Editorial: Rethinking global health and communication

Editorial on the Research Topic
Rethinking global health and communication

In this Research Topic, we present six articles that collectively explore a central theme: the feasibility of global health and communication. The authors provide valuable insights that enhance the pragmatism and effectiveness of such endeavors.

Weder and Courtois conducted a comparative analysis across countries with varying healthcare infrastructure and policies. Their findings reveal that governments responded differently to the COVID-19 pandemic on social media platforms due to infrastructural diversity. This underscores the importance of recognizing that even under the umbrella term of “global health,” communication practices remain diverse, notwithstanding a global crisis. Chen et al. shed light on the pivotal role governments play in shaping health-related information, especially when they exercise control over media channels.

It is helpful to discover that under the illusive name of “global health,” communication practices still vary—even when attacked by a global pandemic. Similar findings from Chen et al. stress that the government plays a key role in framing health-related information, particularly when a government controls media. These findings, however, are not always negative. Notably, two articles in this Research Topic focus on tobacco control (Liu et al.; Chan et al.), highlighting constructive efforts made by governments to safeguard the wellbeing of both smokers and non-smokers.

These studies collectively paint a more realistic picture of the complex interplay between global health and communication. On one hand, they underscore the multifaceted challenges faced in this arena. On the other hand, they pique our curiosity: How can we effectively lead health communication interventions?

Stover et al. advocate for a comprehensive and intricate approach to community engagement in health communication interventions. Meanwhile, Cheng and Espanha's study on vaccination hesitation underscores the impact of social media platforms. Together, these investigations prepare us to navigate the intricate web of global health communication.

In summary, these scholarly contributions enrich our understanding of the complexities inherent in global health communication. Moreover, the findings can help inform efforts led by governments, social media platforms, communities, and individuals by providing them with the tools needed for effective communication. Therefore, the six articles start a meaningful dialogue for rethinking global health and communication.

Author contributions

ZL: Writing – original draft, Writing – review & editing.

Funding

The author(s) declare that no financial support was received for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Conflict of interest

The author declares that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

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