Exploring Public Health Science and Political Leadership Through the Eyes of the Public Public
England, Eliot (Spring 2021)
Abstract
In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, the significance of the role of science and political leadership has become apparent. As our world continues to grow and diversify, we cannot wait idly by for the next, inevitable, public health crises to occur. The importance of a collaborative relationship between public health leaders and political representatives needs to be appreciated if we want to effectively improve the health of our nations and globe. The siloed nature of the two spheres of influence has resulted in tension, disorganization, and mistrust among leaders and within populations in the face of infectious disease outbreaks on both global and national scales. This systematic review takes a unique approach to better understand the relationship between science and politics by examining the available literature that reflects public knowledge, perceptions, and behaviors during pandemics. Using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) framework as a guide for search methods and analyses, this paper seeks to answer the questions: 1) What is the relationship among science, political leadership, and public knowledge and behavior during pandemics that impacts public health action? And 2) How can proper intersectoral leadership be illustrated by public response? Through the public’s eyes, this project combines, describes, and reflects upon the complexity of the relationship between science, politics, leadership, and public response during public health crises. Based on identified themes, correlations, and gaps in knowledge, it exposes where more research is needed and suggests how politicians, public health scientists, and communities can improve the collaboration, cohesion, and effectiveness of the intersectorality between science and politics.
Table of Contents
CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION ..... 1
Background and Significance ..... 1
Statement of the Problem ..... 2
Statement of the Purpose ..... 3
Research Questions ..... 3
CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW ..... 5
Science and Politics ..... 5
The WHO and the IHR (2005) ..... 8
Leadership in the COVID-19 Pandemic ..... 12
CHAPTER 3: METHODS ..... 16
Search Methods ..... 16
Screening ..... 17
Data Extraction ..... 20
CHAPTER 4: RESULTS ..... 21
Overview ..... 21
Demographic Patterns ..... 24
Risk Perception ..... 25
Impression of Leadership ..... 26
Public health knowledge and misinformation ..... 26
Crisis management ..... 28
Adherence to public health guidelines ..... 32
Personal Testimonies ..... 35
CHAPTER 5: DISCUSSION and RECOMMENDATIONS ..... 38
Recommendations for Political Figures ..... 39
Engage health professionals in decision-making and communication ..... 39
Be open about the non-scientific influences in decisions ..... 41
Recommendations for Health Professionals ..... 42
Present evidence fairly and with transparency ..... 42
Learn the art of politics ..... 44
Recommendations for the Community ..... 45
Limitations ..... 47
CHAPTER 6: CONCLUSION ..... 49
REFERENCES ..... 51
APPENDIX A ..... 54
About this Master's Thesis
| School | |
|---|---|
| Department | |
| Degree | |
| Submission | |
| Language |
|
| Research Field | |
| Mot-clé | |
| Committee Chair / Thesis Advisor |
Primary PDF
| Thumbnail | Title | Date Uploaded | Actions |
|---|---|---|---|
|
|
Exploring Public Health Science and Political Leadership Through the Eyes of the Public () | 2021-04-25 14:57:01 -0400 |
|
Supplemental Files
| Thumbnail | Title | Date Uploaded | Actions |
|---|