Risk communication for environmental health hazards.
Starting with the analysis of communication problems in the field of therapeutical and environmental risks the special requirements and challenges of communicating environmental health risks will be outlined. Important problems of this type of risk communication include: (1) The political context which imposes a new role structure upon the doctor and the people involved, (2) the special importance of credibility of scientific statements, given the limited understanding of health risks related to the environment, and (3) the strong emotional component and therefore the conflict-proneness of communication.
Wiedemann
P M
PM
Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, Programmgruppe Mensch, Germany. P.M.Wiedemann@fz-juelich.de
Schütz
H
H
D003142:Communication; D003657:Decision Making; D004781:Environmental Exposure; D004782:Environmental Health; D006801:Humans; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors