WEEK 6 PAPER: COMMUNICATING YOUR MESSAGE 1
Week 6 Paper: Communication Your Message
Heidi Rosner
University of Concordia, Nebraska
WEEK 6 PAPER: COMMUNICATING YOUR MESSAGE 2
One of the most poisonous biological substances known, Clostridium
botulinum, is a neurotoxin commonly found on plants, in soil, water and in the
intestinal tract of animals. C. Botulinum interferes with neural transmitters in the
body. (Nigam and Nigam, 2010) This microbe has a high resistance to heat, and
results in food poisoning from ingesting food or water containing preformed toxins
produced by the microbe. (“Clostridium Botulinum”, 2012)
In the case of the water source feeding a community being contaminated
with botulinum toxin, it would be an important message to first notify the
community of the contamination. First, to get the issue to the public there will need
to be a formal announcement by a reputable source that there was an evidence
based detection of botulinum toxin in the community water supply. The
announcement will be for media and news outlets of different kinds. This will
effectively reach the target audience. (“Communication for”, 2007)
To reach the whole community it is important to use different forms of media
both electronic and paper. Older generations tend to use paper media to gain
information while younger ones use electronic media. There is still a digital divide
that needs to be taken into consideration. (“Communication for”, 2007) While using
media to report, it is important to not spark to much excitement or panic. By
providing information about symptoms and transmission, panic will be reduced
because people will have an idea of what to expect.
The demographic of this community is anyone that does not exclusively use
filtered water, which assembly could be everyone within the water supply. There
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are many exposers to tap water that are not related to drinking. The methods to
reach the community are through media, which is a cheaper option than door to
door. Door to door/snail mail city notices are another option to reach those affected
ensuring that those that are not connected to media are aware of the contamination.
It is important to give people a large body of information on what botulinum
toxin is and the signs and symptoms of infection. It is also important to include safe
alternative and water treatment to ensure safely eliminating threats. Providing
locations that provide safe drinking water, especially in lower income areas of the
effected area, that will help with compliance of not drinking contaminated water.
The idea of persuasion theory plays into this scenario through the fact that it
is important to persuade the community that this is a real treat and that it is
important to not use the water supply. Instead of just giving the public information
about the contamination, persuasion is used to then enacted a change in behavior in
the community: stop drinking the water. Like earlier discussed, in this kind of public
health crisis, media is an important role. This is where mass communication theory
comes into play. This takes into account that it is not a reliance of word of mouth
transmission of information but the use of large-scale publication of information to
a general public.
Managing the crisis is a crucial part to communicating the message of the
contamination. Effectively isolating the source of the contamination and preventing
further contamination are hand in hand. Communicating to the community ways
that water becomes contaminated is a method for management of the
contamination, such things as not over watering lawns and gardens, proper disposal
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of trash and recyclables, helping to identify and report polluters in the area, are all
ways that can be communicated as helping keep water unpolluted. (“How to”, 2012)
Some public health resources for this kind of outbreak would be the WHO,
Natural Resources Defense Council, the CDC, and local governments and associated
environmental health departments. These organizations can also provide help in
communicating with media and the community.
Overall, it is important to notify as many people in the community that the
water supplies. The biggest method for communicating is the media and local news
outlets. It is important to use the public health departments and structures to
ensure the containment of the contamination of botulinum toxin that was found to
be present in the water.
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Resources
Angeli, E., Wagner, J., Lawrick, E., Moore, K., Anderson, M., Soderlund, L., & Brizee, A.
(2010, May 5). General format. Retrieved from
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/560/01
Communication for policy change. (2007). Grant Makers in Health, (29), lii-lii.
Retrieved from
https://engage.cune.edu/learn/pluginfile.php/34703/mod_page/content/1
2/W6_Communication_for_policy_change.pdf
Clostridium Botulinum. (2012). In Mosby's dictionary of Medicine, Nursing & Health
professions. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier Health Sciences. Retrieved from
http://search.credoreference.com.contentproxy.phoenix.edu/content/entry/
ehsmosbymed/clostridium_botulinum/0
How to Clean Up Our Water. (2012, August 22). Retrieved from
http://www.nrdc.org/water/pollution/gsteps.asp
Nigam, P., & Nigam, A. (2010). Botulinum toxin. Indian Journal of
Dermatology, 55(1), 8-14. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.4103/0019-5154.60343