Reporting Health Communication Activities for the Prevention and Control of Communicable Diseases in Europe

Abstract

Health communication is part of the public health response to the significant continuing threat of communicable diseases in Europe. However, the nature and extent of health communication activities in the context of Europe aimed at the prevention and control of communicable diseases is currently unknown. This severely restricts capacity development as neither strengths nor gaps in knowledge and practice are evident and therefore cannot be addressed. This article reports on the initial phase of a research project aimed at supporting the optimal use and development of health communication activities in the European Union and the European Economic Area. The study used a mixed-methods design—an e-survey and telephone interviews—with participants from 30 countries to identify activities, followed by an opportunistic group interview with 15 key stakeholders to identify perceived needs of public health bodies in relation to identified gaps. Results indicate that health communication activities are not clearly delineated in national public health structures and policies, there is an emphasis on crisis communication, and limited evaluation of activities and education and training opportunities for health communication are required. The facilitation of partnership working with a forum for knowledge exchange between Member States would enhance efficacious health communication.

Acknowledgments

This primary research reported was commissioned by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) as one of the outputs of the Framework Partnership Agreement Grant /2009/007 “Establishing a Programme for Dissemination of Evidence-Based Health Communication Activities and Innovations on Communicable Diseases for Country Support in the EU and EEA/EFTA, 2009–12.” The project was overseen by Dr. Ülla-Karin Nurm, Ms. Andrea Würz, and Mr. Piotr Wysocki, Public Health Capacity and Communication Unit at the ECDC. The authors acknowledge their comments on an earlier report of this review. They also acknowledge the contribution of Dr. S. Mahmood, Ms. L. MacDonald, Dr. M. O'Sullivan, Ms. M. D'Eath, Dr. C. Oroviogoichoechea, Ms. G. Cairns, Dr. F. Guillen-Grima, and Dr. J. Núñez-Córdoba, members of the Research Consortium who contributed to the research undertaken. The views expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not represent the views of the ECDC.