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UNDERSTANDING AND INTEGRATING PSYCHOSOCIAL FACTORS TO ENHANSE COMMUNICATION DURING A CRISIS

In a disaster, the size of the psychological

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UNDERSTANDING AND INTEGRATING PSYCHOSOCIAL FACTORS TO ENHANSE COMMUNICATION DURING A CRISIS

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    1. UNDERSTANDING AND INTEGRATING PSYCHOSOCIAL FACTORS TO ENHANSE COMMUNICATION DURING A CRISIS Emergency Public Information Subcommittee May 5, 2008 Reston, VA RADM Brian W. Flynn, Ed.D. Assistant Surgeon General (USPHS, Ret.) Adjunct Professor Of Psychiatry Associate Director Center for the Study of Traumatic Stress Dept of Psychiatry

    2. In a disaster, the size of the psychological “footprint” greatly exceeds the size of the medical “footprint.” Psychosocial Consequences in Disasters

    3. Psychosocial Consequences in Disasters

    4. Defining the Scope of Behavioral Health Factors… Psychiatric disorders Substance abuse Fear driven behavior Fear driven decision making MUPS/MIPS Family/social function School behavior/ performance Workplace behavior/performance Risk taking Hypervigilance Distractibility Vulnerability/resiliency

    6. The behavioral choices people make to stay in place, evacuate, seek/not seek medical care, search for loved ones, etc. are very real life and death decisions.

    7. Today’s Presentation: Communication beyond the written and spoken word The role of confirmatory bias in communication Engaging consumers Focusing on what people want to know in addition to what we want them to know Prevention Optimizing the relationship between behavioral health and risk communication

    8. New Ideas?

    9. “Better than any medication we know, information treats anxiety in a crisis.” Source: Saathoff, 2002

    11. Linking Behavioral/Public Health Roles And Expertise In Communicating Risk

    12. Communication Takes Many Forms. Communication Through… Written and spoken word Behavior Symbols and rituals Images

    13. I. Communication Beyond The Written And Spoken Word

    14. Communication Through Behavior

    15. For Example, What Behaviors Impact The Messages In Pan Flu? What behaviors reinforce the message? What behaviors undermine the message? Whose behavior impacts the message? Leadership Provider Consumer

    16. Communication Through Symbols & Rituals

    17. Understanding Symbols And Rituals Symbols and rituals help when the written and spoken word fails us They have both idiosyncratic and shared meaning

    18. Understanding Symbols And Rituals They promote a shared experience They can help unite occupational, cultural, religious, and generational groups They can help heal divisions

    19. Understanding Symbols & Rituals We can learn much from: The faith community The military

    20. The Purpose Of Remembrance Events And Sites Provide comfort to survivors and families of the dead Recall and honor the suffering and recovery of those who survived

    21. The Purpose Of Remembrance Events And Sites Provide a time and/or place specific to event to focus/honor/reflect

    22. Important Balances/Tensions Emphasize those who helped Local Distant

    23. Oklahoma City Bombing-- A Case Example

    24. Communication Through Images Images Are Like Projective Tests Behavioral Health Professionals Can Help Public Health Risk Communicators Appreciate The Projective Nature/Power Of Images

    25. What Do The Communicators Communicate Through Their Behavior?

    27. In Pan Flu… Who Are The Responder/Rescuers?

    30. What Will Be The Defining Images During Pan Flu Recovery?

    31. What Will Happen To Our Cherished Symbols When Avian Flu Strikes?

    32. II. The Role Of Confirmatory Bias In Communication An example of where behavioral health/science expertise can be helpful

    33. Definition:

    34. Understanding the Power Of Confirmatory Bias

    35. Modifying Bias

    38. III. Engaging Consumers

    39. Community Involvement Remember “Redefining Readiness”…

    40. Why Including Consumers Is Important… Failure to include the public in planning. Results in… Inaccurate assumption about human behavior Reduced compliance, trust, confidence Lacking understanding of factors influencing comfort with and confidence in planning (Redefining Readiness, NY Academy of Medicine) We can learn from MH consumers/advocates: “With us not for us.”

    41. “…the American public has had little or no role in helping government and private organizations develop terrorism plans…” (Redefining Readiness, NY Academy of Medicine, p.59)

    42. Working Group on Civic Engagement in Health Emergency Planning – Overview Problem – Does “volunteerism” plus “stockpiled basements” equal “public preparedness”? Process – What scholarly research and practical experience suggest Principal Findings Extreme events compel citizen action & judgment; can’t boil down the public’s role in disasters to a simple checklist Civic infrastructure yields remedies at all stages of disasters, and it ought to be involved in planning & execution Effective leaders engage community partners in advance of an event, not just hone their mass media skills

    43. Think About Organizations As Message Recipients Also… Look at our messages through the lens of their connotative meaning/group behavior, etc.

    44. IV. Focusing On What People Want To Know In Addition To What We Want Them To Know

    45.

    46.

    50. Guide For Interventions

    51. Suggested Matrix For Considering Messaging Strategies

    52. V. Prevention

    62. VI. Optimizing The Relationship Between Behavioral Health And Risk Communication

    63. Who Are We Talking About? Behavioral health agency risk communicators, disaster specialists, special populations specialists Risk communicators in: 1. Other government administration agencies 2. Government operations organizations 3. Private/private not for profit organizations 4. Others

    64. Understanding Each Other…Do Your Homework Professional culture Organizational culture Organizational scope and boundaries View as a cross cultural opportunity/ challenge

    65. Initiating The Relationship After doing homework, take the initiative. Before event is best, during is good, after is just OK Choose timing (events, successes, failures, etc.) Be clear on both your contribution and limits Build on personal relationships Use trusted/respected broker Send the best first Come with something specific to offer

    66. Anticipate Challenges/Barriers Funding Work load History—organizational Political influences Stigma about behavioral health Inaccurate understanding of behavioral health

    67. Prepare To Highlight Benefits Help RCs do their jobs faster, better Prevent/reduce problems/errors Promote consistent messaging Enhance message/communication effectiveness Pre-event education/orientation to BH factors and value added

    68. Think About What Risk Communication Can Add to Behavioral Health Many of the same as on prior slide New/better mechanisms to deliver BH interventions Opportunity to reduce stigma Opportunity to develop organizational allies Apply skills in a different context Promote community mental health Learn skills (e.g., communication, clarity of message, presentation skills, etc.)

    69. Building Trust/Confidence Be competent Don’t over-promise Follow customer service principles Be flexible Respect boundaries Build relationships based on utility, not funding Trust builds personally before organizationally

    70. General Behavioral Health Contributions… Content Context Human resources Stress identification and intervention

    71. Options For Specific BH Roles… Joint planning/preparedness Pre-event training/education Review/preparation of talking points Review/preparation of releases Ready experts Coaching of risk communicators Identification and help with stress related issues for RC personnel Recipient of RC consultation

    72. Special Communications Issues: How people absorb information? Developmental stage Trauma history Cognitive abilities Stress level Cultural context Through what pathways do people receive information? How do people gauge the credibility of the source and legitimacy of the content? What do they do on the basis of the information?

    74. Combining Behavioral Health and Risk Communication… Enhances understanding of how people receive and process information and how this translates into behavior Promotes trust and credibility Optimizes desired behavior and reduces undesired behavior Helps assure that resources are preserved and appropriately used Reduces the size of the footprint of adverse psychological consequenses

    75. The Bottom Line Message: Understanding and Integrating Risk Communication And Behavioral Health Are Central To Sound Preparedness And Response

    76. Contact Information: BRIAN W. FLYNN, ED.D. P.O. Box 1205 Severna Park, MD 21146 Phone: 410-987-4682 Email: Brianwflynn@aol.com

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