Effectiveness of tailored COVID-19 messages for vulnerable Australians
Terry Haines1, Megan Jepson1, Nathan Williams1, Libby Callaway1, Cylie Williams1, Grant Russell1, Keith Hill1, Louisa Willoughby1, Jim Hlavac1, Katrina Long1, Rachel Lennon1, Matthew Loads1, Lauren Robins1 1Monash University, Frankston, Victoria, Australia
Abstract
Background: Multiple approaches can be used to communicate health messages. It is unclear which approaches are superior for meeting the needs of the general community along with vulnerable population subgroups.
Aim: This study sought to compare different ways that health information could be presented to increase the likelihood that people would participate in COVID-safe behaviours. Specifically, we sought to investigate the impact of:
1. Who delivers health messages (health professional vs politicians, and health professional vs community leaders).
2. Visual imagery used in health messages (talking head vs animation)
3. Format of presentation (written vs video)
4. How the message is presented (conversation training vs information provision)
Design: Three Helix, counterbalanced randomised trials.
Participants and setting:
Australian community members and members of six vulnerable communities (Aboriginal, refugee, people with disability/carers, deaf/hard of hearing, aged care workers, street-based sex workers).
Primary outcomes: Stated intention to undertake a COVID-safe behaviour, and stated intention to encourage a family member or friend to undertake a COVID-safe behaviour. Both 5-point Likert Scaled.
Results: There were n=355 participants from our vulnerable communities in Trial 1, n=1796 from the general community in Trial 2, and a combined n=2,115 in Trial 3.
We identified that
i) vulnerable groups reported higher COVID-safe behaviour intentions when messages were presented by the community leader than health professionals
ii) general community reported higher COVID-safe behaviour intentions for video messages compared to written
Discussion: Health professionals should use video-based message delivery over written materials and engage community leaders for vulnerable populations.
Biography
Professor Terry Haines has the role of Head of School, School of Primary and Allied Health Care at Monash University. This school has 5 departments, the Rehabilitation and Independent Living Research Centre, over 150 staff, over 100 research higher degree students, and is a key member in the National Centre for Healthy Aging.
He has a professional background in physiotherapy and health economics, and has worked in research roles embedded within health services for over 15 years before commencing as the Head of School in 2017.