Volume 25, Issue 97 (7-2025)
refahj 2025, 25(97): 9-43 |
Back to browse issues page
Download citation:
BibTeX | RIS | EndNote | Medlars | ProCite | Reference Manager | RefWorks
Send citation to:
BibTeX | RIS | EndNote | Medlars | ProCite | Reference Manager | RefWorks
Send citation to:
Rezvani S, Khaniki H, Zardar Z. (2025). Framing of COVID-19 Pandemic Infographics by the World Health Organization, Iran’s Ministry of Health, and IRNA News Agency. refahj. 25(97), : 1 doi:10.32598/refahj.25.97.838.2
URL: http://refahj.uswr.ac.ir/article-1-4377-en.html
URL: http://refahj.uswr.ac.ir/article-1-4377-en.html
Full-Text [PDF 609 kb]
(181 Downloads)
| Abstract (HTML) (428 Views)
Full-Text: (55 Views)
Introduction
The emergence of any novel virus triggers an immediate response from public health organizations to disseminate critical information. During the COVID-19 pandemic, institutions leveraged digital platforms extensively to communicate about the virus through various formats, particularly infographics. Each organization adopted distinct framing approaches to this unprecedented crisis. Since media representations can significantly influence crisis management—either mitigating or exacerbating public response—their framing choices carry substantial consequences. These constructed narratives shape individual perceptions and ultimately form collective public opinion.
This study examines how institutional framing in COVID-19 infographics influenced public understanding of the pandemic. Specifically, it analyzes the framing strategies employed by three key organizations: Iran’s Ministry of Health and Medical Education and the Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA) at the national level, and the World Health Organization (WHO) at the international level. The central research question investigates: How did these organizations’ infographic representations frame the COVID-19 pandemic as an emerging public health crisis?
Method
This study employed thematic analysis to examine health communication messages in COVID-19 infographics, utilizing Attride-Stirling’s (2001) framework of thematic networks. This approach categorizes themes into three levels: Basic Themes (specific concepts), Organizing Themes (groupings of related basic themes), and Global Themes (overarching patterns).
The primary research objective focuses on analyzing the framing strategies in COVID-19 infographics produced by national institutions (Iran’s Ministry of Health and IRNA) and the World Health Organization (WHO). This involves identifying, describing, and interpreting global themes within the visual health messages.
The study population comprises all COVID-19 infographics published on the official websites and social media platforms of these three organizations during the period from the WHO’s pandemic declaration (March 11, 2020) through December 31, 2020
Findings
The analysis identified 15 global themes across the examined infographics. Among these, five framing categories—”conflict,” “human interest,” “ethical responsibility,” “hope,” and “economic consequences”—align with frameworks established in prior research. The study revealed ten distinctive framing approaches specific to COVID-19 communication: “physical health,” “social health,” “mental health,” “stigma prevention,” “domestic violence awareness,” “healthcare worker recognition,” “health literacy,” “government commendation,” “information dissemination,” and “vaccine confidence promotion.” Notably, three frameworks—”physical health,” “health literacy enhancement,” and “vaccine confidence building”—were common to all three institutions (WHO, Iran’s Ministry of Health, and IRNA).
Comparative analysis demonstrated that WHO’s infographics addressed a broader spectrum of pandemic dimensions than the two national institutions. The international organization uniquely incorporated five critical frameworks absent in national communications: “quarantine-related violence,” “stigma reduction,” “healthcare worker valorization,” “mental health awareness,” and “social health considerations.”
Discussion
Government institutions faced significant challenges in responding to COVID-19 due to inadequate preparedness and lack of necessary pandemic management infrastructure, with official responses largely confined to disseminating basic health and hygiene information despite the crisis’ profound social, economic, and cultural impacts. To strengthen future pandemic response, responsible institutions must move beyond this limited approach by developing comprehensive, process-oriented content that addresses three critical areas: (1) long-term viral outbreak containment strategies, (2) guidelines for maintaining morale-boosting social connections during crises, and (3) measures to enhance healthcare worker resilience – recognizing that effective public health communication must address these multidimensional challenges to properly prepare societies for complex emergencies.
Ethical Consideration
Authors’ contributions: All authors have made substantial contributions to this study.
Funding: This study was not funded.
Conflicts of interest: There was no conflict of interest between the authors in this article.
refrence:
Attride-Stirling, J. (2001). Thematic networks: an analytic tool for qualitative research. Qualitative research, 1(3), 385-405. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/146879410100100307
https://www.who.int/director-general/speeches/detail/who-director-general-s-opening-remarks-at-the-media-briefing-on-covid-19---11-march-2020
www.irna.ir
http://www.behdasht.gov.irwww.behdasht.gov.ir
The emergence of any novel virus triggers an immediate response from public health organizations to disseminate critical information. During the COVID-19 pandemic, institutions leveraged digital platforms extensively to communicate about the virus through various formats, particularly infographics. Each organization adopted distinct framing approaches to this unprecedented crisis. Since media representations can significantly influence crisis management—either mitigating or exacerbating public response—their framing choices carry substantial consequences. These constructed narratives shape individual perceptions and ultimately form collective public opinion.
This study examines how institutional framing in COVID-19 infographics influenced public understanding of the pandemic. Specifically, it analyzes the framing strategies employed by three key organizations: Iran’s Ministry of Health and Medical Education and the Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA) at the national level, and the World Health Organization (WHO) at the international level. The central research question investigates: How did these organizations’ infographic representations frame the COVID-19 pandemic as an emerging public health crisis?
Method
This study employed thematic analysis to examine health communication messages in COVID-19 infographics, utilizing Attride-Stirling’s (2001) framework of thematic networks. This approach categorizes themes into three levels: Basic Themes (specific concepts), Organizing Themes (groupings of related basic themes), and Global Themes (overarching patterns).
The primary research objective focuses on analyzing the framing strategies in COVID-19 infographics produced by national institutions (Iran’s Ministry of Health and IRNA) and the World Health Organization (WHO). This involves identifying, describing, and interpreting global themes within the visual health messages.
The study population comprises all COVID-19 infographics published on the official websites and social media platforms of these three organizations during the period from the WHO’s pandemic declaration (March 11, 2020) through December 31, 2020
Findings
The analysis identified 15 global themes across the examined infographics. Among these, five framing categories—”conflict,” “human interest,” “ethical responsibility,” “hope,” and “economic consequences”—align with frameworks established in prior research. The study revealed ten distinctive framing approaches specific to COVID-19 communication: “physical health,” “social health,” “mental health,” “stigma prevention,” “domestic violence awareness,” “healthcare worker recognition,” “health literacy,” “government commendation,” “information dissemination,” and “vaccine confidence promotion.” Notably, three frameworks—”physical health,” “health literacy enhancement,” and “vaccine confidence building”—were common to all three institutions (WHO, Iran’s Ministry of Health, and IRNA).
Comparative analysis demonstrated that WHO’s infographics addressed a broader spectrum of pandemic dimensions than the two national institutions. The international organization uniquely incorporated five critical frameworks absent in national communications: “quarantine-related violence,” “stigma reduction,” “healthcare worker valorization,” “mental health awareness,” and “social health considerations.”
Discussion
Government institutions faced significant challenges in responding to COVID-19 due to inadequate preparedness and lack of necessary pandemic management infrastructure, with official responses largely confined to disseminating basic health and hygiene information despite the crisis’ profound social, economic, and cultural impacts. To strengthen future pandemic response, responsible institutions must move beyond this limited approach by developing comprehensive, process-oriented content that addresses three critical areas: (1) long-term viral outbreak containment strategies, (2) guidelines for maintaining morale-boosting social connections during crises, and (3) measures to enhance healthcare worker resilience – recognizing that effective public health communication must address these multidimensional challenges to properly prepare societies for complex emergencies.
Ethical Consideration
Authors’ contributions: All authors have made substantial contributions to this study.
Funding: This study was not funded.
Conflicts of interest: There was no conflict of interest between the authors in this article.
refrence:
Attride-Stirling, J. (2001). Thematic networks: an analytic tool for qualitative research. Qualitative research, 1(3), 385-405. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/146879410100100307
https://www.who.int/director-general/speeches/detail/who-director-general-s-opening-remarks-at-the-media-briefing-on-covid-19---11-march-2020
www.irna.ir
http://www.behdasht.gov.irwww.behdasht.gov.ir
Type of Study: orginal |
Received: 2024/08/6 | Accepted: 2025/03/12 | Published: 2025/07/6
Received: 2024/08/6 | Accepted: 2025/03/12 | Published: 2025/07/6
Send email to the article author
| Rights and permissions | |
 |
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. |
Contact Information
Social Welfare Quarterly
Social Welfare Quarterly, Social Welfare Research Department, University of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation, Daneshjoo Blvd, Evin, Tehran, Iran, 19857-13834
Journal Tel: 02171732851
Website: http://refahj.uswr.ac.ir
Email: refahj@uswr.ac.ir
