Risk communication is a field that has flourished in the area of environmental health. Through risk communication, the communicator hopes to provide the receiver with information about the expected type (good or bad) and magnitude (weak or strong) of an outcome from a behavior or exposure. Typically, it is a discussion about an adverse outcome and the probability of that outcome occurring. in some instances, risk communication has been employed to help an individual make a choice about whether or not to undergo a medical treatment, continue to live next to a nuclear power plant, pass on genetic risks, or elect to vaccinate a healthy baby against whooping cough. in some cases, risk communication is used to help individuals adjust to the knowledge that something that has already occurred, such as an exposure to harmful carcinogens, may put them at greater risk for a negative health outcome, such as cancer, in the future. Risk communication would prepare people for that possibility and, if warranted, give them appropriate steps to monitor for the health risk, such as regular cancer screening. (CDC, Crisis and Emergency Risk Communication, 2002, p. 6)