After Action Reviews, Learning Lessons and Post-Crisis Assessment of Crisis and Risk Communication
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 17701098 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Najma Akhther (0000-0001-5897-3102, State University of New York at Oswego), Muhammad Zakaria (0000-0001-5270-2694, Wayne State University), M A Zakaria (Wayne State University), Matthew W Seeger (0000-0002-5585-3081, Wayne State University, corresponding author) |
| Year | 2026 |
| Volume | 41 |
| Issue | 3 |
| Pages | 385-397 |
| Publication date | 2026-02-12 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | No |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Health Communication (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 1041-0236 • E-ISSN: 1532-7027 |
| Publisher | Taylor & Francis (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.1080/10410236.2025.2454243 |
| PMID | 41674497 |
| OpenAlex | W7128697180 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 47 |
After-Action Reviews (AARs) have become essential tools for organizational learning and development, particularly in post-crisis contexts such as public health emergencies. This study examines the processes, characteristics, and challenges of AARs, focusing on their application during the COVID-19 pandemic. We conceptualize AARs as communication processes that enact, encode, and disseminate lessons learned, contributing to organizational resilience and innovation. By analyzing a sample of COVID-19 AARs from various organizations, we explore the variability in AAR form, structure, and content across different organizational levels. Our findings reveal consistent themes in assessment and recommendations, particularly emphasizing the importance of communication, coordination, and inclusive planning for vulnerable populations. Results highlight the significance of AARs as tools for translating crisis experiences into actionable insights for future pandemic preparedness and response
Crisis communication · Dissemination · Health communication · Preparedness · Psychological resilience · Risk communication · Disaster Management and Resilience · Public Relations and Crisis Communication · Supply Chain Resilience and Risk Management
Pandemic Communication
Learning from the Covid-19 crisis
Organizational Learning
Instructional Risk and Crisis Communication at Higher Education Institutions during Covid-19
Effective communication management in a public health crisis
Instructional Health-Risk Communication
Communities of practice as purveyors of instructional communication during crises
Vicarious memories
Getting the most from after action reviews to improve global health security
Use of After Action Reports (AARs) to Promote Organizational and Systems Learning in Emergency Preparedness
Recalibrating pandemic risk leadership
Post-crisis learning in public agencies
The Evolution of Public Health Emergency Management as a Field of Practice
Conceptualizing and Defining Public Health Emergency Preparedness
Public Health Intelligence
| Citation velocity | historical |
|---|---|
| Highly cited | No |