Social determinants as predictors of public health emergency preparedness in Nigeria
1
Public health, Georgetown Global Health Nigeria, Jahi, Nigeria
Popul. Med. 2026;8(Supplement Supplement 1):A3152
ABSTRACT
ABSTRACT:
Public health emergency preparedness describes the capacity of health systems and communities to prevent, identify, and manage major health crises like pandemics and disease outbreaks. In Nigeria, experiences with recent emergencies, most notably the COVID-19 pandemic, have highlighted ongoing weaknesses in how risks are communicated, agencies are coordinated, and communities are engaged. These gaps are especially pronounced among vulnerable groups, including people living in rural areas or with limited literacy. A community’s readiness is deeply influenced by broader social and economic conditions, not just by hospitals or clinics. Factors like a person’s education, income, ability to access information, and level of social inclusion fundamentally shape how they perceive threats, receive official guidance, and follow protective health measures. For instance, during the COVID-19 response, standard public health messages often failed to reach or resonate with non-literate populations, which reduced overall compliance and undermined the effectiveness of the emergency measures. This analysis, based on a review of existing literature, sought to understand how these social factors predict Nigeria's preparedness capabilities. The evidence clearly shows that determinants like education level and communication access are critical. When risk information is not tailored to diverse cultural and linguistic contexts, public understanding and cooperation suffer. While the country has seen some improvements in official coordination structures since the pandemic, persistent shortcomings in inclusive community engagement and equitable resource distribution remain. Ultimately, strengthening Nigeria’s emergency preparedness relies on more than just medical infrastructure. It requires policies and strategies that directly address underlying social inequalities. By crafting inclusive communication and ensuring that preparedness plans consider the realities of all communities, Nigeria can build a more resilient and effective system for future health emergencies.
Public health emergency preparedness describes the capacity of health systems and communities to prevent, identify, and manage major health crises like pandemics and disease outbreaks. In Nigeria, experiences with recent emergencies, most notably the COVID-19 pandemic, have highlighted ongoing weaknesses in how risks are communicated, agencies are coordinated, and communities are engaged. These gaps are especially pronounced among vulnerable groups, including people living in rural areas or with limited literacy. A community’s readiness is deeply influenced by broader social and economic conditions, not just by hospitals or clinics. Factors like a person’s education, income, ability to access information, and level of social inclusion fundamentally shape how they perceive threats, receive official guidance, and follow protective health measures. For instance, during the COVID-19 response, standard public health messages often failed to reach or resonate with non-literate populations, which reduced overall compliance and undermined the effectiveness of the emergency measures. This analysis, based on a review of existing literature, sought to understand how these social factors predict Nigeria's preparedness capabilities. The evidence clearly shows that determinants like education level and communication access are critical. When risk information is not tailored to diverse cultural and linguistic contexts, public understanding and cooperation suffer. While the country has seen some improvements in official coordination structures since the pandemic, persistent shortcomings in inclusive community engagement and equitable resource distribution remain. Ultimately, strengthening Nigeria’s emergency preparedness relies on more than just medical infrastructure. It requires policies and strategies that directly address underlying social inequalities. By crafting inclusive communication and ensuring that preparedness plans consider the realities of all communities, Nigeria can build a more resilient and effective system for future health emergencies.
| eISSN: | 2654-1459 |
We process personal data collected when visiting the website. The function of obtaining information about users and their behavior is carried out by voluntarily entered information in forms and saving cookies in end devices. Data, including cookies, are used to provide services, improve the user experience and to analyze the traffic in accordance with the Privacy policy. Data are also collected and processed by Google Analytics tool (more).
You can change cookies settings in your browser. Restricted use of cookies in the browser configuration may affect some functionalities of the website.
You can change cookies settings in your browser. Restricted use of cookies in the browser configuration may affect some functionalities of the website.
