title: The Public Sphere in Emerging Infectious Disease Communication: Recipient or Active and Vocal Partner?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Recent years have seen advances in theories and models of risk and crisis communication, with a focus on emerging epidemic infection. Nevertheless, information flow remains unilateral in many countries and does not take into account the public's polyvocality and the fact that its opinions and knowledge often "compete" with those of health authorities. This article addresses the challenges organizations face in communicating with the public sphere.
  
  
  METHODS
  Our theoretical approach is conceptualized through a framework that focuses on the public sphere and that builds upon existing guidelines and studies in the context of health and pandemics. We examine how health organizations cope with the public's transformation from recipients to an active and vocal entity, ie, how and to what extent health organizations address the public's anxiety and concerns arising in the social media during outbreaks.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Although international organizations have aspired to relate to the public as a partner, this article identifies notable gaps.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Organizations must involve the public throughout the crisis and conduct dialogues free of prejudices, paternalism, and preconceptions. Thereby, they can impart precise and updated information reflecting uncertainty and considering cultural differences to build trust and facilitate cooperation with the public sphere.
authors.affiliation: 1School of Public Health,University of Haifa,Haifa,Israel.
authors.forename: Anat
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gesser-Edelsburg
authors.affiliation: 2Department of Communication,University of Haifa,Haifa,Israel.
authors.forename: Yaffa
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Shir-Raz
authors.affiliation: 2Department of Communication,University of Haifa,Haifa,Israel.
authors.forename: Nathan
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Walter
authors.affiliation: 3Responsible Technology SAS,Paris,France.
authors.forename: Emilio
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Mordini
authors.affiliation: 4Zadig Communication,Information and Education in Science,Rome,Italy.
authors.forename: Dimitris
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Dimitriou
authors.affiliation: 5Society for Disaster Medicine and Public Health,Rockville,MD.
authors.forename: James J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: James
authors.affiliation: 1School of Public Health,University of Haifa,Haifa,Israel.
authors.forename: Manfred S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Green
mesh_terms: D021821:Communicable Diseases, Emerging / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000628:therapy*; D003142:Communication; D006801:Humans; D008402:Mass Media / Q000639:trends; D010200:Panic; D017150:Public Sector; D061108:Social Media / Q000639:trends
keywords: communication framework; emerging infectious disease; outbreak communication; public sphere; risk and crisis communication