Risk Communication and Community Engagement (RCEE)

Risk Communication and Community Engagement (RCCE) refers to the social and behavior change approaches used to engage and communicate with the public during public health emergencies. Risk communication provides the public with relevant and actionable information on how to reduce their risk and better protect themselves and their communities. Information on how to seek care and on epidemiological updates is also communicated. Community engagement invites communities to partner with the organizations and government institutions that serve them to co-develop emergency response activities. Community engagement aims to build trust with communities and ensure that outbreak responses reflect the local context. Community-led approaches to reach those affected by emergencies have been shown to curb the spread of outbreaks. Collectively, RCCE activities are designed to mobilize communities to prevent disease exposure, stop disease transmission, dispel misconceptions and misinformation, improve access appropriate care and treatment and mitigate the social and economic consequences of risk mitigation strategies.