World medical & health policy
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World Med Health Policy · Aug 2020
An Analysis of Government Communication in the United States During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Recommendations for Effective Government Health Risk Communication.
Governments throughout the world can learn many critical lessons from examining instances of ineffective communication with the public during the global coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. Ineffective government communication has resulted in a great deal of public confusion and misunderstanding, as well as serious errors in responding to this evolving health threat, leading to disastrous health and social outcomes for the public and prolonging the pandemic, especially within the United States. ⋯ The communication strategies offered here promote the delivery of relevant, accurate, and sensitive information to key public groups, minimizing communication noise to guide desirable coordinated actions. These communication strategies can be applied locally, nationally, and internationally.
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World Med Health Policy · Aug 2020
Racial Disparities in COVID-19 Mortality Among Essential Workers in the United States.
Racial disparities are apparent in the impact of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in the United States, yet the factors contributing to racial inequities in COVID-19 mortality remain controversial. To better understand these factors, we investigated racial disparities in COVID-19 mortality among America's essential workers. Data from the American Community Survey and Current Population Survey was used to examine the correlation between the prevalence of COVID-19 deaths and occupational differences across racial/ethnic groups and states. ⋯ Vulnerability to coronavirus exposure was increased among NH Blacks, who disproportionately occupied the top nine essential occupations. As COVID-19 death rates continue to rise, existing structural inequalities continue to shape racial disparities in this pandemic. Policies mandating the disaggregation of state-level data by race/ethnicity are vital to ensure equitable and evidence-based response and recovery efforts.