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

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.

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.

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.

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.