Communication inequalities and health disparities among vulnerable groups during the COVID-19 pandemic - a scoping review of qualitative and quantitative evidence
Abstract Background The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated health disparities in vulnerable groups (e.g., increased infection, hospitalization, and mortality rates in people with lower income, lower education, or ethnic minorities). Communication inequalities can act as mediating factors in this rela...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2023-03-01
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| Series: | BMC Public Health |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-023-15295-6 |
| _version_ | 1797863273318580224 |
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| author | Clara Häfliger Nicola Diviani Sara Rubinelli |
| author_facet | Clara Häfliger Nicola Diviani Sara Rubinelli |
| author_sort | Clara Häfliger |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated health disparities in vulnerable groups (e.g., increased infection, hospitalization, and mortality rates in people with lower income, lower education, or ethnic minorities). Communication inequalities can act as mediating factors in this relationship. Understanding this link is vital to prevent communication inequalities and health disparities in public health crises. This study aims to map and summarize the current literature on communication inequalities linked with health disparities (CIHD) in vulnerable groups during the COVID-19 pandemic and to identify research gaps. Methods A scoping review of quantitative and qualitative evidence was conducted. The literature search followed the guidelines of PRISMA extension for scoping reviews and was performed on PubMed and PsycInfo. Findings were summarized using a conceptual framework based on the Structural Influence Model by Viswanath et al. Results The search yielded 92 studies, mainly assessing low education as a social determinant and knowledge as an indicator for communication inequalities. CIHD in vulnerable groups were identified in 45 studies. The association of low education with insufficient knowledge and inadequate preventive behavior was the most frequently observed. Other studies only found part of the link: communication inequalities (n = 25) or health disparities (n = 5). In 17 studies, neither inequalities nor disparities were found. Conclusions This review supports the findings of studies on past public health crises. Public health institutions should specifically target their communication to people with low education to reduce communication inequalities. More research about CIHD is needed on groups with migrant status, financial hardship, not speaking the language in the country of residence, sexual minorities, and living in deprived neighborhoods. Future research should also assess communication input factors to derive specific communication strategies for public health institutions to overcome CIHD in public health crises. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-09T22:33:57Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-778b7e79b9144506940d9c1579e8078c |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1471-2458 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-09T22:33:57Z |
| publishDate | 2023-03-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Public Health |
| spelling | doaj.art-778b7e79b9144506940d9c1579e8078c2023-03-22T12:37:32ZengBMCBMC Public Health1471-24582023-03-0123111810.1186/s12889-023-15295-6Communication inequalities and health disparities among vulnerable groups during the COVID-19 pandemic - a scoping review of qualitative and quantitative evidenceClara Häfliger0Nicola Diviani1Sara Rubinelli2Swiss Paraplegic ResearchSwiss Paraplegic ResearchSwiss Paraplegic ResearchAbstract Background The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated health disparities in vulnerable groups (e.g., increased infection, hospitalization, and mortality rates in people with lower income, lower education, or ethnic minorities). Communication inequalities can act as mediating factors in this relationship. Understanding this link is vital to prevent communication inequalities and health disparities in public health crises. This study aims to map and summarize the current literature on communication inequalities linked with health disparities (CIHD) in vulnerable groups during the COVID-19 pandemic and to identify research gaps. Methods A scoping review of quantitative and qualitative evidence was conducted. The literature search followed the guidelines of PRISMA extension for scoping reviews and was performed on PubMed and PsycInfo. Findings were summarized using a conceptual framework based on the Structural Influence Model by Viswanath et al. Results The search yielded 92 studies, mainly assessing low education as a social determinant and knowledge as an indicator for communication inequalities. CIHD in vulnerable groups were identified in 45 studies. The association of low education with insufficient knowledge and inadequate preventive behavior was the most frequently observed. Other studies only found part of the link: communication inequalities (n = 25) or health disparities (n = 5). In 17 studies, neither inequalities nor disparities were found. Conclusions This review supports the findings of studies on past public health crises. Public health institutions should specifically target their communication to people with low education to reduce communication inequalities. More research about CIHD is needed on groups with migrant status, financial hardship, not speaking the language in the country of residence, sexual minorities, and living in deprived neighborhoods. Future research should also assess communication input factors to derive specific communication strategies for public health institutions to overcome CIHD in public health crises.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-023-15295-6Communication inequalitiesHealth disparitiesCOVID-19Social determinantsVulnerable groupsPublic health crises |
| spellingShingle | Clara Häfliger Nicola Diviani Sara Rubinelli Communication inequalities and health disparities among vulnerable groups during the COVID-19 pandemic - a scoping review of qualitative and quantitative evidence BMC Public Health Communication inequalities Health disparities COVID-19 Social determinants Vulnerable groups Public health crises |
| title | Communication inequalities and health disparities among vulnerable groups during the COVID-19 pandemic - a scoping review of qualitative and quantitative evidence |
| title_full | Communication inequalities and health disparities among vulnerable groups during the COVID-19 pandemic - a scoping review of qualitative and quantitative evidence |
| title_fullStr | Communication inequalities and health disparities among vulnerable groups during the COVID-19 pandemic - a scoping review of qualitative and quantitative evidence |
| title_full_unstemmed | Communication inequalities and health disparities among vulnerable groups during the COVID-19 pandemic - a scoping review of qualitative and quantitative evidence |
| title_short | Communication inequalities and health disparities among vulnerable groups during the COVID-19 pandemic - a scoping review of qualitative and quantitative evidence |
| title_sort | communication inequalities and health disparities among vulnerable groups during the covid 19 pandemic a scoping review of qualitative and quantitative evidence |
| topic | Communication inequalities Health disparities COVID-19 Social determinants Vulnerable groups Public health crises |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-023-15295-6 |
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