Abstract
Crisis and risk communication is an approach to effective communication that plays an ideal role in public health. Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) are a major issue in the current world with the youths being the most affected. Young people are ignorant of STDs because society does not provide an ideal platform where this group of people can learn about sexuality. This paper presents the significance of using crisis and risk communication in the public campaign on STDs among the youths. It further states the ways in which public health leaders can use this approach to sensitize the youths. In addition, it presents the consequences of using crisis and risk communication in public health practice or the lack of it thereof.
Keywords: STDs, crisis, and risk communication
Introduction
Crisis and risk communication is an approach to effective communication used in different organizations to handle a crisis. In the public health setup, crisis and risk management help practitioners pass sensitive information to patients and the public without causing more harm (Southey, 2011). The approach can be effective in the campaign against STDs among the youths in the world. Most cultural and religious values do not allow open communication on the topic of sexuality, hence the high levels of ignorance among the youths on the topic. Crisis and risk communication can help reverse this case by providing young people with relevant information concerning sexuality and effective ways of handling sexually transmitted diseases (Roper, 2013).
Significance of Utilizing Crisis and Risk Communication
Crisis and risk communication helps a public health leader to communicate effectively with both the staff and the public. In times of crisis, the public looks to the public health leader to provide them with solutions and guidelines. Using a crisis and risk communication approach can help the public health leader come up with ideal solutions and better ways to mitigate the crisis (Resnick & Siegel, 2013). Leaders have a duty to provide accurate information to the public in a sensible way for purposes of safeguarding the whole person. Through crisis and risk communication, leaders can offer much-needed information to the public emphatically. The approach also allows people to make ideal decisions (Parker & Thorson, 2009).
One Way of Utilizing Crisis and Risk Communication
Young people engage in irresponsible sexual behaviors because they lack information on the topic of sexually transmitted diseases. Research indicates high levels of STDs transmission occur among the youths within the age brackets of fourteen and twenty-five (Chinsembu, 2009). Most of these people are in either colleges or high schools. For this reason, holding crisis and risk communication talks in schools and colleges would help sensitize young people on sexuality and STDs. Most young people know about the existence of HIV, but they do not consider themselves at risk (Jemmott et al., 2010). For this reason, the communication must specifically focus on the ability of young people to contract and transmit STDs.
Consequences of Not Using Crisis and Risk Communication
First, the failure to use the crisis and risk communication in public health will leave the public uninformed of the dangers arising from a certain situation. In the case of STDs among the youth, failure to use the crisis and risk communication will mean that youths continue to live in ignorance. Secondly, failure to use the crisis and risk communication in public health will lead to an outbreak of uncontrollable issues, which is detrimental to the society (Glanz, Rimer & Viswanath, 2008).
Conclusion
In conclusion, crisis and risk communication is an ideal move in solving the crises in public health (Guion, Kent & Diehl, 2009). Sensitizing the youth about STDs by the use of crisis and risk management can go a long way in reducing the spread of sexually transmitted diseases in the world. For this reason, institutions devoted to this course must employ the use of crisis and risk communication in handling campaigns on STDs among the youth.
References
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