The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA

Abstract #73761

Terri Lee Stratton, MPH, Emergency Preparedness Office, California Department of Health Services, 714 P Street, Sacramento, CA 95814, 916/324-7805, tstratto@dhs.ca.gov, Ricardo J. Wray, PhD, Health Communication Research Laboratory, School of Public Health, Saint Louis University, 3545 Lafayette Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63104, Linda E. Forys, EdM, CHES, Harris County Public Health and Environmental Services, 2223 West Loop South, Houston, TX 77027, Rob Hayes, Director of Communications & Program Marketing, Florida Department of Health, 4052 Bald Cypress Way, Bin# A00, Tallahassee, FL 32399-1701, and Glen Nowak, PhD, National Immunization Program. Office of Director, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Corporate Square, Building 12 - E-05, Corporate Square Blvd., Atlanta, GA 30329.

This session will provide an overview of the risk communication strategies utilized in the National Smallpox Vaccination Program. This presentation will provide a brief overview of the foundation and theories guiding the national risk communication efforts, highlighting smallpox vaccination as a case study. The National Smallpox Vaccination program has been implemented at all levels of government including federal, state and local which has required a significant amount of coordination and uses collaboration with other partners including academia. With risk communication as a more recent content area, this case study represents a significant size of effort to offer contributions to the field It also explores contributions from multiple disciplines including health communication and media relations combined with health education. This session will focus on lessons learned from the field and it's significance to other potential national efforts, such as addressing other bioterrorism agents, SARS and West Nile Virus.

Learning Objectives:

• At the conclusion of this session, participants will have an understanding of the therories, strategies and actions utilized in one of the largest national efforts of recent record to implement the National Smallpox Vaccination Program.
• At the conclusion of this session, participants will be able to identify plans and actions which occured at all levels including federal, state and local in collaboration with academic partners. Additionally, identification and interface of communication and health education roles will be discussed.

Keywords: Risk Communication, Bioterrorism

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.