Making Public Health Accessible: Creating Digital Content for Vulnerable Populations

Background: As Hurricane Irma approached the East Coast in 2017, the Maryland Department of Health (MDH) Office of Preparedness and Response (OP&R) posted critical hurricane safety information, which was shared widely on social media. Unfortunately, the critical information was contained within the image, so those who were visually impaired were not provided the critical information and, therefore, unable to effectively prepare for the emergency.

Program background: While Hurricane Irma did not directly impact Maryland, the importance of providing accessible information became clear. Providing public health emergency preparedness and response information to the public is critical to ensure all residents get the right information at the right time so they can make the right decisions. In 2016, an estimated 656,120 Marylanders, or 11.1 percent, reported a disability; specifically, 112,141 people reported a visual disability and 156,067 people reported a hearing disability. Additionally, 365,707 Marylanders were identified as speaking English less than “very well.”

Evaluation Methods and Results: To ensure all Marylanders receive the same critical and life-saving information, OP&R became a leader in accessibility for public health public information by:

• Creating fully accessible Facebook and Twitter accounts for the visually impaired
• Renovating the OP&R website to include alt-text on all images
• Providing 26 detailed preparedness fact sheets in nine languages
• Developing videos with text for the hearing impaired
• Ensuring all digital materials, including website, newsletters, social media, and more are accessible for the visually impaired
• Training all Local Health Departments to meet Federal 508 Compliance Guidelines for IT Accessibility, and Maryland Nondiscrimination Laws such as the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Rehabilitation Act, and the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act

Conclusions: While there are numerous state and federal guidelines across the United States that require digital content be accessible, many state and federal agencies are still not meeting these guidelines. There are many simple steps that can be taken without a significant increase in time or staffing. By providing training and support to our partners, OP&R hopes that all agencies, especially those providing life-saving information, can become fully accessible on social media and beyond.

Implications for research and/or practice: By training local health departments, hospitals, and other public health public information professionals, we are able to ensure that life-saving information is accessible to all Marylanders, regardless of disability or limited English proficiency.