Mapping and testing nonpharmaceutical intervention (NPI) messages

To effectively communicate and promote the use of nonpharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) to the general public and community leaders (e.g., school officials and employers), we conducted an NPI message mapping and testing project. Message mapping is designed to help organizations communicate information about a specific topic to audiences in a concise and timely manner. The process involves using a template, called a message map, to identify three key messages for a specific topic and three supporting facts for each key message. We coordinated a 2-day message mapping session with internal CDC partners, including scientists, health communicators, and policy and management experts, to discuss priority topics related to pandemic influenza and to develop NPI messages. Nineteen NPI message maps were developed for members of the general public and community leaders.

To evaluate the clarity of the NPI message maps and the feasibility of the recommended actions, we later conducted 18 web-based, camera-assisted focus groups, with 99 participants recruited from across the United States. Participants included business administrators, members of the general public, and parents with children attending child care and K-12 schools. Key findings from the focus groups include the need for more action-oriented messages, concern about the practicality of school closures during a pandemic, confusion between seasonal and pandemic influenza, and the need for information about the use of face masks. We incorporated these findings in the development of an NPI website and educational materials (e.g., checklists, fact sheets, and posters) for the general public and community leaders.