The Pandemic Response Institute (PRI), a joint initiative of the CUNY Graduate School of Public Health and Health Policy (CUNY SPH) and Columbia University’s ICAP, and the Journal of Health Communication: International Perspectives, have collaborated to release a special issue, Leaving No One Behind: Opportunities for improving future pandemic-related communication.
Corresponding with the May 2023 convening of the same name that focused on a systems approach to pandemic communications solutions, this open-access special issue highlights research and commentaries that acknowledge the failures and successes of current health communication and suggest new approaches for future pandemics.
The COVID-19 pandemic revealed serious shortcomings in the delivery of accurate and trusted health communication. However, the crisis also helped strengthen community outreach systems.
“We witnessed a 21st century pandemic tear through a nation armed with programs and policies from the 20th century,” writes CUNY SPH associate professor Chris Palmedo, guest editor for this special issue. “It became clear that the systems of disseminating effective pandemic-related information are complicated and delicate, and we found out that the process of spreading misleading information is powerful and often obscure.”
Drawing on topics and themes including the lived experiences of some of the hardest hit communities in the nation, the publication highlights the dynamic and quickly changing landscape of pandemic communication. Though much of the research is New York based, the lessons learned and actionable strategies proposed can be applied around the world.
PRI and the Journal of Health Communication are proud to emphasize that the commentaries and investigations in this issue are some of the first to be conducted in a post-pandemic era.
“As we face a pandemic of health misinformation and disinformation, the need for concise targeted communication is increasingly apparent,” says CUNY SPH dean Ayman El-Mohandes. “In this special edition, we are proud to present some of the innovative research our colleagues have spearheaded on pandemic-related communication.”
Source: CUNY Graduate School of Public Health and Health Policy