Learn How to Communicate Risk

Learn How to Communicate Risk

Learn How to Communicate Risk:

A deeper look into the CDC Clear Communication Index

When potentially harmful situations or events occur, people want to know the risk they might face and how it may affect them. If the nature of the risk is explained properly, your audience should feel confident they have a realistic perception of the stakes involved and an initial idea of how to deal with the situation.

Part D of the CDC Clear Communication Index takes you through specific questions to help you create a clear explanation of risk. Here’s a before and after example of a risk statement. The before sentence states the cause and effect; the afterexample explains the risk.

Before: Heart disease is the leading cause of death for both men and women.

After: Every year, 1 in 4 deaths is caused by heart disease. High blood pressure, smoking cigarettes, and high LDL (bad) cholesterol are key heart disease risk factors — and half of all American adults have at least one of them.

For more information on explaining health risks, please visit our Clear Communication Index site.