The Rumour Is Not the Problem

Rumours are often treated as the problem. In a public health emergency, they may be something else: a signal that something deeper needs to be understood.

The Rumour Is Not the Problem presents a practical approach to finding the real problem behind community concerns, rumours, misinformation and resistance during health emergencies. Drawing on experience in social and behaviour change, risk communication, community engagement and emergency response, Charles Agbeko shows practitioners how to move beyond simply correcting what people say and investigate why those concerns are emerging.

The book introduces a practical SIGNAL to ACTION approach: SIGNAL, VERIFY, UNDERSTAND, ASSESS, DECIDE, ACT and CHECK. It helps practitioners capture signals from communities, verify what is happening, explore competing explanations, assess risks, make response decisions, assign responsibility and learn from the results.

Rather than offering a collection of communication messages, the book provides a practical field method for turning community information into better decisions and more appropriate action.

It includes practical diagnostic tools, decision aids, triangulation methods, response planning tools, pre mortem exercises and a 24 hour review process. A cholera outbreak case study demonstrates how the approach can be applied in a real emergency setting.

Written for social and behaviour change specialists, RCCE practitioners, public health professionals, emergency responders, programme managers, health communication teams and others working with communities during crises, this book offers a disciplined way to ask a critical question:

What if the rumour is not the real problem?