Evidence-based communication on climate change and health: Testing videos, text, and maps on climate change and Lyme disease in Manitoba, Canada

PLoS One. 2021 Jun 10;16(6):e0252952. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0252952. eCollection 2021.

Abstract

Given the climate crisis and its cumulative impacts on public health, effective communication strategies that engage the public in adaptation and mitigation are critical. Many have argued that a health frame increases engagement, as do visual methodologies including online and interactive platforms, yet to date there has been limited research on audience responses to health messaging using visual interventions. This study explores public attitudes regarding communication tools focused on climate change and climate-affected Lyme disease through six focus groups (n = 61) in rural and urban southern Manitoba, Canada. The results add to the growing evidence of the efficacy of visual and storytelling methods in climate communications and argues for a continuum of mediums: moving from video, text, to maps. Findings underscore the importance of tailoring both communication messages and mediums to increase uptake of adaptive health and environmental behaviours, for some audiences bridging health and climate change while for others strategically decoupling them.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Climate Change
  • Evidence-Based Medicine
  • Focus Groups
  • Geographic Mapping
  • Health Promotion / methods*
  • Humans
  • Lyme Disease / epidemiology*
  • Manitoba
  • Public Health
  • Text Messaging
  • Video Recording

Grants and funding

This research was funded by the Public Health Agency of Canada, grant number 1819-HQ-000156. The funders were involved in supporting the research question development, but were not involved in the collection, analysis, or interpretation of data.