The Role of Two-Way Communication in Institutional Resilience During the COVID-19 Crisis: A Global Perspective
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.61978/communica.v3i2.649Keywords:
Crisis Communication, Public Trust, Social Media Strategies, Misinformation, Emotional Messaging, Institutional Resilience, Adaptive CommunicationAbstract
Crisis communication has become an essential function of public institutions, particularly in light of recent global disruptions such as the COVID-19 pandemic. This narrative review investigates effective communication strategies and recurrent failures in public crisis response, aiming to uncover key factors that enhance or hinder institutional trust. A structured literature review was conducted across Scopus, Web of Science, PubMed, and Google Scholar, using targeted keywords such as "crisis communication," "public institutions," "risk communication," and "social media trust." Inclusion criteria emphasized peer-reviewed empirical studies and reviews that addressed communication practices during crises. The review highlights the importance of two-way communication, which fosters public trust by encouraging active engagement and feedback. Social media emerges as a double-edged sword—while it facilitates rapid information dissemination, it also accelerates the spread of misinformation. Studies show that content featuring emotional appeal, cultural relevance, and empathy improves message reception. However, systemic barriers like resource constraints and institutional mistrust remain persistent obstacles. Findings suggest that adaptive, emotionally resonant communication, combined with transparent messaging and inter-agency collaboration, significantly improves crisis response. Public institutions must therefore develop strategies that integrate digital tools, empower local leaders, and prioritize audience-specific messaging. These insights offer a foundation for future policies and research aimed at strengthening institutional resilience in the face of ongoing and emerging crises.
References
Abdelzadeh, A., & Sedelius, T. (2024). Trust and communication in public health: Evidence from Sweden’s COVID-19 response. Scandinavian Journal of Public Administration, 28(1), 23–41. https://doi.org/10.24834/2001-7405-2024-28-1-23
Asthana, S., Shaw, I., & Warwick-Booth, L. (2025). Public engagement and trust during COVID-19: A comparative analysis. Journal of Risk Research, 28(4), 441–456. https://doi.org/10.1080/13669877.2024.1907312
Capurro, D., & Greenberg, R. (2025). Digital strategies in health crisis communication: Lessons from COVID-19. Health Communication, 40(2), 145–157. https://doi.org/10.1080/10410236.2024.1954412
Cernicova-Bucă, M., & Palea, A. (2021). Strategic communication during health crises: Empathy and cultural adaptation. Communication & Society, 34(1), 67–79. https://doi.org/10.15581/003.34.1.67-79
Cheung, A., Müller, S., & Weber, T. (2023). Communicating health risk in a multicultural context: The Swiss experience. International Journal of Public Health, 68, Article 160576. https://doi.org/10.3389/ijph.2023.160576
Dijck, J. V., & Alinejad, D. (2020). Social media and trust in public institutions during the pandemic. Media and Communication, 8(2), 429–439. https://doi.org/10.17645/mac.v8i2.2903
Dubé, E., Vivion, M., & Gagnon, D. (2022). Emotional communication and vaccine hesitancy: A review. Vaccine, 40(4), 601–610. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.vaccine.2021.11.094
Esposito, C. L., Nicastro, M., & Rivera, R. (2021). Faith-based collaboration in crisis communication: Addressing vaccine distrust. Journal of Health and Religion, 45(3), 311–326. https://doi.org/10.1080/17431620903116694
Fokaefs, A., & Sapountzaki, K. (2021). Crisis communication strategies in European civil protection systems. Disaster Prevention and Management, 30(5), 621–635. https://doi.org/10.1108/DPM-09-2020-0301
Hagen, L., Keller, T., Neely, S., & DePaula, N. (2017). Crisis communication and social media: An analysis of messages and emotion. Journal of Public Relations Research, 29(4), 277–291. https://doi.org/10.1080/1062726X.2017.1363658
Ho, M., Chia, A., & Kwek, J. (2024). Government use of digital tools in crisis communication: Case studies from Europe. Journal of Communication Management, 28(1), 12–30. https://doi.org/10.1108/JCOM-06-2023-0056
Jakovljević, I., Jovanović, M., & Petrović, A. (2020). Cultural competence in crisis communication: A global perspective. International Journal of Intercultural Relations, 74, 160–170. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijintrel.2019.11.005
Juliette, P., Martens, M., & Verboom, M. (2025). Participatory governance and public trust in crisis response. Governance, 38(1), 83–101. https://doi.org/10.1111/gove.12784
Keenan, K. (2018). Public engagement through infographics and digital campaigns during outbreaks. Health Promotion Practice, 19(4), 601–607. https://doi.org/10.1177/1524839918778840
Kerstis, B., Andersson, S., & Hedberg, L. (2021). Social media narratives in local government crisis messaging. Public Relations Inquiry, 10(1), 23–37. https://doi.org/10.1177/2046147X20975727
Kerwin, C., & Alulema, C. (2021). Adapting public health messaging to local contexts: Communication in the U.S. Latino community. Health Equity, 5(1), 372–379. https://doi.org/10.1089/heq.2020.0132
Kipke, M., Willard, S., & Brown, M. (2023). Community-based communication strategies during COVID-19 in Los Angeles. Journal of Urban Health, 100(1), 101–115. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11524-023-00633-7
Kosciejew, M. (2021). Twittering through the pandemic: Government social media strategies. Online Information Review, 45(2), 237–252. https://doi.org/10.1108/OIR-09-2020-0401
Lalić, D., Bebić, D., & Nakić, J. (2023). Training public servants for crisis communication: Needs and challenges. Public Management Review, 25(2), 301–317. https://doi.org/10.1080/14719037.2021.1994390
Lu, Y., Zhang, W., & Tao, Y. (2021). Strengthening NGO-government collaboration during disasters: A case study of COVID-19 in Wuhan. Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly, 50(5), 1128–1145. https://doi.org/10.1177/08997640211017970
Lupu, D., & Ţigănaşu, R. (2023). Institutional response to misinformation in Romania: A crisis communication perspective. Eastern Journal of European Studies, 14(1), 57–75. https://doi.org/10.47743/ejes-2023-0103
Magarini, M., Conti, G., & Bianchi, P. (2021). Managing health communication amid COVID-19 misinformation: European lessons. European Journal of Public Health, 31(6), 1123–1130. https://doi.org/10.1093/eurpub/ckab089
Massaro, M., Dumay, J., & Garlatti, A. (2021). Government communication strategies and COVID-19: Managing trust through transparency. Public Management Review, 23(12), 1801–1819. https://doi.org/10.1080/14719037.2021.1922140
Natow, R. (2022). Crisis response in higher education: Leadership communication during uncertainty. Educational Policy, 36(4), 664–686. https://doi.org/10.1177/08959048211001429
Radu, L. (2022). Building trust through crisis communication on social media: An EU-level comparative study. Journal of European Public Policy, 29(8), 1184–1203. https://doi.org/10.1080/13501763.2021.1968913
Renganathan, L., Yee, L. T., & Kaur, A. (2023). Crisis communication and local values: A Malaysian case study. Asian Journal of Communication, 33(2), 140–157. https://doi.org/10.1080/01292986.2022.2101229
Ries, L. (2022). The impact of uncertainty in public health communication: A review. Journal of Health Communication, 27(3), 213–225. https://doi.org/10.1080/10810730.2022.2024930
Ryan, T., Chen, C., & Patel, R. (2023). Real-time communication in pandemic response: Data-driven messaging strategies. Journal of Contingencies and Crisis Management, 31(2), 164–174. https://doi.org/10.1111/1468-5973.12421
Samayoa, C., Torres, M., & Delgado, H. (2022). Visual storytelling and public compliance during COVID-19. Journal of Visual Communication in Medicine, 45(3), 145–158. https://doi.org/10.1080/17453054.2022.2050937
Sayarifard, A., Farrokhi, M., & Sattari, M. (2022). Communication gaps in pandemic preparedness: Evidence from Iranian public health institutions. Iranian Journal of Public Health, 51(9), 2101–2110. https://doi.org/10.18502/ijph.v51i9.11099
Slagle, M. W., Wygant, D. B., & D’Angelo, P. (2021). Pandemic misinformation and the erosion of public trust. Journal of Media Ethics, 36(2), 97–110. https://doi.org/10.1080/23736992.2021.1904815
Sleigh, G., White, K., & Kumar, R. (2021). Information overload and public trust during COVID-19. Communication Research Reports, 38(4), 224–234. https://doi.org/10.1080/08824096.2021.1944272
Wang, Y. (2022). Government response to COVID-19 in multilingual societies: Lessons from Singapore. Asian Politics & Policy, 14(3), 387–405. https://doi.org/10.1111/aspp.12502
