Exploring medical communication & media influence on public health perceptions: COVID-19 medical communication & contemporary media complexity

Abstract

Background
The COVID-19 pandemic marked the first global health crisis to unfold in a highly connected digital media environment. Understanding how social and mainstream media shaped public health communication during this period is crucial for improving future pandemic responses. Early pandemic communication was complicated by rapid information spread through social media, which often outpaced official channels and created challenges for effective public health messaging.

Research Question
How did social and mainstream media shape public perceptions and responses during the COVID-19 pandemic, and what were the lived experiences and understandings among both healthcare professionals and members of the public regarding social and mainstream media broadcasting months into the pandemic?

Literature
A narrative review explored three key areas: the evolution of media technologies and landscapes, communication strategies from past pandemics, and expert perspectives on initial COVID-19 coverage. The review highlighted the unprecedented nature of pandemic communication in an environment where social media enabled instant global information sharing while also facilitating the spread of misinformation.

Methods
The study employed Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) methodology to examine the lived experiences of 40 participants (20 healthcare professionals and 20 members of the public) through in-depth, semi-structured interviews conducted 15 months into the pandemic. Analysis was enhanced through innovative use of AI-assisted tools while maintaining IPA's idiographic focus.

Results
Analysis revealed distinct Group Experiential Themes (GETs) for healthcare professionals and the public. Healthcare professionals demonstrated more sophisticated information evaluation strategies but struggled with bridging professional knowledge and public understanding. The public showed greater vulnerability to misinformation but developed increasingly critical approaches to media consumption over time. Both groups experienced evolution in their trust of different information sources throughout the pandemic.

Discussion
The findings highlighted how modern media environments complicate traditional public health communication approaches. The research identified crucial differences in how healthcare professionals and the public processed pandemic information, while also revealing shared challenges in navigating the complex media landscape. The study extends understanding of how social media platforms can both enhance and hinder effective health communication during crises.

Conclusions
The research demonstrates a fundamental shift from a 'deferrer society' to a 'referrer society' in public health communication, necessitating new approaches to crisis communication that can harness social media's speed and reach while maintaining message integrity. Findings suggest future pandemic responses must balance traditional authority with new forms of collaborative knowledge creation, while supporting both healthcare professionals and the public in navigating complex information landscapes.