Recorded presentation

Sandra Crouse Quinn, PhD¹, Carol L. McAllister, PhD², and Tammy Thomas, MSW, MPH². (1) Dept of Behavioral and Community Health Sciences, Graduate School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh, 230 Parran Hall, 130 DeSoto St, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, 412-624-3124, squinn@pitt.edu, (2) Dept of Behavioral and Community Health Sciences, Graduate School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh, 130 DeSoto St, 220 Parran Hall, Pittsburgh, PA 15261

In 2001, the nation experienced its first bioterrorist attack. The anthrax attack focused on key institutions upon which we depend for our normal functioning--the government, the media and the postal service. By November 14, 2001, 22 cases of anthrax, including 10 cases of inhalational anthrax, were confirmed. Within that context, however, the groups of people impacted ranged from predominantly white and at least middle class workers to more African American and other minority, and blue-collar workers at the US Postal Service facilities in Washington, D.C., New York and New Jersey. Two postal workers died of the disease. At the time of the attack, media coverage documented postal workers’ lack of trust in the communications they received. Some postal workers asserted that the offer of the anthrax vaccine was analogous to the Tuskegee Syphilis Study. This session will provide results from a CDC funded study that included qualitative interviews and focus groups with postal workers in Washington, DC, NJ and NY, and public health professionals who worked with those workers during the crisis. The session will examine risk perception, trust, credibility, social context and other factors that influenced the communication between public health professionals and postal workers. This study will provide insights into effective risk communication within the challenging context of bioterrorism.

Learning Objectives:

• As a result of this session, each participant will understand the challenges of risk communication in a terrorist event.
• As a result of this session, each participant will be able to identify critical components for successful risk communication in the context of a bioterrorist event.

Keywords: Bioterrorism, Risk Communication

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: CDC
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.

Recorded presentation