A Flu By Any Other Name: Why the World Health Organization Should Adopt the World Meteorological Association's Storm Naming System as a Model for Naming Emerging Infectious Diseases

Abstract

This article explores the factors that contributed to the use of different names for H1N1 by diverse actors in the early stages of the pandemic of 2009 and discusses the implications of inconsistent naming practices for the public's understanding of the virus and the credibility of scientists and health authorities. The authors propose a naming protocol for novel variants modeled after the World Meteorological Association's practice for naming weather events, a model that would enable accurate transmission of technical information among experts and provide a stable name for public use, even in the context of incomplete or changing scientific understanding of the nature of the pathogen.

Misinformation About Health: A Review of Health Communication and Misinformation Scholarship

“…Beyond HIV/AIDS and Ebola, other potential epidemics too have been the subjects of misinformation. The H1N1 flu virus, for example, was one where misinformation was engendered by confusion about the disease (Schein et al, 2012). Other epidemics such as polio have faced significant roadblocks in the path to complete eradication, particularly in Nigeria, where “a large, well-organized misinformation campaign in several states” resulted in a boycott of efforts to immunize children (Waisbord, Shimp, Ogden, & Morry, 2010).…”

“…Such a delayed response to the epidemic left immense scope for the informational vacuum to be filled by data that ranged from ludicrous to downright dangerous, with “prevention methods” eventually proving to be fatal (Neporent, 2014). The swine flu and bird flu epidemics too suffered from misunderstanding of their origins in part due to confusing nomenclature and lack of clarification from the authorities, particularly in the early days (Schein et al, 2012). Similarly, limited access to CDC scientists to the media has been cited as an explanation for the wide misreporting of the anthrax scare in the United States (Mebane et al, 2003).…”

Media Use and Communication Inequalities in a Public Health Emergency: A Case Study of 2009–2010 Pandemic Influenza a Virus Subtype H1N1

“…[27][28][29][30][31][32][33][34][35][36][37][38][39] Yet, misconceptions also tend to arise in times of uncertainty, plausibly leading to adopting ineffective practices and jeopardizing efforts to contain the disease. pH1N1 was originally referred to by health officials and the WHO as "swine flu," causing worldwide confusion regarding the danger posed by pigs [39][40][41][42] and influencing incorrect prevention measures such as avoiding pork 43,44 despite repeated efforts to counter the inaccurate information.…”

Psychoeducational interventions for people living with chronic communicable disease: a systematic review

“…The strong effects in reducing stress and anxiety experienced by these participants were attributed in part to the corrective information provided by weekly psychoeducation sessions. The social stigma around communicable disease in particular facilitates the proliferation of myths, misinformation, stereotypes, etc, which highlights the importance of meeting the informational needs of patients, 68 69 and literature suggests psychoeducation is particularly well-placed to provide this knowledge enhancement. 70 Information is an important component of psychoeducation, but knowledge acquisition alone is often not sufficient to improve self-management.…”