Chronicling the Risk and Risk Communication by Governmental Officials During the Zika Threat

Abstract

The unique circumstances surrounding Zika, including the fact that it is both mosquito-borne and sexually transmissible, brought to the fore concerns about optimal ways to communicate risk in an environment characterized by rapidly evolving knowledge. The difficulty in doing so is magnified by the fact that science-based health messages from governmental agencies must be developed in an evidence-based, audience-participative, and collaborative manner. A recent reminder in JAMA asserted the importance of preparing now for future threats. Understanding how the knowledge and messaging about Zika changed across time should help public health officials prepare for such challenges.

Zika Virus Infection Knowledge and Communication Preferences Among Women of Reproductive Age in Central Brooklyn, New York: A Thematic Analysis

“…It was noted in 2017 that the New York City subway system was filled with posters showing big mosquitoes, but nearly all cases in New York were travel-associated or sexually transmitted. 45…”

Trade-offs versus reassurance: framing competing risks in the 2016 Zika outbreak

“…Few studies have explicitly included attention to trade-off frames in their analysis of possible risk framing strategies, even as they have grappled with environmental threats and potential responses that entailed important risks. Although prior work on vector-borne disease outbreaks has noted the trade-off of risks from disease exposure versus from aerial spraying of dangerous compounds (Allen, 2018 ; Their, 2001 ), this work has not typically studied the use of trade-off framing by public officials. Our work seeks to fill this gap by centering trade-off frames in our empirical analysis of public official’s statements about the Zika outbreak in 2016.…”

Lysenko and the Screwworm Fly—When Politics Interferes with Science and Public Health

“…Unfortunately, the reply is in the affirmative, touching a number of issues of everyday life, as shown by the heavy impact of Brazilian politics on environmental policies [ 10 ], or—on a more local scale—by debated badger control practices adopted in Britain in the attempt to fight the spread of bovine tuberculosis [ 11 ]. Other examples relevant to everyday life include sex education and contraceptives not being accepted by religion [ 12 ], abortion and the debate about when life begins from a developmental biology perspective [ 13 ], issues associated with releasing genetically modified mosquitoes [ 14 ], as well as the use of insecticides for mosquito control during a disease outbreak (e.g., the ban of naled from several countries at the time of Zika virus epidemics [ 15 ]). Screening the literature about medical and veterinary entomology, an overlooked case study was found, which—to our mind—may represent a useful lesson for the future.…”