Communicating Health Information to an Alarmed Public Facing a Threat Such as a Bioterrorist Attack

Considerable literature exists on the communication of risk to the public through channels such as television, radio, and newspapers. However, little has been written on the communication of risk through less traditional communication forms, such as the Internet. The purpose of this study was to investigate the role of the Internet as an additional source of health information to that provided by the traditional news media in managing the public's response to an emerging health risk such as a bioterrorist attack. Despite some of the Internet's advantages over traditional media, including the depth and speed in which information can be conveyed to different audiences, the Internet was underutilized during fall 2001, when it became important to convey information on the risks of anthrax. A number of developments are required if the health care system is to capitalize on the Internet's potential as a risk communication device. These developments include research into public Internet searching behavior and further development in the role of search engines and government agencies in organizing quality health information.