The Novel Coronavirus (COVID-2019) Outbreak: Amplification of Public Health Consequences by Media Exposure

In the midst of a health crisis such as the COVID-19 pandemic – particularly when the disease is a novel one – the public depends on the media to convey accurate and up-to-date information in order to make informed decisions, such as about health-protective behaviours. This paper reviews research suggesting that repeated media exposure in such times of crisis can lead to increased anxiety, heightening stress responses that can lead to downstream effects on physical and mental health. The paper draws from work on previous public outbreaks (i.e., Ebola and H1N1) and other collective trauma (e.g., terrorist attacks), where media coverage of events had unintended negative consequences for those at relatively low risk for direct exposure. Drawing on this analysis, it offers recommendations for the media, members of the public, health officials, and researchers with respect to communicating effectively during a public health crisis.

“During an ongoing threat from a novel disease outbreak, timely updates from trusted sources about the relative risk of contracting the novel disease versus a more common one are critical. Without them, public fears may escalate, fuel rumors, and provoke stress responses.”

As reported here, studies have demonstrated that both the amount and type of media exposure affect psychological responses to a community-wide traumatic event. For example, researchers found that people who reported the highest media exposure to the Boston Marathon bombings in the United States (US) reported higher acute stress than did people who were directly exposed to the bombings. People with the greatest concerns may seek out more media coverage of an event (or an outbreak like COVID-19), further increasing their stress response. Furthermore, exposure to graphic images that included blood was associated with heightened posttraumatic stress and fear of the future 6 months after the Boston Marathon bombings, both of which were positively associated with poor functioning.

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