Variability in Media Content of Public Health Outbreak Coverage: A Crisis Communication Approach

Abstract

This study investigated the stage-specific nature of media coverage of a large-scale dengue outbreak in Bangladesh. We employed the three-stage model of crisis communication and the extended parallel process model as an integrated theoretical framework. A content analysis of two years (2019–2020) of media coverage (N = 615) showed that the number of dengue-related threat messages was significantly higher during the precrisis and crisis response stages than the postcrisis recovery stage. By delivering higher threat messages during the early phase, the media successfully alerted their audience about the forthcoming dengue crisis. During the crisis stage, when people are expected to engage with the crisis responses, efficacy messages are critical, along with threat messages. However, the number of efficacy messages was relatively low across the stages. Coverage of efficacy messages was not significantly different across the crisis stages. The findings also revealed significant relationships with the nature of media coverage and source types and story types. Findings have implications for public health crisis communication and management.