Students' attitudes to the communications employed during an outbreak of meningococcal disease in a UK school: a qualitative study

Taylor-Robinson, David ORCID: 0000-0002-5828-7724, Elders, Katy, Milton, Beth and Thurston, Hilary (2010) Students' attitudes to the communications employed during an outbreak of meningococcal disease in a UK school: a qualitative study JOURNAL OF PUBLIC HEALTH, 32 (1). pp. 32-37. ISSN 1741-3842, 1741-3850

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Abstract

Background Following an outbreak of meningococcal disease in a school in the North West of England, the communication methods employed by the Health Protection Agency (HPA) were evaluated in order to explore ways of improving communication with the public. Methods Qualitative questionnaires were distributed to Year 12 (sixth form) students. The Framework approach was used to analyse the data, which were coded, and emergent themes identified. Results In the absence of clear communication from official sources, many participants suggested that circulating rumours caused confusion and anxiety in the student population. Rumours were spread through informal networks in person or through text and MSN messaging. It was generally perceived that accurate information in this period would have been useful to allay potentially unfounded anxiety. Most students surveyed reported that they were sufficiently aware of the situation prior to receiving official announcements. The information provided by the HPA through the school was generally perceived as being useful, but it came too late. Conclusion In outbreak situations, rumours will spread rapidly in the absence of early communication, and this can be a significant cause of anxiety. The use of digital communication strategies should be considered, since they can seed dependable information that will disseminate rapidly through peer groups.

Item Type:	Article
Additional Information:	## TULIP Type: Articles/Papers (Journal) ##
Uncontrolled Keywords:	communicable diseases, educational settings, public health
Depositing User:	Symplectic Admin
Date Deposited:	23 Jan 2015 09:03
Last Modified:	22 May 2026 23:16
DOI:	10.1093/pubmed/fdp080
Publisher's Statement :	This is a pre-copyedited, author-produced PDF of an article accepted for publication in Journal of Public Health following peer review. The version of record Health Protection: David Taylor-Robinson, Katy Elders, Beth Milton, and Hilary Thurston Students' attitudes to the communications employed during an outbreak of meningococcal disease in a UK school: a qualitative study J Public Health (2010) 32 (1): 32-37 first published online August 12, 2009 doi:10.1093/pubmed/fdp080 is available online at: http://jpubhealth.oxfordjournals.org/content/32/1/32.full
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URI:	https://livrepository.liverpool.ac.uk/id/eprint/2005499
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