Risk Communication: Meeting Notes

Publication Summary

Training and skill development in risk communication for public health practitioners is variable and has been identified as a need which the National Collaborating Centres for Public Health (NCCPH), in collaboration with other public health agencies, can help address. The focus of this report is to summarize the issues of and training needs for risk communication in Canada discussed at a closed-door meeting with invited representatives from NCCPH, INSPQ, BCCDC and PHO. Leaders discussed their current roles with regard to risk communication, and identified needs beyond the need for training, organized into 5 categories: skill building (training), issue clarification, compiling resources, networks and systems, and message reach. The report concludes with a summary of next steps and possible opportunities for collaboration between NCCs and the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC).