals
     should take
    Be written in clear, simple language
    Respect the audience and their
     concerns
    Inform the public involved
    Information learned                        How to tailor the message
Your public know nothing         Use medium-strong colors and impose visual or graphic
about the problem                elements on the topic
You have an apathetic            Conduct the risk assessment and management process
public (or they feel that they   with interaction of your public. Show them how past
are victims)                     interactions have had a positive effect. Give them
                                 options
Your public are well             Take previous information as the basis for constructing
informed                         your message
Hostile public                   Recognize their concerns and feelings about the
                                 problem. Identify things in common. Conduct the risk
                                 assessment and management process with interaction of
                                 your public
Public with high educational     Use more structured and sophisticated language
level
Public with low educational      Use simple (less structured) language
level
    Information learned                  How to tailor the message


Whom does your public trust?   Use that person to present risk information

Where does your public feel    Have meetings in that place to transmit your message
comfortable?
Where does your public         Use that medium for transmitting your message
obtain most of the
information?
Who make up your public?       Make sure that the message reaches them all

How does your public want to   If possible, involve your public in the way they want to
participate?                   participate
Erroneous concepts of the      Recognize that there are erroneous concepts. Give
risk process                   information based on objective data to fill any
                               information gaps and correct bad impressions
       Problems that may arise from the
                  receiver
 Poor perception of the risk
  levels
 Lack of interest in risk problems
  and in technical complexities
 Over-estimation of their own
  ability to avoid harm
 Change-resistant beliefs and
  opinions
 Exaggerated expectations
  regarding effectiveness of the
  regulatory actions
 Problems that may arise from the
 receiver (Continued)
 Demands for scientific certainty
 Reluctance to make balances between risks,
  costs, and benefits
 Real difficulty to understand information based on
  probabilities
 Fear of the unknown or of what one does not
  understand
            Problems that can arise
               from the source

 Lack of trustworthiness or
  credibility
 Disagreement among the
  experts
 Insufficient authority and
  resources to indicate a risk
 Lack of data about the specific
  fears and concerns of the
  individuals and communities
  Problems that can arise
      from the source (Continued)
 Poor understanding of the interests, concerns,
  fears, values, priorities, and preferences of
  individuals and the public in general
 Use of legal, bureaucratic, or technical
  language
Some problems in risk communication are
due to misinterpretations and reactions of the
intermediaries and of the receivers to the risk
messages