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Public Health & Epidemiology vocabulary · Health Promotion and Behaviour

Risk communication

Meaning in public health & epidemiology, with examples

nounCommon term

In public health & epidemiology, risk communication means: The real-time exchange of information, advice and opinions between experts, officials and the public about a health threat, so that people can make informed decisions to protect themselves.

In Turkish: risk iletişimi

How it is used

A core part of emergency response, often paired with community engagement (RCCE). Good risk communication is early, honest and consistent and admits uncertainty. Teams also track and respond to rumours and misinformation.

Example sentences

  1. Poor risk communication in the first week led to panic buying.

  2. Our risk communication strategy relies on local radio and trusted community leaders.

Common collocations

  • risk communication strategy
  • crisis communication
  • tackle misinformation
  • communicate uncertainty
  • community engagementWorking with communities as partners, so that local people help to identify problems and plan, deliver and evaluate the health programmes that affect them.
  • health literacyThe ability to find, understand, judge and use health information to make decisions about one's own health and health care.
  • vaccine hesitancyA delay in accepting, or a refusal of, vaccines even when vaccination services are available, often driven by doubts, mistrust or misinformation.
  • outbreakA sudden rise in the number of cases of a disease above what is normally expected, usually limited to one place, group or event.

More terms: Health Promotion and Behaviour

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This page explains English vocabulary for learners. It is not medical advice.