Comparison of COVID-19 and MERS Risk Communication in Korea: A Case Study of TV Public Service Advertisements

Abstract

Purpose

In recent years, the world has been under threat of novel infectious diseases such as Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) and coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Governmental risk communication plays a key role in overcoming the public health crises caused by the emergence of these infectious diseases. The purpose of this study was to identify the focus of Korean public service advertisements (PSAs) in response to the MERS and COVID-19 outbreaks, along with the differences between them.

Methods

A total of five MERS and 17 COVID-19 TV PSAs were analyzed using Lasswell’s Sender, Message, Channel, Receiver, and Effect model and the responses of the Korean government were compared between the MERS and COVID-19 outbreaks.

Results

During the MERS outbreak, the Korean government failed to gain the public’s trust through its PSAs. Despite its best efforts, it provided opaque and selective information on the crisis. Conversely, in the case of COVID-19, the Korean government has successfully worked to strengthen community awareness by supporting and encouraging the public.

Conclusion

Despite the Korean government’s improved communication in the COVID-19 crisis, there has been an insufficient response to the needs of vulnerable groups that could be placed in at-risk situations as a result of domestic violence or mental health problems during outbreaks of novel infectious diseases that require aggressive management.

Keywords:

• community awareness
• public health crisis
• coronavirus disease
• SARS-CoV-2

Consent for Publication

No details, images, or videos relating to individual participants are included in the manuscript.

Abbreviations

COVID-19, coronavirus disease 2019; MERS, Middle East respiratory syndrome; PSA, public service advertisement; SMCRE, Sender, Message, Channel, Receiver, and Effect; WHO, World Health Organization.

Ethics Approval and Informed Consent

No human subjects were used in this study.

Author Contributions

Both authors made substantial contributions to the study conception and design, acquisition of data, and analysis and interpretation of data; were involved in drafting and revising the article; agreed on the journal to which the article will be submitted; provided final approval of the version to be published; and agreed to be accountable for all aspects of the research.

Disclosure

The authors declare that there are no financial, personal, or other relationships with other people or organizations that could inappropriately influence, or be perceived to influence, the submitted work. The authors have no financial or non-financial competing interests.

Additional information

Funding

This research did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.