University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

There is a barrier between researchers and the public audience when it comes to communicating findings and research. 

Difficulty Informing the Public

Twitter

This is a tweet referencing a video posted by WHO on June 8, 2020 with Dr. Maria Van Kerkhove talking about how Covid-19 Asymptomatic Transmission Is ‘Very Rare’

An example of the use of Twitter to inform the science community on how they should communicate with the public 

Andy slavitt tweets about the downfalls of preprints

With preprints playing such a big role in the dissemination of #Covid19 data & with there being such a firehose of info coming out, I wish journals would stipulate "this was out as a preprint" when they push out papers, especially ones for immediate release.

https://twitter.com/HelenBranswell/status/1275136783777480708

- @HelenBranswell

Helen Branswell tweets about cautioning journals to warn readers that some papers are preprints 

Effectively communicating nuanced scientific situations and data to the public is a critical challenge. For example, infectious disease experts like Dr. Saskia Popescu have highlighted that traditional approaches to categorizing transmission (e.g., airborne versus droplet) can be antiquated, emphasizing the need for improved science communication strategies.

Need for Nuanced Science Communication

Explaining technical scientific findings to the public is a distinct scientific discipline known as risk communication. Effective risk communication is crucial during health crises, as individuals who misinform the public or fuel an "infodemic" actively undermine public health efforts.

Role of Risk Communication in Public Health

News reporter John Morales tweeted a quote from Dr. Anthony Fauci discussing the problem of 'anti-science bias' in the United States and the public's lack of faith in science despite published findings.

Example: John Morales Tweet on Public Anti-Science Bias

Julia Marcus advocated on Twitter for empathetic public health messaging, emphasizing that it is more effective than attempting to shame people into changing their behavior.

Learn Before

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