Public health communication in Canada during the COVID-19 pandemic

OBJECTIVES

Communication is central to the implementation and effectiveness of public health measures. Informed by theories of good governance, COVID-19 pandemic public health messaging in 3 Canadian provinces is assessed for its potential to encourage or undermine public trust and adherence.

METHODS

This study employed a mixed-methods constant comparative approach to triangulate epidemiological COVID-19 data and qualitative data from news releases, press briefings, and key informant interviews. Communications were analyzed from January 2020 to October 2021 in Nova Scotia, Ontario, and Alberta. Interview data came from 34 semi-structured key informant interviews with public health actors across Canada. Team-based coding and thematic analysis were conducted to analyze communications and interview transcripts.

RESULTS

Four main themes emerged as integral to good communication: transparency, promptness, clarity, and engagement of diverse communities. Our data indicate that a lack of transparency surrounding evidence and public health decision-making, delays in public health communications, unclear and inconsistent terminology and activities within and across jurisdictions, and communications that did not consider or engage diverse communities' perspectives may have decreased the effectiveness of public health communications and adherence to public health measures throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.

CONCLUSION

This study suggests that increased federal guidance with wider jurisdictional collaboration backed by transparent evidence could improve the effectiveness of communication practices by instilling public trust and adherence with public health measures. Effective communication should be transparent, supported by reliable evidence, prompt, clear, consistent, and sensitive to diverse values. Improved communication training, established engagement infrastructure, and increased collaborations and diversity of decision-makers and communicators are recommended.

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Factors influencing COVID-19 vaccination intention among overseas and domestic Chinese university students: a cross-sectional survey

To vaccinate the Chinese on a nationwide scale timely and effectively, it is necessary to assess the vaccination uptake intention of the public. University students are opinion leaders, who have an important impact on the vaccination uptake intention of others around them. As a group with strong population mobility, overseas university students have an extra influence on the spread of COVID-19 and the prevention and control of the pandemic. Thus, it is necessary to investigate the vaccination uptake intention of overseas and domestic university students to promote vaccination and control the pandemic globally. However, little is known about the COVID-19 vaccination uptake intention among overseas and domestic university students. This study aimed to explore the difference between overseas and domestic Chinese university students' COVID-19 vaccination uptake intentions and influencing factors using the Health Belief Model. A cross-sectional survey using an online questionnaire was conducted among 370 overseas university students and 463 domestic university students between January and February 2021. More than half of the respondents (536, 64.3%) reported vaccination uptake intentions, with overseas and domestic university students reporting similar vaccination uptake intentions (64.1% vs 64.6%, p > .05). Perceived benefits, perceived barriers, and cues to action were important factors that influenced the vaccination intention among overseas and domestic university students. It is worth trying to communicate the benefits of the vaccine, enhance the role of cues to action, and eliminate the potential barriers among overseas and domestic university students through creative propagation to further promote the COVID-19 vaccination.

Positive Association between Individualism and Vaccination Resistance against COVID-19 Vaccination among Chinese Adults: Mediations via Perceived Personal and Societal Benefits

Background: Vaccination resistance is the key hurdle against herd immunity as it limits the final vaccination coverage. This study investigated the prevalence and factors of COVID-19 vaccination resistance (i.e., those indicating definitely not taking up COVID-19 vaccination), including individualism, perceived personal benefits (PPB) and perceived societal benefits (PSB) of COVID-19 vaccination, and related mechanisms of the association. Methods: A random telephone survey interviewed 395 unvaccinated adults aged 18–75 not having scheduled for COVID-19 vaccination in May 2021 in Hong Kong, China (response rate = 56.8%). Results: The prevalence of vaccination resistance was 56.5%. Adjusted for background factors, individualism, PPB, and PSB were significantly associated with vaccination resistance. Path analysis showed that individualism exhibited a direct effect on vaccination resistance and a 3-step indirect effect (individualism → PSB → PPB→ vaccination resistance) that explained 46.8% of the total effect. The two 2-step indirect paths via PPB only and via PSB only were non-significant. Conclusion: High prevalence of vaccination resistance was observed. Individualism increased vaccination resistance via its direct and indirect effects. Health promotion may emphasize collective good to reduce the impact of individualism and promote PPB/PSB, which may reduce vaccination resistance directly and alleviate the impact of individualism on vaccination resistance indirectly.