“It’s no use saying it in English”: A qualitative study exploring community leaders’ perceptions of the challenges and opportunities with translating and interpreting COVID-19 related public health messaging to reach ethnic minorities in Australia

Abstract

Background: The Australian Government implemented a range of public health response strategies and communication approaches to reduce the spread of COVID-19; however, concerns have been raised around a failure to consider culturally and linguistically diverse (CaLD) communities sufficiently in these processes. This research aimed to understand the factors that have impacted COVID-19 communication and engagement efforts during the pandemic from the perspective of key CaLD community stakeholders and community members. A further aim was to understand the processes that could be adopted to support future communication strategies, including the promotion of pandemic-related vaccines. Approach: This study included 29 key informant interviews with community and faith-based leaders in New South Wales, Australia. Results: The overwhelming message from community leaders was a sense of shared responsibility between their organisations and the government in communicating pertinent and accurate COVID-19 related information to CaLD communities. They expressed a sense of duty to keep their community members safe. While acknowledging this shared responsibility, community leaders and others shouldered significant costs related to resources and time that need to be acknowledged by governments in preparing for future disease outbreaks. They felt that governments should consider: 1) improving communication between governments and CaLD organisations; 2) responding to the specific CaLD needs with greater agility; 3) foregrounding social media in their communication strategy; 4) reinvesting in local public health units to know their population; 5) investing in a health ambassadors model program; 6) preparing a hybrid model of translators/interpreters to fill the gap; and, 7) reimagining vaccine information campaigns to better target CaLD communities. Conclusion: Given the technical details about the COVID-19 virus conveyed in government information campaigns and the media, ensuring the most vulnerable populations, including people from CaLD backgrounds, access clear, concise and timely public health messaging from both governments and community organisations requires further attention.