Transparency beyond information disclosure: strategies of the Scandinavian public health authorities during the COVID-19 pandemic

Øyvind Ihlen*, Sine Nørholm Just, Jens E. Kjeldsen, Ragnhild Mølster, Truls Strand Offerdal, Joel Rasmussen, Eli Skogerbø

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalJournal articleResearchpeer-review

Abstract

The concept of transparency has been problematized in risk research. This exploratory study contributes to the risk literature by considering an established three-dimensional transparency framework (information substantiality, accountability, and participation) and discussing the opportunities for and challenges to risk communication in relation to the framework. Furthermore, we examine the strategies of Scandinavian health authorities during the COVID-19 pandemic and the different levels of public trust in these authorities. In general, Norwegian authorities received higher levels of trust than their Swedish and Danish counterparts. We argue that this was partly due to differences in transparency management. Our findings support the importance of the three transparency dimensions and indicate that transparency regarding uncertainties positively impacts levels of trust.

Original languageEnglish
JournalJournal of Risk Research
Volume25
Issue number10
Pages (from-to)1176-1189
Number of pages14
ISSN1366-9877
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2022

Keywords

  • COVID-19
  • risk communication
  • Transparency

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