COVID-19 represents a serious challenge to governments and healthcare systems. In addition to testing/contact tracing, behavioural (e.g., hand washing) and social responses (e.g., social distancing/cocooning) are the most effective tools for mitigating the spread of the disease. Psychological (e.g., risk perceptions, self-efficacy) and contextual factors (government, public health messaging etc.) are likely to drive these behaviours. Collated real time information of these indicators strengthens local, national and international public health advice and messaging. Further, the degree to which public health and government messages and measures are understood, communicated via (social) media and adhered to are vital.
In addition, on the island of Ireland there are two different governments and public health jurisdictions (Republic of Ireland (ROI) and Northern Ireland (NI)). This represents a unique opportunity to explore the implications of differing measures and messaging across these two jurisdictions as they relate to COVID-19 on two similar populations.
The expert research team are drawn from a broad range of disciplines in the ROI and NI. This project has four nested studies:
We will assess key behavioural, social and psychological factors through a large, prospective representative telephone survey of individuals aged over-18 on a weekly basis over eight weeks (n=3072); plus qualitative focus groups.
We will interrogate social media messaging and formal media responses in both jurisdictions to investigate the spread of (mis)information.
We will model data from Studies 1 and 2, plotting the psychosocial/behavioural and media messaging information with incidence and mortality data. We will conduct an assessment of health policy transfer in an attempt to incorporate the most significant public health and political insights from each jurisdiction.
An evidence-based toolbox for targeting of public health messaging and political leadership will be created for use for the anticipated October wave of COVID-19, and subsequently for future epidemics/pandemics.
