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Post S, Bienzeisler N, Lohöfener M. A desire for authoritative science? How citizens' informational needs and epistemic beliefs shaped their views of science, news, and policymaking in the COVID-19 pandemic. Public Underst Sci 2021; 30:496-514. [PMID: 33840287 PMCID: PMC8261782 DOI: 10.1177/09636625211005334] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
The coronavirus pandemic created a situation in which virological and epidemiological science became highly politically relevant but was uncertain and fragmented. This raises the question as to how science could inform policymaking and public debate on societal crisis management. Based on an online survey of Germans (N = 1513) representative for age, gender, education, and place of residence, we investigate citizens' prescriptive views of the relationships between science, policymaking, and the media. Views differ depending on their informational needs and epistemic beliefs. People with a need for definite information and a view of scientific knowledge as static wanted scientists to dominate policymaking and journalists to deliver definite information about the coronavirus. People with an informational need to construct their own opinions wanted journalists to question policy and scientific advice. Furthermore, they rejected the idea of scientists dominating policymaking. Results are discussed with reference to theories of science and democracy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Senja Post
- Senja Post, University of Göttingen, Platz
der Göttinger Sieben 5, Göttingen D-37073, Germany.
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202
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Jimenez ME, Rivera-Núñez Z, Crabtree BF, Hill D, Pellerano MB, Devance D, Macenat M, Lima D, Martinez Alcaraz E, Ferrante JM, Barrett ES, Blaser MJ, Panettieri RA, Hudson SV. Black and Latinx Community Perspectives on COVID-19 Mitigation Behaviors, Testing, and Vaccines. JAMA Netw Open 2021; 4:e2117074. [PMID: 34264327 PMCID: PMC8283554 DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2021.17074] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
IMPORTANCE Black and Latinx communities have been disproportionately affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, yet little work has sought to understand their perspectives. OBJECTIVE To explore the experiences of Black and Latinx communities during the pandemic to better understand their perspectives on COVID-19 mitigation behaviors (eg, mask wearing), testing, and vaccines. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS In this community-engaged qualitative study conducted with 18 community-based organizations and 4 health care organizations between November 19, 2020, and February 5, 2021, in New Jersey counties severely affected by the pandemic, group and individual interviews were used to purposively sample 111 Black and Latinx individuals. A total of 13 group interviews were organized by race/ethnicity and language: 4 English-speaking groups with Black participants (n = 34), 3 Spanish-speaking groups with Latinx participants (n = 24), and 4 English-speaking groups with Black and Latinx participants (n = 36). To understand the views of health care workers from these communities, 2 additional groups (n = 9) were convened and supplemented with individual interviews. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES Description of Black and Latinx participants' experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic and their perspectives on mitigation behaviors, testing, and vaccines. RESULTS The study included 111 participants (87 women [78.4%]; median age, 43 years [range, 18-93 years]). Participants described the devastating effects of the pandemic on themselves, loved ones, and their community. Their experiences were marked by fear, illness, loss, and separation. These experiences motivated intense information seeking, mitigation behaviors, and testing. Nevertheless, vaccine skepticism was high across all groups. Participants did not trust the vaccine development process and wanted clearer information. Black participants expressed that they did not want to be subjects of experiments. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE The remaining unknowns about new vaccines need to be acknowledged and described for Black and Latinx communities to make informed decisions. Ultimately, scientists and public officials need to work transparently to address unanswered questions and work collaboratively with trusted community leaders and health professionals to foster partnered approaches, rather than focusing on marketing campaigns, to eliminate vaccine skepticism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manuel E. Jimenez
- Department of Pediatrics, Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, New Brunswick, New Jersey
- Department of Family Medicine and Community Health, Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, New Brunswick, New Jersey
| | - Zorimar Rivera-Núñez
- Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Rutgers School of Public Health, Rutgers Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences Institute, Piscataway, New Jersey
| | - Benjamin F. Crabtree
- Department of Family Medicine and Community Health, Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, New Brunswick, New Jersey
| | - Diane Hill
- Rutgers School of Public Affairs and Administration, University-Community Partnerships, Newark, New Jersey
| | - Maria B. Pellerano
- Department of Family Medicine and Community Health, Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, New Brunswick, New Jersey
| | - Donita Devance
- Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, University-Community Partnerships, Newark
| | - Myneka Macenat
- Department of Family Medicine and Community Health, Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, New Brunswick, New Jersey
| | - Daniel Lima
- Department of Pediatrics, Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, New Brunswick, New Jersey
| | - Emmanuel Martinez Alcaraz
- Department of Family Medicine and Community Health, Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, New Brunswick, New Jersey
| | - Jeanne M. Ferrante
- Department of Family Medicine and Community Health, Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, New Brunswick, New Jersey
| | - Emily S. Barrett
- Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Rutgers School of Public Health, Rutgers Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences Institute, Piscataway, New Jersey
| | - Martin J. Blaser
- Department of Medicine, Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Rutgers Center for Advance Biotechnology and Medicine, New Brunswick, New Jersey
- Department of and Pathology, Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Rutgers Center for Advance Biotechnology and Medicine, New Brunswick, New Jersey
| | - Reynold A. Panettieri
- Rutgers Institute for Translational Medicine and Science, Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, New Brunswick, New Jersey
| | - Shawna V. Hudson
- Department of Family Medicine and Community Health, Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, New Brunswick, New Jersey
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203
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Allington D, Duffy B, Wessely S, Dhavan N, Rubin J. Health-protective behaviour, social media usage and conspiracy belief during the COVID-19 public health emergency. Psychol Med 2021; 51:1763-1769. [PMID: 32513320 PMCID: PMC7298098 DOI: 10.1017/s003329172000224x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 315] [Impact Index Per Article: 105.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2020] [Accepted: 06/05/2020] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Social media platforms have long been recognised as major disseminators of health misinformation. Many previous studies have found a negative association between health-protective behaviours and belief in the specific form of misinformation popularly known as 'conspiracy theory'. Concerns have arisen regarding the spread of COVID-19 conspiracy theories on social media. METHODS Three questionnaire surveys of social media use, conspiracy beliefs and health-protective behaviours with regard to COVID-19 among UK residents were carried out online, one using a self-selecting sample (N = 949) and two using stratified random samples from a recruited panel (N = 2250, N = 2254). RESULTS All three studies found a negative relationship between COVID-19 conspiracy beliefs and COVID-19 health-protective behaviours, and a positive relationship between COVID-19 conspiracy beliefs and use of social media as a source of information about COVID-19. Studies 2 and 3 also found a negative relationship between COVID-19 health-protective behaviours and use of social media as a source of information, and Study 3 found a positive relationship between health-protective behaviours and use of broadcast media as a source of information. CONCLUSIONS When used as an information source, unregulated social media may present a health risk that is partly but not wholly reducible to their role as disseminators of health-related conspiracy beliefs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Allington
- King's College London, Digital Humanities, Strand, London, WC2R 2LS, UK
| | - Bobby Duffy
- King's College London, Digital Humanities, Strand, London, WC2R 2LS, UK
| | - Simon Wessely
- King's College London, Digital Humanities, Strand, London, WC2R 2LS, UK
| | - Nayana Dhavan
- King's College London, Digital Humanities, Strand, London, WC2R 2LS, UK
| | - James Rubin
- King's College London, Digital Humanities, Strand, London, WC2R 2LS, UK
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204
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Lippi G, Mattiuzzi C, Santos de Oliveira MH, Henry BM. Clinical Predictors of SARS-CoV-2 Testing Pressure on Clinical Laboratories: A Multinational Study Analyzing Google Trends and Over 100 Million Diagnostic Tests. Lab Med 2021; 52:311-314. [PMID: 33724401 PMCID: PMC7989359 DOI: 10.1093/labmed/lmab013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Evidence has shown that Google searches for clinical symptom keywords correlates with the number of new weekly patients with COVID-19. This multinational study assessed whether demand for SARS-CoV-2 tests could also be predicted by Google searches for key COVID-19 symptoms. METHODS The weekly number of SARS-CoV-2 tests performed in Italy and the United States was retrieved from official sources. A concomitant electronic search was performed in Google Trends, using terms for key COVID-19 symptoms. RESULTS The model that provided the highest coefficient of determination for the United States (R2 = 82.8%) included a combination of searching for cough (with a time lag of 2 weeks), fever (with a time lag of 2 weeks), and headache (with a time lag of 3 weeks; the time lag refers to the amount of time between when a search was conducted and when a test was administered). In Italy, headache provided the model with the highest adjusted R2 (86.8%), with time lags of both 1 and 2 weeks. CONCLUSION Weekly monitoring of Google Trends scores for nonspecific COVID-19 symptoms is a reliable approach for anticipating SARS-CoV-2 testing demands ~2 weeks in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giuseppe Lippi
- Section of Clinical Biochemistry, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Camilla Mattiuzzi
- Service of Clinical Governance, Provincial Agency for Social and Sanitary Services, Trento, Italy
| | | | - Brandon M Henry
- Cardiac Intensive Care Unit, The Heart Institute, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Ohio, USA
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205
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Wang JV, Noell C, Sodha P, Albornoz CA, Friedman PM, Zachary CB, Saedi N. Comparing Medical Spas and Physician Practices for Cosmetic Procedures: A Survey of Millennial Consumers. Dermatol Surg 2021; 47:1042-1044. [PMID: 33165081 DOI: 10.1097/dss.0000000000002861] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Jordan V Wang
- Department of Dermatology and Cutaneous Biology, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Laser & Skin Surgery Center of New York, New York, NY
| | - Claire Noell
- Maryland Dermatology Laser, Skin, and Vein Institute, Hunt Valley, Maryland
| | - Pooja Sodha
- Dermatology and Laser Surgery Center, Houston, Texas
| | - Christian A Albornoz
- Department of Dermatology and Cutaneous Biology, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | | | | | - Nazanin Saedi
- Department of Dermatology and Cutaneous Biology, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
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206
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Petitet P, Attaallah B, Manohar SG, Husain M. The computational cost of active information sampling before decision-making under uncertainty. Nat Hum Behav 2021; 5:935-946. [PMID: 34045719 DOI: 10.1038/s41562-021-01116-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2020] [Accepted: 04/14/2021] [Indexed: 01/30/2023]
Abstract
Humans often seek information to minimize the pervasive effect of uncertainty on decisions. Current theories explain how much knowledge people should gather before a decision, based on the cost-benefit structure of the problem at hand. Here, we demonstrate that this framework omits a crucial agent-related factor: the cognitive effort expended while collecting information. Using an active sampling model, we unveil a speed-efficiency trade-off whereby more informative samples take longer to find. Crucially, under sufficient time pressure, humans can break this trade-off, sampling both faster and more efficiently. Computational modelling demonstrates the existence of a cost of cognitive effort which, when incorporated into theoretical models, provides a better account of people's behaviour and also relates to self-reported fatigue accumulated during active sampling. Thus, the way people seek knowledge to guide their decisions is shaped not only by task-related costs and benefits, but also crucially by the quantifiable computational costs incurred.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pierre Petitet
- Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.
| | | | - Sanjay G Manohar
- Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Masud Husain
- Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.
- Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.
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207
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Sabahelzain MM, Ibrahim ZA, Hamad SAB, Finnegan G. Vaccine Information Seeking Behavior Among Pregnant Women in Khartoum State, Sudan: A Hospital-Based Cross-Sectional Study. Front Public Health 2021; 9:586333. [PMID: 34249823 PMCID: PMC8267811 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2021.586333] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2020] [Accepted: 05/24/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Objective: This study aims to explore vaccine information-seeking behavior and its determinants among pregnant women in Khartoum state, Sudan. The findings from this study will be used to inform further development of policies and interventions in Sudan to increase vaccine acceptance and demand. Methods: A hospital-based cross-sectional study was conducted in two public hospitals, Omdurman maternity and AL-Saudi hospitals in Omdurman, Khartoum state, from February to April 2020. Results: We interviewed 350 pregnant women in the two hospitals. Our findings showed that one-third of pregnant women (35.7%) searched for information about vaccines. The vast majority searched for this information before pregnancy and during pregnancy (34.4 and 59.2%, respectively). They primarily searched for topics related to vaccine schedules and vaccine side effects (28.8% for each). The main sources of vaccine-related information consumed by pregnant women were healthcare professionals, particularly doctors (40%), and the internet (20.8%). Findings showed that a high level of education was associated with a greater likelihood of searching for additional vaccine information. Moreover, those who perceived their family to have a high income were more likely to search for information. Additionally, pregnant women with low confidence in vaccines were more likely to be involved in searching for additional vaccine information. This highlights the need for high-quality, easily accessible information that addresses their needs. Conclusion: Our findings showed that confidence in vaccine influences seeking for relevant information. We recommend the development of client-centered communication interventions to help increasing vaccine confidence and consequently vaccine acceptance and demand.
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Affiliation(s)
- Majdi M. Sabahelzain
- Department of Public Health, School of Health Sciences, Ahfad University for Women, Omdurman, Sudan
- Tat3im Initiative (Tat3im=immunization), School of Health Sciences, Ahfad University for Women, Omdurman, Sudan
| | | | - Sahar A. B. Hamad
- Tat3im Initiative (Tat3im=immunization), School of Health Sciences, Ahfad University for Women, Omdurman, Sudan
- School of Medicine, Ahfad University for Women, Omdurman, Sudan
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208
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Emery BF, Niles MT, Danforth CM, Dodds PS. Local information sources received the most attention from Puerto Ricans during the aftermath of Hurricane Maria. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0251704. [PMID: 34106937 PMCID: PMC8189509 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0251704] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2020] [Accepted: 04/30/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
In September 2017, Hurricane Maria made landfall across the Caribbean region as a category 4 storm. In the aftermath, many residents of Puerto Rico were without power or clean running water for nearly a year. Using both English and Spanish tweets from September 16 to October 15 2017, we investigate discussion of Maria both on and off the island, constructing a proxy for the temporal network of communication between victims of the hurricane and others. We use information theoretic tools to compare the lexical divergence of different subgroups within the network. Lastly, we quantify temporal changes in user prominence throughout the event. We find at the global level that Spanish tweets more often contained messages of hope and a focus on those helping. At the local level, we find that information propagating among Puerto Ricans most often originated from sources local to the island, such as journalists and politicians. Critically, content from these accounts overshadows content from celebrities, global news networks, and the like for the large majority of the time period studied. Our findings reveal insight into ways social media campaigns could be deployed to disseminate relief information during similar events in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin Freixas Emery
- Computational Story Lab, Vermont Complex Systems Center, The Vermont Advanced Computing Core, Department of Mathematics & Statistics, The University of Vermont, Burlington, VT, United States of America
| | - Meredith T. Niles
- Department of Nutrition and Food Sciences, The University of Vermont, Burlington, VT, United States of America
| | - Christopher M. Danforth
- Computational Story Lab, Vermont Complex Systems Center, The Vermont Advanced Computing Core, Department of Mathematics & Statistics, The University of Vermont, Burlington, VT, United States of America
| | - Peter Sheridan Dodds
- Computational Story Lab, Vermont Complex Systems Center, The Vermont Advanced Computing Core, Department of Mathematics & Statistics, The University of Vermont, Burlington, VT, United States of America
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209
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Mehta M, Kundu RV. Racial Differences in Treatment Preferences of Acne Vulgaris: A Cross-Sectional Study. J Drugs Dermatol 2021; 19:802. [PMID: 33346515 DOI: 10.36849/jdd.2020.5488] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Cultural and social constructs may influence a patient’s understanding of their acne vulgaris affecting treatment preferences and valuation. Understanding these differences can better equip healthcare professionals when providing treatment recommendations. The objective of this study was to determine how perception, treatment preferences, and treatment valuation of acne vulgaris vary across different races. This was a cross-sectional study run from June 2017–February 2018. Participants with self-identified acne completed a one-time 31 question online survey distributed through ResearchMatch (national research registry) and campus recruitment. 217 English-speaking participants with self-identified acne who were over 18 years-old attempted the survey, and 3 participants were excluded for failing to complete it. Response rate of this study was 10.5%. Compared to Whites (88%, n=126), East Asians (44%, n=12) (P<0.001) and South Asians (53%, n=16) (P=0.002) were less likely to see a healthcare professional for acne. Compared to Whites (87%, n=125), East Asians (63%, n=17) were less likely to get information from healthcare professionals (P=0.03). East Asians (93%, n=25) used the internet more frequently as a source of information about causes of acne and treatments compared to all other races (P=0.04). Race was not statistically significant as a predictor for willingness to pay (WTP). Whites (27%, n=39) preferred using prescription face washes/creams/gels, while East Asians (41%, n=11), South Asians (60%, n=18), and Blacks (37%, n=7) preferred OTC washes/creams/gels. Differences exist in perception and treatment preferences for acne between races and exploring them may enhance providers’ understanding of their patients’ preferences. Healthcare organizations and professionals may need to utilize the internet and social media to access non-White populations. J Drugs Dermatol. 2020;19(12): doi:10.36849/JDD.2020.5488.
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210
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Isaradisaikul SK, Thansuwonnont P, Sangthongluan P. Impact of COVID-19 pandemic on happiness and stress: comparison of preclinical and clinical medical students. Korean J Med Educ 2021; 33:75-85. [PMID: 34062639 PMCID: PMC8169377 DOI: 10.3946/kjme.2021.189] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2021] [Accepted: 04/19/2021] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE To compare differences in happiness and stress and related factors between pre-clinical and clinical year medical students during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. METHODS A cross-sectional study was conducted in the Faculty of Medicine, Chiang Mai University, Thailand. All undergraduate medical students were requested to voluntarily respond to an electronic survey. Demographic data, related factors of happiness and stress, scores from the Thai version of the Oxford Happiness Questionnaire (Thai-OHQ), and Thai Stress Questionnaire (Thai-ST5) were collected. RESULTS There were 369 responses, 64.8% from preclinical students and 35.2% responses from clinical students, and 53.9% were women. The mean age of the participants was 20.62±1.81 years. The most frequent platforms that the students used to track COVID-19 information were Facebook 43.9% and Twitter 43.4%. Both groups had a low level of stress. No difference was found in the Thai-OHQ score (p=0.323) and the Thai-ST5 score (p=0.278). With multivariable analysis, two factors significantly related to the happier students included higher health satisfaction scores (p<0.001) and maintaining an exercise program during the COVID-19 pandemic (p=0.015). CONCLUSION There was no difference in the happiness and stress levels between the two groups during the first outbreak of COVID-19 in Thailand. To increase happiness, promoting awareness of health satisfaction and regularity of exercise for the medical students should be initiated. To direct the information during a disease outbreak such as the COVID-19 pandemic, Facebook, and Twitter are the primary platforms to use.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suwicha Kaewsiri Isaradisaikul
- Department of Otolaryngology, Faculty of Medicine, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand
- Corresponding Author: Suwicha Kaewsiri Isaradisaikul (https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1332-9940) Department of Otolaryngology, Faculty of Medicine, Chiang Mai University, 110 Intawaroros Road, Sriphum, Meuang, Chiang Mai, Thailand Tel: +66.53935562 Fax: +66.53935564
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211
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Affiliation(s)
- Jordan V Wang
- Department of Dermatology and Cutaneous Biology, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Robert D Murgia
- Maryland Dermatology Laser, Skin, & Vein Institute, Hunt Valley, Maryland
| | - Christian A Albornoz
- Department of Dermatology and Cutaneous Biology, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Nazanin Saedi
- Department of Dermatology and Cutaneous Biology, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
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212
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Campos JADB, Campos LA, Bueno JL, Martins BG. Emotions and mood swings of pharmacy students in the context of the coronavirus disease of 2019 pandemic. Curr Pharm Teach Learn 2021; 13:635-642. [PMID: 33867058 PMCID: PMC7837624 DOI: 10.1016/j.cptl.2021.01.034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2020] [Revised: 11/10/2020] [Accepted: 01/21/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The coronavirus disease of 2019 pandemic has changed university routines affecting student mental health. The aims of this study were to survey aspects related to mental health of pharmaceutical course students considering previous and current contexts. METHODS The Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale (DASS-21), Impact of Event Scale-Revised, and Brunel Mood Scale were used. DASS-21 was completed pre- and post-pandemic. The validity and reliability of the data were verified. The prevalence (95% CI) of mental health symptoms was estimated. The relationship between the time spent watching/reading the news and mean scales scores was evaluated (Pearson's correlation coefficient). RESULTS The prevalence of depression symptoms in students pre-pandemic was 66.7% (95% CI = 65.3-68.1) and during the pandemic was 81% (95% CI = 79.8-82.2). More than 70% (95% CI = 69.8-72.6) of participants had some psychological impact as a result of the pandemic (mild: 16.7% [95% CI = 15.6-17.8]; moderate: 9.1% [95% CI = 8.2-10]; severe: 45.4% [95% CI = 43.9-46.9]). High values of tension, depressed mood, mental confusion, and anger were observed. There was a significant correlation between the time spent following the news of the pandemic and symptoms of anxiety (r = 0.356; P < .001), stress (r = 0.248; P = .014), hyperarousal (r = 0.322; P ≤ 0.001), and intrusion (r = 0.21; P = .039). CONCLUSIONS Students are highly vulnerable to depressive symptoms and mood swings due to the pandemic. These findings deserve consideration mainly from mental health professionals, but also from managers and educators.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juliana Alvares Duarte Bonini Campos
- São Paulo State University (UNESP), School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Rodovia Araraquara Jaú, Km 01, Araraquara, São Paulo Zip-code: 14800-903, Brazil.
| | - Lucas Arrais Campos
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Finn-Medi 2, Tampere, FI-33520, Finland; São Paulo State University (UNESP), School of Dentistry, Campus (Araraquara), São Paulo, Brazil, Rua Humaitá, 1680, Araraquara, São Paulo 14801-903, Brazil.
| | - Julia Lucio Bueno
- São Paulo State University (UNESP), School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Campus (Araraquara), São Paulo, Brazil, Rodovia Araraquara Jaú, Km 01, Araraquara, São Paulo 14800-903, Brazil
| | - Bianca Gonzalez Martins
- São Paulo State University (UNESP), School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Campus (Araraquara), São Paulo, Brazil, Rodovia Araraquara Jaú, Km 01, Araraquara, São Paulo 14800-903, Brazil
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213
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Skarpa PE, Garoufallou E. Information seeking behavior and COVID-19 pandemic: A snapshot of young, middle aged and senior individuals in Greece. Int J Med Inform 2021; 150:104465. [PMID: 33887589 PMCID: PMC9759970 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijmedinf.2021.104465] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2021] [Revised: 03/21/2021] [Accepted: 04/10/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The plethora of information in the contemporary digital age is enormous and beyond the capability of the average person to process all the information received. During the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak, huge amount of information is increasingly available in digital information sources and overwhelms the average person. The purpose of this research was to investigate public's information seeking behavior on COVID-19 in Greece. METHOD The study was conducted through a web-based survey, facilitated by the use of questionnaire posted on the Google Forms platform. The questionnaire consisted of closed-ended, 7-point Likert scale questions and multiple choice questions and was distributed to all over Greek Regions to almost 3.000 recipients, during the implementation of restrictive measures against the COVID-19 outbreak in Spring 2020. The data collected were subjected to a descriptive statistical analysis. The median was used to present the results. In order to perform analysis between genders, as well as age groups, the non-parametric criteria Mann-Whitney U and Kruskal-Wallis were applied to determine the existence of differences in participants' beliefs. RESULTS Responses by 776 individuals were obtained. Individuals dedicated up to 2 h per day to be informed on COVID-19. Television, electronic press and news websites were reported by the participants as more reliable than social media, in obtaining information on COVID-19. Respondents paid attention to official sources of information (Ministry of Health, Civil Protection etc.). Family and friends played an additional role in the participants' information on COVID-19, while the personal doctor, other health workers and pharmacists did not appear to be most preferred sources of information on COVID-19. Participants' most common information seeking strategy in digital environment was keyword searching. Unreliable information, fake news and information overload were the most common difficulties that the participants encountered seeking information on COVID-19. The respondents' views seemed to differ significantly among age groups. The older the participants, the more often they were informed by television (p < 0.001) and the less often by the internet (p < 0.001). Females appear to use more frequently internet (p < 0.001) and social media (p = 0.001) out of habit and visit more often the Ministry of Health (p < 0.001) and the Civil Protection (p=0.005) websites, compared to males. Most of the participants seemed to worry about the fake news phenomenon and agreed that fake news on COVID-19 is being spread in the media and especially social networks. CONCLUSION The study revealed that, during the COVID-19 pandemic in Greece, participants obtained information about the disease mainly by television, electronic press and news websites. On the contrary, the limited use of social media demonstrates the participants awareness of the spread of fake news on social media. This observed information seeking behavior might has contributed to individuals' acceptance of the necessary behavioral changes that had led to the Greek success story in preventing spread of the disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paraskevi El Skarpa
- Department of Library Science, Archives and Information Systems, School of Social Sciences, International Hellenic University, P.O. BOX 141, GR-57400, Thessaloniki, Greece.
| | - Emmanouel Garoufallou
- Department of Library Science, Archives and Information Systems, School of Social Sciences, International Hellenic University, P.O. BOX 141, GR-57400, Thessaloniki, Greece.
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214
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Wang JV, Albornoz CA, Zachary CB, Saedi N. Evolution of Search Trends for Medical Spas and Cosmetic Dermatologists: A 2009 to 2019 National Comparison. Dermatol Surg 2021; 47:872-874. [PMID: 34029258 DOI: 10.1097/dss.0000000000002796] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Jordan V Wang
- Department of Dermatology and Cutaneous Biology, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Christian A Albornoz
- Department of Dermatology and Cutaneous Biology, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | | | - Nazanin Saedi
- Department of Dermatology and Cutaneous Biology, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
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215
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Loosen AM, Skvortsova V, Hauser TU. Obsessive-compulsive symptoms and information seeking during the Covid-19 pandemic. Transl Psychiatry 2021; 11:309. [PMID: 34021112 PMCID: PMC8138954 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-021-01410-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2020] [Revised: 04/21/2021] [Accepted: 04/30/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Increased mental-health symptoms as a reaction to stressful life events, such as the Covid-19 pandemic, are common. Critically, successful adaptation helps to reduce such symptoms to baseline, preventing long-term psychiatric disorders. It is thus important to understand whether and which psychiatric symptoms show transient elevations, and which persist long-term and become chronically heightened. At particular risk for the latter trajectory are symptom dimensions directly affected by the pandemic, such as obsessive-compulsive (OC) symptoms. In this longitudinal large-scale study (N = 406), we assessed how OC, anxiety and depression symptoms changed throughout the first pandemic wave in a sample of the general UK public. We further examined how these symptoms affected pandemic-related information seeking and adherence to governmental guidelines. We show that scores in all psychiatric domains were initially elevated, but showed distinct longitudinal change patterns. Depression scores decreased, and anxiety plateaued during the first pandemic wave, while OC symptoms further increased, even after the ease of Covid-19 restrictions. These OC symptoms were directly linked to Covid-related information seeking, which gave rise to higher adherence to government guidelines. This increase of OC symptoms in this non-clinical sample shows that the domain is disproportionately affected by the pandemic. We discuss the long-term impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on public mental health, which calls for continued close observation of symptom development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alisa M Loosen
- Max Planck UCL Centre for Computational Psychiatry and Ageing Research, London, UK.
- Wellcome Centre for Human Neuroimaging, University College London, London, UK.
| | - Vasilisa Skvortsova
- Max Planck UCL Centre for Computational Psychiatry and Ageing Research, London, UK
- Wellcome Centre for Human Neuroimaging, University College London, London, UK
| | - Tobias U Hauser
- Max Planck UCL Centre for Computational Psychiatry and Ageing Research, London, UK.
- Wellcome Centre for Human Neuroimaging, University College London, London, UK.
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216
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Skafle I, Gabarron E, Dechsling A, Nordahl-Hansen A. Online Attitudes and Information-Seeking Behavior on Autism, Asperger Syndrome, and Greta Thunberg. Int J Environ Res Public Health 2021; 18:ijerph18094981. [PMID: 34067114 PMCID: PMC8124294 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph18094981] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2021] [Revised: 05/02/2021] [Accepted: 05/05/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to examine Internet trends data and sentiment in tweets mentioning autism, Asperger syndrome, and Greta Thunberg during 2019. We used mixed methods in analyzing sentiment and attitudes in viral tweets and collected 1074 viral tweets on autism that were published in 2019 (tweets that got more than 100 likes). The sample from Twitter was compared with search patterns on Google. In 2019, Asperger syndrome was closely connected to Greta Thunberg, as of the tweets specifically mentioning Asperger (from the total sample of viral tweets mentioning autism), 83% also mentioned Thunberg. In the sample of tweets about Thunberg, the positive sentiment expressed that Greta Thunberg was a role model, whereas the tweets that expressed the most negativity used her diagnosis against her and could be considered as cyberbullying. The Google Trends data also showed that Thunberg was closely connected to search patterns on Asperger syndrome in 2019. The study showed that being open about health information while being an active participant in controversial debates might be used against you but also help break stigmas and stereotypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ingjerd Skafle
- Faculty of Health and Welfare, Østfold University College, 1671 Kråkerøy, Norway
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +47-(48)-12-7933
| | - Elia Gabarron
- Faculty of Education, Østfold University College, 1757 Halden, Norway; (E.G.); (A.D.); (A.N.-H.)
- Norwegian Centre for E-Health Research, 9038 Tromsø, Norway
| | - Anders Dechsling
- Faculty of Education, Østfold University College, 1757 Halden, Norway; (E.G.); (A.D.); (A.N.-H.)
| | - Anders Nordahl-Hansen
- Faculty of Education, Østfold University College, 1757 Halden, Norway; (E.G.); (A.D.); (A.N.-H.)
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217
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Yang B, Jiang S. Intentions to Seek Information about E-Cigarettes: Perceived Risk, Efficacy, and Smoking Identity. J Health Commun 2021; 26:339-349. [PMID: 34196602 PMCID: PMC8634961 DOI: 10.1080/10810730.2021.1943728] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
While e-cigarette use increases in the US., people's knowledge about e-cigarettes is limited. Information seeking may influence people's knowledge about e-cigarettes. Using the risk perception attitude framework and the identity theory, this study examined if U.S. adult current smokers (n = 1,841) differing in perceived efficacy of switching completely to e-cigarettes, perceived risk of cigarette smoking, and smoking identity report different levels of intentions to seek information about e-cigarettes. Results revealed that smokers with high perceived risk of smoking and perceived efficacy about switching completely to e-cigarettes (responsive group) reported strongest intentions to seek information about e-cigarettes (M = 5.41 on a 1-7 scale), followed by the group having low smoking risk perceptions and high e-cigarette efficacy beliefs (proactive group; M = 4.58), the group having high smoking risk perceptions and low e-cigarette efficacy beliefs (avoidance group; M = 3.18), and the group low on both factors (indifference group; M = 2.76). The differences between responsive group and proactive, avoidance, and indifference groups were greater among smokers with high (Mdiff = 6.14) vs. low (Mdiff = 5.27) smoking identity. Theoretical and practical implications of the findings are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bo Yang
- Department of Communication, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, USA
| | - Shaohai Jiang
- Department of Communications and New Media, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
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218
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Abstract
This qualitative study analyzes department of health websites for all 50 US states for accessibility and usability in obtaining COVID-19 vaccine eligibility information and appointments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica L. Howe
- Medstar Health National Center for Human Factors in Healthcare, Washington, DC
| | - Chelsea R. Young
- Department of Psychology, George Mason University, Fairfax, Virginia
| | - Codrin A. Parau
- Medstar Health National Center for Human Factors in Healthcare, Washington, DC
| | | | - Raj M. Ratwani
- Medstar Health National Center for Human Factors in Healthcare, Washington, DC
- Georgetown University School of Medicine, Washington, DC
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219
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Abstract
This cross-sectional study used online search data to assess changes in home birth information-seeking behaviors across the United States and United Kingdom during the COVID-19 pandemic.
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220
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Sicherman N, Law K, Lipkin PH, Loewenstein G, Marvin AR, Buxbaum JD. Information Avoidance and Information Seeking Among Parents of Children With ASD. Am J Intellect Dev Disabil 2021; 126:249-259. [PMID: 33910239 DOI: 10.1352/1944-7558-126.3.249] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2020] [Accepted: 07/29/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
We estimated the effects of information avoidance and information seeking among parents of children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) on age of diagnosis. An online survey was completed by 1,815 parents of children with ASD. Children of parents who self-reported that they had preferred "not to know," reported diagnoses around 3 months later than other children. Children of parents who raised concerns that they perceived as having been dealt with adequately reported diagnoses about 4 months earlier, but the children of parents who reported raising concerns repeatedly and felt that those concerns were dealt with inadequately were diagnosed over a year later. These findings suggest that failure of educational and healthcare professionals, in either substituting for parents who avoid information, or supporting those who seek information, can significantly delay the age of diagnosis.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Kiely Law
- Kiely Law and Paul H. Lipkin, Kennedy Krieger Institute and Johns Hopkins School of Medicine
| | - Paul H Lipkin
- Kiely Law and Paul H. Lipkin, Kennedy Krieger Institute and Johns Hopkins School of Medicine
| | | | - Alison R Marvin
- Alison R. Marvin, Kennedy Krieger Institute and Johns Hopkins University
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221
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Oladeji O, Zhang C, Moradi T, Tarapore D, Stokes AC, Marivate V, Sengeh MD, Nsoesie EO. Monitoring Information-Seeking Patterns and Obesity Prevalence in Africa With Internet Search Data: Observational Study. JMIR Public Health Surveill 2021; 7:e24348. [PMID: 33913815 PMCID: PMC8120431 DOI: 10.2196/24348] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2020] [Revised: 02/12/2021] [Accepted: 02/23/2021] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The prevalence of chronic conditions such as obesity, hypertension, and diabetes is increasing in African countries. Many chronic diseases have been linked to risk factors such as poor diet and physical inactivity. Data for these behavioral risk factors are usually obtained from surveys, which can be delayed by years. Behavioral data from digital sources, including social media and search engines, could be used for timely monitoring of behavioral risk factors. OBJECTIVE The objective of our study was to propose the use of digital data from internet sources for monitoring changes in behavioral risk factors in Africa. METHODS We obtained the adjusted volume of search queries submitted to Google for 108 terms related to diet, exercise, and disease from 2010 to 2016. We also obtained the obesity and overweight prevalence for 52 African countries from the World Health Organization (WHO) for the same period. Machine learning algorithms (ie, random forest, support vector machine, Bayes generalized linear model, gradient boosting, and an ensemble of the individual methods) were used to identify search terms and patterns that correlate with changes in obesity and overweight prevalence across Africa. Out-of-sample predictions were used to assess and validate the model performance. RESULTS The study included 52 African countries. In 2016, the WHO reported an overweight prevalence ranging from 20.9% (95% credible interval [CI] 17.1%-25.0%) to 66.8% (95% CI 62.4%-71.0%) and an obesity prevalence ranging from 4.5% (95% CI 2.9%-6.5%) to 32.5% (95% CI 27.2%-38.1%) in Africa. The highest obesity and overweight prevalence were noted in the northern and southern regions. Google searches for diet-, exercise-, and obesity-related terms explained 97.3% (root-mean-square error [RMSE] 1.15) of the variation in obesity prevalence across all 52 countries. Similarly, the search data explained 96.6% (RMSE 2.26) of the variation in the overweight prevalence. The search terms yoga, exercise, and gym were most correlated with changes in obesity and overweight prevalence in countries with the highest prevalence. CONCLUSIONS Information-seeking patterns for diet- and exercise-related terms could indicate changes in attitudes toward and engagement in risk factors or healthy behaviors. These trends could capture population changes in risk factor prevalence, inform digital and physical interventions, and supplement official data from surveys.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olubusola Oladeji
- Department of Global Health, School of Public Health, Boston University, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Chi Zhang
- Department of Computer Science, Boston University, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Tiam Moradi
- Department of Computer Science, Boston University, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Dharmesh Tarapore
- Department of Computer Science, Boston University, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Andrew C Stokes
- Department of Global Health, School of Public Health, Boston University, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Vukosi Marivate
- Department of Computer Science, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Moinina D Sengeh
- Directorate of Science, Technology and Innovation, Freetown, Sierra Leone
| | - Elaine O Nsoesie
- Department of Global Health, School of Public Health, Boston University, Boston, MA, United States
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222
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Chen H, Hara N, McKay C. Investigating mediated public engagement with science on the "science" subreddit: From the participants' perspective. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0249181. [PMID: 33909620 PMCID: PMC8081246 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0249181] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2020] [Accepted: 03/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
While public engagement with science activities traditionally inhabits physical environments (i.e., museum exhibits), as the Internet becomes more ubiquitous, new types of public engagement with science mediated through information technologies have emerged. Instead of having scientific findings filtered through traditional mediators, scientists have begun to take advantage of social media in order to communicate directly with the general public. This paper focuses on technology mediated public engagement with science in an online environment, specifically the sub-Reddit called “r/science”, on a popular platform, Reddit, in which we investigated the factors contributing to user engagement and perceived effects of science communication from the users’ perspectives. The survey instrument including user engagement scales, perceived effects of science communication, and demographics were distributed among 2000 participants in the r/science Ask Me Anything (AMA) series. We analyzed 146 survey responses using descriptive statistics and ordinal logistic regression. The findings indicated that the participants were generally engaged compared to ones in other studies that used the same user engagement scales and perceived positive effects on science communication, except when it came to building trust. Furthermore, we found that time spent on this particular platform appeared to be the most important factor when it came to positive perceived effects of r/science AMAs. This type of mediated public engagement has been insufficiently investigated, most particularly in terms of the examination of participants’ perspectives. This void is addressed in this study. The findings from the study will also be informative to similar platforms that support mediated public engagement with science.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hui Chen
- Information & Library Science, Luddy School of Informatics, Computing & Engineering, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana, United States of America
- Department of Sociology, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana, United States of America
| | - Noriko Hara
- Information & Library Science, Luddy School of Informatics, Computing & Engineering, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Clinton McKay
- Information & Library Science, Luddy School of Informatics, Computing & Engineering, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana, United States of America
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223
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Zhang D, Zhan W, Zheng C, Zhang J, Huang A, Hu S, Ba-Thein W. Online health information-seeking behaviors and skills of Chinese college students. BMC Public Health 2021; 21:736. [PMID: 33858389 PMCID: PMC8047546 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-021-10801-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2020] [Accepted: 04/08/2021] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Seeking online health information (OHI) has become a common practice globally. The information seekers could face health risks if they are not proficient in OHI literacy. The OHI-seeking behaviors and skills of Chinese college students, the largest proportion of college students in the world, are understudied. This study was aimed to describe OHI-seeking behaviors and skills of college students in Guangdong, China. METHODS College students in the Guangdong province with OHI-seeking experience were invited via WeChat, QQ, and Sina Weibo using QR code posters and flyers for participation in this online anonymized questionnaire-based study. Data on demographics, OHI literacy, information resources, search approaches, and behaviors were collected. The relationship between perceived OHI literacy and high-risk behaviors was investigated by bivariate logistic regression analysis. RESULTS Respondents were 1203 college students with a mean age of 20.6 years, females (60.2%), and undergraduates (97.2%). They sought health information via websites (20.3%), WeChat (2.6%), or both (77.1%). Baidu was the main search engine, and baike.baidu.com (80.3%), Zhihu.com (48.4%), and Zhidao.baidu.com (35.8%) were top three among 20 searched websites for information about self-care (80.7%), general health (79.5%), disease prevention (77.7%), self-medication (61.2%), family treatment (40.9%), drugs (37.7%), western medications (26.6%), hospitals (22.7%), physicians (21.4%), and Traditional Chinese Medicine (15.6%). Despite most respondents (78%) lacked confidence in the evidence quality and satisfaction with the results, only 32.4% further consulted doctors. Many (> 50%) would recommend the retrieved information to others. About 20% experienced hacking/Internet fraud. Cronbach's alpha for the internal consistency of OHI literacy was 0.786. Bivariate logistic regression analysis showed that students who believed they can judge the evidence level of OHI were more likely to self-diagnose (OR = 2.2, 95%CI, 1.6-3.1) and look for drug usage (OR = 3.1, 95%CI, 1.9-5.0). CONCLUSIONS This study reveals Chinese college students' heavy reliance on OHI to manage their own and others' health without sufficient knowledge/skills to identify misinformation and disinformation. The apparent risky information-seeking behaviors of Chinese college students warrant the provision of regulated, accurate, and actionable health information; assurance of cybersecurity; and health information literacy promotion in colleges by concerned authorities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dangui Zhang
- Research Center of Translational Medicine, Second Affiliated Hospital of Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, PR China
| | - Weixin Zhan
- Undergraduate Research Training Program (UGRTP), Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, PR China
| | - Chunwen Zheng
- Undergraduate Research Training Program (UGRTP), Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, PR China
| | - Jinsheng Zhang
- Undergraduate Research Training Program (UGRTP), Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, PR China
| | - Anqi Huang
- Undergraduate Research Training Program (UGRTP), Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, PR China
| | - Shuan Hu
- Undergraduate Research Training Program (UGRTP), Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, PR China
| | - William Ba-Thein
- Clinical Research Unit, Shantou University Medical College, Xinling Road 22, Shantou, 515041, PR China.
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Shantou University Medical College, Xinling Road 22, Shantou, 515041, PR China.
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224
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Zhang L, Jiang S. Linking health information seeking to patient-centered communication and healthy lifestyles: an exploratory study in China. Health Educ Res 2021; 36:248-260. [PMID: 33544831 DOI: 10.1093/her/cyab005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2020] [Accepted: 01/11/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
The existing research routinely measures the influence of health information-seeking behavior (HISB) as a whole, which does not capture the complexity and diversity of media channel usage in HISB. The influence of HISB on patient's lifestyle behaviors and the mediation process through patient-centered communication (PCC) in medical encounters has been understudied in previous literature. Drawing from Street's three-stage model, this study conducted a secondary analysis of the Health Information National Trends Survey in China to investigate the influences of HISB across five different media outlets (e.g. information-oriented media, entertainment-oriented media, search engines, social media and mobile health applications) on two types of healthy lifestyles (e.g. physical activity, fruit and vegetable consumption), by the mediation of PCC. PROCESS path-analysis with bootstrapping estimation was used to test the hypothesized relationships. The results revealed that HISB is positively related to PCC, and PCC positively predicts frequent engagement in healthy lifestyles. Moreover, PCC partially mediates the effect of information-oriented media HISB on healthy lifestyles and fully mediates the effect of HISB through the other four media sources. This study highlights the essential stage of PCC transferring HISB to engagement in healthy lifestyles and draws attention to the varying influences of media channels carrying different characteristics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lianshan Zhang
- Department of Communications and New Media, National University of Singapore, Blk AS6, 11 Computing Drive, Singapore 117416, Singapore
| | - Shaohai Jiang
- Department of Communications and New Media, National University of Singapore, Blk AS6, 11 Computing Drive, Singapore 117416, Singapore
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225
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Zakar R, Iqbal S, Zakar MZ, Fischer F. COVID-19 and Health Information Seeking Behavior: Digital Health Literacy Survey amongst University Students in Pakistan. Int J Environ Res Public Health 2021; 18:4009. [PMID: 33920404 PMCID: PMC8069684 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph18084009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2021] [Revised: 04/04/2021] [Accepted: 04/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, digital health literacy (DHL) has become a significant public health concern. This research aims to assess information seeking behavior, as well as the ability to find relevant information and deal with DHL among university students in Pakistan. An online-based cross-sectional survey, using a web-based interviewing technique, was conducted to collect data on DHL. Simple bivariate and multivariate linear regression was performed to assess the association of key characteristics with DHL. The results show a high DHL related to COVID-19 in 54.3% of students. Most of the Pakistani students demonstrated ~50% DHL in all dimensions, except for reliability. Multivariate findings showed that gender, sense of coherence and importance of information were found to be significantly associated with DHL. However, a negative association was observed with students' satisfaction with information. This led to the conclusion that critical operational and navigations skills are essential to achieve COVID-19 DHL and cope with stress, particularly to promote both personal and community health. Focused interventions and strategies should be designed to enhance DHL amongst university students to combat the pandemic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rubeena Zakar
- Department of Public Health, University of the Punjab, Lahore 54590, Pakistan;
| | - Sarosh Iqbal
- Institute of Social and Cultural Studies, University of the Punjab, Lahore 54590, Pakistan;
| | | | - Florian Fischer
- Institute of Public Health, Charité–Universitätsmedizin Berlin, 10117 Berlin, Germany
- Institute of Gerontological Health Services and Nursing Research, Ravensburg-Weingarten University of Applied Sciences, 88250 Weingarten, Germany
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226
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Galido A, Ecleo JJ, Husnayain A, Chia-Yu Su E. Exploring online search behavior for COVID-19 preventive measures: The Philippine case. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0249810. [PMID: 33831076 PMCID: PMC8031411 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0249810] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2020] [Accepted: 03/26/2021] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Public health agencies have suggested nonpharmaceutical interventions to curb the spread of the COVID-19 infections. The study intended to explore the information-seeking behavior and information needs on preventive measures for COVID-19 in the Philippine context. The search interests and related queries for COVID-19 terms and each of the preventive measures for the period from December 31, 2019 to April 6, 2020 were generated from Google Trends. The search terms employed for COVID-19 were coronavirus, ncov, covid-19, covid19 and “covid 19.” The search terms of the preventive measures considered for this study included “community quarantine”, “cough etiquette”, “face mask” or facemask, “hand sanitizer”, handwashing or “hand washing” and “social distancing.” Spearman’s correlation was employed between the new daily COVID-19 cases, COVID-19 terms and the different preventive measures. The relative search volume for the coronavirus disease showed an increase up to the pronouncement of the country’s first case of COVID-19. An uptrend was also evident after the country’s first local transmission was confirmed. A strong positive correlation (rs = .788, p < .001) was observed between the new daily cases and search interests for COVID-19. The search interests for the different measures and the new daily cases were also positively correlated. Similarly, the search interests for the different measures and the COVID-19 terms were all positively correlated. The search interests for “face mask” or facemask, “hand sanitizer” and handwashing or “hand washing” were more correlated with the search interest for COVID-19 than with the number of new daily COVID-19 cases. The search interests for “cough etiquette”, “social distancing” and “community quarantine” were more correlated with the number of new daily COVID-19 cases than with the search interest for COVID-19. The public sought for additional details such as type, directions for proper use, and where to purchase as well as do-it-yourself alternatives for personal protective items. Personal protective or community measures were expected to be accompanied with definitions and guidelines as well as be available in translated versions. Google Trends could be a viable option to monitor and address the information needs of the public during a disease outbreak. Capturing and analyzing the search interests of the public could support the design and timely delivery of appropriate information essential to drive preventive measures during a disease outbreak.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adrian Galido
- Department of Information Technology, College of Computer Studies, MSU-Iligan Institute of Technology, Iligan, Philippines
- * E-mail:
| | - Jerina Jean Ecleo
- Department of Information Technology, College of Computer Studies, MSU-Iligan Institute of Technology, Iligan, Philippines
| | - Atina Husnayain
- Graduate Institute of Biomedical Informatics, College of Medical Science and Technology, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan
- Faculty of Medicine, Department of Biostatistics, Epidemiology, and Population Health, Public Health and Nursing, Universitas Gadjah Mada, Yogyakarta, Indonesia
| | - Emily Chia-Yu Su
- Graduate Institute of Biomedical Informatics, College of Medical Science and Technology, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan
- Clinical Big Data Research Center, Taipei Medical University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
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Supthanasup A, Banwell C, Kelly M, Yiengprugsawan VS. Recipe Components and Parents' Infant and Young Child Feeding Concerns: A Mixed-Methods Study of Recipe Posts Shared in Thai Facebook Groups for Parents. Nutrients 2021; 13:nu13041186. [PMID: 33916663 PMCID: PMC8065637 DOI: 10.3390/nu13041186] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2021] [Revised: 04/01/2021] [Accepted: 04/01/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Social media is increasingly becoming a significant source of information for parents, including about feeding young children. However, little attention has been given to the characteristics of recipes for infants and young children and how they interact with parental perceptions regarding food decisions shared by users on social media. Building on findings related to shared recipe components and parental food choices, between December 2019 and July 2020, this study retrospectively collected 80 shared recipes each from five Thai Facebook groups. This extraction created 379 shared recipes with 1751 peers’ commentaries on the shared recipes’ posts. The shared recipes were classified and components quantified across child age groups, then the textual contents around the reasons behind the food choices were described qualitatively. The results showed that there were differences in meal types, food ingredients, and seasoning used across child age groups. Further analysis found that food allergy awareness was one driving concern behind parental perceptions on food choices in children’s diets. These concerns resulted in delays in the introduction of animal-source foods. Moreover, peers’ commentaries on shared recipes offered a venue for exchanging experiences with food products. Because of the potential influence on parental beliefs and perceptions, further studies are required to understand the impact of existing online communities on actual feeding practices.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abhirat Supthanasup
- Research School of Population Health, Australian National University, Acton, Canberra 2601, Australia; (C.B.); (M.K.); (V.S.Y.)
- School of Human Ecology, Sukhothai Thammathirat Open University, Nonthaburi 11120, Thailand
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +61-4-5261-2501
| | - Cathy Banwell
- Research School of Population Health, Australian National University, Acton, Canberra 2601, Australia; (C.B.); (M.K.); (V.S.Y.)
| | - Matthew Kelly
- Research School of Population Health, Australian National University, Acton, Canberra 2601, Australia; (C.B.); (M.K.); (V.S.Y.)
| | - Vasoontara Sbirakos Yiengprugsawan
- Research School of Population Health, Australian National University, Acton, Canberra 2601, Australia; (C.B.); (M.K.); (V.S.Y.)
- Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence in Population Ageing Research, University of New South Wales, Kensington, Sydney 2033, Australia
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228
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Abstract
This cross-sectional study assesses changes in views of medical scientific articles published in 3 leading medical journals since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew J. Giustini
- Department of Anesthesiology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California
| | - Alan R. Schroeder
- Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California
| | - David M. Axelrod
- Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California
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229
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Guo N, Guo Z, Zhao S, Ho SY, Fong DYT, Lai AYK, Chan SSC, Wang MP, Lam TH. Digital inequalities in health information seeking behaviors and experiences in the age of web 2.0: A population-based study in Hong Kong. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0249400. [PMID: 33784362 PMCID: PMC8009409 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0249400] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2020] [Accepted: 03/18/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Inequalities in health information seeking behaviors (HISBs) using mass media and internet websites (web 1.0) are well documented. Little is known about web 2.0 such as social networking sites (SNS) and instant messaging (IM) and experiences of HISBs. METHODS We surveyed representative Hong Kong Chinese adults (N = 10143, 54.9% female; 72.3% aged 25-64 years) on frequency of HISBs using traditional sources, internet websites, SNS (e.g., Facebook, Twitter), and IM (e.g., WhatsApp, WeChat) and experiences measured using Information Seeking Experience Scale. Adjusted prevalence ratios (aPRs) for HISBs and experiences by sociodemographic and health-related characteristics were yielded using multivariable Poisson regression with robust variance estimators. aPRs for experiences by HISBs using internet websites, SNS, and IM adjusting for sociodemographic and health-related characteristics were also yielded. RESULTS Being female, higher educational attainment, not smoking, and being physically active were associated with HISBs using any source (all P<0.05). Older age had decreased aPRs for HISBs using traditional sources (P for trend = 0.03), internet websites (P for trend<0.001), and SNS (P for trend<0.001) but not for IM (aged 45-64 years: aPR = 1.48, 95% CI 1.07, 2.03). Lower educational attainment and income were associated with negative experiences including feelings of effort and difficulties in understanding the information (all P for trend<0.05). Older age had increased aPRs for difficulties in understanding the information (P for trend = 0.003). Compared with internet websites, HISBs using IM was associated with feelings of frustration (aPR = 1.39, 95% CI 1.08, 1.79), difficulties in understanding the information (aPR = 1.36, 95% CI 1.12, 1.65), and quality concern (aPR = 1.20, 95% CI 1.08, 1.32). CONCLUSIONS We identified correlates of web-based health information seeking and experiences in Hong Kong Chinese adults. Providing greater access to and improved information environment of web 2.0 to the target groups may help address digital inequalities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ningyuan Guo
- School of Nursing, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Ziqiu Guo
- School of Nursing, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Shengzhi Zhao
- School of Nursing, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Sai Yin Ho
- School of Public Health, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | | | | | | | - Man Ping Wang
- School of Nursing, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Tai Hing Lam
- School of Public Health, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
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230
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He R, Li Y. Media Exposure, Cancer Beliefs, and Cancer-Related Information-Seeking or Avoidance Behavior Patterns in China. Int J Environ Res Public Health 2021; 18:3130. [PMID: 33803594 PMCID: PMC8002949 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph18063130] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2021] [Revised: 03/12/2021] [Accepted: 03/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/09/2022]
Abstract
This study explored the relationships between media exposure, cancer beliefs, and cancer information-seeking or information-avoidance behaviors. Based on the planned risk information-seeking model and its extended framework, two predictive models were constructed: one for cancer information seeking and the other for cancer information avoidance. A structural equation modeling strategy was applied to survey data from China HINTS 2017 (n = 3090) to compare the impact of traditional mass media and social media exposure to cancer-related information on cancer information-seeking and information-avoidance behaviors. The study findings suggest that health-related information exposure through different media channels may generate distinctive information-seeking or information-avoidance behaviors based on various cancer beliefs. Additionally, the findings indicate that social media exposure to health-related and cancer curability beliefs does not lead to cancer information avoidance; both mass media and social media exposure encourage people to seek cancer-related information. Cancer fatalism is positively associated with cancer information-seeking and avoiding intentions, suggesting that negative cancer beliefs predict seemingly contradictory yet psychologically coherent information intentions and behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rui He
- Department of Journalism, School of Humanities, Shanghai University of Finance and Economics, 100 Wudong RD, Yangpu District, Shanghai 200433, China;
| | - Yungeng Li
- School of Media and Communication, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 800 Dongchuan RD, Minhang District, Shanghai 200240, China
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231
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Zhuo Q, Cui C, Liang H, Bai Y, Hu Q, Hanum AL, Yang M, Wang Y, Wei W, Ding L, Ma F. Cross-cultural adaptation, validity and reliability of the Chinese Version of Miller Behavioral Style Scale. Health Qual Life Outcomes 2021; 19:86. [PMID: 33726779 PMCID: PMC7962230 DOI: 10.1186/s12955-021-01717-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2020] [Accepted: 02/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Health education basing on patients' information-seeking styles can improve the effectiveness of health education and patients' health outcomes. The Miller Behavioral Style Scale (MBSS) is widely used to identify individual's information-seeking styles, but the Chinese version is lacking. The study aim was to translate and culturally adapt the MBSS into Chinese version and test the content validity, construct validity and internal consistency reliability of the Chinese version of MBSS (C-MBSS). METHODS The forward-back-translation procedure was adopted in the translation of the MBSS. Content validity was assessed in a panel of experts. In a sample of 1343 individuals including patients, patients' caregivers, university students, and medical staff, reliability and construct validity were assessed using Cronbach's alpha coefficient and factor analysis. The measurement invariance across samples was tested using multigroup confirmatory factor analysis (MGCFA). Floor and ceiling effects were checked. RESULTS The C-MBSS achieved conceptual and semantic equivalence with the original scale. The item-level content validity index (I-CVI) of each item ranged from 0.78 to 1, and the averaging scale-level content validity index (S-CVI/ Ave) was 0.95. The exploratory factor analysis resulted in 2-factor assumption for each hypothetical threat-evoking scenario. Confirmatory factor analysis demonstrated a good fit between theoretical model and data, which provided confirmatory evidence for the second-order factor structure of 2-factor solution (Monitoring and Blunting). The Cronbach's alpha coefficients for the Monitoring and Blunting sub-scales of the C-MBSS were 0.75 and 0.62 respectively. MGCFA results supported the measurement invariance for the Monitoring sub-scale of the C-MBSS across samples. No floor or ceiling effects occurred. CONCLUSIONS This study indicates that the C-MBSS has good content and construct validity. The Monitoring sub-scale of the C-MBSS had acceptable internal consistency reliability while the Blunting sub-scale had unsatisfactory one, which suggest that the Monitoring sub-scale of the C-MBSS can be used to identify individuals' information-seeking styles in Chinese contexts across different populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiqi Zhuo
- Department of Nursing, The First Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Xichang Road, Kunming, 295#, Yunnan, China
| | - Changsheng Cui
- Pharmacy Department, Zigong First People's Hospital, Zigong, Sichuan, China
| | - Hongmin Liang
- Department of Nursing, The First Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Xichang Road, Kunming, 295#, Yunnan, China
| | - Yangjuan Bai
- Cardiology Department, The First Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Kunming, Yunnan, China
| | - Qiulan Hu
- ICU in Geriatric Department, The First Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Kunming, Yunnan, China
| | - Ardani Latifah Hanum
- Department of Nursing, The First Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Xichang Road, Kunming, 295#, Yunnan, China
| | - Mingfang Yang
- Urology Department, The First Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Kunming, Yunnan, China
| | - Yanjiao Wang
- Psychiatric Department, The First Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Kunming, Yunnan, China
| | - Wei Wei
- General Surgery Department, The First Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Kunming, Yunnan, China
| | - Lan Ding
- Out-Patient Department, The First Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Kunming, Yunnan, China
| | - Fang Ma
- Department of Nursing, The First Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Xichang Road, Kunming, 295#, Yunnan, China.
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232
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Zhang D, Shi Z, Hu H, Han GK. Classification of the Use of Online Health Information Channels and Variation in Motivations for Channel Selection: Cross-sectional Survey. J Med Internet Res 2021; 23:e24945. [PMID: 33687342 PMCID: PMC7988389 DOI: 10.2196/24945] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2020] [Revised: 12/31/2020] [Accepted: 02/27/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Existing health education and communication research routinely measures online channel use as a whole by, for example, evaluating how frequently people use the internet to search for health information. This approach fails to capture the complexity and diversity of online channel use in health information seeking. The measurement of generic online channel use may cause too much error, and it lends no support to media planning in public health promotion campaigns or scholarly research involving online channel use. OBJECTIVE This study intends to present a thorough picture of patterns of online health information channel use and classify the use of various types of online health information channels, including WeChat, microblogs, web portals, search engines, mobile apps, and online forums. Under the framework of the risk information seeking and processing model, this study also analyzes the differences in individuals' motivations for channel selection to offer further evidence to validate the classification scheme. METHODS This study sampled 542 Chinese internet users in Beijing. The average age of the respondents was 33 years, female respondents accounted for 52.0% (282/542) of the sample, and the average monthly income ranged from US $900 to $1200. The study surveyed the use of 13 commonly used online health information channels and various sociopsychological factors associated with online health information seeking. RESULTS This study derived 3 categories of online health information channels: searching, browsing, and scanning channels. It was found that the use of online searching channels was affect driven (B=0.11; β=0.10; P=.02) and characterized by a stronger need for health knowledge (B=0.09; β=0.01; P<.001). The use of browsing channels was directly influenced by informational subjective norms (B=0.33; β=0.15; P=.004) and perceived current knowledge (B=0.007; β=0.09; P=.003). The use of scanning channels was mainly influenced by informational subjective norms (B=0.29; β=0.15; P=.007). CONCLUSIONS The results of this study suggest that health communication practitioners and scholars may consider measuring the use of internet, new media, or online media more precisely instead of simply asking the public about the frequency of online channel use or internet use in the acquisition of health information. Scholars and practitioners may consider measuring the use of online health information channels by using the 3-category scheme described in this study. Future research is encouraged to further explore how people process health information when using different online channels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Di Zhang
- The Research Center of Journalism and Social Development, Renmin University of China, Beijing, China
| | - Zhen Shi
- The Research Center of Journalism and Social Development, Renmin University of China, Beijing, China
| | - Hongchao Hu
- The Research Center of Journalism and Social Development, Renmin University of China, Beijing, China
| | - Gang Kevin Han
- Greenlee School Journalism and Communication, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, United States
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233
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Stub T, Quandt SA, Kristoffersen AE, Jong MC, Arcury TA. Communication and information needs about complementary and alternative medicine: a qualitative study of parents of children with cancer. BMC Complement Med Ther 2021; 21:85. [PMID: 33685422 PMCID: PMC7938468 DOI: 10.1186/s12906-021-03253-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2020] [Accepted: 02/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Many parents choose support such as Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) for themselves and their children who have cancer. The aim of this paper is to describe, how parents who have children with cancer communicated with conventional health care providers about CAM, and what types and sources of information they would like to receive about CAM when the child was ill. METHOD This focused ethnography draws from in-depth, semi-structured interviews conducted with 22 families in Norway with 24 adult participants (two couples), including two individuals who had had cancer themselves. Four domains were explored in the data analysis: the use of CAM, advice from laypeople about CAM, communication with conventional health care providers about CAM, and parents' information needs about CAM. RESULTS Many of the participants had personal experiences with CAM before the child received the cancer diagnosis. The health care providers did not raise the question about CAM in the consultations. However, when the parents raised the question, they were mostly met in a positive way. The participants did not receive any information about CAM at the hospital, which they would have appreciated. Instead, they received recommendations about CAM from laypersons, which were mostly rejected, as the advice was not in line with their health values/philosophy. CONCLUSION The reason participants did not disclose CAM use is that physicians did not ask them about it. However, positive communication about conventional treatment facilitated fruitful conversations about CAM. The participants wanted information about CAM from authoritative sources, primary from health care providers at the hospital and the Children's Cancer Society. They demand information about risks and benefits when using CAM as well as whether CAM can improve the immune system, fight the cancer, and improve the quality of life of the family. An evidence-based decision aid is warranted to enable health care providers and parents of children with cancer to make well-informed decisions about CAM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Trine Stub
- Department of Community Medicine, The National Research Center in Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NAFKAM), UiT The Arctic University of Norway, Hansine Hansens veg 19, 9037, Tromsø, Norway.
- Wake Forest School of Medicine, Department of Epidemiology and Prevention, Division of Public Health Sciences, Medical Center Boulevard, Winston-Salem, NC, 27157, USA.
| | - Sara A Quandt
- Wake Forest School of Medicine, Department of Epidemiology and Prevention, Division of Public Health Sciences, Medical Center Boulevard, Winston-Salem, NC, 27157, USA
| | - Agnete E Kristoffersen
- Department of Community Medicine, The National Research Center in Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NAFKAM), UiT The Arctic University of Norway, Hansine Hansens veg 19, 9037, Tromsø, Norway
| | - Miek C Jong
- Department of Community Medicine, The National Research Center in Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NAFKAM), UiT The Arctic University of Norway, Hansine Hansens veg 19, 9037, Tromsø, Norway
| | - Thomas A Arcury
- Wake Forest School of Medicine, Department of Family and Community Medicine, Medical Center Boulevard, Winston-Salem, NC, 27157, USA
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234
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Abstract
Social media (SM) have fundamentally changed the way we exchange information, including how we communicate about health. The goal of this study was to describe current prevalence and predictors of SM use by analyzing nationally representative data from the 2019 Health Information National Trends Survey (HINTS). Multivariate logistic regression models examined the odds of engaging in four SM activities: visiting social networking sites, sharing health information on SM, participating in online support groups, and watching health-related videos. In 2019, approximately 86% of Internet users reported engaging in at least one SM activity. Younger age and female gender were associated with higher likelihood of engaging in all SM activities. No significant ethnic/racial disparities were observed for most SM activities, but Hispanics were found to be more likely to report watching health-related videos. Additionally, those with regular health care access were more likely to participate in online support groups. Previous HINTS survey cycles were also used to examine change in SM use over time, showing that general SM use has increased substantially since 2007, but the use of SM for health-related purposes has not increased to the same extent. The dynamic and evolving nature of SM makes systematic assessment vital. Knowledge of current SM use patterns could make health communication efforts more effective and equitable.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wen-Ying Sylvia Chou
- Behavioral Research Program, Health Communication and Informatics Research Branch, National Cancer Institute, Rockville, Maryland, USA
| | - Anna Gaysynsky
- Behavioral Research Program, Health Communication and Informatics Research Branch, National Cancer Institute, Rockville, Maryland, USA
- Department of Communications, ICF Next, Rockville, Maryland, USA
| | - Neha Trivedi
- Behavioral Research Program, Health Communication and Informatics Research Branch, National Cancer Institute, Rockville, Maryland, USA
| | - Robin C Vanderpool
- Behavioral Research Program, Health Communication and Informatics Research Branch, National Cancer Institute, Rockville, Maryland, USA
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235
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Miller BC, Goldenberg AJ, Bonhomme NF. Digital peer-to-peer information seeking and sharing: Opportunities for education and collaboration in newborn screening. Am J Med Genet C Semin Med Genet 2021; 187:64-69. [PMID: 33502079 DOI: 10.1002/ajmg.c.31884] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2020] [Revised: 12/16/2020] [Accepted: 12/17/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Parents use the internet to connect with their peers and access information about a multitude of health topics, including newborn screening (NBS). As the NBS system evolves, education about NBS must be evaluated and updated to remain accessible and beneficial to parents. In this article, we aim to describe parents' current NBS educational needs and highlight areas to improve newborn screening education by detailing an analysis of NBS posts on an online parenting discussion platform. We analyzed a total of 317 discussion posts on BabyCenter®, finding that parents had questions about and desired support around many aspects of NBS including processes, results, and follow-up. As a result of this analysis, three recommendations to improve NBS education were developed. Through collaboration and by leveraging technology, we can provide parents with accessible, timely, and desired NBS informational and social support.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brianne C Miller
- Expecting Health at Genetic Alliance, Washington, District of Columbia, USA
| | - Aaron J Goldenberg
- Department of Bioethics, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
| | - Natasha F Bonhomme
- Expecting Health at Genetic Alliance, Washington, District of Columbia, USA
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236
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Shi W, Nagler RH, Fowler EF, Gollust SE. Predictors of Women's Awareness of the Benefits and Harms of Mammography Screening and Associations with Confusion, Ambivalence, and Information Seeking. Health Commun 2021; 36:303-314. [PMID: 31690128 DOI: 10.1080/10410236.2019.1687129] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
In recent years, there has been a shift toward promoting informed decision making for mammography screening for average-risk women in their 40s. Professional organizations such as the American Cancer Society and U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommend that women weigh the potential benefits and harms of mammography prior to initiating screening. This decision-making process assumes that women are aware of both the benefits and harms of screening, yet little is known about the prevalence and antecedents of such awareness. Moreover, it is conceivable that women who are aware of both the benefits and harms may interpret this information as conflicting - which could be concerning, as researchers have documented adverse effects of exposure to conflicting health information in prior research. Using data from a population-based survey of U.S. women aged 30-59 (N = 557), the current study found that awareness of mammography's harms is relatively low compared to awareness of benefits. Health news exposure and interpersonal communication about health were associated with greater awareness of harms. In addition, women's awareness of both the benefits and harms was positively associated with confusion about breast cancer screening recommendations, ambivalence about getting a mammogram, and mammogram-related information seeking from online sources. Implications for cancer screening communication are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weijia Shi
- Hubbard School of Journalism and Mass Communication, University of Minnesota
| | - Rebekah H Nagler
- Hubbard School of Journalism and Mass Communication, University of Minnesota
| | | | - Sarah E Gollust
- Division of Health Policy and Management, University of Minnesota School of Public Health
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237
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Johnson DC, Nobles AL, Caputi TL, Liu M, Leas EC, Strathdee SA, Smith DM, Ayers JW. Monitoring HIV testing and pre-exposure prophylaxis information seeking by combining digital and traditional data. BMC Infect Dis 2021; 21:215. [PMID: 33632140 PMCID: PMC7908754 DOI: 10.1186/s12879-021-05907-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2020] [Accepted: 02/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Public health is increasingly turning to non-traditional digital data to inform HIV prevention and control strategies. We demonstrate a parsimonious method using both traditional survey and internet search histories to provide new insights into HIV testing and pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) information seeking that can be easily extended to other settings. METHOD We modeled how US internet search volumes from 2019 for HIV testing and PrEP compared against expected search volumes for HIV testing and PrEP using state HIV prevalence and socioeconomic characteristics as predictors. States with search volumes outside the upper and lower bound confidence interval were labeled as either over or under performing. State performance was evaluated by (a) Centers for Disease Control and Prevention designation as a hotspot for new HIV diagnoses (b) expanding Medicaid coverage. RESULTS Ten states over-performed in models assessing information seeking for HIV testing, while eleven states under-performed. Thirteen states over-performed in models assessing internet searches for PrEP information, while thirteen states under-performed. States that expanded Medicaid coverage were more likely to over perform in PrEP models than states that did not expand Medicaid coverage. While states that were hotspots for new HIV diagnoses were more likely to over perform on HIV testing searches. CONCLUSION Our study derived a method of measuring HIV and PrEP information seeking that is comparable across states. Several states exhibited information seeking for PrEP and HIV testing that deviated from model assessments. Statewide search volume for PrEP information was affected by a state's decision to expand Medicaid coverage. Our research provides health officials with an innovative way to monitor statewide interest in PrEP and HIV testing using a metric for information-seeking that is comparable across states.
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Affiliation(s)
- Derek C Johnson
- Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases and Global Public Health, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Dr, La Jolla, California, 92093, USA.
- The Center for Data Driven Health at the Qualcomm Institute, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, USA.
| | - Alicia L Nobles
- Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases and Global Public Health, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Dr, La Jolla, California, 92093, USA
- The Center for Data Driven Health at the Qualcomm Institute, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, USA
| | - Theodore L Caputi
- The Center for Data Driven Health at the Qualcomm Institute, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, USA
- Department of Health Sciences, University of York, York, UK
| | | | - Eric C Leas
- The Center for Data Driven Health at the Qualcomm Institute, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, USA
- Department of Family Medicine and Public Health, Division of Health Policy, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, USA
| | - Steffanie A Strathdee
- Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases and Global Public Health, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Dr, La Jolla, California, 92093, USA
| | - Davey M Smith
- Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases and Global Public Health, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Dr, La Jolla, California, 92093, USA
| | - John W Ayers
- Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases and Global Public Health, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Dr, La Jolla, California, 92093, USA
- The Center for Data Driven Health at the Qualcomm Institute, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, USA
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238
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Chi SY, Tsai YS, Fang TP, Tung TH, Chi CC. Evidence-searching capability among health care professionals: a comparative study. BMC Med Educ 2021; 21:134. [PMID: 33632185 PMCID: PMC7908732 DOI: 10.1186/s12909-021-02565-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2020] [Accepted: 02/12/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Evidence-based practice is among core competencies of health care professionals (HCPs). However, the levels of evidence-searching capability may differ among various disciplines of HCPs as they receive different education and trainings for various durations in medical schools and teaching hospitals. METHODS This study aimed to compare the evidence-searching capability among different disciplines of HCPs and identify which aspects need to be reinforced. From a teaching hospital, we recruited 80 HCPs of various disciplines and compared their evidence-searching capability by using a validated scale. To examine if sex and education levels affect evidence-searching capability, we performed a multiple linear regression analysis with collinearity diagnostics. RESULTS Physicians and pharmacists performed significantly better than other disciplines in the seven formative assessment items and the summative item (all P < 0.05). No collinearity was detected between discipline and age nor level of education. Except for the 2nd formative assessment item (correlation coefficient 0.24 ± 0.12, P = 0.04), participant's levels of education did not affect evidence-searching capability. Age was associated with lower evidence-searching capability in five formative and the summative assessment items. CONCLUSIONS We found a better evidence-searching capability among physicians and pharmacists than other HCPs who may require more training on evidence-searching skills. Also, evidence-searching skills training should be provided to HCPs irrespective of age and education levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Szu-Yu Chi
- Department of Political Science, College of Social Sciences, National Taiwan University, 1, Sec 4, Roosevelt Rd, 10617, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Yu-Shiun Tsai
- Department of Medical Education, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Chiayi, 6, Sec West, Chia-Pu Rd, 61363, Puzi, Chiayi, Taiwan
| | - Tien-Pei Fang
- Department of Respiratory Therapy, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Chiayi, 6, Sec West, Chia-Pu Rd, 61363, Puzi, Chiayi, Taiwan
- Department of Respiratory Care, Chang Gung University of Science and Technology, 2, Sec West, Chia-Pu Rd, 61363, Puzi, Chiayi, Taiwan
| | - Tao-Hsin Tung
- Evidence-Based Medicine Center, Taizhou Hospital of Zhejiang Province affiliated to Wenzhou Medical University, 150, Ximen Rd, 317000, Linhai, Taizhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Ching-Chi Chi
- Department of Dermatology, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Linkou, 5, Fuxing St, Guishan Dist, 33305, Taoyuan, Taiwan.
- College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, 259, Wenhua 1st Rd, Guishan Dist, 33302, Taoyuan, Taiwan.
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239
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Kuang K, Gettings PE. Interactions among Actual Uncertainty, Desired Uncertainty, and Uncertainty Discrepancy on Anxiety and Information Seeking. J Health Commun 2021; 26:127-136. [PMID: 33739242 DOI: 10.1080/10810730.2021.1883774] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
This study investigated the role of uncertainty in information management processes by integrating insights from uncertainty management theory and the theory of motivated information management. Specifically, we examined the extent to which uncertainty appraisals moderated the effects of uncertainty on anxiety and information seeking about family health history (FHH) from spouses. Data from 626 married individuals suggested that desired uncertainty moderated uncertainty's effect on anxiety such that uncertainty led to more anxiety when individuals wanted to be more certain. Uncertainty also exerted stronger effects on anxiety and information seeking when one's actual uncertainty was low. Efficacy remained a predictor of information seeking, consistent with the literature. Findings offer theoretical implications about the interaction effects among different conceptualizations of uncertainty (i.e., actual, desired, and uncertainty discrepancy) and practical applications for encouraging information seeking about FHH.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kai Kuang
- Department of Communication Studies, Bloomsburg University, Bloomsburg
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240
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Zimmermann BM, Fanderl J, Koné I, Rabaglio M, Bürki N, Shaw D, Elger B. Examining information-seeking behavior in genetic testing for cancer predisposition: A qualitative interview study. Patient Educ Couns 2021; 104:257-264. [PMID: 32988685 DOI: 10.1016/j.pec.2020.09.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2020] [Revised: 06/12/2020] [Accepted: 09/04/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE This study aims to assess information needs and information sources and seeks to illustrate what at-risk individuals consider motivators of and barriers to information-seeking before and after genetic testing for cancer predisposition. METHODS Semi-structured interviews with people seeking genetic counseling in Switzerland were analyzed qualitatively using thematic analysis. Wilson's model of information behavior was the theoretical framework. RESULTS We identified four themes that illustrate motivators of and barriers to information-seeking: attitudes and emotions; knowledge; social environment; and demographic factors. We also elucidated information needs and collected participants' information sources. CONCLUSION This study£s empirical approach helps healthcare professionals to understand their patients' behaviors and wishes concerning information-seeking more concretely than theoretical models alone. The study also identifies information gaps, especially outside the genetic counseling setting. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS Genetic counselors and other healthcare professionals need to purposefully assist patients in finding trustworthy and accessible information. Healthcare professionals in all disciplines need to be educated about predictive genetic testing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bettina M Zimmermann
- Institute for Biomedical Ethics, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland; Institute of History and Ethics in Medicine, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany.
| | - Julia Fanderl
- Institute for Biomedical Ethics, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Insa Koné
- Institute for Biomedical Ethics, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Manuela Rabaglio
- Department of Medical Oncology, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Nicole Bürki
- Women's Clinic and Gynecological Oncology, University Hospital Basel, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - David Shaw
- Institute for Biomedical Ethics, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland; Care and Public Health Research Institute, Maastricht University, Maastricht, the Netherlands
| | - Bernice Elger
- Institute for Biomedical Ethics, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland; Center for Legal Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
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241
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Swoboda CM, Walker DM, Huerta T. Odds of Meeting Cancer Prevention Behavior Recommendations by Health Information Seeking Behavior: a Cross-Sectional HINTS Analysis. J Cancer Educ 2021; 36:56-64. [PMID: 31396847 DOI: 10.1007/s13187-019-01597-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
People who seek health information frequently may be more likely to meet health behavior goals; however, people use many different information sources. The purpose of this paper is to assess how different sources of health information influence likelihood of meeting cancer prevention behavior guidelines. Logistic regression of cross-sectional data from 6 years of the Health Information National Trends Survey (HINTS) was conducted. Independent variables included first source of health information, gender, age, race, education level, income, cancer history, general health, and data year; dependent variables were fruit and vegetable intake, exercise, smoking, mammography, Pap test, and colon cancer screening. Those who seek health information from doctors, the internet, or publications had higher odds of meeting more cancer prevention guidelines than those who do not seek health information. Those who used healthcare providers as an initial information source had higher odds of meeting diet, cervical, and colon cancer screening recommendations, while using the internet as an initial source of health information was associated with higher odds of meeting diet, smoking, and colon cancer screening recommendations. No health information source was associated with meeting either exercise or mammography recommendations. People should be encouraged to seek health information to help them meet their behavior goals, especially from sources that are more likely to be accurate and encourage cancer prevention behavior. Future research is needed to understand the accuracy of health information and what kinds of health information have positive influences on cancer prevention behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christine M Swoboda
- The Center for the Advancement of Team Science, Analytics, and Systems Thinking, College of Medicine, Institute for Behavioral Medicine Research, The Ohio State University, 460 Medical Center Drive, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA.
| | - Daniel M Walker
- The Center for the Advancement of Team Science, Analytics, and Systems Thinking, College of Medicine, Institute for Behavioral Medicine Research, The Ohio State University, 460 Medical Center Drive, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, College of Medicine, Institute for Behavioral Medicine Research, The Ohio State University, 460 Medical Center Drive, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA
- Department of Family Medicine, College of Medicine, Institute for Behavioral Medicine Research, The Ohio State University, 460 Medical Center Drive, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA
| | - Timothy Huerta
- The Center for the Advancement of Team Science, Analytics, and Systems Thinking, College of Medicine, Institute for Behavioral Medicine Research, The Ohio State University, 460 Medical Center Drive, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, College of Medicine, Institute for Behavioral Medicine Research, The Ohio State University, 460 Medical Center Drive, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA
- Department of Family Medicine, College of Medicine, Institute for Behavioral Medicine Research, The Ohio State University, 460 Medical Center Drive, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA
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242
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Paige SR, Alpert JM, Bylund CL. Fatalistic Cancer Beliefs Across Generations and Geographic Classifications: Examining the Role of Health Information Seeking Challenges and Confidence. J Cancer Educ 2021; 36:3-9. [PMID: 32648238 PMCID: PMC7794083 DOI: 10.1007/s13187-020-01820-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Information seeking is an active health behavior that influences cancer fatalism; however, people commonly experience challenges in accessing high-quality and actionable health information that is personally relevant. This is especially common among older and rural adults who have a high cancer risk. The purpose of this study was to examine the theoretical assumption that enhancing perceived confidence to overcome health information seeking challenges will alleviate cancer fatalism. In 2017, 895 adults from a large southeastern medical university's cancer catchment area participated in a random digit dial survey. Participants were Millennials (18-35; 19%), Generation X (36-51; 23%), Baby Boomers (52-70; 40%), and Silent Generation (71-95; 16.9%) who had equal representation across metro (78.9%) and nonmetro (21.1%) counties. Younger generations (Millennials and Generation X) held stronger fatalistic cancer beliefs ("It seems like everything causes cancer," "When I think about cancer, I automatically think about death") than older generations. Most participants believed that precautionary efforts exist to reduce their chances of getting cancer, which was strongest among individuals residing in metro counties. In controlling for generation and geographic residence, individuals who experienced challenges in the process of accessing health information had stronger fatalistic beliefs about cancer prevention; however, this relationship was most pronounced among individuals with confidence to ultimately obtain information that they needed. This study contributes to evidence for health information equity in combatting fatalistic cancer beliefs. Findings have important implications for the optimized dissemination of culturally adapted cancer education and skill-based training to efficiently access and evaluate relevant cancer education.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samantha R Paige
- STEM Translational Communication Center, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA.
| | - Jordan M Alpert
- Department of Advertising, College of Journalism and Communications, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Carma L Bylund
- Division of Hematology & Oncology, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
- Department of Public Relations, College of Journalism and Communications, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
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243
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Ochoa CY, Miller KA, Baezconde-Garbanati L, Slaughter RI, Hamilton AS, Milam JE. Parental Cancer-related Information Seeking, Health Communication and Satisfaction with Medical Providers of Childhood Cancer Survivors: Differences by Race/Ethnicity and Language Preference. J Health Commun 2021; 26:83-91. [PMID: 33688790 PMCID: PMC8547415 DOI: 10.1080/10810730.2021.1895919] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
For childhood cancer survivors (CCS), parents play an important role in communicating with providers and conveying patient's needs. This exploratory study examined the prevalence of cancer-related information-seeking among parents of CCS and investigated the association between parents' race/ethnicity and language preference with health communication and satisfaction with child's medical providers. One hundred and sixty CCS and their parents from two hospitals in Los Angeles County were recruited from the SEER registry. Multivariable logistic regression analyses assessed associations between parents' race/ethnicity and language preference and their health communication with their child and with their child's medical care providers. Among the parents, 29% were Spanish-speaking Hispanics, 27% English-speaking Hispanics, and 43% English-speaking non-Hispanics. Regardless of language preference, Hispanic parents were more likely than non-Hispanic parents to receive health information about their CCS's cancer from hospital sources versus the internet. There was no difference by ethnicity/language in parent satisfaction with their CCS's medical provider. Spanish-speaking Hispanic parents were more likely to report talking to their CCS about the need for cancer-related follow-up care compared to non-Hispanic English-speaking parents. These findings point to the potential importance of parents' ethnicity and language for sources of health information and frequency of communication with their CCS about their cancer care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carol Y. Ochoa
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Kimberly A. Miller
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA
- Department of Dermatology, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Lourdes Baezconde-Garbanati
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Rhona I. Slaughter
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Ann S. Hamilton
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Joel E. Milam
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA
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244
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Kardeş S, Kuzu AS, Raiker R, Pakhchanian H, Karagülle M. Public interest in rheumatic diseases and rheumatologist in the United States during the COVID-19 pandemic: evidence from Google Trends. Rheumatol Int 2021; 41:329-334. [PMID: 33070255 PMCID: PMC7568841 DOI: 10.1007/s00296-020-04728-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2020] [Accepted: 10/08/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
To evaluate the public interest in rheumatic diseases during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Google Trends was queried to analyze search trends in the United States for numerous rheumatic diseases and also the interest in a rheumatologist. Three 8-week periods in 2020 ((March 15-May 9), (May 10-July 4), and (July 5-August 29)) were compared to similar periods of the prior 4 years (2016-2019). Compared to a similar time period between 2016 and 2019, a significant decrease was found in the relative search volume for more than half of the search terms during the initial March 15-May 9, 2020 period. However, this trend appeared to reverse during the July 5-August 29, 2020 period where the relative volume for nearly half of the search terms were not statistically significant compared to similar periods of the prior 4 years. In addition, this period showed a significant increase in relative volume for the terms: Axial spondyloarthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, psoriatic arthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, Sjögren's syndrome, antiphospholipid syndrome, scleroderma, Kawasaki disease, Anti-Neutrophil Cytoplasmic Antibody (ANCA)-associated vasculitis, and rheumatologist. There was a significant decrease in relative search volume for many rheumatic diseases between March 15 and May 9, 2020 when compared to similar periods during the prior 4 years. However, the trends reversed after the initial period ended. There was an increase in relative search for the term "rheumatologist" between July and August 2020 suggesting the need for rheumatologists during the COVID-19 pandemic. Policymakers and healthcare providers should address the informational demands on rheumatic diseases and needs for rheumatologists by the general public during pandemics like COVID-19.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sinan Kardeş
- Department of Medical Ecology and Hydroclimatology, Istanbul Faculty of Medicine, Istanbul University, Capa-Fatih, 34093 Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Ali Suat Kuzu
- Department of Medical Ecology and Hydroclimatology, Istanbul Faculty of Medicine, Istanbul University, Capa-Fatih, 34093 Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Rahul Raiker
- West Virginia University School of Medicine, Morgantown, WV USA
| | - Haig Pakhchanian
- George Washington University School of Medicine & Health Science, Washington, DC USA
| | - Mine Karagülle
- Department of Medical Ecology and Hydroclimatology, Istanbul Faculty of Medicine, Istanbul University, Capa-Fatih, 34093 Istanbul, Turkey
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245
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Lin JC, Jiang L, Scott IU, Greenberg PB. COVID-19 and Public Interest in Ophthalmic Services and Conditions. R I Med J (2013) 2021; 104:61-64. [PMID: 33517603] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To assess the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and associated lockdowns on public interest in ophthalmology. METHODS Search interest data for ophthalmic services and conditions were collected from January 1, 2019 to June 21, 2020. Temporal statistical analysis was used to identify significant trends. Weekly data on ophthalmic services and conditions search interest obtained from Google Trends were analyzed with analysis of variance testing and the generalized linear model based on dates. RESULTS Ophthalmic services searches decreased after the first COVID-19 case in the country (p<0.001); ophthalmic services and conditions search interest also declined after the first COVID-19 case and lockdown orders in each state (p<0.001). Following the first in-state COVID-19 case, search interest in ophthalmic services fell more than for ophthalmic conditions (p=0.0088). Lockdown and COVID-19 had similar effects on ophthalmic services search interest (p=0.2246), but interest in ophthalmic conditions decreased more after lockdown than after the first in-state case (p<0.0001). CONCLUSIONS Most of the decrease in search interest in ophthalmic services was associated with COVID-19 rather than lockdown orders, suggesting that public interest in ophthalmic care may be more sensitive to changes in the COVID-19 pandemic than lockdown orders.
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Affiliation(s)
- John C Lin
- Program in Liberal Medical Education, Brown University; Division of Ophthalmology, Alpert Medical School, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island
| | - Lan Jiang
- Center of Innovation in Long Term Services and Supports, Providence VA Medical Center, Providence, Rhode Island
| | - Ingrid U Scott
- Departments of Ophthalmology and Public Health Sciences, Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, Pennsylvania
| | - Paul B Greenberg
- Division of Ophthalmology, Alpert Medical School, Brown University; Section of Ophthalmology, Providence VA Medical Center, Providence, Rhode Island; Office of Academic Affiliations, US Department of Veterans Affairs, Washington DC
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246
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Schäfer M, Stark B, Werner AM, Tibubos AN, Reichel JL, Pfirrmann D, Edelmann D, Heller S, Mülder LM, Rigotti T, Letzel S, Dietz P. Health Information Seeking Among University Students Before and During the Corona Crisis-Findings From Germany. Front Public Health 2021; 8:616603. [PMID: 33585388 PMCID: PMC7873736 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2020.616603] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2020] [Accepted: 12/04/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Health information-seeking behavior is the process of gathering information about health and disease and can be influential for health-related perception and behavior. University students are an important target group for prevention and health promotion and largely belong to an age group that is considered to play a leading role in propagating the SARS-CoV-2 epidemic in Germany. The paper deals with students' health information-seeking behavior before and during the corona crisis, aiming to give insights into its determinants and implications. Using the example of a large German comprehensive university and based on two cross-sectional surveys in the summer of 2019 (n = 4,351) and 2020 (n = 3,066), we investigate which information channels students use for health information, how information seeking changes during the course of the pandemic, and to what extent information seeking is associated with risk perception and risk behavior. For a subsample of participants that participated in both surveys (n = 443), we also trace developments at the individual level through a longitudinal analysis. The results show that students' health information seeking takes place primarily online and changed markedly during the corona crisis. The comparatively high relevance of sources that are largely based on unchecked user-generated content raises the concern whether students' health information-seeking behavior guarantees the necessary quality and reliability of health information. Significant correlations between the intensity of corona-related information seeking, risk perception, and actual risk behavior were found.
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Affiliation(s)
- Markus Schäfer
- Department of Communication, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| | - Birgit Stark
- Department of Communication, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| | - Antonia M. Werner
- Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| | - Ana Nanette Tibubos
- Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| | - Jennifer L. Reichel
- Institute of Occupational, Social and Environmental Medicine, University Medical Center of the University of Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| | - Daniel Pfirrmann
- Department Sport Medicine, Rehabilitation and Disease Prevention, Institute of Sport Science, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| | - Dennis Edelmann
- Department Sport Medicine, Rehabilitation and Disease Prevention, Institute of Sport Science, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| | - Sebastian Heller
- Institute of Occupational, Social and Environmental Medicine, University Medical Center of the University of Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| | - Lina Marie Mülder
- Department of Work, Organizational, and Business Psychology, Institute for Psychology, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| | - Thomas Rigotti
- Department of Work, Organizational, and Business Psychology, Institute for Psychology, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
- Leibniz Institute for Resilience Research, Mainz, Germany
| | - Stephan Letzel
- Institute of Occupational, Social and Environmental Medicine, University Medical Center of the University of Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| | - Pavel Dietz
- Institute of Occupational, Social and Environmental Medicine, University Medical Center of the University of Mainz, Mainz, Germany
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247
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Hai J, Nguyen M, Hasan A, Pan A, Engel T, Sivamani R. Patient perceptions about nutrition and skin health: a survey study characterizing patient opinions and information resources. Dermatol Online J 2021; 27:13030/qt32z9m11c. [PMID: 33560786] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2021] [Accepted: 02/02/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Numerous studies in the clinical literature have explored the link between nutrition and skin physiology. However, it is unclear whether patients visit their dermatologists with knowledge of these studies, and unknown where they obtain their skin health information. We characterized patient perceptions surrounding nutrition and skin, including what patients identified as aggravating and alleviating foods and their information sources. METHODS We administered a questionnaire to 409 participants attending University of California (UC) Davis Dermatology and Pacific Skin Institute in Sacramento. This survey assessed their perception on the influence of nutrition. We stratified responses by diseases. RESULTS Of the 409 respondents, 83% believed that nutrition affects skin health. Respondents with healthy skin were not more likely to agree than those with skin conditions in general (P=0.34). Those with skin conditions also more likely received their information from reputable sources, defined as physicians and scientific journals (P=0.02). Additionally, respondents who disagreed were more likely informed by reputable sources (P=0.002), but when online blogs were included as reputable, this relationship was less significant (P=0.046). CONCLUSIONS As online resources become more accessible, it is important for providers to know about changing patient perspectives. Our findings may help improve how dermatologists counsel patients about nutrition.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | - Raja Sivamani
- College of Medicine, California Northstate University, Elk Grove, CA Department of Dermatology, University of California, Davis, Sacramento, CA Department of Biological Sciences, California State University, Sacramento, CA Pacific Skin Institute, Sacramento, CA Zen Dermatology, Sacramento, CA.
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248
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Abstract
This cross-sectional study assesses trends in suicide-related internet search rates in the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic in the US.
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Affiliation(s)
- John W. Ayers
- Division of Infectious Diseases and Global Public Health, Department of Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla
| | - Adam Poliak
- Department of Computer Science, Barnard College, Columbia University, New York, New York
| | - Derek C. Johnson
- Division of Infectious Diseases and Global Public Health, Department of Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla
| | - Eric C. Leas
- Department of Family Medicine and Public Health, Division of Health Policy, University of California San Diego, La Jolla
| | - Mark Dredze
- Department of Computer Science, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Theodore Caputi
- Department of Health Sciences, University of York, York, United Kingdom
| | - Alicia L. Nobles
- Division of Infectious Diseases and Global Public Health, Department of Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla
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Nazione S, Perrault E, Pace K. Impact of Information Exposure on Perceived Risk, Efficacy, and Preventative Behaviors at the Beginning of the COVID-19 Pandemic in the United States. Health Commun 2021; 36:23-31. [PMID: 33183090 DOI: 10.1080/10410236.2020.1847446] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
This online survey took place on March 7, 2020 at the beginning of the COVID-19 outbreak in the United States. Participants (n = 698) completed an online survey in which they were asked to reflect on their mediated and interpersonal information consumption, in addition to reporting on risk perceptions, general efficacy perceptions, and preventative behaviors specific to COVID-19 in the past seven days. Participant age and chronic condition status were controlled for in all analyses. Time spent consuming news, social media, and health website information was not related to risk perceptions. Time spent on health websites predicted time spent having interpersonal conversations about COVID-19, as well as general efficacy levels. Following the Extended Parallel Process Model, perceived severity, perceived susceptibility, and general perceived efficacy predicted preventative behaviors. The vast majority of participants did report taking preventative action against COVID-19, most commonly in the form of hand washing, with many enacting stronger preventative behaviors that had yet to be recommended for the general population. Overall, mediated and interpersonal information exposure had minimal effects on perceived risk and perceived general efficacy, which in turn predicted 27.5% of the variance in preventative behavior. Efficacy was the most powerful among these predictors, and health websites, specifically governmental websites, appeared to be underutilized resources with the potential to promote efficacy during outbreaks. Further research is needed to understand causation in these relationships and to assist in successful message transmission.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Evan Perrault
- Brian Lamb School of Communication, Purdue University
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Abstract
Emerging infectious disease (EID) outbreaks such as the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic create unknown risks, uncertainty, and anxiety around the world. Accurate and timely information can help the public understand the outbreak and manage their lives. Presented here is a study of how residents of Hubei Province, the epicenter of the COVID-19 outbreak in China, use media for information seeking, scanning, and sharing while under lockdown through in-depth interviews. We find that (1) individuals primarily acquire information through information scanning from official governmental sources, (2) information sharing is more frequent with family members through private channels than with one's extended social networks and the general public through pubic channels mostly due to concerns with censorship, and (3) individuals' information need and information use change substantially during different stages of the outbreak. These findings provide insights into how individuals in China use different media for information during an unprecedented public health crisis and make sense of the limited and often confusing and contradictory information that is available to them. Such findings can inform future health communication efforts during EID outbreaks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lu Tang
- Department of Communication, Texas A&M University
| | - Wenxue Zou
- Department of Communication, Texas A&M University
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