title: [Risk communication during health crises: results of a cross-sectional study to evaluate the effectiveness of adopted corporate communication strategies during the H1N1 influenza pandemic in Italy and on the training needs of health professionals].
abstract: The objectives of this study were to evaluate the effectiveness of corporate communication activities carried out during the A(H1N1) pandemic influenza in Italy and to identify educational needs of health professionals with regards to crisis communication. The study compared two samples representing respectively the general population and health professionals, living in different regions of northern, central and southern Italy. A self-administered questionnaire was used, with questions on knowledge about preventive measures during a pandemic and on satisfaction with the adopted communication campaigns. Study results highlight that both samples had very little knowledge of appropriate preventive behaviors to be adopted during a pandemic. The sample of health professionals received a greater amount of information about the pandemic with respect to the general population and showed a strong interest toward the problem of receiving adequate training in risk communication. The degree of knowledge about preventive measures is directly proportional to the existence of institutional communication activities and to having consulted a health professional.
authors.affiliation: Sezione di Igiene, Dipartimento di Sanità Pubblica e Malattie Infettive, Sapienza Università di Roma.
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: De Giusti
authors.forename: Alice
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mannocci
authors.forename: Silvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Miccoli
authors.forename: Caterina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Palazzo
authors.forename: Domitilla
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Di Thiene
authors.forename: Valeria
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Scalmato
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ursillo
authors.forename: Maria Antonietta
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Monteduro
authors.forename: Alberto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Turri
authors.forename: Pier Giovanni
authors.initials: PG
authors.lastname: Mazzoli
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Boccia
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: La Torre
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D058015:Health Communication; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006282:Health Personnel / Q000193:education*; D006801:Humans; D053118:Influenza A Virus, H1N1 Subtype / Q000302:isolation & purification; D007251:Influenza, Human / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000821:virology; D033183:Interdisciplinary Communication; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020380:Needs Assessment; D058873:Pandemics / Q000517:prevention & control*; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012494:Sampling Studies; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires