Crafting Efficiency and Legitimacy in Health Crisis Communication Scandinavian COVID-19 Press Conferences

This presentation detailed a thematic analysis of press conferences held by public health authorities and governmental officials in Sweden, Norway, and Denmark during the COVID-19 pandemic to assess how they framed their messages to effectively resonate with the public, deliver explanatory insights, and provide actionable guidance following the IDEA model, alongside constructing legitimacy in their crisis leadership. The findings indicated that all three countries employed instructive and legitimate communication strategies; however, notable variations emerged between the nations as well as between government officials compared to public health experts. The political leaders in Norway and Denmark emphasized internalization and comprehensive explanations, conveying a strong sense of empathy and urgency. In contrast, the public health authorities in Sweden and Denmark focused on explanations and actionable insights, prioritizing data transparency and the dissemination of scientific information. As such, this presentation detailed the role that the sender plays in message construction during a prolonged crisis.