Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-fbnjt Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-10T10:02:51.426Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Communication of Urgent Public Health Messages to Urban Populations: Lessons From the Massachusetts Water Main Break

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  08 April 2013

C. Jason Wang ,
Alison A. Little ,
Jaime Bruce Holliman ,
Chun Y. Ng ,
Alejandra Barrero-Castillero ,
Chong Min Fu ,
Barry Zuckerman  and
Howard Bauchner
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Objective: To study when and how an urgent public health message about a boil-water order reached an urban population after the Massachusetts water main break.

Methods: In-person surveys were conducted in waiting areas of clinics and emergency departments at a large urban safety net hospital within 1 week of the event.

Results: Of 533 respondents, 97% were aware of the order; 34% of those who lived in affected cities or towns were potentially exposed to contaminated water. Among those who were aware, 98% took action. Respondents first received the message through word of mouth (33%), television (25%), cellular telephone calls (20%), landline calls (10%), and other modes of communication (12%). In multivariate analyses, foreign-born respondents and those who lived outside the city of Boston had a higher risk of exposure to contaminated water. New modes (eg, cellular telephones) were used more commonly by females and younger individuals (ages 18 to 34). Individuals who did not speak English at home were more likely to receive the message through their personal networks.

Conclusions: Given the increasing prevalence of cellular telephone use, public officials should encourage residents to register landline and cellular telephone for emergency alerts and must develop creative ways to reach immigrants and non–English-speaking groups quickly via personal networks.

(Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2011;5:235–241)

Keywords

urban populationdisastercrisis communicationpublic healthcommunications mediaMassachusettswater pollutionwater supplyenvironmental healthtelevisiontelephoneInternet
Type
Original Research
Information
Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness , Volume 5 , Issue 3 , October 2011 , pp. 235 - 241
Copyright
Copyright © Society for Disaster Medicine and Public Health, Inc. 2011

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

1.Guha-Sapir, D, Hargitt, D, Hoyois, PThirty years of natural disasters 1974-2003: the numbers.2004: http://www.emdat.be/old/Documents/Publications/publication_2004_emdat.pdf. Published 2004. Accessed June 8, 2010.Google Scholar
2.Centre for Research on the Epidemiology of Disasters. EM-DAT The International Disaster Database.Natural disasters trends. http://www.emdat.be/natural-disasters-trends. Accessed June 8, 2010.Google Scholar
3.Emanuel, K.Increasing destructiveness of tropical cyclones over the past 30 years. Nature. 2005;436 (7051):686–688.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
4.Keen, M, Mani, M, Freeman, PDealing with Increased Risk of Natural Disasters: Challenges and Options.IMF Working Paper No. 03/197. Washington, DC: International Monetary Fund; 2006.Google Scholar
5.Centre for Research on the Epidemiology of Disasters. CRED crunch.Disaster data: a balanced perspective. http://www.em-dat.net/documents/CRED%20CRUNCH%208%20-%20March%2020071.pdf. Accessed June 8, 2010.Google Scholar
6.Sartor, T, Page, DMother nature makes news. http://pewresearch.org/pubs/1373/natural-disasters-media-coverage. Published October 8, 2009. Accessed June 8, 2010.Google Scholar
7. McIntyre, J, Bohn, K“All clear” given in Anthrax scare. http://www.cnn.com/2003/US/South/11/07/anthrax.navy.facility. Published November 7, 2003. Accessed June 7, 2010.Google Scholar
8.United Nations Development Programme. Reducing disaster risk: a challenge for development. http://www.undp.org/cpr/whats_new/rdr_english.pdf. Published 2004. Accessed June 8, 2010.Google Scholar
9.Clark, N, Robbins, LVolcanic ash to curtail air traffic into midday Friday. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/16/world/europe/16ash.html. Published April 15, 2010. Accessed June 8, 2010.Google Scholar
10.Burton, I, Kates, R, White, GThe Environment as Hazard.New York: Guilford Press; 1993.Google Scholar
11.Elliott, JR, Pais, J.Race, class, and Hurricane Katrina: social differences in human responses to disaster. Soc Sci Res. 2006;35:295–321.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
12.Fallows, DHow women and men use the Internet. http://www.pewinternet.org/Reports/2005/How-Women-and-Men-Use-the-Internet.aspx. Published December 28, 2005. Accessed June 8 2010.Google Scholar
13.Andrulis, DP, Siddiqui, NJ, Gantner, JL.Preparing racially and ethnically diverse communities for public health emergencies. Health Aff (Millwood). 2007;26 (5):1269–1279.Google Scholar
14.Texas Department of Health. Barriers to and facilitators of effective risk communication among hard-to-reach populations in the event of a bioterrorist attack or outbreak. http://www.dshs.state.tx.us/riskcomm/documents/Research.pdf. Published February 1, 2004. Accessed June 8, 2010.Google Scholar
15.Fothergill, A, Maestas, EGM, Darlington, JD.Race, ethnicity and disasters in the United States: a review of the literature. Disasters. 1999;23 (2):156–173.Google Scholar
16.Cordasco, KM, Eisenman, DP, Glik, DC, Golden, JF, Asch, SM.“They blew the levee”: distrust of authorities among Hurricane Katrina evacuees. J Health Care Poor Underserved. 2007;18 (2):277–282.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
17.Eisenman, DP, Zhou, QM, Ong, M, Asch, S, Glik, D, Long, A.Variations in disaster preparedness by mental health, perceived general health, and disability status. Disaster Med Public Health Prep. 2009;3 (1):33–41.Google Scholar
18.Telecommunications. Economist http://www.economist.com/node/16222732. Published May 27, 2010. Accessed June 8, 2010.Google Scholar
19.Charny, BCell phone messaging on the rise in U.S. CNET News. http://news.cnet.com/2100-1033-274366.html. Published October 12, 2001. Accessed June 8, 2010.Google Scholar
20.Eldon, ENew Facebook statistics show big increase in content sharing, local business pages. http://www.insidefacebook.com/2010/02/15/new-facebook-statistics-show-big-increase-in-content-sharing-local-business-pages. Published February 15, 2010. Accessed June 4, 2010.Google Scholar
21.Miller, CCPopularity or income?.Two sites fight it out. http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/21/technology/start-ups/21twitter.html?sq=Popularity%20or%20income?%20Two%20sites%20fight%20it%20out&st=cse&adxnnl=1&scp=1&adxnnlx=1315397029-mbAoWEpezgzqksB+fSbFWA. Published October 20, 2008. Accessed September 7, 2011.Google Scholar
22.Fairlie, R.Explaining differences in access to home computers and the Internet: a comparison of Latino groups to other ethnic and racial groups. Electron Commerce Res. 2007;7:265–291.Google Scholar
23.Barovick, H, Fitzpatrick, L, Silver, AThe world: 10 essential stories. Time. http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1973290,00.html. Published March 29, 2010. Accessed June 8, 2010.Google Scholar
24.Messias, DK, Lacy, E.Katrina-related health concerns of Latino survivors and evacuees. J Health Care Poor Underserved. 2007;18 (2):443–464.Google Scholar
25.TheBostonChannel.com. E-mails: MWRA grasped water disaster immediately. http://www.thebostonchannel.com/news/23611363/detail.html. Published May 19, 2010. Accessed June 8, 2010.Google Scholar
26.Crimaldi, LBoil water order lifted for all communities. Boston Herald. http://www.bostonherald.com/news/regional/view.bg?&articleid=1252282&format=&page=1&listingType=Loc#articleFull. Published May 4, 2010. Accessed June 8, 2010.Google Scholar
27.National Institutes of Health Office of Extramural Research. NIH policy and guidelines on the inclusion of women and minorities as subjects in clinical research –amended, October, 2001. http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/women_min/guidelines_amended_10_2001.htm. Accessed July 1, 2010.Google Scholar
28.Agar, JConstant Touch: A Global History of the Mobile Phone.London: Totem Books; 2005.Google Scholar
29.Cell phone history. http://cellphones.org/cell-phone-history.html. Published 2008. Accessed March 28, 2011.Google Scholar
30.Telecommunications. Economist. May 27, 2010. http://www.economist.com/node/16222732. Accessed September 19, 2011.Google Scholar
31.Spence, PR, Lachlan, KA, Griffin, DR.Crisis communication, race, and natural disasters. J Black Stud. 2007;37:539–554.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
32.DuBard, CA, Gizlice, Z.Language spoken and differences in health status, access to care, and receipt of preventive services among US Hispanics. Am J Public Health. 2008;98 (11):2021–2028.Google Scholar
33.Wenger, GC, Davies, R, Shahtahmasebi, S, Scott, A.Social isolation and loneliness in old age: review and model refinement. Ageing Soc. 1996;16:333–358.Google Scholar
34.ComScoreNetworks. Wireless consumer segmentation analysis 2007. http://www.comscore.com/Press_Events/Presentations_Whitepapers/2007/Wireless_Consumer_Segmentation_Analysis. Published January 27, 2007. Accessed March 20, 2011.Google Scholar
35.Reynolds, B, W Seeger, M.Crisis and emergency risk communication as an integrative model. J Health Commun. 2005;10 (1):43–55.Google Scholar
36.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Anthrax: treatment. http://www.bt.cdc.gov/agent/anthrax/treatment. Accessed June 7, 2010.Google Scholar
37.Leclere, FB, Jensen, L, Biddlecom, AE.Health care utilization, family context, and adaptation among immigrants to the United States. J Health Soc Behav. 1994;35 (4):370–384.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
38.Perry, R, Nelson, L.Ethnicity and hazard information dissemination. Environ Manage. 1991;15:581–587.Google Scholar
39.Meredith, LS, Eisenman, DP, Rhodes, H, Ryan, G, Long, A.Trust influences response to public health messages during a bioterrorist event. J Health Commun. 2007;12 (3):217–232.Google Scholar
40.Taylor, R, Chatters, L, Tucker, M, Lewis, E.Developments in research on black families: a decade review. J Marriage Fam. 1990;52:993–1014.Google Scholar
41.Blanchard-Boehm, DQuick response report #94: Risk communication in southern California: ethnic and gender response to 1995 revised, upgraded earthquake probabilities. http://www.colorado.edu/hazards/research/qr/qr94.html. Published 1997. Accessed June 8, 2010.Google Scholar
42.Peacock, W, Morrow, B, Gladwin, HHurricane Andrew: Ethnicity, Gender, and the Sociology of Disasters.New York: Routledge; 1997.Google Scholar
43.Gudrais, ENetworked—exploring the weblike structures that underlie everything from friendship to cellular behavior. Harvard Mag.May-June; 2010:44-50.Google Scholar
44.Elder, K, Xirasagar, S, Miller, N, Bowen, SA, Glover, S, Piper, C.African Americans' decisions not to evacuate New Orleans before Hurricane Katrina: a qualitative study. Am J Public Health. 2007;97(Suppl 1)S124–S129.Google Scholar
45.Fairlie, RW.Race and the digital divide. Contrib Econ Analysis Policy. 2004;3:1–38.Google Scholar