Emerging issues and future directions of the field of health communication

Public health agencies' use of social media for communication during pandemics: a scoping review of the literature

Public health agencies (PHAs) have increasingly incorporated social media into their communication mix during successive pandemics in the 21st century. However, the quality, timing, and accuracy of their health messages have varied significantly, resulting in mixed outcomes for communication, audience engagement, and pandemic management. This study aimed to identify factors influencing the effectiveness of pandemic-related health messages shared by PHAs on social media and to report their impact on public engagement as documented in the literature. A scoping literature review was conducted following a predefined protocol. An electronic search of 7 relevant databases and 5 grey literature repositories yielded 9,714 papers published between January 2003 and November 2022. Seventy-three papers were deemed eligible and selected for review. The results underscored the insufficiency of social media guidance policies for PHAs. Six themes were identified: message source, message topic, message style, message timing, content credibility and reliability, and message recipient profile. These themes encompassed 20 variables that could inform PHAs' social media public health communication during pandemics. Additionally, the findings revealed potential interconnectedness among the variables, and this study concluded by proposing a conceptual model that expands upon existing theoretical foundations for developing and evaluating pandemic-related health messaging.

Fifteen Years after a 10-year Retrospective: The State of Health Mass Mediated Campaigns

In 2006, a 10-year retrospective of successful mass mediated health communication campaigns reviewed the field and highlighted strategies for successful campaigns. In the 15 years since the retrospective, there have been dramatic changes in the media environment and advances in health communication research. In this article, we describe changes in the health communication media landscape and in our understanding of mass mediated health communication campaigns in the 15 years since the retrospective. Although the media environment has shifted, we argue that effective principles of health communication have remained relatively constant. We note significant advances in technology since the previous retrospective that can further advance health communication campaigns, with new technologies offering promise as channels for health communication campaigns as well as for campaign planning. We also recommend that campaign researchers report in detail on their use of theory, audience segmentation, channel selection, and the role of formative research when describing campaign efforts; that communicators continue to develop frameworks that integrate principles of effective campaign design; and that additional research focus on understanding how technology can be effectively incorporated into campaign planning, distribution, and evaluation.

Fostering Interdisciplinary Boundary Spanning in Health Communication: A Call for a Paradigm Shift

Scholarship in the field of health communication is broad, with interdisciplinary contributions from researchers trained in a variety of fields including communication, nursing, medicine, pharmacy, public health, and social work. In this paper, we explore the role of "health communication boundary spanners" (HCBS), individuals whose scholarly work and academic appointment reflect dual citizenship in both the communication discipline and the health professions or public health. Using a process of critical reflective inquiry, we elucidate opportunities and challenges associated with HCBS across the spectrum of health communication in order to provide guidance for individuals pursuing boundary spanning roles and those who supervise and mentor them. This dual citizen role suggests that HCBS have unique skills, identities, perspectives, and practices that contribute new ways of being and knowing that transcend traditional disciplinary boundaries. The health communication field is evolving in response to the need to address significant healthcare and policy problems. No one discipline has the ability to single-handedly fix our current healthcare systems. Narrative data from this study illustrate the importance of seeing HCBS work beyond simply being informed by disciplinary knowledge. Rather, we suggest that adapting ways of knowing and definitions of expertise is an integral part of the solution to solving persistent health problems.

The state of health communication research: A content analysis of articles published in Journal of Health Communication and Health Communication (2010-2019)

This study presents data from a content analysis of original research articles published in Journal of Health Communication (JOHC) andHealth Communication (HC) from 2010 to 2019. The authors coded 2,050 articles using categories that identified health topics, theory, population characteristics, and methods used in each study. Distinctions between the published research in JOHCand HCare highlighted. Across both journals, articles are primarily conducted within the United States, most frequently use college student samples, often lack explicit theoretical frameworks, heavily rely on online survey methods, and most commonly use quantitative methodologies. The most frequently utilized theory across both journals wasSocial Cognitive Theory and the most studied health topic were behaviors related to smoking, tobacco, and e-cigarette use. The journals were significantly different in several areas, with HC containing more articles explicitly guided by theory and publishing more qualitative research, while JOHC had more racial diversity in its study samples. Results are discussed in terms of their implications for future research. Increased diversity in methodology and samples, as well as increased use of theory and continued use of interdisciplinary collaborations among researchers will allow for expanding and enhancing health communication knowledge going forward.

Tweeting about #Diseases and #Publichealth: Communicating Global Health Issues across Nations

Twitter is playing an increasing role in health communications, but little is known about the Twitter use of national health departments in general and across different nations in particular. This quantitative content analysis of 1,200 tweets from 12 national health departments showed that the topics covered in these tweets are often lacking in broad coverage - cardiovascular disease is barely mentioned, while infectious diseases are often highlighted - and the tweets do not try to initiate engagement through creating a two-way dialogue with followers. However, the tweets appear to use Health Belief Model constructs, such as initiating cues to action, mentioning self-efficacy and highlighting perceived benefits of health preventative, treatment or screening options, and this is associated with increased Twitter engagement. The paper ends with recommendations for both future studies and new challenges for the use of Twitter by national health departments.

We-Caring: Searching for Online Health Information by Italian Families

Using data collected by the Italian National Institute of Statistics on 19,000 Italian adults who had accessed the Internet in 2013, our study investigates the interaction between online health information-seeking behaviors and family obligations among household members. The study presents a detailed picture of the likelihood of online health information searching according to health status and gendered family roles. Findings of binomial logistic regression models highlight that family obligations per se influence the probability of searching, regardless of the health of the seeker and that of family members. Illness, whether affecting the seeker or other individuals within the family network, proves to be another trigger for online health information seeking. Directions for future research and practical implications for public health organizations are discussed.

Believing in Expertise: How Authors' Credentials and Language Use Influence the Credibility of Online Health Information

Today, many people use the Internet to seek health advice. This study examines how an author's expertise is established and how this affects the credibility of his or her online health information. In a 2 (authors' credentials: medical vs. nonmedical) × 2 (authors' language use: technical vs. every day) within-subjects design, 127 study participants, or "seekers," judged authors' expertise, benevolence, and integrity as well as the credibility of their medical statements. In addition, we assessed seekers' awareness of their own knowledge and behavior. Results revealed that users consciously rewarded authors' credentials and subconsciously punished technical language. Seekers were keenly aware of authors' credentials and perceived authors with medical credentials to have a higher level of expertise and their information to be more credible. Technical language use negatively affected authors' integrity and the credibility of their health information, despite seekers being unaware of it. Practical implications for health communication and implications for future research are outlined.

Power to Health Reporters: Health Literacy as a Tool to Avoid Pressures from News Sources

The second biggest Legionnaires’ disease outbreak worldwide occurred in Portugal in 2014. It was classified by the WHO as a “great public health emergency,” and it was subject to a unique media coverage in Portugal. The media coverage of this outbreak lasted for 2 weeks, which is not very common in similar cases, and it was characterized by the control of information by official sources. These were put together in a joint task force that disseminated all information. Nonetheless, they did not generate a hegemonic discourse which is usually characteristic of power elites. That happened mostly due to the promotion of health and risk literacy. Through infographics, descriptive maps, and questions and answers, the media were able to generate an alternative discourse to that of official sources. That was the basis of a unique media coverage.

Proposing an Interdisciplinary, Communication-Focused Agenda for Cancer and Aging Researchers

Cancer is mainly a disease of older people. Costs for cancer prevention and control are rising due to increased life expectancy and the large cohort of aging “baby boomers.” An effective strategy for better understanding processes related to cancer and aging across the entire cancer continuum (i.e., from prevention through to end-of-life care) is to approach this challenge collaboratively. Communication-focused research is an area of collaborative study for cancer and aging researchers that would provide evidence regarding the most effective means for reaching older adults with messages about cancer prevention, control, and quality of life issues. Specifically we recommend research that is guided by multidisciplinary communication frameworks, involves health care providers, incorporates an intergenerational and family-centered approach into designing and implementing empirical studies, and creates culturally appropriate messaging through community-engaged research.

Social Media for Health Communication

The aim of this chapter is to highlight the current issues and the challenging process of the adoption of social media by Italian local health authorities (ASL). After a literature review of the role of social media for health organizations, the authors focus their attention on how social network sites are modifying health communication and relations with citizens in Italy. They conduct an exploratory study articulated in three stages: after mapping the presence of local health authorities on the most popular social media platforms (Facebook, Twitter, YouTube), they carry out a content analysis to describe the prevalent kinds of messages published in the official Facebook timelines; in the third phase, using several interviews with healthcare directors and communications managers, the authors investigate implementation issues, managerial implications, and constraints that influence proper use of these participative platforms by Italian public health organizations. Limitations and further steps of the research are discussed.