DOI: https://doi.org/10.63345/ijrsml.v13.i7.2
Renu Gupta1 & Dr Brij Lata Sharma2
1Research Scholar
Maharaja Agrasen Himalayan Garhwal University
Uttarakhand, India
2Research Guide
Maharaja Agrasen Himalayan Garhwal University
Uttarakhand, India
Abstract
The dissemination of accurate public health information during pandemics is crucial for community awareness, compliance with preventive measures, and ultimately, containment of the disease. In linguistically diverse nations like India, the dominance of English and Hindi in official communications creates a significant accessibility gap, especially in rural and marginalized communities. This manuscript investigates the role of regional languages in enhancing the accessibility, comprehension, and trustworthiness of public health information during pandemics such as COVID-19. It analyzes communication strategies, governmental and non-governmental initiatives, and public reception to localized health messages. Drawing upon case studies, field surveys, and digital outreach metrics, this study highlights the linguistic inequities in health communication and proposes frameworks for inclusive language-based public health strategies. The findings underscore the need for decentralizing health communication and embracing multilingualism as a public health imperative.
Keywords
Regional languages, public health communication, pandemics, linguistic accessibility, COVID-19, India, information dissemination, health equity, multilingualism, rural health
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