RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Progressive Development of a New Tool for Rapid Thematic Analysis of Community Perceptions and Concerns During Health Emergencies
JF Global Health: Science and Practice
JO GLOB HEALTH SCI PRACT
FD Johns Hopkins University- Global Health. Bloomberg School of Public Health, Center for Communication Programs
SP e2400281
DO 10.9745/GHSP-D-24-00281
VO 13
IS 2
A1 Earle-Richardson, Giulia
A1 Nestor, Ciara
A1 Prue, Christine E.
YR 2025
UL http://www.ghspjournal.org/content/13/2/e2400281.abstract
AB Key MessagesThe free U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Excel Tool for Thematic Analysis fills an important gap within global emergency response by offering self-paced user trainings, epidemic-specific coding schemes, and several other features not typically provided with other qualitative analysis applications.We detail 6 instances in which users provided actionable recommendations for outbreaks of Ebola, mpox, and dengue.An unexpected mixed methods use for the tool has emerged through the development process for coding responses of open-ended questions in surveys. With more advanced features of the tool, the user can both thematically analyze open-ended survey responses and link them to individual respondents for quantitative analysis.The tool makes it easier for ministries of health and global partners to incorporate community views into epidemic response and systematically follow changes in public sentiments over time.Background:Rapid analysis of community needs, perspectives, and concerns during global health emergencies is essential but technically challenging. In the past, emergency responders have struggled to listen to and engage affected communities because of perceptions about anticipated costs and time delays in receiving actionable results.Tool Development:The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Excel Tool for Thematic Analysis was developed over 5 years of assisting with emergency responses for Ebola, COVID-19, Sudan Ebolavirus, mpox, and the Ukraine crisis. Beginning with a simple Excel spreadsheet for coding Ebola-related community feedback, we continued to add new features as needs arose, such as preloaded epidemic and health emergency coding schemes, preprogrammed results tables, step-by-step thematic analysis instruction, YouTube training videos, and planning and communication tools for effective use of the results.Implementation:The tool is a customized Excel workbook for qualitative text coding and thematic analysis that enables the user to code and derive key themes from texts, such as interview and focus group transcripts, notes, surveys with open-ended questions, and social media comments. We review the 10 programmed worksheets for planning, cataloguing, coding, and thematically analyzing any kind of text data.Conclusion:The strategies for rapid community feedback analysis during health emergencies are a special application of qualitative analysis methodology to the health emergency setting, enabling a deep reading and transparent and defensible interpretation of the text. Skills learned while using the tool are easily transferable to analyses using licensed software or fully manual methods. The tool offers a step-by-step guide for anyone to analyze text data to answer a relevant question in or outside the context of emergencies.