Journal of Health Communication, 19:1327–1329, 2014 Copyright # Taylor & Francis Group, LLC ISSN: 1081-0730 print=1087-0415 online DOI: 10.1080/10810730.2014.989098
Editorial Twenty Years Later: Ebola, AIDS, BSE and NCDs—What Have We Learned? SCOTT C. RATZAN
The Journal of Health Communication: International Perspectives will begin producing its 20th volume year in 2015. As the Founding Editor, I have been writing 20 years of editorials reflecting the sentiment and challenges in how we as a society communicate health. Clearly, there have been rapid unheralded changes in how we communicate—the rapid rise of the Internet and the proliferation of mobile devices (notably mobile phones). The number of people and speed of diffusion has created unparalleled challenges as our social media obliterates hierarchy and perhaps creates a ‘‘flat’’ or ‘‘nobody in charge’’ world. During these years my interest and research has evolved among communicable and noncommunicable disease, injuries, health and well-being, health literacy, and m-health, along with the ethical and strategic foundation of communication as the common currency of humankind. I have been fortunate to view these activities from a variety of perspectives. My academic foundations at Emerson College, Tufts University School of Medicine, George Washington University Milken Institute School of Public Health, and Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health have all embraced the Journal and the growth of the field of health communication. Further, I also have had the privilege of working in the not-for-profit sector (at Academy for Educational Development), governmental (at USAID), and private sector (Johnson & Johnson and ABInBev). My combination of academic degrees in medicine, public administration, and communication along with varied employment have afforded appointments with activities as a consultant to the World Health Organization, United Nations, European Union, U.S. federal and state agencies, the U.S. Institute of Medicine, professional and voluntary organizations, and other groups. I have also served in roles such as the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Board of Scientific Advisors for the Office of Infectious Diseases, RAND Health Advisory Board, Massachusetts General Hospital Center for Global Health Board, and World Information Transfer. I mention all of these in reflection as I write this today, noting that despite all of these efforts, the research in the field, and the publications in this Journal, the recent news of Ebola continues to command a space similar to what we witnessed in the days of the AIDS crisis, the subject of my first academic publication (Ratzan, 1992) and personal engagement while in medical school. Similarly, I addressed the frustrating challenges that we saw with the BSE–Mad Cow crisis in the late 1990s Scott C. Ratzan, MD, is the Founding Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Health Communication: International Perspectives.
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in publications I authored in the Wall Street Journal, New York Times, and Financial Times and an academic book (Ratzan, 1998). Today, I reflect on the editorial about the Ebola crisis that I co-wrote for the previous issue (Ratzan & Moritsugu, 2014). This was presaged by a number of editorials over the years dealing with this and similar issues and suggesting an evidence-based approach (Ratzan, 1999, 2002, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2010, 2013). Clearly, I have not been alone in warning of the need for preparedness, education, and professionalism in our field. When the Journal began, I was the founding director of the Emerson-Tufts Masters Program in Health Communication. This was the first of its kind in the preparation of a generation of health communicators. While more than 450 students have graduated from that program, there are now 46 programs on health communication in existence. Nonetheless, while the stakes are raised, the challenges and response to Ebola follow a similar pattern to the past. This is best exemplified by longtime New York Times medical journalist Lawrence Altman, MD, writing in the New York Times on November 10, 2014. He compares Ebola to HIV and writes, ‘‘But public officials, then and now, failed to communicate this information [that Ebola, like HIV, requires direct contact] in ways most people understand.’’ He continues: ‘‘Health officials have had ample time—years—to polish their language skills. Yet, the phrase ‘bodily fluids’ is again with us, and confusion has arisen over whether the virus can be ‘airborne’ as officials try to explain that the Ebola virus is not dispersed like the influenza and measles viruses.’’ And so he says, ‘‘History repeats.’’ As readers of this Journal, we all have a fundamental ethical responsibility to promulgate a scientific and evidence-based approach to health communication. I have been proud of what this Journal offers, the ideas we espouse, and the hopeful impact we have on the public milieu. I am optimistic that while it does take significant time and patience for sustainable change, we can employ communication to advance a health literate public. We can embody and transfer our wisdom, knowledge, and skills among medical and health professionals as well as to all who communicate health. Together, from all parts of the multidisciplinary spectrum, we must advance prudent public health policy and programs with the integrity and respect for the fundamentals of how health communication can contribute to the public good. Ebola is yet another warning, and while I believe the world will contain the current threat, preparedness and response from global to national to local levels with health communication competency will be the sine qua non necessary to tackle the next health challenge.
References Altman, L. K. (2014, November 11). Epidemics of confusion: Like AIDS before it, Ebola isn’t clearly explained by officials. New York Times, D2. Ratzan, S. C. (Ed.). (1992). AIDS: Effective health communication for the ‘90s. New York, NY: Routledge. Ratzan, S. C. (Ed.). (1998). Mad cow crisis: Health and the public good. New York, NY: NYU Press. Intellectual History series. Ratzan, S. C. (1999). Strategic health communication and social marketing on risk issues. Journal of Health Communication, 4, 1–6. Ratzan, S. C. (2002). The plural of anecdote is not evidence. Journal of Health Communication, 7, 169–170. Ratzan, S. C. (2006). The bird (to human) flu epidemic—If or when? Journal of Health Communication, 11, 131–132.
Editorial
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Ratzan, S. C. (2007). Advances in public health—Values, trust, and XDR-TB. Journal of Health Communication, 12, 511–512. Ratzan, S. C. (2009). Swine conflusion. Journal of Health Communication, 14, 413–414. Ratzan, S. C. (2010). All health is local: The H1N1 vaccine. Journal of Health Communication, 15, 1–2. Ratzan, S. C. (2013). ‘‘They say’’ the next big pandemic is near: Are we prepared? Journal of Health Communication, 18, 757–759. Ratzan, S. C., & Moritsugu, K. (2014). Ebola crisis—Communication chaos we can avoid. Journal of Health Communication, 19, 1213–1215.
Copyright of Journal of Health Communication is the property of Routledge and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use.
Editorial Twenty Years Later: Ebola, AIDS, BSE and NCDs—What Have We Learned? SCOTT C. RATZAN
The Journal of Health Communication: International Perspectives will begin producing its 20th volume year in 2015. As the Founding Editor, I have been writing 20 years of editorials reflecting the sentiment and challenges in how we as a society communicate health. Clearly, there have been rapid unheralded changes in how we communicate—the rapid rise of the Internet and the proliferation of mobile devices (notably mobile phones). The number of people and speed of diffusion has created unparalleled challenges as our social media obliterates hierarchy and perhaps creates a ‘‘flat’’ or ‘‘nobody in charge’’ world. During these years my interest and research has evolved among communicable and noncommunicable disease, injuries, health and well-being, health literacy, and m-health, along with the ethical and strategic foundation of communication as the common currency of humankind. I have been fortunate to view these activities from a variety of perspectives. My academic foundations at Emerson College, Tufts University School of Medicine, George Washington University Milken Institute School of Public Health, and Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health have all embraced the Journal and the growth of the field of health communication. Further, I also have had the privilege of working in the not-for-profit sector (at Academy for Educational Development), governmental (at USAID), and private sector (Johnson & Johnson and ABInBev). My combination of academic degrees in medicine, public administration, and communication along with varied employment have afforded appointments with activities as a consultant to the World Health Organization, United Nations, European Union, U.S. federal and state agencies, the U.S. Institute of Medicine, professional and voluntary organizations, and other groups. I have also served in roles such as the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Board of Scientific Advisors for the Office of Infectious Diseases, RAND Health Advisory Board, Massachusetts General Hospital Center for Global Health Board, and World Information Transfer. I mention all of these in reflection as I write this today, noting that despite all of these efforts, the research in the field, and the publications in this Journal, the recent news of Ebola continues to command a space similar to what we witnessed in the days of the AIDS crisis, the subject of my first academic publication (Ratzan, 1992) and personal engagement while in medical school. Similarly, I addressed the frustrating challenges that we saw with the BSE–Mad Cow crisis in the late 1990s Scott C. Ratzan, MD, is the Founding Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Health Communication: International Perspectives.
1327
1328
Editorial
in publications I authored in the Wall Street Journal, New York Times, and Financial Times and an academic book (Ratzan, 1998). Today, I reflect on the editorial about the Ebola crisis that I co-wrote for the previous issue (Ratzan & Moritsugu, 2014). This was presaged by a number of editorials over the years dealing with this and similar issues and suggesting an evidence-based approach (Ratzan, 1999, 2002, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2010, 2013). Clearly, I have not been alone in warning of the need for preparedness, education, and professionalism in our field. When the Journal began, I was the founding director of the Emerson-Tufts Masters Program in Health Communication. This was the first of its kind in the preparation of a generation of health communicators. While more than 450 students have graduated from that program, there are now 46 programs on health communication in existence. Nonetheless, while the stakes are raised, the challenges and response to Ebola follow a similar pattern to the past. This is best exemplified by longtime New York Times medical journalist Lawrence Altman, MD, writing in the New York Times on November 10, 2014. He compares Ebola to HIV and writes, ‘‘But public officials, then and now, failed to communicate this information [that Ebola, like HIV, requires direct contact] in ways most people understand.’’ He continues: ‘‘Health officials have had ample time—years—to polish their language skills. Yet, the phrase ‘bodily fluids’ is again with us, and confusion has arisen over whether the virus can be ‘airborne’ as officials try to explain that the Ebola virus is not dispersed like the influenza and measles viruses.’’ And so he says, ‘‘History repeats.’’ As readers of this Journal, we all have a fundamental ethical responsibility to promulgate a scientific and evidence-based approach to health communication. I have been proud of what this Journal offers, the ideas we espouse, and the hopeful impact we have on the public milieu. I am optimistic that while it does take significant time and patience for sustainable change, we can employ communication to advance a health literate public. We can embody and transfer our wisdom, knowledge, and skills among medical and health professionals as well as to all who communicate health. Together, from all parts of the multidisciplinary spectrum, we must advance prudent public health policy and programs with the integrity and respect for the fundamentals of how health communication can contribute to the public good. Ebola is yet another warning, and while I believe the world will contain the current threat, preparedness and response from global to national to local levels with health communication competency will be the sine qua non necessary to tackle the next health challenge.
References Altman, L. K. (2014, November 11). Epidemics of confusion: Like AIDS before it, Ebola isn’t clearly explained by officials. New York Times, D2. Ratzan, S. C. (Ed.). (1992). AIDS: Effective health communication for the ‘90s. New York, NY: Routledge. Ratzan, S. C. (Ed.). (1998). Mad cow crisis: Health and the public good. New York, NY: NYU Press. Intellectual History series. Ratzan, S. C. (1999). Strategic health communication and social marketing on risk issues. Journal of Health Communication, 4, 1–6. Ratzan, S. C. (2002). The plural of anecdote is not evidence. Journal of Health Communication, 7, 169–170. Ratzan, S. C. (2006). The bird (to human) flu epidemic—If or when? Journal of Health Communication, 11, 131–132.
Editorial
1329
Ratzan, S. C. (2007). Advances in public health—Values, trust, and XDR-TB. Journal of Health Communication, 12, 511–512. Ratzan, S. C. (2009). Swine conflusion. Journal of Health Communication, 14, 413–414. Ratzan, S. C. (2010). All health is local: The H1N1 vaccine. Journal of Health Communication, 15, 1–2. Ratzan, S. C. (2013). ‘‘They say’’ the next big pandemic is near: Are we prepared? Journal of Health Communication, 18, 757–759. Ratzan, S. C., & Moritsugu, K. (2014). Ebola crisis—Communication chaos we can avoid. Journal of Health Communication, 19, 1213–1215.
Copyright of Journal of Health Communication is the property of Routledge and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use.
