Public Health Communication Challenges in Eastern Europe and Central Asia: A Scoping Review

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Health Communication
• Health Systems Research

Background:

• Examines public health communication in nine Eastern European and Central Asian states.
• Highlights the transition from Soviet-era legacies to contemporary practices.

Purpose of the Study:

• To critically analyze public health communication systems in post-Soviet states.
• To identify communication gaps during health crises, including COVID-19.
• To underscore the need for improved transparency and trust in health communication.

Main Methods:

• Scoping review of English and Russian literature from 1998 onwards.
• Searches across multiple databases (Google Scholar, PubMed, etc.) and government websites.
• Data charting by three independent reviewers with senior reviewer resolution.

Main Results:

• Persistent communication gaps exist, particularly during health crises like COVID-19.
• Centralized, hierarchical information flows undermine transparency and responsiveness.
• Health inequalities between rural and urban areas are exacerbated by communication failures.
• Misinformation and disinformation, sometimes government-sourced, challenge effective communication.

Conclusions:

• Public health communication remains underdeveloped despite reforms, dominated by top-down approaches.
• Systematic communication failures hinder timely information dissemination and countering misinformation.
• Strengthening public health communication requires prioritizing transparency, evidence-based messaging, and multi-stakeholder engagement.
• Inclusive, transparent, and trust-oriented strategies are essential for enhancing public health preparedness and resilience.