COVID-19 is likely to be the worst public health crisis in Australia since 1919. Effective management of the COVID-19 pandemic and future pandemics in Australia requires significant and sustained population-wide behaviour change. This can only be achieved through an effective public health mass media campaign that delivers well-designed and relevant messages to all communities in Australia. Of particular interest to this portfolio is understanding health information needs of specific vulnerable populations within our community. These vulnerable population groups include: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders, deaf/hard of hearing community, aged care workers, those with disability and their carers, street-based sex workers and refugee and asylum seekers. Informed from these findings, relevant COVID-19 health messages will be designed and implemented in a helix counterbalanced randomised controlled trial, to assess the reach and uptake within each of the identified vulnerable population groups compared to “general” communication approaches used by government in a “common needs” approach. This research will help identify health communication gaps for vulnerable population groups as well as potential solutions for any gaps identified. For further information on this research please contact Professor Terry Haines.
Research Team
Chief Investigator: Professor Terry Haines
Monash University Co-Investigators: Professor Grant Russell, Professor Keith Hill, Associate Professor Cylie Williams, Associate Professor Elizabeth Callaway, Dr Jim Hlavac, Dr Louisa Willoughby, Dr Katrina Long, Dr Lauren Robins, Ms Megan Jepson, Mr Nathan Williams and Mr Matthew Loads.
External investigators: Mr Dwayne Pearce (Peninsula Health), Ms Stacey Aslangul (St Kilda Gatehouse), Ms Rachel Lennon, Dr Meredith Prain (Able Australia), Ms Thera Storie (Wallara), Mr Paul Ireland (Yooralla), Mr Rob Macindoe (enliven), Ms Natasha Wilkinson (Donwood Community Aged Care Services), Ms Louise Wallensky (Department of Health), Ms Jenny Taylor (Department of Health) and Dr Glen Whittaker (La Trobe University).
This project is funded by the Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF), Coronavirus Communications and Strategies Approaches During Outbreaks grant.
