Effective public health messaging for adverse weather events
Effective public health messaging for adverse weather events
Our new research examines effective approaches for delivering persuasive messages that support protective health behaviours during hot and cold weather, flooding and drought
Photo by Winston Tjia on Unsplash
New research on whether and how people respond to communications about adverse weather provides a set of actionable evidence-based principles for effective messaging by public health communicators, including what channels are most effective.
Climate change is contributing to more frequent episodes of heat and cold, flooding, and drought, with implications for public health and health inequalities. Scotland’s Adverse Weather and Health Plans highlights effective communication as an important component of supporting resilience. This research explored whether and how people respond to communications about adverse weather, providing evidence to help support the delivery of the Plan.
The study was delivered in two phases: a Rapid Evidence Review, supplemented by an engagement phase with organisations representing groups particularly at risk of negative health impacts of adverse weather in Scotland, to further explore explore barriers and enablers to engagement and participation in adverse weather health messaging
There was limited existing evidence specifically on the effectiveness of public health communication disseminated for adverse weather, with few studies directly linking communication to health outcomes. Where this evidence does exist, it is concentrated in the heat literature. Most of the available evidence focused on intermediate outcomes such as awareness, knowledge, and behaviour change or intentions to act. Rather than reflecting a simple linear relationship between information and action, the evidence points to a more complex picture in which behavioural responses are shaped by multiple factors that communicators need to consider.
‘How timely to publish this report during this early heatwave across western Europe’, said Tavistock Institute Principal Researcher and Consultant and co-author, Dr Kerstin Junge. ‘While we have definitely become better at preparing people to prevent negative health impacts of heatwaves like these, there is an opportunity to do even better.’
‘Our report is for public health communicators in Scotland (and, we hope, beyond). We offer an analysis of the most recent evidence and actionable insights on health communication practices that have shown to be more effective. We also focus on which population groups are less likely to hear messages, indicating opportunities to expand and improve communications aiming to help people take action to mitigate climate risks.’
Giorgia Iacopini, also Principal Researcher and Consultant and co-author at the Tavistock Institute, explained: ‘One of the clearest messages is the non-linear pathway towards changes in behaviour: we know that’s not new but we found very clear evidence showing how much people’s experiences, emotions, and perceptions of risk affect their capacity to respond to messaging, as well as the social, cultural, and environmental conditions in which they live.’
‘This new evidence should encourage public health teams in their efforts to take both people and place into account when designing communications about adverse weather and health risks.’
Make guidance actionable, specific, and directive – people need to believe they are capable of the action and that it will be effective;
Ensure ‘message relevance’: people need to see themselves in the message and believe the message is for them. This includes being mindful of how people self-identify and supporting people to personalise the risk;
Consider people’s emotional responses to certain weather events as some e.g. heat and drought can attract positive emotions. However, counteracting these with negative framings is insufficient unless combined with efficacy information;
Communication should be tailored to different audiences, recognising variation in language, literacy, housing conditions, income, geography, and other factors that shape how people access, interpret, and act on information;
Clear, inclusive, and accessible language can improve engagement. Visuals, infographics, storytelling, and culturally relevant communication approaches can further support understanding and make messages feel more personally relevant;
Timing relevant to the weather event is important;
Traditional channels (broadcast and print media) remain widely used and valued, especially among groups less likely to engage online;
Digital channels, including websites and social media, are important components of adverse-weather communication strategies. Websites are widely used sources of information, while social media platforms are increasingly used to disseminate adverse-weather and health information and may help reach audiences less likely to engage with traditional media, particularly younger groups. However, access, engagement, and audience reach are uneven;
Formal and informal community networks are particularly important for those who may not engage with formal or digital channels. Their effectiveness is underpinned by credibility and trust; amplification and reach; and relevance and personalisation.
ClimateXChange (CXC), on behalf of the Scottish Government and Public Health Scotland (PHS) commissioned this research, in partnership with the Innovation Unit.
Download the report
Effective public health messaging for adverse weather events
