Don't panic! Analysing communications for pandemic preparedness from the perspective of EU risk management

As part of PANDEM, a Horizon 2020 research project based at NUI Galway, we aim review lessons from past disease events to help improve the European Union’s capacity for national and international communications in the event... [ view full abstract ]

As part of PANDEM, a Horizon 2020 research project based at NUI Galway, we aim review lessons from past disease events to help improve the European Union’s capacity for national and international communications in the event of a pandemic.


Why our work is important

Emerging diseases and their pandemic potential pose a great security threat at national and EU levels. As the Ebola crisis demonstrated, current pandemic preparedness planning leaves much to be desired. The impact of communications has been traditionally less explored in this context, but is increasingly recognised as vital to effective pandemic risk management, especially as information technologies change.

For a pandemic or epidemic response to be successful, populations must be willing to co-operate with and respond to measures typically directed by governmental institutions. This requires trust in such bodies, appropriate risk perceptions among citizens and social cohesion. The foundations for these begin before a pandemic event. Relationships need to be established using tools such as community communication around preparedness activities, creating public awareness and confidence. However, the best methods for achieving this and the variables on which success depends are not yet clear.


Our methods

In combination with a systematic literature review and analysis, expert consultation will be used to identify gaps in the evidence.

Results will be analysed with risk communications in mind, holding that public perception of and response to a hazard is a necessary part of defining risk, so approaches must be multidirectional (Sandman 1994).

To correspond with other PANDEM research activities, we will also consider our research findings across four main areas according to the Capacity Pyramid (Potter & Brough 2004):
1) tools
2) key skills, such as decision making
3) staff and infrastructure
4) structures, systems and roles.

The ways in which these different levels interact will be examined through a set of case studies, which will push initial findings further by evaluating the variables on which best practice depends.


Anticipated results

We are working towards conclusions that can inform research questions for future investigation, as well as some lessons in best practice risk communications for the EU that can be applied across different scenarios and technologies.

In the longer term, the aim is also for our findings to feed a decision support tool for outbreak communications in the EU, spanning both preparedness and response.