WhatsApp as a Crisis Communication Tool for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing: The Israel-Hamas War from October 7, 2023

Baruchi, C.T., Benoni, H., Nisim, N., Duchan, S., Granot, I., & Yosipof, A. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3176-8982 (2026). WhatsApp as a Crisis Communication Tool for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing: The Israel-Hamas War from October 7, 2023. Prehospital and Disaster Medicine 41 (S1) s190-s190. 10.1017/S1049023X26106177.

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Abstract

Introduction:

Social media platforms have become crucial tools for crisis communication, especially among deaf and hard-of-hearing populations. Given the global prevalence of hearing loss (over 430 million affected), effective communication strategies for this population during emergencies are vital.
Methods:

This study examined four WhatsApp groups catering to the deaf and hard-of-hearing community during the 2023 Israel-Hamas war. These groups served distinct purposes: government updates, emotional support, news updates, and mutual assistance. Data science tools, including Natural Language Processing (NLP) models and sentiment analysis, were employed to analyze message frequency, content, and emotional tone.
Results:

Emergency and disaster events significantly increased daily message frequency, peaking in the early evening, especially following large-scale rocket attacks. Word frequency analysis revealed recurring themes of “hearing,” “welfare,” “problem,” “transcription,” “payment,” and “accessibility.” Sentiment analysis predominantly showed negative emotions, reflecting the community’s distress and helplessness. Government updates group saw the highest activity, particularly in the initial days, indicating a strong need for official information. However, frequent updates also led some members to leave the group due to fear. The emotional support and news update groups highlighted significant challenges in accessing information, with discussions focusing on the lack of sign language interpreters for news broadcasts and the need for better transcription services. Financial concerns regarding the cost of accessibility services were prominent. The mutual assistance group facilitated the exchange of experiences, coping strategies, and technological solutions like vibrating alarms in alerting apps. However, discussions revealed ongoing issues with real-time alert systems.
Conclusion:

Social media has the potential to bridge communication gaps for this population during crises while highlighting persistent accessibility challenges. Our findings highlight a critical need for improved services, including accessible information dissemination and targeted alert systems, these insights can inform more effective crisis communication strategies, enhancing emergency preparedness for the deaf and hard-of-hearing community.

Item Type:	Article
Research Programs:	Advancing Systems Analysis (ASA) Advancing Systems Analysis (ASA) > Cooperation and Transformative Governance (CAT)
Depositing User:	Luke Kirwan
Date Deposited:	07 May 2026 09:47
Last Modified:	07 May 2026 09:47
URI:	https://pure.iiasa.ac.at/21546

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