Submission ID 131066
| Issue/Objective | Trust is a critical determinant of effective epidemic preparedness and response, yet the mechanisms through which it is built and sustained remain insufficiently understood. In the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), recurrent epidemics occur in contexts marked by weak health infrastructure, linguistic diversity, and social inequalities. This study examines how community leaders shape trust and risk communication, and how multilingualism, gender, and geography influence equitable access to information and community engagement. |
|---|---|
| Methodology/Approach | This qualitative study draws on 12 focus group discussions conducted in 2025 with 72 participants across six provinces of the DRC (Kinshasa, Haut-Katanga, Équateur, Kasaï-Oriental, Kwilu, Kwango). Discussions were stratified by gender and analyzed thematically to examine how community leaders shape trust and mediate risk communication. |
| Results | Community leaders (e.g., community relays, traditional chiefs, religious leaders, and women's and youth representatives) emerge as central actors in epidemic communication. Beyond transmitting information, they function as "social translators," adapting public health messages to local languages and sociocultural contexts. Trust is shown to be relational and context-dependent, shaped by proximity, prior experiences, and perceived credibility. Multilingualism constitutes a structural barrier to equitable information access, with local leaders playing a key role in bridging linguistic gaps. Gender and geography further influence communication pathways, with women and rural populations relying more on interpersonal networks. Delayed and top-down communication from authorities undermines trust, highlighting the importance of timeliness in risk communication. |
| Discussion/Conclusion | Effective epidemic preparedness requires moving beyond information dissemination toward strengthening community-based communication systems. Institutional recognition and sustained support for community leaders, alongside inclusive multilingual and gender-responsive strategies, are essential to build trust and enhance public health responses in complex settings. These findings demonstrate how centring community leadership and marginalized voices enables context-driven solutions, highlighting where change happens and who leads it within resilient health systems and communities. |
| Presenters and Affiliations | Stéphanie Maltais Département de gestion, d'évaluation et de politique de santé, École de santé publique, Université de Montréal Oum El Hanae El Kraid Independant Researcher Serge Obed Kapanga Kule Département d'anthropologie, Université de Kinshasa Delphin Mubanga Département d'anthropologie, Université de Kinshasa Henri Kimina Département d'anthropologie, Université de Kinshasa Justin Masumu Institut national de recherche biomédicale |
