Public Health and Risk Communication During COVID-19—Enhancing Psychological Needs to Promote Sustainable Behavior Change

Abstract

Background: The current COVID-19 pandemic requires sustainable behavior change to mitigate the impact of the virus. A phenomenon which has arisen in parallel with this pandemic is an infodemic-an overabundance of information, of which some is accurate and some is not, making it hard for people to find trustworthy and reliable guidance to make informed decisions. This infodemic has also been found to create distress and increase risks for mental health disorders, such as depression and anxiety. Aim: To propose practical guidelines for public health and risk communication that will enhance current recommendations and will cut through the infodemic, supporting accessible, reliable, actionable, and inclusive communication. The guidelines aim to support basic human psychological needs of autonomy, competence, and relatedness to support well-being and sustainable behavior change. Method: We applied the Self-Determination Theory (SDT) and concepts from psychology, philosophy and human computer interaction to better understand human behaviors and motivations and propose practical guidelines for public health communication focusing on well-being and sustainable behavior change. We then systematically searched the literature for research on health communication strategies during COVID-19 to discuss our proposed guidelines in light of the emerging literature. We illustrate the guidelines in a communication case study: wearing face-coverings. Findings: We propose five practical guidelines for public health and risk communication that will cut through the infodemic and support well-being and sustainable behavior change: (1) create an autonomy-supportive health care climate; (2) provide choice; (3) apply a bottom-up approach to communication; (4) create solidarity; (5) be transparent and acknowledge uncertainty.

How Health Care Workers Wield Influence Through Twitter Hashtags: Retrospective Cross-sectional Study of the Gun Violence and COVID-19 Public Health Crises

“…Rampant misinformation about health care online has led to international debates about how best to change public knowledge and conversations. At the same time, some experts are bemoaning “infodemics,” in which people are so overwhelmed by contradictory facts that they become unable to act to protect themselves and their families [ 7 ]. Examining the content, tone, and types of tweeters involved in health care–led social media campaigns could inform future efforts related to data dissemination by the medical and nonmedical community [ 8 ].…”

Risk communication and community engagement strategies for COVID-19 in 13 African countries

“… 7 Until vaccines or pharmacological treatments are developed and widely implemented, it is therefore pertinent that behavioural changes and willingness to obey precautionary measures remain the main powerful tools to respond to the pandemic. 8 This makes it important to examine and emphasize the role RCCE plays in stopping the chains of transmission and mitigating the impact of the outbreak. 8 …”

“… 8 This makes it important to examine and emphasize the role RCCE plays in stopping the chains of transmission and mitigating the impact of the outbreak. 8 …”

Sexuality and epilepsy in the COVID era: Tips and tricks

“…COVID-19 is negatively affecting the healthcare and economic systems worldwide, as well as human behavior with a worsening of both personal and social relationships [1] .…”

“…Finally, telehealth services may be also used to support couples and manage sexual dysfunction in patients with epilepsy. Indeed, although no study has been carried to investigate sexual concerns in epilepsy during this pandemic, it is plausible that there could be an increase in both relational problems and sexual dysfunction, as sexual health is affected by the COVID-19 stress-related disorders [1] . To this end, by applying telepsychology to the couples, psychotherapists should promote the resilience that enables them to face their traumas and sufferings, encouraging both coping strategies and adaptation processes.…”