Applying Best Practices from Health Communication to Support a University's Response to COVID-19.
Health Commun
; 35(14): 1750-1753, 2020 Dec.
Article
in En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-33106047
ABSTRACT
Higher education institutions face profound communication challenges managing risks for university communities during the ongoing pandemic. This commentary shares 1) findings from our study involving analysis of 17 focus groups of students, faculty, staff, and parents of students to explore effective COVID-19 messages about campus safety, and 2) insights into the process of integrating the expertise of a university health communication center into campus-wide responses to COVID-19. Key focus group takeaways highlight the importance of communicating empathetically, acknowledging those who are made vulnerable through their work on campus, and that promises to return to normal would be perceived as unrealistic. Bringing the evidence base of health communication to the typical work of professional communicators on campus allowed us to create a communication toolkit for consistent messaging, and in turn, learn about the vital role health communication scholars can play in university crisis messaging.
Full text:
1
Collection:
01-internacional
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Universities
/
Health Communication
/
COVID-19
Type of study:
Guideline
/
Qualitative_research
Limits:
Humans
Language:
En
Journal:
Health Commun
Journal subject:
PESQUISA EM SERVICOS DE SAUDE
/
SERVICOS DE SAUDE
Year:
2020
Document type:
Article