February 6 - L&M Chapter 13
L&M Chapter 13, “Information Materials” is the first of six in Part III under the general theme of Putting Risk Communication into Action
I think what L&M mean by “information materials” is individual components of information which aggregate into an overall message. The channel chosen to deliver the message (newsletter, pamphlet, technical report, etc.) is distinctly separate from “information materials.”
There’s not really a lot to interpret in this chapter (like some others); it’s pretty much a straight-forward enumeration of information the authors feel should be included in risk communication. None of it is arguable, nor speculative. Here it is (mostly for risk, crisis where mentioned):
Goals and content of this specific communication effort should be summarized and front loaded
Risk should be described, contextualized and compared to similar risk if appropriate
Various courses of action to a specific risk should be communicated, as well as risk associated with each
Uncertainty should be communicated with caution – plausible explanations for why differences might occur when assessing risk is necessary, but should not be presented as fact
Explaining how the risk will be managed is a component of risk communication, and may vary depending on whether care, consensus or crisis communication is applicable
Include benefits of risk situation only if it arises out of an audience “want to know” variable
Empower audience by presenting action members may take regarding the risk. This may minimize hostility because it involves audience members – they may feel less like victims
Always offer contact information, keep this information consistent across channels
Glossary: More than 20 pages? Include definitions of abbreviations, acronyms, technical terms, scientific notation, hard-to-grasp graphs and charts. Less than 20? Avoid acronyms and define technical terms in body. Metric measurements: A lot? Include conversion table. Few? Offer U.S. units in parenthesis in body.
Long documents (40+ pages) should include an index
Provide methods for audiences to seek other sources of information, both inside and outside your organization
Organizing the delivery of risk information according to channel
No matter the channel, explain how risk was determined before presenting information (especially data) on the risk itself. Knowing the audience helps one craft the message with appropriate language. Use culturally appropriate terms when assessing and addressing your audience. Use conditional verbs if decision regarding risk hasn’t been made, use passive verbs so message feels inclusive rather than confrontational. Don’t speculate or present estimates as fact. Include scientific notation and/or mathematical formulas only if you can explain their meaning in lay terms.
If using narrative style (structured story rather than straight listing of facts), message should be previewed by sample audience to confirm the story is involving and relevant, and that the message is comprehensible. If behavioral change is sought, new behavior should be achievable
Tailoring information to specific channels
Newsletters – good for long term (serial) communication. May be subject to chain of approval. Should relate to same risk or type of risk; identifying language should be consistent; acronyms and abbreviations should be avoided; mailing list should be accurately maintained; headlines and graphic elements should attract reader, headlines should communicate main elements
Pamphlets, booklets, fact sheets – good for short-term, one message communication, or one aspect of a complex risk. Information should be self-contained, covering all that is needed to convey point. Visual consistency is important, as is distribution. Put ‘em where they is.
Posters, advertisements, displays – should be simple and clear, graphics should reinforce message and be visually compelling. Include contact information. And – put ‘em where they is.
Articles - match message and language with publication and intended audience
Technical reports – summarize information at the sixth-grade level of reading. Body of report should be written for the tenth-grade level. Graphs, charts, statistical data should be contained in appendices or in supporting documents. Summarize key points often.
Mic Brookshire
I think what L&M mean by “information materials” is individual components of information which aggregate into an overall message. The channel chosen to deliver the message (newsletter, pamphlet, technical report, etc.) is distinctly separate from “information materials.”
There’s not really a lot to interpret in this chapter (like some others); it’s pretty much a straight-forward enumeration of information the authors feel should be included in risk communication. None of it is arguable, nor speculative. Here it is (mostly for risk, crisis where mentioned):
Goals and content of this specific communication effort should be summarized and front loaded
Risk should be described, contextualized and compared to similar risk if appropriate
Various courses of action to a specific risk should be communicated, as well as risk associated with each
Uncertainty should be communicated with caution – plausible explanations for why differences might occur when assessing risk is necessary, but should not be presented as fact
Explaining how the risk will be managed is a component of risk communication, and may vary depending on whether care, consensus or crisis communication is applicable
Include benefits of risk situation only if it arises out of an audience “want to know” variable
Empower audience by presenting action members may take regarding the risk. This may minimize hostility because it involves audience members – they may feel less like victims
Always offer contact information, keep this information consistent across channels
Glossary: More than 20 pages? Include definitions of abbreviations, acronyms, technical terms, scientific notation, hard-to-grasp graphs and charts. Less than 20? Avoid acronyms and define technical terms in body. Metric measurements: A lot? Include conversion table. Few? Offer U.S. units in parenthesis in body.
Long documents (40+ pages) should include an index
Provide methods for audiences to seek other sources of information, both inside and outside your organization
Organizing the delivery of risk information according to channel
No matter the channel, explain how risk was determined before presenting information (especially data) on the risk itself. Knowing the audience helps one craft the message with appropriate language. Use culturally appropriate terms when assessing and addressing your audience. Use conditional verbs if decision regarding risk hasn’t been made, use passive verbs so message feels inclusive rather than confrontational. Don’t speculate or present estimates as fact. Include scientific notation and/or mathematical formulas only if you can explain their meaning in lay terms.
If using narrative style (structured story rather than straight listing of facts), message should be previewed by sample audience to confirm the story is involving and relevant, and that the message is comprehensible. If behavioral change is sought, new behavior should be achievable
Tailoring information to specific channels
Newsletters – good for long term (serial) communication. May be subject to chain of approval. Should relate to same risk or type of risk; identifying language should be consistent; acronyms and abbreviations should be avoided; mailing list should be accurately maintained; headlines and graphic elements should attract reader, headlines should communicate main elements
Pamphlets, booklets, fact sheets – good for short-term, one message communication, or one aspect of a complex risk. Information should be self-contained, covering all that is needed to convey point. Visual consistency is important, as is distribution. Put ‘em where they is.
Posters, advertisements, displays – should be simple and clear, graphics should reinforce message and be visually compelling. Include contact information. And – put ‘em where they is.
Articles - match message and language with publication and intended audience
Technical reports – summarize information at the sixth-grade level of reading. Body of report should be written for the tenth-grade level. Graphs, charts, statistical data should be contained in appendices or in supporting documents. Summarize key points often.
Mic Brookshire
posted by nyuspike at
2/02/2007 04:31:00 PM
1 Comments:
While reading Chapter 13: Information Materials, I couldn’t help but think about some recent developments in medicine that have led to new communication tactics for major pharmaceutical companies. Merck recently received FDA approval for Gardasil, a vaccination for Human Papillomavirus. HPV is a sexually transmitted disease that can lead to cervical cancer. Since receiving approval, Merck launched a wide-scale advertising campaign, anchored by the tagline “Tell someone.” The premise behind the slogan is to increase awareness of HPV and to inform women about the link between HPV and cervical cancer. The vaccine is marketed at preteen girls, and the commercials feature many mothers with their preadolescent daughters.
While one could debate the ethics behind the campaign for days (to increase awareness about the vaccine, or to boost Merck’s profits), I’ll save that for later in the discussion. The campaign is effective in that it makes use of the most effective media outlets to reach the target audience (in the US, at least): television. Most every person in the U.S. has a television and regularly tunes in. Young girls and their families are likely to see the commercial through this medium. You can watch the commercial on the Gardasil website at http://www.gardasil.com/tv-commercial-for-gardasil.html Additionally, advertisements for the product are available for physicians to place in their offices.
It seems as though television is increasingly the medium through which drug makers advertise their products. After our class discussion on AIDS education and community/ government management, I remembered reading an article about a related topic. In January, the AIDS Healthcare Foundation filed a law suit against Pfizer, on the grounds that its advertisements promote recreational use of Viagra. The suit explains that recent commercials for the drug feature younger men in ads that promote recreational use of the drug around times such as New Year’s Eve and the Super Bowl. Such marketing, they argue, is contributing to the spread of Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs). The group explains that the drug is being used in social settings with other illicit substances, thus they fear it has become a “party drug.” Read more about the case here: http://www.breitbart.com/news/2007/01/22/D8MQG7BO1.html
While television seems to be the most easy way to reach people in the US, claims such as the one made by the AIDS Healthcare Foundation against Pfizer have me wondering about the risks versus benefits of mass media campaigns for drug companies. Most of us probably remember the commercials for the drug Vioxx, a Merck drug aimed targeted for arthritis and similar conditions. It’s my understanding that the drug was a large seller for Merck, right up until it was voluntarily recalled due to cardiovascular risks associated with high dosage use of the drug. www.vioxx.com
I have to consider that many people today hear about a drug through a commercial, think that it sounds like the perfect cure for whatever ailment they face, and then go to their doctor asking for that specific drug. Asking for a specific prescription might make it more difficult for a physician to properly evaluate a patient’s condition and prescribe them with the drug the doctor (whose undergone years of specialized training vs. the self-diagnosing layman patient) feels more appropriate. Do you think this happens today? Does the advertising of pharmaceutical drugs serve to inform and benefit the public, or is its purpose more of a marketing function? Do the benefits of commercial pharmaceutical advertising outweigh the risks? Is there a risk associated with commercial advertising of pharmaceuticals?
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Meredith, at 8:49 PM
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