[Guidelines to Think, Develop and Implement Health Communication in Portugal]

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Health Communication
• Crisis Management

Background:

• The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic exposed critical weaknesses in global health systems, including resource shortages and limited public engagement.
• Pandemic fatigue and socioeconomic impacts have further revealed a significant deficit in health communication expertise, impacting crisis management.
• Existing research on health communication practices in Portugal is scarce, necessitating reliance on empirical insights.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze the role and impact of health communication during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic in Portugal.
• To identify key challenges and best practices for health communication in a crisis context.
• To propose guiding principles for developing and implementing effective health communication strategies in Portugal.

Main Methods:

• Analysis based on authors' empirical knowledge and professional experience in health communications.
• Qualitative assessment of communication strategies during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic.
• Literature review on health system weaknesses and crisis communication principles.

Main Results:

• A critical shortage of skilled health communicators was identified as a major vulnerability during the pandemic.
• Effective crisis communication requires targeted messaging, myth-busting, stakeholder engagement, and strategy evaluation.
• Health communication is crucial for building confidence, managing relationships, and preparing for future health uncertainties.

Conclusions:

• Strengthening health communication capacity is essential for robust public health systems.
• Developing evidence-based health communication strategies, supported by leadership and collaboration, is vital for Portugal's crisis preparedness.
• Implementing guiding principles can enhance the effectiveness of health communication during public health emergencies.