Health risk communication and infodemic management in Iran: development and validation of a conceptual framework
Objective The COVID-19 pandemic exposed significant gaps in Iran’s and other health systems’ risk communication. The accompanying infodemic undermined policy responses, amplified distrust in government and reduced adherence to public health recommendations among the Iranian population. This study ai...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMJ Publishing Group
2023-07-01
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| Series: | BMJ Open |
| Online Access: | https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/13/7/e072326.full |
| _version_ | 1797745916295249920 |
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| author | Hamid Sharifi Jaason Geerts Azam Bazrafshan Azadeh Sadeghi Maliheh Sadat Bazrafshan Hossein Mirzaie Mehdi Shafiee |
| author_facet | Hamid Sharifi Jaason Geerts Azam Bazrafshan Azadeh Sadeghi Maliheh Sadat Bazrafshan Hossein Mirzaie Mehdi Shafiee |
| author_sort | Hamid Sharifi |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Objective The COVID-19 pandemic exposed significant gaps in Iran’s and other health systems’ risk communication. The accompanying infodemic undermined policy responses, amplified distrust in government and reduced adherence to public health recommendations among the Iranian population. This study aimed to develop a conceptual framework for health risk communication and infodemic management (RCIM) during epidemics and health emergencies in Iran that could have potential applications in other contexts.Design This study was designed in two phases. Phase 1 involved semistructured qualitative interviews with key informants to explore effective RCIM strategies across public health settings in Iran and to develop a conceptual framework. Phase 2 involved revising the framework based on feedback from an online expert panel regarding its comprehensiveness and validity.Setting Provincial/national public health settings in Iran.Participants Twenty key informants from provincial and national public health authorities who contributed to COVID-19 response programmes participated in interviews. Nine experts from diverse academic disciplines, provincial and national settings, and geographical locations participated in an online expert panel.Results The conceptual model was created based on qualitative interviews and expert panel discussions and was structured according to six pillars of the WHO health system framework: leadership and governance, information, health workforce and financial resources, along with media and community. Leadership and governance, including trustworthy leaders, were recommended as the foundation for developing RCIM in Iran. Developing an official strategy with information infrastructures, including high-quality surveillance systems, identified personnel and training for specialists among the health workforce, financial resources, communication channels and community engagement were recognised as other dimensions for developing health risk communication in Iran.Conclusion The proposed framework represents a step toward establishing a national RCIM strategy in Iran. Further validation of the conceptual framework and experiments on how it could potentially influence policy and practice is recommended. This model has the potential to be applied in other contexts in its current form or as the foundation for customised local versions. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-12T15:29:45Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-9ff12489840b4d14a1d11c8562e644a9 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2044-6055 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-12T15:29:45Z |
| publishDate | 2023-07-01 |
| publisher | BMJ Publishing Group |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMJ Open |
| spelling | doaj.art-9ff12489840b4d14a1d11c8562e644a92023-08-10T07:35:08ZengBMJ Publishing GroupBMJ Open2044-60552023-07-0113710.1136/bmjopen-2023-072326Health risk communication and infodemic management in Iran: development and validation of a conceptual frameworkHamid Sharifi0Jaason Geerts1Azam Bazrafshan2Azadeh Sadeghi3Maliheh Sadat Bazrafshan4Hossein Mirzaie5Mehdi Shafiee6HIV/STI Surveillance Research Center, and WHO Collaborative Center for HIV Surveillance, Institute for Futures Studies in Health, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran (the Islamic Republic of)Research and Leadership Development, Canadian College of Health Leaders, Ottawa, Ontario, CanadaHIV/STI Surveillance Research Center, and WHO Collaborative Center for HIV Surveillance, Institute for Futures Studies in Health, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran (the Islamic Republic of)HIV/STI Surveillance Research Center, and WHO Collaborative Center for HIV Surveillance, Institute for Futures Studies in Health, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran (the Islamic Republic of)HIV/STI Surveillance Research Center, and WHO Collaborative Center for HIV Surveillance, Institute for Futures Studies in Health, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran (the Islamic Republic of)HIV/STI Surveillance Research Center, and WHO Collaborative Center for HIV Surveillance, Institute for Futures Studies in Health, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran (the Islamic Republic of)HIV/STI Surveillance Research Center, and WHO Collaborative Center for HIV Surveillance, Institute for Futures Studies in Health, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran (the Islamic Republic of)Objective The COVID-19 pandemic exposed significant gaps in Iran’s and other health systems’ risk communication. The accompanying infodemic undermined policy responses, amplified distrust in government and reduced adherence to public health recommendations among the Iranian population. This study aimed to develop a conceptual framework for health risk communication and infodemic management (RCIM) during epidemics and health emergencies in Iran that could have potential applications in other contexts.Design This study was designed in two phases. Phase 1 involved semistructured qualitative interviews with key informants to explore effective RCIM strategies across public health settings in Iran and to develop a conceptual framework. Phase 2 involved revising the framework based on feedback from an online expert panel regarding its comprehensiveness and validity.Setting Provincial/national public health settings in Iran.Participants Twenty key informants from provincial and national public health authorities who contributed to COVID-19 response programmes participated in interviews. Nine experts from diverse academic disciplines, provincial and national settings, and geographical locations participated in an online expert panel.Results The conceptual model was created based on qualitative interviews and expert panel discussions and was structured according to six pillars of the WHO health system framework: leadership and governance, information, health workforce and financial resources, along with media and community. Leadership and governance, including trustworthy leaders, were recommended as the foundation for developing RCIM in Iran. Developing an official strategy with information infrastructures, including high-quality surveillance systems, identified personnel and training for specialists among the health workforce, financial resources, communication channels and community engagement were recognised as other dimensions for developing health risk communication in Iran.Conclusion The proposed framework represents a step toward establishing a national RCIM strategy in Iran. Further validation of the conceptual framework and experiments on how it could potentially influence policy and practice is recommended. This model has the potential to be applied in other contexts in its current form or as the foundation for customised local versions.https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/13/7/e072326.full |
| spellingShingle | Hamid Sharifi Jaason Geerts Azam Bazrafshan Azadeh Sadeghi Maliheh Sadat Bazrafshan Hossein Mirzaie Mehdi Shafiee Health risk communication and infodemic management in Iran: development and validation of a conceptual framework BMJ Open |
| title | Health risk communication and infodemic management in Iran: development and validation of a conceptual framework |
| title_full | Health risk communication and infodemic management in Iran: development and validation of a conceptual framework |
| title_fullStr | Health risk communication and infodemic management in Iran: development and validation of a conceptual framework |
| title_full_unstemmed | Health risk communication and infodemic management in Iran: development and validation of a conceptual framework |
| title_short | Health risk communication and infodemic management in Iran: development and validation of a conceptual framework |
| title_sort | health risk communication and infodemic management in iran development and validation of a conceptual framework |
| url | https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/13/7/e072326.full |
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