ORIGINAL RESEARCH article
Front. Public Health
Sec. Disaster and Emergency Medicine
Volume 13 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2025.1594833
Lessons Learned: Enhancing Rural Risk Communication for Future Health Crises through the PHERCC Framework
Provisionally accepted
- Larner College of Medicine, University of Vermont, Burlington, Vermont, United States
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Public health emergencies, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, highlight the critical role of effective risk communication in managing crises. The Public Health Emergency Risk and Crisis Communication framework (PHERCC) provides a structured approach to crafting, delivering, and refining public health messages to build trust, promote compliance, and enhance societal resilience.This qualitative study examined COVID-19 risk communication strategies in rural Northern New England using the PHERCC framework. Data were collected through seventeen stakeholder interviews, seven focus groups, and a pilot study conducted between November 2022 and March 2023. Stakeholders represented state and local organizations, while focus group participants included rural residents. A thematic analysis using NVivo software aligned findings with the six PHERCC domains: Evidence, Initiator, Channel, Publics, Message, and Feedback.Stakeholders emphasized transparency in public health messaging, adapting to evolving evidence while maintaining consistency. Trusted local sources and traditional media were essential for reaching vulnerable populations, particularly older adults in rural areas. Public feedback highlighted barriers such as misinformation, translation challenges, and limited internet access.The pilot study confirmed that community collaboration and tailored messaging increased understanding and trust among rural residents. Simplified accessible core messages and consistent updates further enhanced public engagement. Formatted: Line spacing: Multiple 1.15 li Conclusion This study shows the importance of evidence-based, adaptive, and population subgroup sensitive communication during public health emergencies. The PHERCC framework proved instrumental in addressing challenges, promoting trust, and refining strategies. Investing in inclusive communication systems and leveraging community partnerships are important for effective responses to future health crises.
Keywords: Public health emergencies, Risk Communication, public health messaging, Health communication Font: Times New Roman, 12 pt Font: Times New Roman, 12 pt Formatted: p1, Space Before: 0 pt, After: 0 pt
Received: 17 Mar 2025; Accepted: 19 May 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 Leslie, Woods, Van Den Broek-Altenburg, Stein and Carney. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence: Elizabeth Woods, Larner College of Medicine, University of Vermont, Burlington, 05405-0068, Vermont, United States
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