Abstract
ObjectivesEffective communication by public health agencies during a pandemic promotes the adoption of recommended health behaviours. However, more information is not always the solution. Rather, attention must be paid to how information is communicated. Our study examines the television news, which combines video and audio content. We analyse (1) the content of television news about the H1N1 pandemic and vaccination campaign in Alberta, Canada; (2) the extent to which television news content conveyed key public health agency messages; (3) the extent of discrepancies in audio versus visual content.MethodsWe searched for “swine flu” and “H1N1” in local English news broadcasts from the CTV online video archive. We coded the audio and visual content of 47 news clips during the peak period of coverage from April to November 2009 and identified discrepancies between audio and visual content.ResultsThe dominant themes on CTV news were the vaccination rollout, vaccine shortages, long line-ups (queues) at vaccination clinics and defensive responses by public health officials. There were discrepancies in the priority groups identified by the provincial health agency (Alberta Health and Wellness) and television news coverage as well as discrepancies between audio and visual content of news clips. Public health officials were presented in official settings rather than as public health practitioners.ConclusionThe news footage did not match the main public health messages about risk levels and priority groups. Public health agencies lost control of their message as the media focused on failures in the rollout of the vaccination campaign. Spokespeople can enhance their local credibility by emphasizing their role as public health practitioners. Public health agencies need to learn from the H1N1 pandemic so that future television communications do not add to public confusion, demonstrate bureaucratic ineffectiveness and contribute to low vaccination rates.
Highlights
The H1N1 pandemic of 2009 challenged the capacity of public health agencies worldwide to respond to rapidly evolving information about the nature, seriousness and extent of the threat
There were discrepancies in the priority groups identified by the provincial health agency (Alberta Health and Wellness) and television news coverage as well as discrepancies between audio and visual content of news clips
Public health agencies need to learn from the H1N1 pandemic so that future television communications do not add to public confusion, demonstrate bureaucratic ineffectiveness and contribute to low vaccination rates
Summary
The H1N1 pandemic of 2009 challenged the capacity of public health agencies worldwide to respond to rapidly evolving information about the nature, seriousness and extent of the threat. The discordance between a highest level alert and a ‘‘moderately’’ severe pandemic captured the confusion generated by public health agency communications. Effective communication by public health agencies during a pandemic is critical because many sources bombard the public with contradictory information, some reputable and some not [3]. To support informed health decisions, communications need to be accessible and meaningful, recognizing that during pandemics members of the public may make decisions largely based on emotion [4]. Public health agencies need to pay attention to how the information is communicated. Effective communication requires a sophisticated understanding of both the selection of media used by the public to inform health decisions and the inherent advantages and limitations of the chosen medium
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