1. Communicating Risk to Aboriginal Peoples: First Nations and Metis Responses to H1N1 Risk Messages
- Author
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Judith Bartlett, Elizabeth Cooper, S. Michelle Driedger, Cynthia G. Jardine, and Chris Furgal
- Subjects
Male ,Viral Diseases ,Non-Clinical Medicine ,Epidemiology ,lcsh:Medicine ,Social and Behavioral Sciences ,Influenza A Virus, H1N1 Subtype ,0302 clinical medicine ,Sociology ,Science Policy and Economics ,Risk Factors ,Environmental protection ,Pandemic ,Medicine ,030212 general & internal medicine ,lcsh:Science ,Vaccines ,Multidisciplinary ,Vaccination ,Racial Discrimination ,Manitoba ,Social Discrimination ,Middle Aged ,Public relations ,Socioeconomic Aspects of Health ,Semantics ,Identification (information) ,Infectious Diseases ,Work (electrical) ,Female ,Public Health ,0305 other medical science ,Research Article ,Adult ,medicine.medical_specialty ,Infectious Disease Control ,Adolescent ,Science Policy ,Metis people ,Political Science ,Information Dissemination ,Public Policy ,Young Adult ,03 medical and health sciences ,Social Prejudice ,Influenza, Human ,Metis ,Humans ,Biology ,Pandemics ,030505 public health ,Population Biology ,business.industry ,Public health ,lcsh:R ,Immunity ,Focus group ,Influenza ,Communications ,Science Education ,Public Opinion ,Communicable Disease Control ,Indians, North American ,lcsh:Q ,Clinical Immunology ,business ,Media Studies - Abstract
Developing appropriate risk messages during challenging situations like public health outbreaks is complicated. The focus of this paper is on how First Nations and Metis people in Manitoba, Canada, responded to the public health management of pandemic H1N1, using a focus group methodology (n = 23 focus groups). Focus group conversations explored participant reactions to messaging regarding the identification of H1N1 virus risk groups, the H1N1 vaccine and how priority groups to receive the vaccine were established. To better contextualize the intentions of public health professionals, key informant interviews (n = 20) were conducted with different health decision makers (e.g., public health officials, people responsible for communications, representatives from some First Nations and Metis self-governing organizations). While risk communication practice has improved, 'one size' messaging campaigns do not work effectively, particularly when communicating about who is most 'at-risk'. Public health agencies need to pay more attention to the specific socio-economic, historical and cultural contexts of First Nations and Metis citizens when planning for, communicating and managing responses associated with pandemic outbreaks to better tailor both the messages and delivery. More attention is needed to directly engage First Nations and Metis communities in the development and dissemination of risk messaging.
- Published
- 2013