Utilizing Effective Risk Communication in COVID-19

This book demonstrates how a decision-aid can be used to significantly improve accurate communication of health risks from exposure to COVID-19 and to assess how to best contain and control COVID-19. To date, there have been far-reaching ramifications based on global and ineffective risk communication when attempting to clarify these health endpoints. This text and graphic-aid provide a 'path forward' which enable involved professionals to apply meaningful decisions when confronting exposure to COVID-19. Many individuals are familiar with the crowd in a typical theater as a graphic illustration of a population grouping. A theater seating chart could also be used to objectively characterize and communicate health benefits and risks. This decision aid is called a Benefit/Risk Characterization Theater (BRCT). BRCTs have been successfully used to assist patients in determining: their level of acceptable risk; if the benefits of intervention outweigh the risks; who should make the final decision regarding medical intervention; and whether the decision is evidence-based. With a seating capacity of 1,000, the BRCT can make shared decision-making a straightforward and positive experience for the medical community and others. The introductory chapters summarize generic aspects of this communication tool. The discussion includes the value of the graphic decision-aid as well as the approach used for many health endpoints and the plan to apply its value to COVID-19 health risks for different populations. The second section exclusively consists of ESM (primarily videos) of approximately 3-4 minutes which illustrate the value of BRCTs. The third section refers to specific examples of when and how COVID-19 communication failed and how it can be improved. Written by experts in the field, this book fills in a gap in standardized and facile communication between the medical community, the public, and patients and provides an area of expertise in communication that is beneficial for medical providers and medical students.