Text by: Rita Alves

The recently published book from the HERIC 2D project is titled Health Risk Communication: Design and Digital Communication of Official Public Health Sources for Guiding Citizens in Pandemic Situations.

This book compiles the key findings of multidisciplinary research that analysed the digital strategies adopted by Portuguese official entities, including the Directorate-General for Health (DGS) and the National Health Service (SNS), during the COVID-19 pandemic. The project's goal was to assess the effectiveness of public health risk communication and to understand the perceptions of both health professionals and the general population.

In a time marked by uncertainty, clear, credible, and accessible communication was crucial for managing the health crisis. This book underscores the role of design in enhancing information transmission and offers best practices and recommendations for addressing future emergencies.

Funded by the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT), the HERIC 2D project was coordinated by Rita Espanha, a researcher at CIES-Iscte, and involved collaboration among experts in communication, design, public health, and social sciences.

The book is available at: https://repositorio.iscte-iul.pt/handle/10071/34795