Article ; Online: Mental health consequences of COVID-19 media coverage: the need for effective crisis communication practices.
2021 Volume 17, Issue 1, Page(s) 4
Abstract: ... that legacy media reports on COVID-19 and how social media-based infodemics can result in mental health ... During global pandemics, such as coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), crisis communication is ... on individuals. Owing partially to insufficient crisis communication practices, media and news organizations ...
| Abstract | During global pandemics, such as coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), crisis communication is indispensable in dispelling fears, uncertainty, and unifying individuals worldwide in a collective fight against health threats. Inadequate crisis communication can bring dire personal and economic consequences. Mounting research shows that seemingly endless newsfeeds related to COVID-19 infection and death rates could considerably increase the risk of mental health problems. Unfortunately, media reports that include infodemics regarding the influence of COVID-19 on mental health may be a source of the adverse psychological effects on individuals. Owing partially to insufficient crisis communication practices, media and news organizations across the globe have played minimal roles in battling COVID-19 infodemics. Common refrains include raging QAnon conspiracies, a false and misleading "Chinese virus" narrative, and the use of disinfectants to "cure" COVID-19. With the potential to deteriorate mental health, infodemics fueled by a kaleidoscopic range of misinformation can be dangerous. Unfortunately, there is a shortage of research on how to improve crisis communication across media and news organization channels. This paper identifies ways that legacy media reports on COVID-19 and how social media-based infodemics can result in mental health concerns. This paper discusses possible crisis communication solutions that media and news organizations can adopt to mitigate the negative influences of COVID-19 related news on mental health. Emphasizing the need for global media entities to forge a fact-based, person-centered, and collaborative response to COVID-19 reporting, this paper encourages media resources to focus on the core issue of how to slow or stop COVID-19 transmission effectively. |
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| MeSH term(s) | COVID-19/epidemiology ; Consumer Health Information/methods ; Consumer Health Information/standards ; Health Communication/methods ; Health Communication/standards ; Humans ; Mass Media/standards ; Mental Health/statistics & numerical data ; Pandemics ; SARS-CoV-2 ; Social Media/standards |
| Language | English |
| Publishing date | 2021-01-05 |
| Publishing country | England |
| Document type | Journal Article |
| ZDB-ID | 2185774-X |
| ISSN | 1744-8603 ; 1744-8603 |
| ISSN (online) | 1744-8603 |
| ISSN | 1744-8603 |
| DOI | 10.1186/s12992-020-00654-4 |
| Database | MEDical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System OnLINE |
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