Pandemic Influenza Message Guide

From the Introduction of this illustrated guide from the Academy for Educational Development (AED), funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID): "...During most disease outbreaks, communication through mass media, interpersonal communication, and community mobilization has been proven to be successful in increasing awareness as well as changing behaviors to help control and minimize the health impact of public health emergencies. The messages contained in these communications need to be consistent so that all of the information that is disseminated is clear and not confusing, and can thus effectively contain the spread of a pandemic or reduce morbidity and mortality caused by pandemic influenza.

Hence, message harmonization is an important activity. The purpose of this Pandemic Influenza Message Guide is to provide organizations with messages that address key actions to be taken to contain the spread of the virus throughout an influenza pandemic. Messages on hygiene are applicable all the time - before and after a pandemic - but others on social distancing and isolation are not necessarily applicable until a pandemic influenza outbreak has begun. Users of this guide should select key actions that are appropriate for their target audience(s) and adapt these key actions into appropriate materials and messages using local languages and expressions."

The Humanitarian Pandemic Preparedness (H2P) Initiative partnership - funded by USAID and including the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), the CORE Group, AI.COMM (a project managed by AED), InterAction, and several United Nations agencies - developed the messages thorough a Message Harmonization Workshop on October 15 and 16, 2008 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, facilitated by H2P, the Ethiopian Red Cross Society, AI.COMM, and the Health Communication Partnership (HCP).

The contents of this guide include the following:

Introduction

1. How These Messages Were Developed
   
2. How to Use This Guide
   
3. Overview of Pandemic Influenza
   
4. Analyzing a Message
   
5. Increasing Awareness of Pandemic Influenza
   
6. Key Non-Pharmaceutical Interventions/Behavioral Interventions
   
7. How to Use These Key Messages for Material Development
   
8. Appendices:
   • Appendix 1. Proposed Key Action Analysis Sheet
     
   • Appendix 2. WHO Influenza Pandemic Phases
   • Appendix 3. Reliable Sources of Information on Pandemic Influenza/Human Influenza
   • Appendix 4. Message Map
   • Appendix 5. Example of Material Developed by AI.COMM and HCP