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. 2022 Aug;18(1):75-89.
doi: 10.12927/hcpol.2022.26903.

Public Health Messaging during the COVID-19 Pandemic and Its Impact on Family Caregivers' COVID-19 Knowledge

Deirdre McCaughey  1 , Gwen McGhan  2 , Kristin Flemons  3 , Whitney Hindmarch  4 , Kim Brundrit  5
Affiliations

Public Health Messaging during the COVID-19 Pandemic and Its Impact on Family Caregivers' COVID-19 Knowledge

Deirdre McCaughey et al. Healthc Policy. 2022 Aug.

Abstract
in English, French

Background: Enabling accurate, accessible public health messaging is a critical role of public health officials during a pandemic, but family caregivers of people living with dementia (PLWD) have rarely been specifically addressed in public health messaging.

Objective: The objective of this study was to examine how family caregivers for people living with dementia access and evaluate public health messaging in Alberta.

Method: An online survey was conducted with family caregivers for PLWD (n = 217).

Results: Most respondents rated public health messaging as good or excellent (63.9%), but specific information about how to access caregiving information (69.5%) and what to expect in the future (49.1%) was rated as less than good. Family caregivers also identified how to care for a PLWD during the pandemic (57.5%) as a key information need. Healthcare providers/workers were the least frequently used source of public health messaging. Almost all family caregivers (94.4%) rated their own COVID-19 knowledge as good or excellent.

Discussion: Tailored, context-driven public health messaging for family caregivers of PLWD is critically needed.

Contexte:: Communiquer des messages de santé publique précis et accessibles est un rôle essentiel des responsables de la santé publique pendant une pandémie, mais les proches aidants des personnes atteintes de démence en sont rarement les destinataires spécifiques.

Objectif:: L'objectif de cette étude est d'examiner comment les proches aidants des personnes atteintes de démence prennent connaissances et évaluent les messages de santé publique en Alberta.

Méthode:: Un sondage en ligne a été mené auprès de proches aidants de personnes atteintes de démence (n = 217).

Résultats:: La plupart des répondants qualifient les messages de santé publique de bons ou d'excellents (63,9 %), mais ils qualifient de moins bon les renseignements précis sur la façon d'obtenir des informations concernant les soins (69,5 %), ou encore les messages concernant les perspectives d'avenir (49,1 %). Les proches aidants ont également indiqué que la façon de prendre soin d'une personne atteinte de démence pendant la pandémie (57,5 %) était une information nécessaire. Les fournisseurs de soins et les travailleurs de la santé constituent les sources d'information sur la santé publique les moins fréquemment utilisées. Presque tous les proches aidants (94,4 %) ont évalué leurs propres connaissances sur la COVID-19 comme étant bonnes ou excellentes.

Discussion:: Il est nécessaire de formuler des messages de santé publique adaptés et axés sur le contexte des proches aidants des personnes atteintes de démence.

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