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Home  /  Understanding the Effects of Communications and Media During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Understanding the Effects of Communications and Media During the COVID-19 Pandemic

“The role of communication strategies and media discourse in shaping the psychological and behavioural response to the COVID-19 outbreak: an international comparative analysis”

During the current COVID-19 pandemic, NCCID has been nimble and responsive, initiating and partnering on numerous COVID-19 related knowledge translation activities. Among them, NCCID is a partner with a team of Canadian and international researchers to develop knowledge exchange and translation strategies on the burning issue of psychosocial health to inform public health decision-makers at all levels and the scientific community.

A mixed-method approach has been adopted to study these complex issues. First, a population-based survey will be conducted in all participating countries that will examine various psychosocial issues (perceptions, understandings, psychological consequences, behaviours adopted), according to the different social groups including the high-risk ones. Then, a discourse analysis of the authorities, media, and socio-digital content will be performed. Finally, a network analysis (e.g. information disseminated by WHO, distribution lists, reception, and use of information, type of actors reached) will allow assessing how official information flows and circulates across levels of governance.

Psychosocial Impacts of the COVID-19 Pandemic

Results of a Broad Investigation in Québec

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health Article

One Virus, Four Continents, Eight Countries: An Interdisciplinary and International Study on the Psychosocial Impacts of the COVID-19 Pandemic among Adults

Additional Resources

The Evolution in Anxiety and Depression With the Progression of the PandemicDownload
Communication Strategies and Media Discourses in the Age of COVID-19Download

Project description

The Role of Communication Strategies and Media Discourse in Shaping the Psychological and Behavioral  Response to the COVID-19 Outbreak: An International Comparative Analysis, is a research grant funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) initiated by a multidisciplinary team from the Université de Sherbrooke under Principal Investigator, Dr. Mélissa Généreux. Partners and collaborators are from Canada, the USA, Philippines, Hong Kong, Brazil, England, New Zealand, Switzerland, and Belgium. The aim of the grant is to investigate psychological and behavioural responses to the pandemic and the influence of communication strategies, news from traditional (mainstream media) and social media sources, and other stressors and protective factors in eight countries.

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A working partnership has been established with the Université de Sherbrooke, University of Ottawa, The National Collaborating Centre for Infectious Diseases (University of Manitoba), National Director of Public Health in Quebec, Regional Director of Public Health in Estrie (Quebec), Public Health Agency of Canada, University of the Philippines, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Centro Universitário de Brasília, Public Health England, University of Neuchâtel, University of Geneva, Université catholique de Louvain. The international members of the team include researchers who work in strategic communication, epidemiology, information and journalism, medicine, politics, psychology, public health, and other fields. This project will provide a macro analysis of people’s perceptions and interpretations of public health messages (e.g., from the World Health Organization and governments) and other sources of information (such as mainstream media, social media, and other sources) as well as the psychosocial impacts of the COVID-19 crisis on individuals.

Phase-I Outcomes

Phase-I of the international comparative study survey was issued and operated by Leger and its international collaborators from May 29 to June 12, 2020. The questionnaire contained just over 80 close-ended questions with an allotted completion time of 18 minutes. These questionnaires examined factors such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), major depression episode (MDE), stress management strategies (alcohol consumption, cannabis consumption, and physical activity), perceived threat, isolation/quarantine, financial losses, stigma, trust, sources of information and sense of coherence. A representative sample of 8,806 individuals participated in the survey: 1,501 adults from Canada and 7,305 from seven other countries (Table 1).

Table 1. Sample distribution of the number of respondents
Canada1,501
United States1,065
England1,041
Belgium1,015
Switzerland1,002
Hong Kong1,140
Philippines1,041
New Zealand1,001
Total8,806

Findings

Tables 2 to 6 present preliminary results from the survey. A comparative analysis of the participants’ responses from Canada with participants from other countries.

Table 2. Psychological response (or mental health problems) of the adult population, almost three months since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic (declared March 11, 2020, by the WHO); responses from Canada and all other countries
Mental health problemsTotal
(n=8,806)
Canada
(n=1,501)
Other
countries or
regions
(n=7,305)
Probable post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD (PC-PTSD-5 ≥3)1 21.6%19.2%22.2%
Probable generalized anxiety disorder, or GAD (GAD-7 ≥10)2 21.0%19.6%21.3%
Probable major depression episode, or MDE (PHQ-9 ≥10)3 25.5%25.5%25.4%
1 PC-PTSD-5 is a 5-item scale adopted from DSM-5 designed for use in primary care settings. Respondents had to answer five yes/no questions about how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected them over the past month. Those who answered “yes” to at least 3 of the 5 questions were considered as having a probable PTSD.

2 The GAD-7 (7 items) is based on the diagnostic criteria for GAD described in DSM-IV. A composite score ranging between 0 and 21 is possible. A score of 10 or greater indicates a probable GAD that needs to be further evaluated by a clinician.

3 PHQ-9 (9 items) is based on the diagnostic criteria for MDE described in DSM-IV. A composite score ranging between 0 and 27 is possible. A score of 10 or greater indicates a probable MDE that needs to be further evaluated by a clinician.
Table 3. Behavioural response (or stress management strategies) of the adult population, almost three months after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic (declared March 11, 2020 by the WHO); responses from Canada and all other countries
Stress management
strategies*
Total
excluding
Hong Kong
(n=7,666)
Canada
(n=1,501)
Other
countries or
regions
(n=6,165)
Alcohol consumption30.3%36.6%28.8%
Cannabis consumption10.9%15.6%9.8%
Physical activity66.8%64.3%64.9%
*Provided with a series of adaptive and maladaptive coping strategies. Apart from these top three strategies, others include health habits and social approaches such as talking to your friends through digital channels or the cultural type (e.g. creating or playing music).
Table 4. Psychological response according to sociodemographic characteristics, Canada (n=1,501)
Sociodemographic
characteristics
Probable
generalized
anxiety disorder
(%)
Probable major
depression
episode (%)
Sex
Women23.2%28,4%
Men15.4%22,0%
Age
18-44 years27.3%34.0%
45-64 years16.0%21.7%
65 years and over9.7%14.5%
Children at home
Yes24.6%27.4%
No17.7%24.8%
Essential worker
Yes21.3%31.9%
No18.8%23.5%
Table 5. Frequency of psychological stressors, Canada in comparison to other participating countries
StressorsTotal
(n=8,806)
Canada
(n=1,501)
Other
countries or
regions
(n=7,305)
Impact on
GAD
(Canada)
Impact on
MDE
(Canada)
Threat to oneself
perceived as high
25.7%121.0%26.9%1+51%+67%
Threat to the family
perceived as high
28.2%125.9%28.8%1+68%+83%
Threat to the
country perceived as
high
47.4%144.7%48.1%1+67%+38%
Threat to the world
perceived as high
70.2%170.6%70.1%1+85%+27%
Self-isolation or
quarantine
61.9%274.9%58.6%2+54%+56%
Financial losses55.3%253.1%55.8%2+66%+49%
Victim of
stigmatization
16.6%210.6%18.0%2+66%+112%
1Excluding Hong Kong
2Excluding New Zealand
Table 6. Frequency of protective factors, Canada in comparison to other participating countries
Protective factorsTotal
(n=8,806)
Canada
(n=1,501)
Other
countries or
regions
(n=7,305)
Impact on
GAD
(Canada)
Impact on
MDE
(Canada)
Strong sense of
coherence
(SOC-3 ≥4)
30.1%36.9%28.7%-223%-223%
High level of trust in
national health
organizations (9 or
10/10)
31.5%35.9%30.6%-61%-51%
High level of trust in
health experts (9 or
10/10)
41.4%47.2%40.2%-61%-42%

Interpretation: A sense of coherence (SOC) is the ability of people to understand, manage, and make sense of an event. The stronger our sense of coherence, the more our ability to cope with adversity is. This study found that overall (i.e. among the eight countries), people with a strong sense of coherence are three times less likely (or about -200%) to have a probable GAD or MDE than those who have a weaker sense of coherence. Of all the factors examined in this study (perceived threat, isolation/quarantine, financial losses, stigma, trust), this is by far the factor that most strongly influences psychological health in times of pandemic.

  • Probable GAD: 8.1% among people with a strong SOC vs 26.2% among those with a weak SOC (Canada; n=1,501)
  • Probable MDE: 10.6% among people with a strong SOC vs 34.2% among those with a weak SOC (Canada; n=1,501)

Infographics

Findings about Canada InfographicDownload

Findings About Canada vs. the Rest of Participating CountriesDownload

Pilot study outcome

To ensure the validity and reliability of the survey instruments, a pilot survey was issued in Canada by the Université de Sherbrooke. A total of 600 people (300 in Quebec and 300 outside Quebec) participated in the survey between April 8 and 11, 2020.

Initial results show are shown in Table 1.

QuebecRest of Canada
PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder)18.8%27.5%
Generalized Anxiety Disorder14.2%28.8%
Adhere to voluntary or mandatory Isolation88.6%72.8%
Confidence in authorities to handle the pandemic49.6%26.8%
Feel respondents have the information they need to fully understand the coronavirus83.7%60.8%

This survey indicates that respondents from Quebec felt more confident about the handling of the pandemic by the provincial authorities than other Canadians. Quebecers also felt they had the right information to understand the pandemic, and hence were less likely to experience psychosocial stressors such as post-traumatic stress disorder and generalized anxiety disorder when compared with the rest of Canada.

About Us

At the National Collaborating Centre for Infectious Diseases, we specialize in forging connections between those who generate and those who use infectious disease public health knowledge. Working across disciplines, sectors and jurisdictions, NCCID is uniquely situated to facilitate the creation and operation of networks and partnerships. From policy to practice, we’re able to build bridges between those with infectious disease questions, those with answers, and those in a position to act on the evidence.

Our host organization is the University of Manitoba.

Contact

National Collaborating Centre for Infectious Diseases

Room L332A, Basic Medical Sciences Building
745 Bannatyne Ave
Rady Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Manitoba
Winnipeg, Manitoba
R3E 0T5
CANADA

Tel: 204-318-2591

email: nccid@umanitoba.ca

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