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Findling MG, Caporello HL, Stein RI, Wade CG, Lubell KM, Briseño L, SteelFisher GK. Communications for US Populations With Limited English Proficiency During Infectious Disease Outbreaks: A Scoping Review. Health Secur 2023; 21:489-499. [PMID: 37889614 DOI: 10.1089/hs.2023.0050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/29/2023] Open
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the need for research about communicating with populations who have limited English proficiency in the United States during infectious disease outbreaks. These populations have experienced significantly worse health outcomes during emergencies, including the COVID-19 pandemic, and evidence-based risk communications are critical to protecting their health. To support improved development of emergency communications for these communities, we conducted a scoping review that examined the extent of research available, with an intent to identify which communications topics are covered in the literature and where research gaps exist. Following the JBI framework, with reporting guided by the PRISMA extension for scoping reviews, 6 electronic databases were systematically searched in October 2022. The inclusion criteria for articles selected were: data collected between 2009 and 2022, published in English, and focused on communications pertaining to emergency infectious disease outbreaks (eg, H1N1 influenza, Zika virus, COVID-19) for populations with limited English proficiency. Of 2,049 articles identified through the search, 31 met the inclusion criteria and were selected for review. We identified major limitations in the evidence base: a majority of studies were conducted only among Spanish speakers or during the COVID-19 pandemic, and most used qualitative or nonrandom samples. Most studies documented basic language barriers in communications, but there was little exploration of more nuanced barriers, such as cultural relevance or social context. Ahead of future outbreaks, more research is urgently needed to examine the information landscapes of populations with limited English proficiency, to inform the development of more effective communications strategies from public health institutions and others.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mary G Findling
- Mary G. Findling, PhD, ScM, is Assistant Director, in the Harvard Opinion Research Program, Department of Health Policy and Management, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA
| | - Hannah L Caporello
- Hannah L. Caporello is Senior Research Projects Manager, in the Harvard Opinion Research Program, Department of Health Policy and Management, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA
| | - Rebekah I Stein
- Rebekah I. Stein is a Research Assistant, in the Harvard Opinion Research Program, Department of Health Policy and Management, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA
| | - Carrie G Wade
- Carrie G. Wade, MLIS, is a Research and Instruction Librarian, Countway Library of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
| | - Keri M Lubell
- Keri M. Lubell, PhD, is a Behavioral Scientist, at the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA
| | - Lisa Briseño
- Lisa Briseño, MS, is a Senior Health Communication Specialist, at the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA
| | - Gillian K SteelFisher
- Gillian K. SteelFisher, PhD, MSc, is Principal Research Scientist and Director of Global Polling, in the Harvard Opinion Research Program, Department of Health Policy and Management, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA
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Dawson-Hahn E, Fredkove W, Karim S, Mohamed F, Abudiab S, de Acosta D, Ebengho S, Garcia Y, Hoffman S, Keaveney M, Mann E, Thomas C, Yu K, Yun K. Perspectives of public health organizations partnering with refugee, immigrant, and migrant communities for comprehensive COVID-19 case investigation and contact tracing. Front Public Health 2023; 11:1218306. [PMID: 37732101 PMCID: PMC10508845 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2023.1218306] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2023] [Accepted: 08/17/2023] [Indexed: 09/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Objectives To understand public health organizations' experiences providing comprehensive COVID-19 case investigation and contact tracing, and related promising practices with refugee, immigrant and migrant communities. Methods We interviewed public health professionals (September 2020 to February 2021) from local and state health departments using a geographically stratified, purposive sampling approach. A multidisciplinary team at the National Resource Center for Refugees, Immigrants and Migrants (NRC-RIM) conducted a thematic analysis of the data. Results Six themes were identified: understanding community and public health context, cultivating relationships, ensuring linguistic and cultural concordance, communicating intentionally, evolving response, and implementing equity. The interconnection of themes and promising practices is explored. Conclusion As public health continues to learn from and build upon COVID-19 response experiences, the thematic findings and potential promising practices identified in this project may foster proactive, community-engaged solutions for public health, and other organizations working and partnering with refugee, immigrant, and migrant communities. Implementing these findings with COVID-19 into current and future public health crisis responses may improve public health, collaborations with refugee, immigrant, and migrant communities, and staff wellbeing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth Dawson-Hahn
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States
- National Resource Center for Refugees, Immigrants and Migrants (NRC-RIM), University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, United States
| | - Windy Fredkove
- National Resource Center for Refugees, Immigrants and Migrants (NRC-RIM), University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, United States
- School of Nursing, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, United States
| | - Sayyeda Karim
- National Resource Center for Refugees, Immigrants and Migrants (NRC-RIM), University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, United States
| | | | - Seja Abudiab
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States
| | - Diego de Acosta
- National Resource Center for Refugees, Immigrants and Migrants (NRC-RIM), University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, United States
| | - Sabrina Ebengho
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States
| | - Yesenia Garcia
- Seattle Children’s Research Division, Seattle, WA, United States
| | - Sarah Hoffman
- National Resource Center for Refugees, Immigrants and Migrants (NRC-RIM), University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, United States
- School of Nursing, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, United States
| | - Megan Keaveney
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Erin Mann
- National Resource Center for Refugees, Immigrants and Migrants (NRC-RIM), University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, United States
| | - Christine Thomas
- National Resource Center for Refugees, Immigrants and Migrants (NRC-RIM), University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, United States
- Department of Medicine, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, United States
| | - Kimberly Yu
- National Resource Center for Refugees, Immigrants and Migrants (NRC-RIM), University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, United States
| | - Katherine Yun
- Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States
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Lohr AM, Neumbo KC, Njeru JW, Molina L, Hasley R, Ahmed Y, Quirindongo-Cedeno O, Torres-Herbeck GA, Goodson ML, Osman A, Weis JA, Wieland ML, Sia IG. Addressing COVID-19 inequities using bidirectional crisis and emergency risk communication and vaccine clinic interventions: a descriptive study. BMC Public Health 2023; 23:1517. [PMID: 37558981 PMCID: PMC10413496 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-023-16410-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2022] [Accepted: 07/27/2023] [Indexed: 08/11/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Im/migrants (immigrants and migrants, including refugees, asylum seekers, and individuals without legal documentation) experience unique assets and needs in relation to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Community-based participatory research (CBPR) is one way to engage im/migrant communities. Rochester Healthy Community Partnership (RHCP) is a CBPR partnership in Rochester, Minnesota. RHCP partners noted that credible COVID-19 information was not available to their communities. In response, RHCP formed a COVID-19 Task Force and adapted the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Crisis and Emergency Risk Communication (CERC) framework to create an intervention that prioritized im/migrant groups experiencing health disparities. In the CERC intervention, communication leaders delivered COVID-19 health messages to their social networks and documented related concerns. RHCP relayed these concerns to regional leaders to ensure that im/migrant experiences were included in decision making. Once vaccines were available, RHCP continued to deploy the CERC intervention to promote vaccination equity. The aims of this paper are to (1) describe the implementation of a bidirectional CERC intervention for vaccination equity, and (2) describe a community-engaged and community-based vaccine clinic intervention. METHODS First, we surveyed participants (n = 37) to assess COVID-19 experiences, acceptability of the CERC intervention, and motivation to receive a COVID-19 vaccination. Second, we collaborated with community partners to hold vaccine clinics. We report descriptive statistics from each intervention. RESULTS When asked about the acceptability of the CERC intervention for vaccine equity, most participants either reported that they 'really liked it' or 'thought it was just ok'. Most participants stated that they would recommend the program to family or friends who have not yet received the COVID-19 vaccine. Almost all participants reported that they felt 'much more' or 'somewhat more' motivated to receive a COVID-19 vaccine after the intervention. We administered 1158 vaccines at the vaccination clinics. CONCLUSIONS We found that participants viewed the CERC intervention for vaccination equity as an acceptable way to disseminate COVID-19-related information. Nearly all participants reported that the intervention convinced them to receive a COVID-19 vaccine. In our experience, community-engaged and community-based clinics are a successful way to administer vaccines to im/migrant communities during a pandemic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abby M Lohr
- Division of Community Internal Medicine, Geriatrics, and Palliative Care, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, USA.
| | | | - Jane W Njeru
- Division of Community Internal Medicine, Geriatrics, and Palliative Care, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, USA
| | - Luz Molina
- Division of Public Health, Infectious Diseases and Occupational Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, USA
- Community Based Research, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, USA
| | | | - Yahye Ahmed
- Division of Public Health, Infectious Diseases and Occupational Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, USA
- Community Based Research, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, USA
| | - Onelis Quirindongo-Cedeno
- Division of Community Internal Medicine, Geriatrics, and Palliative Care, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, USA
| | - Gloria A Torres-Herbeck
- Division of Public Health, Infectious Diseases and Occupational Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, USA
- Community Based Research, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, USA
- Alliance of Chicanos, Hispanics, and Latin Americans, Rochester, USA
| | - Miriam L Goodson
- Division of Public Health, Infectious Diseases and Occupational Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, USA
- Community Based Research, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, USA
- Alliance of Chicanos, Hispanics, and Latin Americans, Rochester, USA
| | - Ahmed Osman
- Intercultural Mutual Assistance Association, Rochester, USA
| | - Jenny A Weis
- Research Administrative Services, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, USA
| | - Mark L Wieland
- Division of Community Internal Medicine, Geriatrics, and Palliative Care, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, USA
| | - Irene G Sia
- Division of Public Health, Infectious Diseases and Occupational Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, USA
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Bouchard EG, Saad-Harfouche FG, Clark N, Colon J, LaValley SA, Reid M, Attwood K, Bansal-Travers M, Glaser K. Adapting Community Educational Programs During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Comparing the Feasibility and Efficacy of a Lung Cancer Screening Educational Intervention by Mode of Delivery. J Cancer Educ 2023; 38:854-862. [PMID: 35840859 PMCID: PMC9286703 DOI: 10.1007/s13187-022-02197-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/27/2022] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
Few eligible patients receive lung cancer screening. We developed the Lung AIR (awareness, information, and resources) intervention to increase community education regarding lung cancer screening. The intervention was designed as an in-person group intervention; however, the COVID-19 pandemic necessitated adapting the mode of delivery. In this study we examined intervention feasibility and efficacy overall and by mode of delivery (in-person group vs. one-on-one phone) to understand the impact of adapting community outreach and engagement strategies. Feasibility was examined through participant demographics. Efficacy was measured through pre/post knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs about lung cancer screening, and intention to complete screening. We reached N = 292 participants. Forty percent had a household income below $35,000, 58% had a high school degree or less, 40% were Hispanic, 57% were Black, and 84% reported current or past smoking. One-on-one phone sessions reached participants who were older, had lower incomes, more current smoking, smoked for more years, more cigarettes per day, lower pre-intervention lung cancer screening knowledge, and higher pre-intervention fear and worry. Overall pre/post test scores show significant increases in knowledge, salience, and coherence, and reduced fear and worry. Participants in the one-on-one phone sessions had significantly higher increases in salience and coherence and intention to complete screening compared to participants in the in-person group sessions. The Lung AIR intervention is a feasible and effective community-based educational intervention for lung cancer screening. Findings point to differences in reach and efficacy of the community-based intervention by mode of delivery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth G Bouchard
- Department of Cancer Prevention and Control, Office of Community Outreach and Engagement, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Elm & Carlton Streets, Buffalo, NY, 14263, USA.
| | - Frances G Saad-Harfouche
- Department of Cancer Prevention and Control, Office of Community Outreach and Engagement, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Elm & Carlton Streets, Buffalo, NY, 14263, USA
| | - Nikia Clark
- Department of Cancer Prevention and Control, Office of Community Outreach and Engagement, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Elm & Carlton Streets, Buffalo, NY, 14263, USA
| | - Jomary Colon
- Department of Cancer Prevention and Control, Office of Community Outreach and Engagement, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Elm & Carlton Streets, Buffalo, NY, 14263, USA
| | - Susan A LaValley
- Department of Cancer Prevention and Control, Office of Community Outreach and Engagement, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Elm & Carlton Streets, Buffalo, NY, 14263, USA
| | - Mary Reid
- Department of Medical Oncology, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Elm & Carlton Streets, Buffalo, NY, 14263, USA
| | - Kristopher Attwood
- Department of Biostatistics, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Elm & Carlton Streets, Buffalo, NY, 14263, USA
| | - Maansi Bansal-Travers
- Department of Health Behavior, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Elm & Carlton Streets, Buffalo, NY, 14263, USA
| | - Kathryn Glaser
- Department of Cancer Prevention and Control, Office of Community Outreach and Engagement, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Elm & Carlton Streets, Buffalo, NY, 14263, USA
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Wieland ML, Njeru JW, Weis JA, Lohr A, Nigon JA, Goodson M, Osman A, Molina L, Ahmed Y, Capetillo GP, Nur O, Sia IG. Rochester Healthy Community Partnership: Then and now. Front Public Health 2023; 10:1090131. [PMID: 36703848 PMCID: PMC9871468 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2022.1090131] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2022] [Accepted: 12/21/2022] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Community-engaged research partnerships promote health equity through incorporation of regional contexts to inform partnership dynamics that shape research and interventions that reflect community voice and priorities. Long-term partnerships build trusted relationships and promote capacity building among community and academic partners, but there are many structural barriers to sustaining long-term partnerships. Here we describe lessons learned from sustaining Rochester Healthy Community Partnership (RHCP), an 18-year community-based participatory research (CBPR) partnership in Southeast Minnesota. RHCP collaborates with immigrant and refugee populations to co-create interventions that promote health equity for community health priorities. Challenges to sustainability include a tension between project-based funding and the needs of long-term community-based research infrastructure. These challenges can be met with a focus on shared CBPR principles, operating norms, partnership dynamics, and governance. RHCP began in 2004 through identification of a community health priority, defining the community, and establishment of CBPR principles. It grew through identification of broader community health priorities, capacity building for community and academic partners, and integration of diverse learners. We describe the capacity for RHCP to respond to new societal contexts, the importance of partnership dynamics as a barometer for partnership health, and lessons learned about sustainability of the CBPR partnership.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark L. Wieland
- Division of Community Internal Medicine, Geriatrics, and Palliative Care, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, United States,Rochester Healthy Community Partnership, Rochester, MN, United States,*Correspondence: Mark L. Wieland ✉
| | - Jane W. Njeru
- Division of Community Internal Medicine, Geriatrics, and Palliative Care, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, United States,Rochester Healthy Community Partnership, Rochester, MN, United States
| | - Jennifer A. Weis
- Rochester Healthy Community Partnership, Rochester, MN, United States,Center for Clinical and Translational Science, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, United States
| | - Abby Lohr
- Division of Community Internal Medicine, Geriatrics, and Palliative Care, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, United States,Rochester Healthy Community Partnership, Rochester, MN, United States
| | - Julie A. Nigon
- Rochester Healthy Community Partnership, Rochester, MN, United States,Hawthorne Education Center, Rochester, MN, United States
| | - Miriam Goodson
- Rochester Healthy Community Partnership, Rochester, MN, United States,Alliance of Chicanos, Hispanics, and Latin Americans, Rochester, MN, United States
| | - Ahmed Osman
- Rochester Healthy Community Partnership, Rochester, MN, United States,Intercultural Mutual Assistance Association, Rochester, MN, United States
| | - Luz Molina
- Rochester Healthy Community Partnership, Rochester, MN, United States,Division of Public Health, Infectious Diseases, and Occupational Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, United States
| | - Yahye Ahmed
- Rochester Healthy Community Partnership, Rochester, MN, United States,Somali American Social Service Association, Rochester, MN, United States
| | - Graciela Porraz Capetillo
- Rochester Healthy Community Partnership, Rochester, MN, United States,Division of Public Health, Infectious Diseases, and Occupational Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, United States
| | - Omar Nur
- Rochester Healthy Community Partnership, Rochester, MN, United States,Somali American Social Service Association, Rochester, MN, United States
| | - Irene G. Sia
- Rochester Healthy Community Partnership, Rochester, MN, United States,Division of Public Health, Infectious Diseases, and Occupational Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, United States
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Moran VH, Ceballos-Rasgado M, Fatima S, Mahboob U, Ahmad S, McKeown M, Zaman M. Participatory action research to co-design a culturally appropriate COVID-19 risk communication and community engagement strategy in rural Pakistan. Front Public Health 2023; 11:1160964. [PMID: 37168074 PMCID: PMC10166109 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2023.1160964] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2023] [Accepted: 04/05/2023] [Indexed: 05/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Community engagement has shown to be fundamental component of the response to previous disease outbreaks. This study aimed co-design and implement a culturally appropriate COVID-19 risk communication and community engagement strategy with a resource-poor rural community in Northwest Pakistan. Methods Participatory Action Research (PAR) was conducted from January 2021 to March 2022. Five PAR meetings took place with community members (n = 30) to: (1) explore how the COVID-19 pandemic impacted on the community; (2) identify challenges to limit the spread of the virus; (3) identify and implement solutions to these challenges; and (4) highlight the enablers, challenges and knowledge of the cultural context needed to optimize safety during emergencies. Focus group discussions (N = 6) with community members not involved in the PAR meetings (N = 50) and children of the community (N = 26) were conducted following the PAR meetings. Thematic analysis of the PAR and focus group data was conducted. Results Delivery of messages on how to keep families safe, provision of personal protective equipment and improved water systems were part of the strategies taken by the community to create awareness and reduce the spread of COVID-19. Nine themes were identified: Attitudes to the pandemic: From skepticism to acceptance, Changing attitudes about vaccination: rumors and trust, COVID-19 and Faith, Social impact of the pandemic, Access to water, Resource mobilization: personal protective equipment, Spaces where collaborative effort can bring to solutions, Agents of change, and Empowerment of women. Discussion The participatory approach of this research allowed understanding of the challenges faced by the community to engage in behavior change strategies to reduce the spread of COVID-19 and enabled the community to find sustainable solutions. Engagement with the community empowered men and women to be agents of change and promoted necessary precautionary actions to reduce the risk of infection within their community. Conclusion Participatory approach highlighted the importance of engaging with and integrating to local culture and values to overcome challenges such as gender imbalance and distrust. Findings of this study are relevant to others working in diverse cultural settings in similar crises events regardless of particular cultural variations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Victoria Hall Moran
- Centre for Global Development, University of Central Lancashire, Preston, United Kingdom
| | | | - Sadia Fatima
- Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Khyber Medical University, Peshawar, Pakistan
- *Correspondence: Sadia Fatima,
| | - Usman Mahboob
- Institute of Health Professions Education and Research, Khyber Medical University, Peshawar, Pakistan
| | - Salman Ahmad
- Department of Sociology, Abdul Wali Khan University, Mardan, Pakistan
| | - Michael McKeown
- School of Nursing, University of Central Lancashire, Preston, United Kingdom
| | - Mukhtiar Zaman
- Department of Pulmonology, Rehman Medical Institute, Peshawar, Pakistan
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Gareau S, Bailey J, Halberstadt ES, James T, Kenison K, Robb SW, Rolke L, Taylor C, Wagner P. COVID-19 in South Carolina: Experiences Using Facebook as a Self-Organizing Tool for Grassroots Advocacy, Education, and Social Support. Journal of Humanistic Psychology 2022. [DOI: 10.1177/00221678221130830] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
This retrospective case study describes our experiences, processes, and lessons learned using social media for pandemic response. Our team created and maintained a large Facebook group, and we used this platform to support grassroots advocacy, public health messaging, and health equity during the COVID-19 pandemic in South Carolina. The Facebook group was initially formed to urge local and state leaders to implement a stay-at-home order, but we recognized a continued need for our virtual space. Group leaders performed tasks including data tracking/reporting and content review/approval. Initial advocacy successes included the stay-at-home order, efforts to limit transmission, and social/mental health support. As the Delta variant emerged, we posted vaccine education and access information and supported school mitigation, including a successful litigation effort that led to a mask requirement on school buses. With the Omicron variant, our group’s focus shifted to educating about immune evasion, transmissibility, and individual protection. This included updates on mask use, antigen testing, vaccine boosters, treatment, data reports, and vaccines. Throughout the pandemic, we addressed health equity, especially for those identifying as disabled. We learned that virtual communities could support each other and improve public health, even when disinformation was present and elected officials emphasized politics over science.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Gareau
- University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, USA
- Group Founder, Caregiver, and Advocate, Columbia, SC, USA
| | - Jill Bailey
- Group Advocacy Moderator and Group Administrator (with complex healthcare needs), Greenville, SC, USA
| | | | - Tiffany James
- Community Engagement and Public Relations Consultant, Group Health Equity Moderator, and Advocate, Columbia, SC, USA
| | - Kelli Kenison
- University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, USA
- Group Founder and Concerned Public Health Advocate, Hopkins, SC, USA
| | - Sara Wagner Robb
- Clemson University, Clemson, SC, USA
- Group Founder, Greenville, SC, USA
| | - Laura Rolke
- Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
- Group Administrator, Greenville, SC, USA
| | - Chris Taylor
- Group Data Moderator, Disabled Stay-at-Home Father, and Former Government Employee, Lexington, SC, USA
| | - Peggy Wagner
- School of Medicine Greenville, University of South Carolina, Greenville, SC, USA
- Group Mental Health Consultant, Greenville, SC, USA
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Dubé È, Labbé F, Malo B, Pelletier C. Public health communication during the COVID-19 pandemic: perspectives of communication specialists, healthcare professionals, and community members in Quebec, Canada. Can J Public Health 2022; 113:24-33. [PMID: 36131219 PMCID: PMC9491262 DOI: 10.17269/s41997-022-00697-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2022] [Accepted: 09/06/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Communication during a pandemic is key in ensuring adoption of preventive behaviours and limiting disease transmission. The aim of the study was to explore how communication specialists working in health and governmental institutions and healthcare professionals have communicated about COVID-19, and how different groups of the public have perceived official communications on COVID-19. METHODS We conducted an exploratory qualitative study. Data were collected via individual semi-structured interviews and focus-group discussions. The Crisis and Emergency Risk Communication (CERC) model was used as a theoretical framework to guide data interpretation. RESULTS We interviewed 6 communication specialists and 5 healthcare professionals. Three focus groups were held with 23 participants (8 young adults, 9 Quebecers of Asian ethnicity, and 6 Quebecers who suffered harshly from economic consequences of the pandemic and measures). Although daily press conferences were rapidly implemented in Quebec, participants highlighted several communication challenges, including accuracy and credibility of information in a context of uncertainties and rapidly evolving knowledge. Participants also identified paternalism, stigmatization of some communities, and issues with promoting action and mobilization of some subpopulations as communication challenges. CONCLUSION Our study showed that the six core CERC principles have not all been applied systematically in communication interventions in Quebec. Despite some limitations, messages about COVID-19 risk were clearly and consistently communicated and were generally well understood by most Quebecers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ève Dubé
- Institut national de santé publique du Québec, Québec, Québec Canada ,Centre de recherche du CHU de Québec-Université Laval, Québec, Québec Canada
| | - Fabienne Labbé
- Institut national de santé publique du Québec, Québec, Québec Canada
| | - Benjamin Malo
- Centre de recherche du CHU de Québec-Université Laval, Québec, Québec Canada
| | - Catherine Pelletier
- Centre de recherche du CHU de Québec-Université Laval, Québec, Québec Canada
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