Community Perception of Crisis Communication by Jos University Teaching Hospital During Health Emergencies

Abstract

Effective crisis communication plays an essential role in nourishing communal trust, building compliance with control advisories and influencing social behaviour change during critical health emergencies. Against the backdrop of ineffective communication intervention by health providers during medical emergencies, this study examined community perception of crisis communication, centring on messaging, communication channels, performance and trust. Survey data were collected, using the questionnaire from 350 respondents, sampled purposively within the surrounding communities of the Jos University Teaching Hospital (JUTH) and analysed. Findings reveal that while community trust is largely affected by the fidelity and transparency of communication dissemination during public health emergencies, SMS, radio and word-of-mouth from hospital staff are the most counted on as communication channels. Furthermore, while some optics of communication intervention by JUTH were appraised positively by participants in the study, significant displeasure was noticed in critical indicators such as message clarity, consistency and speed. It is recommended that consistent engagement with afflicted communities will help diffuse tension during disease emergencies, stimulate adherence to health instructions and build institutional trust. The JUTH and other hospitals are advised to leverage SMS alert connectivity, strengthen collaboration with local radio stations and train staff as image ambassadors in order to increase the reach, credibility and overall effectiveness of communication interventions during medical crisis.