Overview
This hub houses the research results of the first iteration of an ambitious project which began in late 2023. Our analysis gives insight on the current opinion landscape and clarity on how to effectively use it to communicate with key audiences. By helping people better understand today’s environment, we can help them better navigate it.
Questions we're asking
Q1
What are the issues people care about most today, and where does global health sit on that list?
Q2
How do you talk about global health, and get people to pay attention to global health?
Q3
How can we best make the case for investing in global health?
Research applied
Integrating media, social media, focus group, and survey data, this research gives a snapshot of the current global mood, perceptions of health issues, and insight into effective messaging, across eight countries.
Donor countries: UK, France, Germany, US, Japan
Global South countries: Kenya, Senegal, Nigeria
Find out moreThe Global Issues
Key Findings
-
There is a crisis of shared global negativity and pessimism.
There is a general mood of anxiety and a lack of confidence that things will get better. Global issues of concern include war and security, as well as economic and employment issues.
-
In this context of hopelessness, health is a source of hope.
Opinion research shows greater positivity/optimism about progress on health (vs. general global progress), with Global South countries most optimistic.
However, news media tends to focus on health risks, particularly compounded risks to health (e.g. from conflict). On social, digital activity linked to Global Health was predominantly constructive in Nigeria and Kenya; in English-speaking donor countries it was mainly negative.
-
The connection between climate and health is starting to resonate.
Climate issues are a growing sub-topic in global health news media coverage, and focus groups suggested the link between climate change and (some aspects of) health is starting to resonate. However, this link is not as prominent in social media content.
-
Global health conversations online and in the media are disconnected from people’s concerns.
A significant proportion of news media coverage and social media conversation relates to Covid-19. However, the focus groups and survey suggest this does not reflect people’s concerns – which are more focused on other health issues.
-
Global South voices are valuable in donor country communications.
Testing shows no preference for donor voices in donor countries + combined with higher levels of optimism in Global South countries.
-
We must meet people where they are: tapping into issues they care about.
The strongest messaging includes “economic self-sufficiency” messaging at a micro/human level.
Global Health Security is a strong messaging frame, connecting both to desires for safety, security, and protection and desire for “mutual benefit” or “win-win” arguments when it comes to spending overseas development aid.
Discover more about how these findings can guide our communications
Discover ImplicationsResources
Let us know how you put our information into practice. We'd love to share your example for others to learn from.
Contact us