Highlights ► Web 2.0 and the postmodern medical paradigm aid in spreading anti-vaccine messages. ► Evidence suggests online information may influence vaccination decisions. ► Tactics and tropes used ...online by the anti-vaccine movement are described. ► Awareness of anti-vaccine techniques is needed to recognize disingenuous claims.
Misinformation in and about science West, Jevin D; Bergstrom, Carl T
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences,
04/2021, Letnik:
118, Številka:
15
Journal Article
Recenzirano
Odprti dostop
Humans learn about the world by collectively acquiring information, filtering it, and sharing what we know. Misinformation undermines this process. The repercussions are extensive. Without reliable ...and accurate sources of information, we cannot hope to halt climate change, make reasoned democratic decisions, or control a global pandemic. Most analyses of misinformation focus on popular and social media, but the scientific enterprise faces a parallel set of problems-from hype and hyperbole to publication bias and citation misdirection, predatory publishing, and filter bubbles. In this perspective, we highlight these parallels and discuss future research directions and interventions.
Background
Sexual and reproductive health (SRH) is identified by adolescent and young adult (AYA) patients with cancer as an important but often neglected aspect of their comprehensive cancer care. ...The purpose of this study was to investigate the attitudes and perceptions of pediatric oncology clinicians towards discussing SRH with AYAs, and to understand perceived barriers to effective communication in current practice.
Procedure
Pediatric oncology clinicians (physicians, certified nurse practitioners, and physician assistants) participated in semi‐structured qualitative interviews investigating attitudes about SRH communication with AYAs and barriers to such conversations. Twenty‐two clinicians participated from seven institutions in the Northeastern United States. Interviews were audio‐recorded, transcribed, and coded using a thematic analysis approach.
Results
Interviews with pediatric oncology clinicians revealed the following five primary themes: the role for pediatric oncology clinicians to discuss SRH, the focus of current SRH conversations on fertility, the meaning of “sexual health” as safe sex and contraception only, clinician‐reported barriers to SRH conversations, and the need for education and support. Communication barriers included lack of knowledge/experience, lack of resources/referrals, low priority, parents/family, patient discomfort, clinician discomfort, time, and lack of rapport. Clinicians identified resource and support needs, including formal education and SRH education materials for patients and families.
Conclusions
Although the study participants identified a role for pediatric oncology clinicians in SRH care for AYA patients with cancer, multiple barriers interfere with such discussions taking place on a regular basis. Future efforts must focus on resource development and provider education and training in SRH to optimize the care provided to this unique patient population.
During global pandemics, such as coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), crisis communication is indispensable in dispelling fears, uncertainty, and unifying individuals worldwide in a collective fight ...against health threats. Inadequate crisis communication can bring dire personal and economic consequences. Mounting research shows that seemingly endless newsfeeds related to COVID-19 infection and death rates could considerably increase the risk of mental health problems. Unfortunately, media reports that include infodemics regarding the influence of COVID-19 on mental health may be a source of the adverse psychological effects on individuals. Owing partially to insufficient crisis communication practices, media and news organizations across the globe have played minimal roles in battling COVID-19 infodemics. Common refrains include raging QAnon conspiracies, a false and misleading "Chinese virus" narrative, and the use of disinfectants to "cure" COVID-19. With the potential to deteriorate mental health, infodemics fueled by a kaleidoscopic range of misinformation can be dangerous. Unfortunately, there is a shortage of research on how to improve crisis communication across media and news organization channels. This paper identifies ways that legacy media reports on COVID-19 and how social media-based infodemics can result in mental health concerns. This paper discusses possible crisis communication solutions that media and news organizations can adopt to mitigate the negative influences of COVID-19 related news on mental health. Emphasizing the need for global media entities to forge a fact-based, person-centered, and collaborative response to COVID-19 reporting, this paper encourages media resources to focus on the core issue of how to slow or stop COVID-19 transmission effectively.
European health communication is rich and diverse in terms of international perspectives, scientific approaches and topics. The ECREA Aarhus Best Papers special issue showcases this diversity. It ...features the best papers presented at the health communication section of the ECREA conference, which took place in Aarhus in 2022. Four papers were selected for publication through a comprehensive evaluation procedure.
The COVID-19 pandemic has caused a complementary infodemic, whereby various outlets and digital media portals shared false information and unsourced recommendations on health. In addition, journals ...and authors published a mass of academic articles at a speed that suggests a non-existent or a non-rigorous peer review process. Such lapses can promote false information and adoption of health policies based on misleading data. Reliable information is vital for designing and implementing preventive measures and promoting health awareness in the fight against COVID-19. In the age of social media, information travels wide and fast, emphasizing a need for accurate data to be corroborated swiftly and for preventing misleading information from wide dissemination. Here, we discuss the implications of the COVID-19 infodemic and explore practical ways to leverage health communication strategies to overcome it. We propose the "Infodemic Response Checklist" as a comprehensive tool to overcome the challenges posed by the current and any future infodemics.
Acknowledgements 2023 EJHC Management Team
European journal of health communication,
02/2024, Letnik:
5, Številka:
1
Journal Article
Recenzirano
Odprti dostop
In this editorial, we look back at 2023 and want to acknowledge and thank all those who have contributed to the European Journal of Health Communication by reviewing submissions, serving as editors, ...or submitting their work.
To test the effect of news media exposure to contradictory information about carbohydrates and dietary fats on levels of confusion, nutritional backlash and dietary intentions.
We conducted an online ...survey experiment between 11 and 28 February 2018, randomizing participants to one of six experimental conditions. Two 'contradictory information' conditions asked participants to read one news article on the risks of a low-carbohydrate diet and one article on the risks of a low-fat diet. Two 'convergent information' conditions asked participants to read two articles with similar information on the risks of one of these two diets. A fifth 'established health recommendations' control condition asked participants to read two articles on the harms of smoking and sun exposure. A sixth 'no information' condition served as a second control group. We used general linear models to test hypotheses on the effects of exposure on confusion, nutritional backlash and dietary intentions.
USA.
Adults (n 901) registered with Amazon's Mechanical Turk (M-Turk).
Exposure to contradictory information about carbohydrates and dietary fats increased confusion and nutritional backlash compared with exposure to established health recommendations for non-dietary behaviours and a no-exposure control. Exposure to contradictory information also increased confusion compared with exposure to consistent nutrition information regarding carbohydrates and dietary fats.
Contradictory nutrition information in the news media can negatively affect consumers' attitudes, beliefs and behavioural intentions. Dietary debates that play out in the media may adversely influence both short-term dietary decisions and future efforts to communicate about unrelated nutrition issues.
Most clinicians currently in practice did not receive the evidence‐based communication skills training they need to provide high‐quality communication for seriously ill older adults and their ...families. Clinician communication skills are a critical factor in achieving a patient and family understanding of their illness that enables them to share in decision making that will result in medical treatments and social supports that are aligned with their goals and values. Research demonstrates that existing clinician competence in communication skills is extremely variable, that most clinicians need specific communication training to have an adequate level of skill, and that evidence‐based training is efficacious. A conservative estimate suggests that more than 219,000 physicians and advance practice providers (APPs) (50% of physicians in high‐contact subspecialties and 25% of all APPs) could benefit from training. Combining evidence‐based clinician training with health system workflow redesign would likely maximize the impact of this training. We conclude with recommendations designed to address gaps in communication skills through effective training and health system changes in the service of enabling all patients with serious illness and their families to receive care aligned with their personal priorities. J Am Geriatr Soc 67:S435–S441, 2019.
Strategies to Improve Medical Communication Cappola, Anne R; Cohen, Karthika S
JAMA : the journal of the American Medical Association,
01/2024, Letnik:
331, Številka:
1
Journal Article
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