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Miles TT, Li SJ, Danzig T, Marrero M, Morales I, Babazadeh S. Assessment of Covid-19 vaccine confidence among healthcare personnel in the safety-net sector in the United States and Puerto Rico. BMC Health Serv Res 2024; 24:580. [PMID: 38702754 PMCID: PMC11069172 DOI: 10.1186/s12913-024-10996-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2023] [Accepted: 04/16/2024] [Indexed: 05/06/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND This study aimed to assess COVID-19 vaccine confidence among healthcare personnel in the safety net sector of the United States and Puerto Rico. This study aimed to examine the extent to which increased knowledge and positive attitudes toward COVID-19 vaccine safety and efficacy were associated with healthcare workers' COVID-19 vaccination status and their recommendation of the vaccine to all patients. METHODS Online survey data were collected from health care workers working in Free and Charitable Clinics across the United States and Federally Qualified Health Centers in Puerto Rico. The survey consisted of 62 questions covering various demographic measures and constructs related to healthcare workers' vaccination status, beliefs, and recommendations for COVID-19 vaccination. Statistical analyses, including multivariate analysis, were conducted to identify the factors associated with the COVID-19 vaccine status and recommendations among healthcare personnel. RESULTS Among the 2273 respondents, 93% reported being vaccinated against COVID-19. The analysis revealed that respondents who believed that COVID-19 vaccines were efficacious and safe were three times more likely to be vaccinated and twice as likely to recommend them to all their patients. Respondents who believed they had received adequate information about COVID-19 vaccination were 10 times more likely to be vaccinated and four times more likely to recommend it to all their patients. CONCLUSIONS The study results indicate that healthcare workers' confidence in COVID-19 vaccines is closely tied to their level of knowledge, positive beliefs, and attitudes about vaccine safety and efficacy. The study emphasizes the significance of healthcare workers feeling well informed and confident in their knowledge to recommend the vaccine to their patients. These findings have important implications for the development of strategies to boost COVID-19 vaccine confidence among healthcare workers and increase vaccine uptake among patients.
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Mao F, Gong J, Wu B. Public Opinion Through Art: Exploring Chinese University Students' Perspectives on COVID-19 Mass Nucleic Acid Testing. QUALITATIVE HEALTH RESEARCH 2024:10497323241233438. [PMID: 38477095 DOI: 10.1177/10497323241233438] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/14/2024]
Abstract
In the context of the global COVID-19 pandemic, this study focuses on Chinese university students, employing graphic elicitation as a qualitative research method to analyze their hand-drawn paintings and related descriptions. Augmented by A/r/tography and metacognitive methods, the research aims to unveil the participants' collective memory, as well as the perspectives and responses of these students to policies related to the pandemic. By specifically examining this particular demographic, the study incorporates Fairclough's ethical theory, applying deontological ethics, consequentialist ethics, and virtue ethics to establish a comprehensive framework for evaluating adjustments to pandemic response policies. This research not only enhances our understanding of how these university students perceive and adapt to COVID-19 policies but also provides valuable insights for decision-makers. The particular methodology, combining graphic elicitation and metacognitive research, contributes to policy assessment and ethical analysis, offering a nuanced perspective on the interplay between individual perceptions, policy responses, and ethical considerations amid the complexities of a public health crisis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Feng Mao
- School of Languages, Shanghai University of International Business and Economics, Shanghai, China
- China Center for Language Planning and Policy Studies, Institute of Linguistics, Shanghai International Studies University, State Language Commission of China, Shanghai, China
| | - Juan Gong
- School of Languages, Shanghai University of International Business and Economics, Shanghai, China
| | - Biyu Wu
- School of Foreign Languages, University of Shanghai for Science and Technology, Shanghai, China
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Fontaine G, Smith M, Langmuir T, Mekki K, Ghazal H, Noad EE, Buchan J, Dubey V, Patey AM, McCleary N, Gibson E, Wilson M, Alghamyan A, Zmytrovych K, Thompson K, Crawshaw J, Grimshaw JM, Arnason T, Brehaut J, Michie S, Brouwers M, Presseau J. One size doesn't fit all: methodological reflections in conducting community-based behavioural science research to tailor COVID-19 vaccination initiatives for public health priority populations. BMC Public Health 2024; 24:784. [PMID: 38481197 PMCID: PMC10936009 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-024-18270-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2023] [Accepted: 03/04/2024] [Indexed: 03/17/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Promoting the uptake of vaccination for infectious diseases such as COVID-19 remains a global challenge, necessitating collaborative efforts between public health units (PHUs) and communities. Applied behavioural science can play a crucial role in supporting PHUs' response by providing insights into human behaviour and informing tailored strategies to enhance vaccination uptake. Community engagement can help broaden the reach of behavioural science research by involving a more diverse range of populations and ensuring that strategies better represent the needs of specific communities. We developed and applied an approach to conducting community-based behavioural science research with ethnically and socioeconomically diverse populations to guide PHUs in tailoring their strategies to promote COVID-19 vaccination. This paper presents the community engagement methodology and the lessons learned in applying the methodology. METHODS The community engagement methodology was developed based on integrated knowledge translation (iKT) and community-based participatory research (CBPR) principles. The study involved collaboration with PHUs and local communities in Ontario, Canada to identify priority groups for COVID-19 vaccination, understand factors influencing vaccine uptake and co-design strategies tailored to each community to promote vaccination. Community engagement was conducted across three large urban regions with individuals from Eastern European communities, African, Black, and Caribbean communities and low socioeconomic neighbourhoods. RESULTS We developed and applied a seven-step methodology for conducting community-based behavioural science research: (1) aligning goals with system-level partners; (2) engaging with PHUs to understand priorities; (3) understanding community strengths and dynamics; (4) building relationships with each community; (5) establishing partnerships (community advisory groups); (6) involving community members in the research process; and (7) feeding back and interpreting research findings. Research partnerships were successfully established with members of prioritized communities, enabling recruitment of participants for theory-informed behavioural science interviews, interpretation of findings, and co-design of targeted recommendations for each PHU to improve COVID-19 vaccination uptake. Lessons learned include the importance of cultural sensitivity and awareness of sociopolitical context in tailoring community engagement, being agile to address the diverse and evolving priorities of PHUs, and building trust to achieve effective community engagement. CONCLUSION Effective community engagement in behavioural science research can lead to more inclusive and representative research. The community engagement approach developed and applied in this study acknowledges the diversity of communities, recognizes the central role of PHUs, and can help in addressing complex public health challenges.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guillaume Fontaine
- Centre for Implementation Research, Clinical Epidemiology Program, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, 501 Smyth Rd, Ottawa, ON, K1H 8L6, Canada
- Department of Medicine, University of Ottawa, 451 Smyth Rd, Ottawa, ON, K1H 8M5, Canada
| | | | - Tori Langmuir
- Centre for Implementation Research, Clinical Epidemiology Program, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, 501 Smyth Rd, Ottawa, ON, K1H 8L6, Canada
| | - Karim Mekki
- Ottawa Public Health, 100 Constellation Dr, Nepean, ON, K2G 6J8, Canada
| | - Hanan Ghazal
- Ottawa Public Health, 100 Constellation Dr, Nepean, ON, K2G 6J8, Canada
| | | | - Judy Buchan
- Peel Public Health, 7120 Hurontario St, Mississauga, ON, L5W 1N4, Canada
| | - Vinita Dubey
- Toronto Public Health, City Hall, 100 Queen St W, Toronto, ON, M5H 2N2, Canada
| | - Andrea M Patey
- Centre for Implementation Research, Clinical Epidemiology Program, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, 501 Smyth Rd, Ottawa, ON, K1H 8L6, Canada
- School of Epidemiology and Public Health, 600 Peter Morand Crescent, Ottawa, ON, K1G 5Z3, Canada
- School of Rehabilitation Therapy, Queen's University, Louise D Acton Building, 31 George St, Kingston, ON, K7L 3N6, Canada
| | - Nicola McCleary
- Centre for Implementation Research, Clinical Epidemiology Program, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, 501 Smyth Rd, Ottawa, ON, K1H 8L6, Canada
| | - Emily Gibson
- Centre for Implementation Research, Clinical Epidemiology Program, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, 501 Smyth Rd, Ottawa, ON, K1H 8L6, Canada
| | - Mackenzie Wilson
- Centre for Implementation Research, Clinical Epidemiology Program, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, 501 Smyth Rd, Ottawa, ON, K1H 8L6, Canada
| | | | | | | | - Jacob Crawshaw
- McMaster University, 1280 Main St W, Hamilton, ON, L8S 4L8, Canada
| | - Jeremy M Grimshaw
- Centre for Implementation Research, Clinical Epidemiology Program, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, 501 Smyth Rd, Ottawa, ON, K1H 8L6, Canada
- Department of Medicine, University of Ottawa, 451 Smyth Rd, Ottawa, ON, K1H 8M5, Canada
- School of Epidemiology and Public Health, 600 Peter Morand Crescent, Ottawa, ON, K1G 5Z3, Canada
| | - Trevor Arnason
- Ottawa Public Health, 100 Constellation Dr, Nepean, ON, K2G 6J8, Canada
| | - Jamie Brehaut
- Centre for Implementation Research, Clinical Epidemiology Program, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, 501 Smyth Rd, Ottawa, ON, K1H 8L6, Canada
- School of Epidemiology and Public Health, 600 Peter Morand Crescent, Ottawa, ON, K1G 5Z3, Canada
| | - Susan Michie
- Centre for Behaviour Change, University College London, Gower St, London, WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Melissa Brouwers
- Centre for Implementation Research, Clinical Epidemiology Program, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, 501 Smyth Rd, Ottawa, ON, K1H 8L6, Canada
- School of Epidemiology and Public Health, 600 Peter Morand Crescent, Ottawa, ON, K1G 5Z3, Canada
| | - Justin Presseau
- Centre for Implementation Research, Clinical Epidemiology Program, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, 501 Smyth Rd, Ottawa, ON, K1H 8L6, Canada.
- School of Epidemiology and Public Health, 600 Peter Morand Crescent, Ottawa, ON, K1G 5Z3, Canada.
- School of Psychology, University of Ottawa, 136 Jean-Jacques Lussier Vanier Hall, Ottawa, ON, K1N 6N5, Canada.
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Pettingell SL, Bershadsky J, Hewitt A, Anderson LL, Zhang A. Direct Support Professionals and COVID-19 Vaccination: A Comparison of Vaccinated Early Adopters and In-Betweeners. INTELLECTUAL AND DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES 2023; 61:492-505. [PMID: 38011745 PMCID: PMC10896219 DOI: 10.1352/1934-9556-61.6.492] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2022] [Accepted: 04/03/2023] [Indexed: 11/29/2023]
Abstract
Direct support professionals (DSPs) are at increased risk of contracting COVID-19. A four-wave survey series was conducted, in part, to understand DSPs' COVID-19 vaccination experiences. Fourth wave data were used to compare those vaccinated against COVID-19 when they became eligible (early adopters) and those waiting at least three months before vaccination (in-betweeners). Findings indicated that in-betweeners were more likely to be female, younger, and people of color with lower education levels and annual incomes, with employers requiring COVID-19 vaccination to remain employed. COVID-19 vaccination motivators included protection for self, family, or people supported; an employer who mandated COVID-19 vaccination; and having had COVID-19 or knowing someone who did.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandra L Pettingell
- Sandra L. Pettingell, Julie Bershadsky, Amy Hewitt, Lynda Lahti Anderson, and Alicia Zhang, University of Minnesota
| | - Julie Bershadsky
- Sandra L. Pettingell, Julie Bershadsky, Amy Hewitt, Lynda Lahti Anderson, and Alicia Zhang, University of Minnesota
| | - Amy Hewitt
- Sandra L. Pettingell, Julie Bershadsky, Amy Hewitt, Lynda Lahti Anderson, and Alicia Zhang, University of Minnesota
| | - Lynda Lahti Anderson
- Sandra L. Pettingell, Julie Bershadsky, Amy Hewitt, Lynda Lahti Anderson, and Alicia Zhang, University of Minnesota
| | - Alicia Zhang
- Sandra L. Pettingell, Julie Bershadsky, Amy Hewitt, Lynda Lahti Anderson, and Alicia Zhang, University of Minnesota
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Basu S, Sharma H. Media Reporting Relating to COVID-19 Vaccination as a Driver of Vaccine Hesitancy Prior to the Second Wave of the COVID-19 Pandemic in India: A Content Analysis of Newspaper and Digital Media Reports. Cureus 2023; 15:e36750. [PMID: 37123709 PMCID: PMC10132397 DOI: 10.7759/cureus.36750] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/26/2023] [Indexed: 03/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Over 2,40,000 deaths were attributed to the SARS-CoV-2 Delta (B.1.617.2) variant in India during the second wave of the pandemic from April to June 2021 with most deaths occurring in the unvaccinated population. High levels of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccine hesitancy contributed to significantly reduced vaccination coverage in the eligible population especially among healthcare workers, comorbid and older people. The existing global evidence suggests misinformation through social media to accentuate, while newspaper and mainstream media reporting to be protective against vaccine hesitancy during the COVID-19 pandemic. Content analysis of regular press coverage of COVID-19 vaccination in India during the period of initial deployment and until the onset of the second wave of the pandemic can provide useful learnings and strengthen preparedness for addressing potential vaccine hesitancy concerns during future pandemics. Therefore, we conducted this inductive content analysis of press coverage related to the COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy in India prior to the second (Delta) wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods We examined news reports related to COVID-19 vaccination in India for the period from 1st January 2021 to 28 February 2021 from a high circulation English language daily (Hindustan Times), Hindi (vernacular) language daily (Dainik Jagran), and English language news reports from selected digital news portals. The inclusion criterion was any news report related to COVID-19 vaccination including editorials and guest opinion pieces that could potentially generate COVID-19-related vaccine hesitancy. The news items were classified depending on their potential to drive vaccine hesitancy by either avoiding reporting of positive information related to COVID-19 vaccines, or attributing directly or indirectly, negative or misleading commentary relating to vaccine safety or efficacy. Reports with possible risk of increasing vaccine hesitancy were further analyzed based on content, source of information, and the extent of fact-checking. Results Most of the published newspaper reports examined in this study echoed official news sources and views from government health agencies promoting COVID-19 vaccine acceptance and dispelling doubts on concerns regarding vaccine safety. There were eight unique newspaper reports after excluding duplicated bilingual entries and four news items from online digital Indian news sources that met our criterion of reports with possible contribution to vaccine hesitancy. The reports possibly contributed to vaccine hesitancy were grouped into two themes: (i) Doubts on the safety and efficacy of local manufactured vaccines: most of these reports focused on the granting of emergency use authorization for Covaxin (BBV152) in 'clinical trial mode' without the completion and publication of Phase-3 efficacy data (ii). Doubts on vaccine requirement considering high seroprevalence and reduced virus transmission. Conclusions Concerns about the efficacy and safety of Covaxin (BBV152), safety of the Covishield vaccine, and questioning the necessity of immunizing all adults with COVID-19 vaccines were observed in multiple press reports with attempts at politicization of vaccination-related decisions. The press reporting with potential for contributing to significant COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy since launch and until the Delta wave of the pandemic in India has important lessons in future pandemic preparedness.
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Borghouts J, Huang Y, Gibbs S, Hopfer S, Li C, Mark G. Understanding underlying moral values and language use of COVID-19 vaccine attitudes on twitter. PNAS NEXUS 2023; 2:pgad013. [PMID: 36896130 PMCID: PMC9991494 DOI: 10.1093/pnasnexus/pgad013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2022] [Revised: 12/23/2022] [Accepted: 01/09/2023] [Indexed: 03/11/2023]
Abstract
Public sentiment toward the COVID-19 vaccine as expressed on social media can interfere with communication by public health agencies on the importance of getting vaccinated. We investigated Twitter data to understand differences in sentiment, moral values, and language use between political ideologies on the COVID-19 vaccine. We estimated political ideology, conducted a sentiment analysis, and guided by the tenets of moral foundations theory (MFT), we analyzed 262,267 English language tweets from the United States containing COVID-19 vaccine-related keywords between May 2020 and October 2021. We applied the Moral Foundations Dictionary and used topic modeling and Word2Vec to understand moral values and the context of words central to the discussion of the vaccine debate. A quadratic trend showed that extreme ideologies of both Liberals and Conservatives expressed a higher negative sentiment than Moderates, with Conservatives expressing more negative sentiment than Liberals. Compared to Conservative tweets, we found the expression of Liberal tweets to be rooted in a wider set of moral values, associated with moral foundations of care (getting the vaccine for protection), fairness (having access to the vaccine), liberty (related to the vaccine mandate), and authority (trusting the vaccine mandate imposed by the government). Conservative tweets were found to be associated with harm (around safety of the vaccine) and oppression (around the government mandate). Furthermore, political ideology was associated with the expression of different meanings for the same words, e.g. "science" and "death." Our results inform public health outreach communication strategies to best tailor vaccine information to different groups.
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Affiliation(s)
- Judith Borghouts
- Department of Medicine, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA 92617, USA
| | - Yicong Huang
- Department of Computer Science, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
| | - Sydney Gibbs
- Department of Computer Science, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
| | - Suellen Hopfer
- Department of Health, Society & Behavior in the Program in Public Health, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
| | - Chen Li
- Department of Computer Science, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
| | - Gloria Mark
- Department of Computer Science, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
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Van Scoy LJ, Duda SH, Scott AM, Baker A, Costigan H, Loeffler M, Sherman MS, Brown MD. A mixed methods study exploring requests for unproven COVID therapies such as ivermectin and healthcare distrust in the rural South. Prev Med Rep 2022; 31:102104. [PMID: 36619802 PMCID: PMC9804965 DOI: 10.1016/j.pmedr.2022.102104] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2022] [Revised: 12/28/2022] [Accepted: 12/30/2022] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic has led to contentious discourse regarding unproven COVID-19 therapies (UCTs),(e.g. ivermectin). Despite recommendations against it, ivermectin remains, in some areas, highly demanded. The goal of this study is to understand patient and provider perspectives about UCTs (e.g., ivermectin) and how responses to requests for UCTs impact healthcare distrust. This mixed methods observational study was conducted in a rural healthcare system in the Southern United States. Adults (n = 26) with a history of COVID-19 or clinicians (n = 8) from the same system were interviewed using questionnaires assessing healthcare distrust and qualitatively interviewed exploring perceptions about UCTs. Patient themes were: 1) Importance of anecdotal stories for decision-making; 2) Use of haphazard approaches to 'research'; 3) Strong distrust of government and healthcare organizations; 4) Inherent trust in local healthcare; 5) Decision-making as weighing pros/cons; and 6) Feeling a right to try medications. High survey medians indicated high distrust with differences of 8.5 points for those who requested/used ivermectin versus those who did not (p = 0.027). Clinician themes were: 1) Frustration when patients trust social media over clinicians; 2) Acceptance of community beliefs about UCTs; 3) Distrust originating outside of the healthcare system; 4) Feeling torn about prescribing UCTs to build trust; and 5) Variable educational strategies. When clinicians are perceived as aligned with government, this may void patients' trust of clinicians. Clinicians should leverage trust in local healthcare and distance themselves from distrusted information sources. Ethical questions arise regarding appropriateness of acquiescing to patient requests for ivermectin for building trust.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauren J. Van Scoy
- Penn State University College of Medicine, Hershey, PA, United States,Corresponding author at: Humanities and Public Health Sciences, Department of Medicine, Division of Pulmonary, Allergy, and Critical Care, Penn State College of Medicine, 500 University Dr., H-041, Hershey, PA 17033-0850, United States.
| | - Sarah H. Duda
- Penn State University College of Medicine, Hershey, PA, United States
| | | | - Arian Baker
- Colquitt Regional Medical Center, Moultrie, GA, United States
| | - Heather Costigan
- Penn State University College of Medicine, Hershey, PA, United States
| | - Morgan Loeffler
- Penn State University College of Medicine, Hershey, PA, United States
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Erokhina Y. Stereotyping of the Russian Orthodox Church in Fake News in the Context of the COVID-19 Pandemic: Semiotic and Legal Analysis. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL FOR THE SEMIOTICS OF LAW = REVUE INTERNATIONALE DE SEMIOTIQUE JURIDIQUE 2022; 35:1187-1213. [PMID: 35228780 PMCID: PMC8865174 DOI: 10.1007/s11196-022-09888-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/20/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Fake news is created as ordinary news stylistically but it consists of deliberate disinformation or hoaxes (aimed at misinforming or deceiving people). The text is generally constructed to cause negative emotions and feelings in readers: fear, panic, distrust, and paranoia. It is done to manipulate the opinion and consciousness of a large number of people and eventually leads to changes in the values, ideas and attitudes that already exist in the public awareness. The result is a schism that has already gone beyond the usual spiritual strife. Moreover, its expansion has weakened the defining feature of Russian Orthodoxy which lies in trust and support of the state and authorities. The Russian Orthodox Church has to deal not only with public health crisis but also with profound differences within its ranks over the churchgoers' behavior in the conditions of a pandemic. The article analyzes legal regulations and mechanisms for countering fake news about the Russian Orthodox Church, and provides examples from the judicial practice. It also determines the mechanisms of the worshippers' reaction to the fake news involving the Russian Orthodox Church. Using semiotic methodology, the author reveals re-encoding of the symbolic meaning of such signs as "Russian Orthodox cross" and "red cross". The connotative meaning of these signs leads to contradictions in the conditions of the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yulia Erokhina
- School for Theory of Law and Cross-sectoral Legal Disciplines, Faculty of Law, HSE University, Moscow, Russian Federation
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Bolsen T, Palm R. Politicization and COVID-19 vaccine resistance in the U.S. PROGRESS IN MOLECULAR BIOLOGY AND TRANSLATIONAL SCIENCE 2022; 188:81-100. [PMID: 35168748 PMCID: PMC8577882 DOI: 10.1016/bs.pmbts.2021.10.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 27.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Science is frequently used and distorted to advance political, economic, or cultural agendas. The politicization of science can limit the positive impacts that scientific advances can offer when people reject sound and beneficial scientific advice. Politicization has undoubtedly contributed to hesitancy toward uptake of the COVID-19 vaccine. It is urgent for scientists and clinicians to better understand: (1) the roots of politicization as related to COVID-19 vaccines; (2) the factors that influence people's receptivity to scientific misinformation in politicized contexts; and (3) how to combat the politicization of science to increase the use of life-saving vaccines. This chapter explores these issues in the context of COVID-19 vaccine resistance in the United States. After briefly describing the development of the vaccines, we describe the ways in which the disease itself became politicized because of statements by political leaders and also by media accounts including social media. We then review the politicization of the vaccine at both national and international scales, variability in public acceptance of the vaccines in the United States, and response to the emergence of variants. The next section summarizes social science findings on overcoming vaccine resistance, and the concluding section outlines some of the lessons of the politicization of the disease and the vaccine for health practitioners and life scientists.
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Affiliation(s)
- Toby Bolsen
- Department of Political Science, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA, United States.
| | - Risa Palm
- Urban Studies Institute, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA, United States
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Ma J, Bonnici L. Redeeming by Unlearning: A Critical Discourse Analysis of COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy on Facebook. PROCEEDINGS OF THE ASSOCIATION FOR INFORMATION SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY. ASSOCIATION FOR INFORMATION SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY 2022; 59:747-749. [PMID: 36714425 PMCID: PMC9874580 DOI: 10.1002/pra2.713] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
As false and debunked claims about the COVID-19 virus and vaccines were pervasively disseminated across online social networks, their detrimental effects necessitated that social media companies track down and remove the disinformation. To explore the lingering vaccine hesitancy and resistance within a vaccine discussion group on Facebook, this study applies a nascent framework called Information Acts in three communication styles. Employing critical discourse analysis methodology, this study showed that the dominant communication styles of vaccine hesitant participants (VHPs) are locutionary and perlocutionary acts. Those VHPs can reduce and eventually end their vaccine hesitancy and resistance in the process of informative and rational communication and interactive and ad-hoc support for informed decision-making. The results pose challenges and opportunities for public health communication and information provision to cultivate information resilience and interventions targeting VHPs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinxuan Ma
- School of Library and Information ManagementEmporia State University
USA
| | - Laurie Bonnici
- College of Communication & Information SciencesUniversity of Alabama
USA
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