CREDO - Communications and Community Engagement

Effective communication and community engagement are essential elements of the clinical research response during an outbreak.  Done well, they can help to build trust with affected communities and to educate them about the outbreak thus helping to limit its spread. Understanding how to effectively communicate and engage with the people who are affected by an outbreak is crucial to ensure that they are properly informed and are willing to participate in clinical research.

By the end of the module, participants should be able to:

1. Define the term “community” and identify research stakeholders
2. Perform environmental scans and assemble a communications team 
3. Develop a Strategic Communications Plan with a specific focus on crisis communications
4. Identify the special considerations for community engagement in disease outbreak situations