Public health risk communication by text message in response to a cluster of invasive meningococcal infection in a primary school.

Declan T Bradley,Jillian Johnston,Brian Smyth

doi:10.1371/currents.outbreaks.ba688e481f19515a472d3adfdb5143f8

Declan T Bradley, Jillian Johnston + Show 1 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1371/currents.outbreaks.ba688e481f19515a472d3adfdb5143f8

Copy DOI

Abstract

Public health risk communication during emergencies should be rapid and accurate in order to allow the audience to take steps to prevent adverse outcomes. Delays to official communications may cause unnecessary anxiety due to uncertainty or inaccurate information circulating within the at-risk group. Modern electronic communications present opportunities for rapid, targeted public health risk communication. We present a case report of a cluster of invasive meningococcal disease in a primary school in which we used the school’s mass short message service (SMS) text message system to inform parents and guardians of pupils about the incident, to tell them that chemoprophylaxis would be offered to all pupils and staff, and to advise them when to attend the school to obtain further information and antibiotics. Following notification to public health on a Saturday, an incident team met on Sunday, sent the SMS messages that afternoon, and administered chemoprophyaxis to 93% of 404 pupils on Monday. The use of mass SMS messages enabled rapid communication from an official source and greatly aided the public health response to the cluster.

Highlights

Invasive infection with Neisseria meningitidis is a significant public health problem in the United Kingdom because of the rapid disease progression and deaths that occur in a minority of people who are exposed to the bacterium, and because of the potential for clusters and outbreaks
The emphasis of the report is on communication methods, so that we can share with other health protection professionals the lessons that we learned when communicating with staff and students of an entire school by short message service (SMS) text message to inform them and to arrange mass chemoprophylaxis
The school’s access to a mass SMS system and up-to-date records of phone numbers was extremely valuable in allowing rapid communication with parents and guardians

Summary

Introduction

Invasive infection with Neisseria meningitidis is a significant public health problem in the United Kingdom because of the rapid disease progression and deaths that occur in a minority of people who are exposed to the bacterium, and because of the potential for clusters and outbreaks. Taylor-Robinson et al of the UK Health Protection (HPA; part of Public Health England) reported an evaluation of a communication intervention to inform secondary-level pupils and parents about an outbreak of meningococcal disease and to arrange mass antibiotic prophylaxis for all pupils and staff.[3] Their outbreak became apparent on a Friday afternoon, and on the following Monday the HPA issued letters to parents and released a press statement for radio.

Results

Conclusion