Description
Abstract
Background: Communication strategies aimed at preventing infectious diseases have been identified to have gaps especially in health literacy especially among vulnerable groups such as migrants. Poor health literacy is associated with lower vaccination uptake and, in consequence, increases infectious disease burden.
Methods: A mixed-methods explanatory design was applied in our study to evaluate communication strategies in the federal state of Baden-Württemberg in Germany regarding infectious diseases. Study duration was from September 2021 till September 2022. The study population in the quantitative analysis was 38 Public Health Departments in Baden-Württemberg and their websites. Quantitative analysis of the quality of information was based on completeness of information, accessibility of information via search and accuracy of information. Six interviews with their staff and experts were conducted in qualitative analysis.
Results: 38 counties in Baden -Württemberg were ranked based on overall quality of information: high (max.188 points; min. 168 points) intermediate (max. 141 points; min.102 points) - and low quality (max. 86 points; min. 44 points) of information available. The median score was [ 122.5], mean was [117.6]. Analysis showed a unimodal distribution of information with values ranging for overall diseases score from 21 -154 points for counties with 141,5 points being at 90th percentile of the values. Points value for completeness of information is higher than in other categories: communication tools, preventative measures, accessibility of information and actuality of information 35 at 90th percentiles. Referring to the aspect of transparency of information, the present analysis revealed that only 34.2% of PHDs used social media and interactive communication formats to communicate about infectious diseases. Recommendations were made on the following derived topics from interviews: structure and organization of the public health system, implementation, and evaluation.
Conclusions: Factors such as information on prevention measures, communication tools, and the specificity of the target group have proven to be relevant for the overall quality of information assessment about infectious diseases. A more standardized approach towards presenting information on Public Health Department´s webpages and joint communication strategies should be applied which would yield consistency in quality of information for all PHD´s and improve the quality of health prevention programs.
Keywords: intervention, mapping, public health system, evaluation, efforts
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