Failures in crisis communication during the Covid-19 pandemic in Slovenia : what can we learn from audience feedback?

Kamin, Tanja (author), Perger, Nina (author)

During a pandemic, it is essential that most people respect the measures in place so as to keep the health crisis at bay. Still, a consensus must exist in society that the measures imposed by government are truly needed, just and legitimate, with several factors affecting whether this is achieved. In the article, we present the results of qualitative research (23 in-depth interviews) conducted in Slovenia at the peak of the first lockdown, focusing on how the study participants (women who were living alone during the first lockdown) perceived communication from the government and the public health authorities that comprised the official crisis communication group for managing the pandemic in Slovenia. The results present critical mistakes in communication that shaped trust in the official communicators and failed to motivate and encourage respondents to comply with the recommended and prescribed protective measures.

• Language: English
• Keywords: Covid-19, protective measures, risk communication, trust, fear appeal, solo-living women
• Work type: Article
• Typology: 1.01 - Original Scientific Article
• Organization: FDV - Faculty of Social Sciences
• Publication version: Version of Record
• Publication date: 01.09.2021
• Year: 2021
• Number of pages: Str. 517-535, 689
• Numbering: Letn. 58, posebna št.
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-138714
• UDC: 316:77:616-036.22(497.4)
• ISSN on article: 0040-3598
• DOI: 10.51936/tip.58.specialissue.517-535
• COBISS.SI-ID: 81081603
• Publication date in RUL: 10.08.2022

Record is a part of a journal

• Title: Teorija in praksa : revija za družbena vprašanja
• Shortened title: Teor. praksa
• Publisher: Fakulteta za družbene vede
• ISSN: 0040-3598
• COBISS.SI-ID: 763652

Secondary language

• Language: Slovenian
• Title: Napake v krizni komunikaciji med pandemijo covid-19 v Sloveniji

Abstract

Med pandemijo je ključnega pomena, da večina ljudi upošteva predpisane ukrepe za preprečitev zdravstvene krize. Vendar mora v družbi obstajati konsenz, da so ukrepi, ki nam jih predpiše vlada, res potrebni, pravični in legitimni, na kar vpliva več dejavnikov. V članku predstavimo rezultate kvalitativne raziskave (23 poglobljenih intervjujev), ki smo jo izvedli v Sloveniji na vrhuncu prve splošne karantene, pri čemer se osredotočimo na to, kako so udeleženke v raziskavi (ženske, ki so med prvo splošno karanteno živele same) dojemale komunikacijo s strani vlade in javnih zdravstvenih organov, vključno z uradno skupino za krizno komunikacijo v okviru upravljanja s pandemijo v Sloveniji. Rezultati prikazujejo ključne napake v komunikaciji, ki so vplivale na zaupanje v uradne govorce in ki jim ni uspelo motivirati in spodbuditi respondentk, da bi upoštevale priporočene in predpisane zaščitne ukrepe.

• Keywords: Covid-19, zaščitni ukrepi, obveščanje o tveganju, zaupanje, strah, ženske, ki živijo samostojno

Projects

• Funder: ARRS - Slovenian Research Agency
• Project number: P5-0183-2022
• Name: Socialna psihologija in sociologija vsakdanjega življenja