Challenges for State Health Departments Communicating on COVID-19 Vaccines: A Content Analysis of U.S. States’ Health Department Websites

Since the COVID-19 pandemic began, state governments throughout the United States have used their official websites to provide timely and accurate information about various aspects of the disease, such as vaccination, testing, associated risks, and other relevant topics. This study content analyzed the main COVID-19 homepage of each state’s health department, focusing on the informational content and the technological structure. Information content about uncertainty reduction and self-efficacy on the main pages was coded. The websites’ structural characteristics were also analyzed using the four technological affordances in the MAIN model. Furthermore, the information content was compared to the CDC’s vaccine confidence uptake strategies to evaluate the quality of the content. The data analysis from 48 states revealed that while there was an adequate quantity of content addressing uncertainty reduction and self-efficacy, a noticeable gap existed in the comprehensive integration of CDC guidelines and the optimal utilization of webpage structures. This gap limits the effectiveness of certain state health department websites in fulfilling their intended purpose. Therefore, there is room for improvement in ensuring these platforms effectively disseminate crucial information and promote public understanding and confidence in COVID-19-related issues.