Enhancing China's Capacity in Emergency Risk Communication and Use of Information Communication and Technology for Health Communication

The following summary is based on several documents that include details about an evaluation gleaned from a research-centred emergency risk communication (ERC) initiative in China, which was led by the United-States-(US)-based Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). As these documents indicate, the CDC worked with government agencies and national experts using person-to-person contact and information and communication technologies (ICTs) to develop a plan for training the public health workforce to effectively share information in the event of crises like HIV/AIDS, avian influenza, and severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS).

Specifically, as part of this process, a "Chinese expert panel" worked collaboratively to develop a communication plan appropriate to China's needs - one based on the CDC's "Crisis and Emergency Risk Communication Principles" (for details, click here). After pilot training with the contents of the drafted guideline and testing training effectiveness, the expert panel revised and finalised this document, and created a set of checklists, pocket guides, and summary documents for local health authorities. Then, in advance of pilot testing of public workforce training (which involved use of multiple ICT modes), organisers carried out an assessment in 58 Global Fund Round 3 (GF3) project counties. Case studies, discussions, and message testing were subsequently carried out in Fujian Province, Sanming City, and Zhanghou.

The evaluation of this research-based ERC initiative involved assessing training strategies for public health workers who would be expected to communicate information during an emergency.

• The Pilot Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Test drew on Donald Kirkpatrick's (1994) Four levels of Evaluation to assess training in monitoring and evaluation, as well as in the testing of communication channels in a time of crisis. These 4 levels include: audience reaction, knowledge gained, behaviour change, and programme impact. A Return on Investment analysis was also carried out to assess the different modes of information delivery being tested. Specifically, 613 questionnaires were collected and analysed to evaluate satellite-based, as opposed to internet and traditional, training. Organisers learned that the majority of those surveyed like distance-based information delivery as much as, or more so than, traditional training models. The existence of a strong ICT infrastructure in the provinces surveyed - and the fact that face-to-face training demands more transportation time - led organisers to conclude that ICT-based ERC training is a practical approach in this country/context.
• An evaluation of the ERC Project that was developed based on the above findings involved the adaptation and testing of ERC principles through focus discussion groups (FGDs) comprised of the Chinese public. This evaluation found that all focus groups preferred the messages that were written following the risk communication training, as well as those that included more risk communication principles. Those practitioners who participated in a workshop on ERC found the session helpful.