Methodological changes and the lessons learnt from the health communication applied by a health promotion office at the beginning of the first wave of COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract

Health literacy and health communication significantly determine the population’s attitude to health. It is important to have simple, open, and clear communication, which can be easily and widely understood. In terms of prevention, the continuous development of health communication is a particularly important task. Today, personal forms are being taken over by online platforms, so it is important that health care and mental health professionals inform interested parties armed with credible sources. This expectation became particularly strong and prompted specialists to change their methodology when the first wave of the COVID-19 epidemic appeared. Well-chosen communication has a positive effect on the number of people attending the advertised program (participation rate), and also provides the opportunity to transmit a lot of reliable health-protecting information. Health communication forced to change during the first wave of the COVID-19 epidemic and the lessons learnt are presented through the physical exercise program (spinal gymnastics) implemented by the health promotion offices of Szabolcs-Szatmár-Bereg County Hospitals and University Teaching Hospital.