A Qualitative Evaluation of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Risk Communication Methods during Multistate Foodborne Outbreaks

Many efforts across the farm-to-fork continuum aim to reduce foodborne disease and outbreaks. Real-time risk communication is an important component of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) efforts, especially during outbreaks. To inform risk communication with the public during multistate foodborne outbreaks, we conducted a series of focus groups of adults in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area to understand attitudes, perceptions, behaviors, and how people receive information around foodborne disease outbreaks. Results from these focus groups provided insight on factors that might influence consumer perception and behavior during an outbreak. Perceived outbreak proximity and personal consumption of an outbreak vehicle were identified as some drivers of perceived risk to an outbreak. Participants also reported hearing about multiple outbreaks per year through a variety of sources and following recommended actions during an outbreak, implying some existing penetration of current risk messages for multistate foodborne outbreaks. Findings from these focus groups are a first step in increasing understanding of how CDC messages affect the consumers’ ability to access and act upon reliable information to protect their health during outbreaks and serve as a baseline for further evaluation efforts of CDC risk communication strategy for multistate foodborne outbreaks.