Utilizing Effective Risk Communication in Covid-19: Highlighting the Brct

This book demonstrates how a novel decision-aid, called a Benefit-Risk Characterization Theater (BRCT), can be used to significantly improve accurate communication of health risks from exposure to COVID-19 and to assess how to best contain and control COVID-19. To date, there have been far-reaching ramifications based on ineffective risk communication when clarifying these health endpoints. A BRCT is theatrical representation of 1000 people, with the risks and benefits shown by blackened seats. Since most people are familiar with a theatrical seating chart, and since health outcomes easily can be put in such a chart, we show how BRCTs can be used to objectively by professionals, the media, and lay people to characterize and communicate health benefits and risks of COVID treatment and containment in a facile and straightforward way.

BRCTs have been successfully used to assist patients in determining: their level of acceptable risk of various medical interventions; if the benefits of intervention outweigh the risks; who should make the final decision regarding medical intervention; and whether the decision is evidence-based. The introductory chapters summarize generic aspects of this communication tool, including videos to demonstrate their use in common conditions. The final sections refer to specific examples of when and how COVID-19 communication failed and how it can be improved using the BRCT.

Written by experts in the field, this book fills in a gap in standardized and facile communication between the medical community, the public, and patients and provides an area of expertise in communication is beneficial for medical providers and medical students.