Public communication needs during incidents involving emergency decontamination.

The threat of chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear and explosive incidents has increased because of technological advancements and the wiliness of terrorists to use unconventional weapons. Emergency responders can use interventions such as decontamination and quarantine during such incidents. However, when emergency responders do not communicate effectively, public anxiety could increase and compliance with decontamination could be poor, reducing the efficacy of decontamination and creating a secondary contamination hazard for receiving hospitals. There is a need to examine whether current procedures sufficiently acknowledge public communication needs.