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January 11, 2023

The Case for a U.S. National Community Engagement Strategy in Public Health Emergencies and Disasters

Event Series: Global Public Health Seminars

A woman talking in front of other people at a meeting

In this seminar, Sharon Abramowitz, research associate professor at the Department of Microbiology and Immunology and the Center for Global Health Science and Security at Georgetown University, discussed eight reasons why the United States needs a national risk communication and community engagement (RCCE) strategy for public health emergencies and disasters. While most other countries developed national strategies, task forces, and plans for RCCE for COVID-19, Abramowitz shared that the United States did not. She argued that the creation of a government strategy would provide the missions, mandates, and means needed to take action in the face of mortal threats.

This event was co-sponsored by the Center for Global Health Science and Security, the School of Health’s Department of Health Management and Policy, and the Global Health Institute.

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Sharon Abramowitz is a research associate professor at the Department of Microbiology and Immunology and the Center for Global Health Science and Security at Georgetown University. She is a medical anthropologist who specializes in community engagement, mental health, gender violence, and epidemic preparedness and response. Abramowitz has been a leading global advocate for building national community engagement capacity, strengthening integrated analytics (IOA) and social science, risk communications, and community engagement (RCCE) capacity, metrics, and utilization in public health emergencies.