Communicating Awareness About COVID-19 Through Songs: An Example From Ghana

nat rosasco • June 8, 2021

Research has shown that music can be used to educate or disseminate information about public health crises. Grounded in the edutainment approach, the authors explored how songs are being used to create awareness about COVID-19 in Ghana, a sub-Saharan African country. Eight themes emerged from the analysis: public health guidelines, COVID-19 is real and not a hoax, COVID-19 is infectious, prayer as method to stop the virus, emotional reaction and disruption of "everyday" activities; verbally expelling the virus, call for unity and collective efforts, and inspiring hope. We show that songs have the potential as a method for rapidly sharing information about emerging public health crises. Even though, it is beyond the scope of this study to draw conclusions about the reception and impact of songs on awareness and knowledge, the study shows that examining song lyrics can still be useful in understanding local attitudes toward COVID-19, as well as strategies for promoting preventive behaviors.

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