The University of 麻豆传媒 at 惭ā苍辞补’蝉 is taking a key leadership role in a regional collaboration to strengthen public health emergency preparedness. As part of a five-year initiative, the university will focus on health risk communication, a crucial component of effective emergency response. This effort is supported by a from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) as part of the .
Health communication is vital for strong public health in our communities and around the world in blue skies and in moments of crisis.
—Tetine Sentell
“Health communication is vital for strong public health in our communities and around the world in blue skies and in moments of crisis,” said Tetine Sentell, a faculty member in the Department of Public Health Sciences and principal investigator of the . “We look forward to working with our collaborators at the 麻豆传媒 Department of Health on this important project for our state and our region.”
The center, which works with health departments across California, Arizona, Nevada, 麻豆传媒 and U.S.-affiliated Pacific territories, aims to improve strategies for responding to public health threats. Leading the UH effort, Sentell is joined by collaborators Alex Ortega, dean of the Thompson School of Social Work & Public Health; Theresa Kreif, faculty in the Department of Social Work; and Yuka Polovina, faculty in the Department of Public Health Sciences.
The center is one of ten nationwide funded by the CDC’蝉 , focusing on evidence-based strategies for public health emergency preparedness. Its work centers around three key areas:
- Capacity Building—Strengthening the region’蝉 public health workforce to address both immediate and long-term emergency needs.
- Coordination and Communication—Sharing best practices around extreme weather related emergencies to strengthen emergency planning and response.
- Risk Communication—Enhancing trust in public health by improving how information is shared, equipping officials to counter misinformation, and working with community leaders to provide accurate guidance. UH 惭ā苍辞补’蝉 first-year project will focus on this critical area.
The center is led by the University of California San Francisco, with each participating location focusing on a specific topic.
Sentell, an internationally recognized expert in health literacy, serves on the World Health Organization’蝉 (WHO) technical advisory group on health literacy, contributing to the development of a WHO Global Engagement Strategy on the topic.
As National Public Health Week approaches (April 7–13), this partnership highlights the importance of effective communication and preparedness in safeguarding communities.