Evaluation of Risk Communication Efforts

Evaluation is a critical component of risk communication. However, it is frequently overlooked when planning and implementing risk communication efforts. The many compelling reasons for conducting evaluation and the various types of evaluation are explored. Some key factors required for successful evaluation are also discussed. Finally, some recognized barriers to conducting evaluation are presented. Evaluation needs to be considered as a required component of any risk communication program, or we doom ourselves to forever repeating the same mistakes instead of building on our successes. Keywords: risk communication; evaluation; effectiveness