Effective Communication

Effective communication is a critical part of fostering trusting relationships with community members. Tailor your communication approaches to the needs and interests of your community while following general principles for clear and compassionate communication. When developing documents for the community, be sure to follow guidelines for plain language and clear communication. Remember that the information you need to communicate is often technical in nature, yet most community members are not technical specialists. Health assessors should write clearly without sacrificing accuracy.

To determine the level of concern in the community about the potential contaminant exposure, use the Community Concern Assessment Tool [PDF – 69.4 KB].

Your site health communication specialist can help you incorporate clear writing principles in your documents. Community engagement specialists, technical writers, and community members can also review your written materials and provide feedback. This will help ensure that your communications are clear and your messages are understood by the target audience.

In addition to written communication, you also will be communicating verbally. Keep in mind that a number of community members often will, understandably, have strong feelings and opinions about the site. Communication is not only the exchange of information, but just as importantly, it involves listening to, understanding, respecting, and responding with compassion to the feelings and concerns of community members.

Public health professionals and other experts have developed nine basic principles for engaging communities. Incorporating these principles throughout the PHA process will help build trust and credibility between the ATSDR site team and the community.