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Researchers involved in Dear Pandemic, a COVID-era social media-based science communication project, reviewed what they learned about effective public health communication in a recent paper in Public Health Reports (2022, DOI: 10.1177/00333549221076544).
What they learned: Dear Pandemic contributors built credibility by framing themselves as trusted friends, the kind of “approachable expert next door” you might trust with your most pressing questions and concerns about COVID-19.
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- They built their content to be accessed and shared on social media, equipping users to use “the power of the share button” to counter misinformation on these platforms.
- Connecting with readers’ daily reality was key: Dear Pandemic focused on offering specific, actionable advice. Graphics, humor, and accessible language make the content easy to digest.
Why it matters: The paper’s authors say these lessons learned are “a model for public health communication targeting future infodemics and can bridge the chasm between the scientific community and the practical daily decision-making needs of the general public.”
➡️ Idea worth stealing: Dear Pandemic uses a web-based form to actively solicit and then respond to questions from readers. This makes readers equal members of an ongoing conversation. And it helps Dear Pandemic track the fast-moving currents of public health misinformation.
What to watch: Whether the project can continue to broaden its reach and appeal, particularly to communities of color and individuals with low levels of education.
