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Jung S, Murthy D, Bateineh BS, Loukas A, Wilkinson AV. The Normalization of Vaping on TikTok Using Computer Vision, Natural Language Processing, and Qualitative Thematic Analysis: Mixed Methods Study. J Med Internet Res 2024; 26:e55591. [PMID: 39259963 PMCID: PMC11425021 DOI: 10.2196/55591] [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: 12/18/2023] [Revised: 04/07/2024] [Accepted: 05/20/2024] [Indexed: 09/13/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Social media posts that portray vaping in positive social contexts shape people's perceptions and serve to normalize vaping. Despite restrictions on depicting or promoting controlled substances, vape-related content is easily accessible on TikTok. There is a need to understand strategies used in promoting vaping on TikTok, especially among susceptible youth audiences. OBJECTIVE This study seeks to comprehensively describe direct (ie, explicit promotional efforts) and indirect (ie, subtler strategies) themes promoting vaping on TikTok using a mixture of computational and qualitative thematic analyses of social media posts. In addition, we aim to describe how these themes might play a role in normalizing vaping behavior on TikTok for youth audiences, thereby informing public health communication and regulatory policies regarding vaping endorsements on TikTok. METHODS We collected 14,002 unique TikTok posts using 50 vape-related hashtags (eg, #vapetok and #boxmod). Using the k-means unsupervised machine learning algorithm, we identified clusters and then categorized posts qualitatively based on themes. Next, we organized all videos from the posts thematically and extracted the visual features of each theme using 3 machine learning-based model architectures: residual network (ResNet) with 50 layers (ResNet50), Visual Geometry Group model with 16 layers, and vision transformer. We chose the best-performing model, ResNet50, to thoroughly analyze the image clustering output. To assess clustering accuracy, we examined 4.01% (441/10,990) of the samples from each video cluster. Finally, we randomly selected 50 videos (5% of the total videos) from each theme, which were qualitatively coded and compared with the machine-derived classification for validation. RESULTS We successfully identified 5 major themes from the TikTok posts. Vape product marketing (1160/10,990, 8.28%) reflected direct marketing, while the other 4 themes reflected indirect marketing: TikTok influencer (3775/14,002, 26.96%), general vape (2741/14,002, 19.58%), vape brands (2042/14,002, 14.58%), and vaping cessation (1272/14,002, 9.08%). The ResNet50 model successfully classified clusters based on image features, achieving an average F1-score of 0.97, the highest among the 3 models. Qualitative content analyses indicated that vaping was depicted as a normal, routine part of daily life, with TikTok influencers subtly incorporating vaping into popular culture (eg, gaming, skateboarding, and tattooing) and social practices (eg, shopping sprees, driving, and grocery shopping). CONCLUSIONS The results from both computational and qualitative analyses of text and visual data reveal that vaping is normalized on TikTok. Our identified themes underscore how everyday conversations, promotional content, and the influence of popular figures collectively contribute to depicting vaping as a normal and accepted aspect of daily life on TikTok. Our study provides valuable insights for regulatory policies and public health initiatives aimed at tackling the normalization of vaping on social media platforms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sungwon Jung
- School of Journalism and Media, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, United States
| | - Dhiraj Murthy
- School of Journalism and Media, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, United States
| | - Bara S Bateineh
- University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston School of Public Health, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Alexandra Loukas
- Department of Kinesiology and Health Education, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, United States
| | - Anna V Wilkinson
- University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston School of Public Health, Houston, TX, United States
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Wang Y, O'Connor K, Flores I, Berdahl CT, Urbanowicz RJ, Stevens R, Bauermeister JA, Gonzalez-Hernandez G. Mpox Discourse on Twitter by Sexual Minority Men and Gender-Diverse Individuals: Infodemiological Study Using BERTopic. JMIR Public Health Surveill 2024; 10:e59193. [PMID: 39137013 DOI: 10.2196/59193] [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: 04/05/2024] [Revised: 06/08/2024] [Accepted: 07/17/2024] [Indexed: 08/15/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The mpox outbreak resulted in 32,063 cases and 58 deaths in the United States and 95,912 cases worldwide from May 2022 to March 2024 according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Like other disease outbreaks (eg, HIV) with perceived community associations, mpox can create the risk of stigma, exacerbate homophobia, and potentially hinder health care access and social equity. However, the existing literature on mpox has limited representation of the perspective of sexual minority men and gender-diverse (SMMGD) individuals. OBJECTIVE To fill this gap, this study aimed to synthesize themes of discussions among SMMGD individuals and listen to SMMGD voices for identifying problems in current public health communication surrounding mpox to improve inclusivity, equity, and justice. METHODS We analyzed mpox-related posts (N=8688) posted between October 2020 and September 2022 by 2326 users who self-identified on Twitter/X as SMMGD and were geolocated in the United States. We applied BERTopic (a topic-modeling technique) on the tweets, validated the machine-generated topics through human labeling and annotations, and conducted content analysis of the tweets in each topic. Geographic analysis was performed on the size of the most prominent topic across US states in relation to the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) social climate index. RESULTS BERTopic identified 11 topics, which annotators labeled as mpox health activism (n=2590, 29.81%), mpox vaccination (n=2242, 25.81%), and adverse events (n=85, 0.98%); sarcasm, jokes, and emotional expressions (n=1220, 14.04%); COVID-19 and mpox (n=636, 7.32%); government or public health response (n=532, 6.12%); mpox symptoms (n=238, 2.74%); case reports (n=192, 2.21%); puns on the naming of the virus (ie, mpox; n=75, 0.86%); media publicity (n=59, 0.68%); and mpox in children (n=58, 0.67%). Spearman rank correlation indicated significant negative correlation (ρ=-0.322, P=.03) between the topic size of health activism and the UCLA LGB social climate index at the US state level. CONCLUSIONS Discussions among SMMGD individuals on mpox encompass both utilitarian (eg, vaccine access, case reports, and mpox symptoms) and emotionally charged (ie, promoting awareness, advocating against homophobia, misinformation/disinformation, and health stigma) themes. Mpox health activism is more prevalent in US states with lower LGB social acceptance, suggesting a resilient communicative pattern among SMMGD individuals in the face of public health oppression. Our method for social listening could facilitate future public health efforts, providing a cost-effective way to capture the perspective of impacted populations. This study illuminates SMMGD engagement with the mpox discourse, underscoring the need for more inclusive public health programming. Findings also highlight the social impact of mpox: health stigma. Our findings could inform interventions to optimize the delivery of informational and tangible health resources leveraging computational mixed-method analyses (eg, BERTopic) and big data.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yunwen Wang
- Department of Computational Biomedicine, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, West Hollywood, CA, United States
- William Allen White School of Journalism and Mass Communications, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS, United States
| | - Karen O'Connor
- Department of Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Informatics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Ivan Flores
- Department of Computational Biomedicine, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, West Hollywood, CA, United States
| | - Carl T Berdahl
- Departments of Medicine and Emergency Medicine, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, West Hollywood, CA, United States
| | - Ryan J Urbanowicz
- Department of Computational Biomedicine, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, West Hollywood, CA, United States
| | - Robin Stevens
- Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - José A Bauermeister
- Department of Family and Community Health, School of Nursing, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States
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Siegel L, Liu J, Gibson L, Hornik R. Not all norm information is the same: Effects of normative content in the media on young people's perceptions of e-cigarette and tobacco use norms. COMMUNICATION RESEARCH 2024; 51:717-742. [PMID: 39323571 PMCID: PMC11424034 DOI: 10.1177/00936502211073290] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/27/2024]
Abstract
Norm information in media can predict individuals' norm perceptions and, ultimately, their behavior. Little research has examined how descriptive norm information manifests in media and impacts beliefs in the real world. Previously, using automated content analysis, we measured and examined longitudinal trends in two types of descriptive norm information, individual use depictions and population norms, pertaining to tobacco and e-cigarette use across six media sources from 2014-2017. Here, we assess how this norm information affected norm perceptions over time by pairing these data with a rolling cross-sectional survey of young people's beliefs and intentions related to these behaviors. We found that individual use depictions predicted some norm perceptions, although the direction of effects varied depending on the source, behavior, and type of perceptions considered. Population norm content did not affect perceptions. These findings highlight that real-world media norm information has real-world effects, and moderators of these effects should be studied.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leeann Siegel
- National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, 9609 Medical Center Drive, Rockville, MD 20850, USA
| | - Jiaying Liu
- Department of Communication Studies, University of Georgia
| | - Laura Gibson
- Medical Ethics & Health Policy, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania
| | - Robert Hornik
- Annenberg School for Communication, University of Pennsylvania
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Wang Y, O’Connor K, Flores I, Berdahl CT, Urbanowicz RJ, Stevens R, Bauermeister JA, Gonzalez-Hernandez G. Health activism, vaccine, and mpox discourse: BERTopic based mixed-method analyses of tweets from sexual minority men and gender diverse (SMMGD) individuals in the U.S. MEDRXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR HEALTH SCIENCES 2024:2024.03.19.24304519. [PMID: 38562836 PMCID: PMC10984054 DOI: 10.1101/2024.03.19.24304519] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/04/2024]
Abstract
Objectives To synthesize discussions among sexual minority men and gender diverse (SMMGD) individuals on mpox, given limited representation of SMMGD voices in existing mpox literature. Methods BERTopic (a topic modeling technique) was employed with human validations to analyze mpox-related tweets (n = 8,688; October 2020-September 2022) from 2,326 self-identified SMMGD individuals in the U.S.; followed by content analysis and geographic analysis. Results BERTopic identified 11 topics: health activism (29.81%); mpox vaccination (25.81%) and adverse events (0.98%); sarcasm, jokes, emotional expressions (14.04%); COVID-19 and mpox (7.32%); government/public health response (6.12%); mpox symptoms (2.74%); case reports (2.21%); puns on the virus' naming (i.e., monkeypox; 0.86%); media publicity (0.68%); mpox in children (0.67%). Mpox health activism negatively correlated with LGB social climate index at U.S. state level, ρ = -0.322, p = 0.031. Conclusions SMMGD discussions on mpox encompassed utilitarian (e.g., vaccine access, case reports, mpox symptoms) and emotionally-charged themes-advocating against homophobia, misinformation, and stigma. Mpox health activism was more prevalent in states with lower LGB social acceptance. Public Health Implications Findings illuminate SMMGD engagement with mpox discourse, underscoring the need for more inclusive health communication strategies in infectious disease outbreaks to control associated stigma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yunwen Wang
- Department of Computational Biomedicine, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, West Hollywood, CA, USA
| | - Karen O’Connor
- Department of Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Informatics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Ivan Flores
- Department of Computational Biomedicine, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, West Hollywood, CA, USA
| | - Carl T. Berdahl
- Departments of Medicine and Emergency Medicine, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, West Hollywood, CA, USA
| | - Ryan J. Urbanowicz
- Department of Computational Biomedicine, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, West Hollywood, CA, USA
| | - Robin Stevens
- Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - José A. Bauermeister
- Department of Family and Community Health, School of Nursing, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
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Zhang L, Harris Ao S, Francis Ye J, Zhao X. How does health communication on social media influence e-cigarette perception and use? A trend analysis from 2017 to 2020. Addict Behav 2024; 149:107875. [PMID: 37820562 DOI: 10.1016/j.addbeh.2023.107875] [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: 05/13/2023] [Revised: 09/08/2023] [Accepted: 09/29/2023] [Indexed: 10/13/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE E-cigarettes have achieved a high prevalence rapidly. While social media is among the most influential platforms for health communication, its impact on attitudes and behaviors of e-cigarettes and its changes over time remain underexplored. This study aims to address the gap. METHODS Four years of data (2017-2020) were derived from the U.S. Health Information National Trends Survey (HINTS) (aged 18-64 years, n = 9,914). Initially, key variables were compared across years. Furthermore, guided by the health belief model, we employed a moderated mediation model to examine the influence of social media health communication on the public's perceptions and behaviors related to e-cigarettes, distinguishing between smokers and non-smokers throughout the four-year period. RESULTS The evidence shows a process of dynamic interaction between communication, perception, and behavior. (1) We observed an increasing trend of social media health communication (SMH) and perceived relative harm of e-cigarettes (PHE). (2) Higher SMH was associated with more e-cigarette use directly in 2019. (3) Higher SMH was associated with less e-cigarette use indirectly through PHE in 2020. (4) Smokers consistently displayed heightened sensitivity in responding to harm perception compared to non-smokers. CONCLUSIONS The findings support two mechanisms underlying the association between SMH and e-cigarette use: direct and indirect. The changes in the pathways during the timespan may have been influenced by increased e-cigarette information on social media and public health events like COVID-19. Stricter regulations for unverified e-cigarette advertisements and anti-e-cigarette education on social media are called for to curtail e-cigarette use.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luxi Zhang
- Department of Communication / Institute of Collaborative Innovation, University of Macau, Macau
| | - Song Harris Ao
- Department of Communication / Institute of Collaborative Innovation / Center for Research in Greater Bay Area, University of Macau, Macau
| | - Jizhou Francis Ye
- Department of Communication / Institute of Collaborative Innovation, University of Macau, Macau
| | - Xinshu Zhao
- Department of Communication / Institute of Collaborative Innovation / Center for Research in Greater Bay Area, University of Macau, Macau.
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Brassel S, Brunner M, Campbell A, Power E, Togher L. Exploring Discussions About Virtual Reality on Twitter to Inform Brain Injury Rehabilitation: Content and Network Analysis. J Med Internet Res 2024; 26:e45168. [PMID: 38241072 PMCID: PMC10837760 DOI: 10.2196/45168] [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: 12/19/2022] [Revised: 07/06/2023] [Accepted: 10/29/2023] [Indexed: 01/23/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Virtual reality (VR) use in brain injury rehabilitation is emerging. Recommendations for VR development in this field encourage end user engagement to determine the benefits and challenges of VR use; however, existing literature on this topic is limited. Data from social networking sites such as Twitter may further inform development and clinical practice related to the use of VR in brain injury rehabilitation. OBJECTIVE This study collected and analyzed VR-related tweets to (1) explore the VR tweeting community to determine topics of conversation and network connections, (2) understand user opinions and experiences of VR, and (3) identify tweets related to VR use in health care and brain injury rehabilitation. METHODS Publicly available tweets containing the hashtags #virtualreality and #VR were collected up to twice weekly during a 6-week period from July 2020 to August 2020 using NCapture (QSR International). The included tweets were analyzed using mixed methods. All tweets were coded using inductive content analysis. Relevant tweets (ie, coded as "VR in health care" or "talking about VR") were further analyzed using Dann's content coding. The biographies of users who sent relevant tweets were examined descriptively. Tweet data networks were visualized using Gephi computational analysis. RESULTS A total of 260,715 tweets were collected, and 70,051 (26.87%) were analyzed following eligibility screening. The sample comprised 33.68% (23,596/70,051) original tweets and 66.32% (46,455/70,051) retweets. Content analysis generated 10 main categories of original tweets related to VR (ie, advertising and promotion, VR content, talking about VR, VR news, general technology, VR industry, VR live streams, VR in health care, VR events, and VR community). Approximately 4.48% (1056/23,596) of original tweets were related to VR use in health care, whereas 0.19% (45/23,596) referred to VR in brain injury rehabilitation. In total, 14.86% (3506/23,596) of original tweets featured commentary on user opinions and experiences of VR applications, equipment, and software. The VR tweeting community comprised a large network of 26,001 unique Twitter users. Users that posted tweets related to "VR in health care" (2124/26,001, 8.17%) did not form an interconnected VR network, whereas many users "talking about VR" (3752/26,001, 14.43%) were connected within a central network. CONCLUSIONS This study provides valuable data on community-based experiences and opinions related to VR. Tweets showcased various VR applications, including in health care, and identified important user-based considerations that can be used to inform VR use in brain injury rehabilitation (eg, technical design, accessibility, and VR sickness). Limited discussions and small user networks related to VR in brain injury rehabilitation reflect the paucity of literature on this topic and the potential underuse of this technology. These findings emphasize that further research is required to understand the specific needs and perspectives of people with brain injuries and clinicians regarding VR use in rehabilitation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sophie Brassel
- Sydney School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - Melissa Brunner
- Sydney School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - Andrew Campbell
- School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - Emma Power
- Graduate School of Health, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - Leanne Togher
- Sydney School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
- Western Sydney Local Health District, Sydney, Australia
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Terada M, Okuhara T, Nagasawa T, Okada H, Goto E, Kiuchi T. Public perception of the resumption of HPV vaccine recommendation in Japan: Twitter content analysis. Health Promot Int 2023; 38:daad153. [PMID: 37966160 PMCID: PMC10647016 DOI: 10.1093/heapro/daad153] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2023] Open
Abstract
On 12 November 2021, after a stagnation of 8.5 years, Japan decided to resume proactive recommendations for HPV vaccines. However, it is not known how the public reacted to the resumption of proactive recommendations for HPV vaccines, which are key elements in health communication that promote HPV vaccination. This study aimed to capture discussions on HPV vaccination on Twitter and to identify user characteristics, sentiments, discussed themes and their potential reach before and after 12 November 2021, when the Ministry of Health, Labour, and Welfare's decision to resume proactive recommendation for HPV vaccines was first reported by the media in Japan. This study conducted a content analysis of tweets related to HPV vaccines posted on 11 November and 12 November 2021. Tweets were coded in terms of user characteristics, sentiments (i.e. positive, negative and neutral) and themes. Reach was measured by the number of retweets, likes and followers. A total of 3623 tweets were identified. The results showed that approximately 50% of health professionals and researchers tweeted neutral content about HPV vaccines. The most frequently discussed theme was the safety and side effects of HPV vaccines, which was accompanied by mainly negative sentiments. Although health professionals and researchers are influential on Twitter, half of them tweeted neutrally about HPV vaccines. Influential professionals, such as health professionals and researchers, are expected to disseminate accurate information to correct misinformation and recommend HPV vaccination on Twitter to overcome the HPV vaccination crisis, which is characterized by the low vaccination rates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marina Terada
- Department of Health Communication, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Tsuyoshi Okuhara
- Department of Health Communication, School of Public Health, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Tomomi Nagasawa
- Department of Health Communication, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Hiroko Okada
- Department of Health Communication, School of Public Health, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Eiko Goto
- Department of Health Communication, School of Public Health, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Takahiro Kiuchi
- Department of Health Communication, School of Public Health, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
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Kim K. Scanned information exposure and support for tobacco regulations among US youth and young adult tobacco product users and non-users. HEALTH EDUCATION RESEARCH 2023; 38:426-444. [PMID: 37565566 PMCID: PMC10516358 DOI: 10.1093/her/cyad033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2022] [Revised: 06/20/2023] [Accepted: 07/14/2023] [Indexed: 08/12/2023]
Abstract
The influences of information exposure on youth and young adults' (YYA) support for smoking/vaping regulations have been understudied. This study examines (i) the relationships between routine exposure to (i.e. scanning) anti-smoking/pro-vaping information and YYA support for anti-smoking/vaping regulations and (ii) whether these relationships differ across YYA users and non-users of tobacco products. We analyzed the data from a nationally representative two-wave rolling cross-sectional survey of YYA in the United States, collected from 2014 to 2017 (baseline n = 10 642; follow-up n = 4001). Less than 5% of the participants ever scanned pro-smoking and anti-vaping information. Scanning anti-smoking information had significant positive relationships with support for all anti-smoking policies cross-sectionally, and this pattern was longitudinally significant in two anti-smoking policy contexts. Scanning pro-vaping information had significant negative associations with support for anti-vaping policies cross-sectionally, but not longitudinally. The lagged positive relationships between scanning anti-smoking information and support for anti-smoking regulations were stronger among YYA smokers than among YYA non-smokers, whereas evidence from adult data suggested the opposite pattern. The findings suggest that scanning information can affect YYA support for tobacco regulations. Future efforts are required to investigate mechanisms underlying the influences of scanned information on YYA support for tobacco regulations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kwanho Kim
- Department of Communication, Cornell University, 494 Mann Library Building, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
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9
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Smith MJ, Hilton S. Youth's exposure to and engagement with e-cigarette marketing on social media: a UK focus group study. BMJ Open 2023; 13:e071270. [PMID: 37612101 PMCID: PMC10450076 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2022-071270] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2022] [Accepted: 06/21/2023] [Indexed: 08/25/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Electronic-cigarettes (e-cigarette) are promoted creatively through social media and considering the potential influence of social media marketing on young people, we explored young people's exposure to and engagement with social media marketing of e-cigarettes. DESIGN Semistructured discussion groups. SUBJECTS Twenty focus groups with 82 young people aged 11-16 living in the Central belt of Scotland. METHODS Youths were asked about smoking and vaping behaviours, social media use, vaping advertisement exposure and were shown illustrative examples of social media content (eg, images and videos) about different messages, presentations and contextual features. Transcripts were imported into NVivo V.12, coded thematically and analysed. RESULTS Youths highlighted a variety of tactics e-cigarette companies use, including influencer or celebrity endorsement, attractive youth flavours, bright colours and emotional appeal to advertise and promote their products directly to young people. Social media influencers who advertise e-cigarettes were described as portraying e-cigarettes as 'cool' and 'fashionable' to entice viewers to try the products. Youths considered that there is a need for more restrictions on social media content to protect youths while also still allowing smokers to purchase them as a cessation device. CONCLUSIONS Our study highlights that the e-cigarette industry is using previously employed tactics similar to the tobacco industry to advertise and promote its products on social media. These findings suggest the growing need for governments to work together to develop and implement policies to restrict the advertising and marketing of e-cigarettes on social media.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marissa J Smith
- MRC/CSO Social and Public Health Sciences Unit, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - Shona Hilton
- MRC/CSO Social and Public Health Sciences Unit, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
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Wang Y, Xu YA, Wu J, Kim HM, Fetterman JL, Hong T, McLaughlin ML. Moralization of E-cigarette Use and Regulation: A Mixed-Method Computational Analysis of Opinion Polarization. HEALTH COMMUNICATION 2023; 38:1666-1676. [PMID: 35057690 DOI: 10.1080/10410236.2022.2027640] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
E-cigarette use, or vaping, is undergoing a process of moralization in which issues about vaping evolve from being morally neutral to having discernible moral implications. Using Moral Foundations Theory, this study compared the moral narratives underlying polarized views about e-cigarette use and regulation. We integrated computational and human strategies by conducting the Chow test on the time series data and classification, topic modeling, and Chi-square tests on posts (N = 2,669) from 26 pro-vaping and 19 anti-vaping Facebook Pages. The observation period (August 1, 2019 to March 5, 2020) encompassed the outbreak of "e-cigarette or vaping product use associated lung injury" (EVALI), deaths and subsequent legislation. Results revealed that pro-vaping posts were more likely than anti-vaping posts to mention Fairness/cheating and Authority/subversion, involving a conspiracy belief in an "e-cigarettes vs. Big Tobacco" rivalry, while anti-vaping posts were more likely to mention Sanctity/degradation. There were no significant differences between pro-vaping and anti-vaping posts in the likelihood of mentioning Care/harm or Loyalty/betrayal. Nevertheless, according to the topic modeling results, the use of moral foundations varied between pro-vaping and anti-vaping narratives, with the meanings of Care/harm and Loyalty/betrayal dependent on the post author's group affiliation. Health interventions can tailor persuasive messages to different moral values and debunk misinformation about public health policies to mitigate the vaping epidemic. Theoretical implications are also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yunwen Wang
- Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism, University of Southern California
| | - Yusi Aveva Xu
- Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism, University of Southern California
| | - Jiaxi Wu
- College of Communication, Boston University
| | - Hye Min Kim
- Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism, University of Southern California
| | - Jessica L Fetterman
- Evans Department of Medicine and Whitaker Cardiovascular Institute, School of Medicine, Boston University
| | - Traci Hong
- College of Communication, Boston University
| | - Margaret L McLaughlin
- Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism, University of Southern California
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Kim I, Begay C, Ma HJ, Orozco FR, Rogers CJ, Valente TW, Unger JB. E-Cigarette-Related Health Beliefs Expressed on Twitter Within the U.S. AJPM FOCUS 2023; 2:100067. [PMID: 37790637 PMCID: PMC10546567 DOI: 10.1016/j.focus.2023.100067] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/05/2023]
Abstract
Introduction This mixed-methods study analyzed English-language U.S.-based Twitter posts related to E-cigarette use from February 2021. Methods Posts were manually identified as health-related or not and, if health-related, whether they were posted by an E-cigarette user. A random selection of 1,000 health-related tweets from 986 unique E-cigarette users were qualitatively content analyzed for theory of planned behavior constructs as well as nature and tone of each tweet message. Using quantitative semantic network analysis, relationships among the identified topics and sentiment-specific conversation patterns were explored. Results The most salient health-related conversation topics of E-cigarette users, health beliefs corresponding to each theory of planned behavior construct, and major motivational contexts of E-cigarette use were identified. Seven topics emerged in positive tweets: smoking cessation, social impact generation, controls over addiction, therapeutic effects on physical and mental health, social support, device attachment, and peer influence. Nine topics emerged in negative tweets: side effects on physical health, vaping addiction, lack of E-cigarette regulations, peer pressure, increased risk of COVID-19, side effects on mental health, no help in smoking cessation, social conflict, and polysubstance use. Most assertions for E-cigarette benefits were not substantiated. Jokes in tweets appeared to contribute to the view of vaping as an attractive, enjoyable, safe, and fun activity. Discussions about positive aspects of E-cigarette use were concentrated on a few related topics, whereas tweets discouraging E-cigarette use presented a diverse, less related set of topics. Conclusions The results provide insights into the drivers of E-cigarette use behaviors. E-cigarette user perspectives gathered from social media may inform research to guide future prevention and cessation interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ian Kim
- Keck School of Medicine of USC, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California
- Dornsife Spatial Sciences Institute, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California
| | - Cynthia Begay
- Keck School of Medicine of USC, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California
| | - Harrison J. Ma
- Keck School of Medicine of USC, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California
| | - Francis R. Orozco
- Keck School of Medicine of USC, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California
| | - Christopher J. Rogers
- College of Health and Human Development, California State University Northridge, Los Angeles, California
| | - Thomas W. Valente
- Keck School of Medicine of USC, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California
| | - Jennifer B. Unger
- Keck School of Medicine of USC, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California
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12
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Davidson PD, Muniandy T, Karmegam D. Perception of COVID-19 vaccination among Indian Twitter users: computational approach. JOURNAL OF COMPUTATIONAL SOCIAL SCIENCE 2023:1-20. [PMID: 37363805 PMCID: PMC10047476 DOI: 10.1007/s42001-023-00203-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2022] [Accepted: 03/01/2023] [Indexed: 06/28/2023]
Abstract
Vaccination has been a hot topic in the present COVID-19 context. The government, public health stakeholders and media are all concerned about how to get the people vaccinated. The study was intended to explore the perception and emotions of the Indians citizens toward COVID-19 vaccine from Twitter messages. The tweets were collected for the period of 6 months, from mid-January to June, 2021 using hash-tags and keywords specific to India. Topics and emotions from the tweets were extracted using Latent Dirichlet Allocation (LDA) method and National Research Council (NRC) Lexicon, respectively. Theme, sentiment and emotion wise engagement and reachability metrics were assessed. Hash-tag frequency of COVID-19 vaccine brands were also identified and evaluated. Information regarding 'Co-WIN app and availability of vaccine' was widely discussed and also received highest engagement and reachability among Twitter users. Among the various emotions, trust was expressed the most, which highlights the acceptance of vaccines among the Indian citizens. The hash-tags frequency of vaccine brands shows that Covishield was popular in the month of March 2021, and Covaxin in April 2021. The results from the study will help stakeholders to efficiently use social media to disseminate COVID-19 vaccine information on popular concerns. This in turn will encourage citizens to be vaccinated and achieve herd immunity. Similar methodology can be adopted in future to understand the perceptions and concerns of people in emergency situations. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s42001-023-00203-0.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Dhivya Karmegam
- School of Public Health, SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Kattankulathur, Chennai, India
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13
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Smith MJ, Buckton C, Patterson C, Hilton S. User-generated content and influencer marketing involving e-cigarettes on social media: a scoping review and content analysis of YouTube and Instagram. BMC Public Health 2023; 23:530. [PMID: 36941553 PMCID: PMC10029293 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-023-15389-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2022] [Accepted: 03/07/2023] [Indexed: 03/23/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Evidence suggests that experimentation with e-cigarettes among young people is increasing. Social media is widely used by young people with user-generated content and influencer marketing particularly influential in promoting products. This paper documents a snapshot of online user-generated content and influencer marketing related to e-cigarettes on YouTube and Instagram. METHODS Scoping review of relevant e-cigarette-related content on two social media platforms popular with youths, YouTube and Instagram, between June and August 2021. Content analysis was undertaken to examine text, audio, and video content, recording age restrictions, health warnings, page characteristics, and post characteristics. Narrative post content was coded using a coding frame that was developed inductively in response to emergent categories. RESULTS Vaping was portrayed positively on social media; of the posts analysed, 86.5% (n = 90 of 104) of Instagram posts and 66.0% (n = 64 of 97) of YouTube videos. Warnings about age restrictions and health (e.g., nicotine addiction/toxicity) did not feature in the majority of posts; 43.3% (n = 42) of YouTube videos (n = 42) contained an age warning compared to 20.2% of Instagram posts (n = 21). While 25.8% (n = 25) of YouTube videos and 21.2% of Instagram (n = 22) posts contained a health warning. CONCLUSION Of concern is the fact that the vast majority of YouTube and Instagram content about e-cigarettes promoted their use, and typically the content does not contain age and/or health warnings. These findings may highlight a priority for governmental policy to restrict the ability of marketers to reach youths with social media content promoting e-cigarettes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marissa J Smith
- MRC/CSO Social and Public Health Sciences Unit, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK.
| | - Christina Buckton
- MRC/CSO Social and Public Health Sciences Unit, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - Chris Patterson
- MRC/CSO Social and Public Health Sciences Unit, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - Shona Hilton
- MRC/CSO Social and Public Health Sciences Unit, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
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14
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Surveillance of communicable diseases using social media: A systematic review. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0282101. [PMID: 36827297 PMCID: PMC9956027 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0282101] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2022] [Accepted: 02/07/2023] [Indexed: 02/25/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Communicable diseases pose a severe threat to public health and economic growth. The traditional methods that are used for public health surveillance, however, involve many drawbacks, such as being labor intensive to operate and resulting in a lag between data collection and reporting. To effectively address the limitations of these traditional methods and to mitigate the adverse effects of these diseases, a proactive and real-time public health surveillance system is needed. Previous studies have indicated the usefulness of performing text mining on social media. OBJECTIVE To conduct a systematic review of the literature that used textual content published to social media for the purpose of the surveillance and prediction of communicable diseases. METHODOLOGY Broad search queries were formulated and performed in four databases. Both journal articles and conference materials were included. The quality of the studies, operationalized as reliability and validity, was assessed. This qualitative systematic review was guided by the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. RESULTS Twenty-three publications were included in this systematic review. All studies reported positive results for using textual social media content to surveille communicable diseases. Most studies used Twitter as a source for these data. Influenza was studied most frequently, while other communicable diseases received far less attention. Journal articles had a higher quality (reliability and validity) than conference papers. However, studies often failed to provide important information about procedures and implementation. CONCLUSION Text mining of health-related content published on social media can serve as a novel and powerful tool for the automated, real-time, and remote monitoring of public health and for the surveillance and prediction of communicable diseases in particular. This tool can address limitations related to traditional surveillance methods, and it has the potential to supplement traditional methods for public health surveillance.
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15
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Lee E, Hoek J, Fenton E, Joshi A, Evans-Reeves K, Robertson L. An Analysis of Arguments Advanced via Twitter in an Advocacy Campaign to Promote Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems. Nicotine Tob Res 2023; 25:533-540. [PMID: 36269978 PMCID: PMC9910155 DOI: 10.1093/ntr/ntac237] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2021] [Revised: 08/25/2022] [Accepted: 10/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/14/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Advocates of electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) increasingly use Twitter to promote liberal ENDS policies. "World Vape Day" (WVD) is an annual campaign organized by pro-ENDS advocacy groups, some of which have links to the nicotine industry (eg, via funding from the "Foundation for a Smoke-Free World"). In 2020, the campaign used dedicated social media accounts to disseminate WVD-branded images and campaign messages. We examined tweets posted as part of WVD 2020 to identify and analyze pro-ENDS policy arguments. AIMS AND METHODS We extracted tweets posted between 26 May and 3 June 2020 that included the hashtag #WorldVapeDay. We used qualitative thematic analysis to code a random sample (n = 2200) of approximately half the original English language tweets (n = 4387) and used descriptive analysis to identify the most frequently used co-hashtags. RESULTS Arguments related to four themes: harm reduction, smoking cessation, rights and justice, and opposition to ENDS restrictions. Tweets criticized individuals and groups perceived as opposing liberal ENDS regulation, and used personal testimonials to frame ENDS as a harm reduction tool and life-saving smoking cessation aid. Tweets also advanced rights-based arguments, such as privileging adults' rights over children's rights, and calling for greater recognition of consumers' voices. Tweets frequently used hashtags associated with the WHO and World No Tobacco Day (WNTD). CONCLUSIONS The WVD campaign presented a series of linked pro-ENDS arguments seemingly aimed at policy-makers, and strategically integrated with the WHO's WNTD campaign. Critically assessing pro-ENDS arguments and the campaigns used to promote these is vital to helping policy actors develop proportionate ENDS policy. IMPLICATIONS Social media platforms have considerable potential to influence policy actors. Tweets are easily generated and duplicated, creating an impression of sizeable and influential stakeholders. Evidence that the "World Vape Day" campaign was supported by groups with industry links, and targeted-at least in part-at WHO officials and those who follow the WHO World No Tobacco Day campaign, highlights the importance of critically reviewing such campaigns. Further research could examine how health advocates could engage in pro-ENDS campaigns to support balanced messaging and informed policy-making.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ell Lee
- Otago Medical School, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
| | - Janet Hoek
- Department of Public Health, University of Otago, Wellington, New Zealand
| | | | - Ayush Joshi
- Tobacco Control Research Group, Department for Health, University of Bath, UK
| | - Karen Evans-Reeves
- Tobacco Control Research Group, Department for Health, University of Bath, UK
| | - Lindsay Robertson
- Tobacco Control Research Group, Department for Health, University of Bath, UK
- Department of Preventive and Social Medicine, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
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16
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Rutherford BN, Lim CCW, Johnson B, Cheng B, Chung J, Huang S, Sun T, Leung J, Stjepanović D, Chan GCK. #TurntTrending: a systematic review of substance use portrayals on social media platforms. Addiction 2023; 118:206-217. [PMID: 36075258 PMCID: PMC10087142 DOI: 10.1111/add.16020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2022] [Accepted: 07/21/2022] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
AIMS There is a growing body of literature exploring the types of substance-related content and their portrayals on various social media platforms. We aimed to summarize how content related to substances is portrayed on various social media platforms. METHODS This systematic review was pre-registered on PROSPERO (ref: CRD42021291853). A comprehensive search was conducted in the databases of PubMed, Scopus, PsycINFO and Web of Science in April 2021. Original qualitative studies published post-2004 that included thematic and sentiment analyses of social media content on tobacco, alcohol, psychostimulant, e-cigarette, cannabis, opiate, stimulant/amphetamine, inhalant and novel psychoactive substance were included. Social media platforms were defined as online web- or application-based platforms that allowed users to generate content and interact via 'liking', comment or messaging features. Only studies that included summative and/or thematic content analyses of substance-related social media content were included. RESULTS A total of 73 studies, which covered 15 905 182 substance-related posts on Twitter, YouTube, Instagram, Pinterest, TikTok and Weibo, were identified. A total of 76.3% of all substance-related content was positive in its depiction of substance use, with 20.2% of content depicting use negatively. Sentiment regarding opiate use however was commonly negative (55.5%). Most studies identified themes relating to Health, Safety and Harms (65.0%) of substance use. Themes relating to Promotions/Advertisements (63.3%), Informative content (55.0%) and Use behaviours (43.3%) were also frequently identified. CONCLUSIONS Substance-related content that promotes engagement with substance use or actively depicts use appears to be widely available on social media. The large public presence of this content may have concerning influences on attitudes, behaviours and risk perceptions relating to substance use, particularly among the most vulnerable and heaviest users of social media-adolescents and young adults.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brienna N Rutherford
- National Centre for Youth Substance Use Research, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Australia.,School of Psychology, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Australia
| | - Carmen C W Lim
- National Centre for Youth Substance Use Research, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Australia.,School of Psychology, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Australia
| | - Benjamin Johnson
- National Centre for Youth Substance Use Research, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Australia.,School of Psychology, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Australia
| | - Brandon Cheng
- National Centre for Youth Substance Use Research, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Australia.,School of Psychology, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Australia
| | - Jack Chung
- National Centre for Youth Substance Use Research, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Australia.,School of Psychology, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Australia
| | - Sandy Huang
- School of Medicine, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Australia
| | - Tianze Sun
- National Centre for Youth Substance Use Research, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Australia.,School of Psychology, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Australia
| | - Janni Leung
- National Centre for Youth Substance Use Research, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Australia
| | - Daniel Stjepanović
- National Centre for Youth Substance Use Research, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Australia
| | - Gary C K Chan
- National Centre for Youth Substance Use Research, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Australia
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17
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Robertson L, Sanford KR, Waa A, Hoek J. A Qualitative Analysis of the Experiences of People Who Resumed Smoking Following Exclusive Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems Use. Nicotine Tob Res 2022; 25:470-477. [PMID: 36448851 PMCID: PMC9910152 DOI: 10.1093/ntr/ntac157] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2022] [Revised: 05/31/2022] [Accepted: 06/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION For electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) to reduce harms caused by smoking, people who smoke must be able to switch to exclusive ENDS use without subsequently returning to smoking. Identifying factors prompting a return to smoking among former exclusive ENDS users is crucial, yet few qualitative studies have probed experiences of this process. AIMS AND METHODS We conducted in-depth, semi-structured interviews with 20 people (seven indigenous Māori and 13 non-Māori) who smoked tobacco at least weekly, had smoked at least 100 cigarettes in their lifetime, and reported using ENDS to stop smoking cigarettes for at least 30 days (ideally, within the preceding 6 months). We explored their experiences of ENDS use, probed critical return-to-smoking settings and triggers, and analyzed strategies that could promote sustained smoking abstinence. We managed data using NVivo12 and used a reflexive thematic analysis approach to interpret the transcripts. RESULTS We identified three themes that explained participants' experiences. ENDS performed a functional role by mimicking some aspects of smoking. Yet participants experienced ENDS as inauthentic and unsatisfying across physical, social, and affectual domains, including in the most common return-to-smoking situations. Furthermore, fewer constraints on ENDS usage led participants to feel they could perpetuate addiction and risk of harm. CONCLUSIONS Return to smoking reflected two factors: ENDS' failure to replicate core smoking attributes that remained appealing, and the burden of self-regulation required when using ENDS. Understanding and informing people about the challenges involved in transitioning to ENDS, beyond obtaining sufficient nicotine, could help support informed ENDS use and may potentially prevent people returning to smoking. IMPLICATIONS Our study extends our understanding of the satisfaction people seek when attempting to transition from smoking to exclusive ENDS use, and how ENDS' failure to replicate that satisfaction, in addition to uncertainty about ENDS-related risks, contributes to smoking resumption. Satisfaction went beyond nicotine delivery, and included affective experiences, maintenance of rituals, rewards, and social connections. Conceptualizing satisfaction more broadly could support a richer understanding of factors that prompt return to smoking. People might manage challenges more effectively if they understood these before attempting to switch from smoking to ENDS, and if they are advised to monitor and regulate their ENDS use. Educational resources and behavioral support could provide more guidance on these points.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lindsay Robertson
- Corresponding Author: Lindsay Robertson, PhD, Department of Preventive and Social Medicine, University of Otago, Dunedin 9054, New Zealand. Telephone: 0064 3 479 7202; Fax: 0064 3 479 7298; E-mail:
| | - Kealey-Rei Sanford
- Department of Public Health, University of Otago, Wellington, New Zealand
| | - Anaru Waa
- Department of Public Health, University of Otago, Wellington, New Zealand
| | - Janet Hoek
- Department of Public Health, University of Otago, Wellington, New Zealand
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18
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Xie Z, Ruan J, Jiang Y, Zhang B, Chen T, Luo J, Li D. Potential Impact of FDA Flavor Enforcement Policy on Vaping Behavior on Twitter. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:12836. [PMID: 36232136 PMCID: PMC9565006 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph191912836] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2022] [Revised: 09/28/2022] [Accepted: 10/05/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
In January 2020, the FDA announced an electronic cigarette (e-cigarette) flavor enforcement policy to restrict the sale of all unauthorized cartridge-based flavored e-cigarettes except tobacco and menthol flavors, which was implemented on 6 February 2020. This study aimed to understand the potential influence of this policy on one vaping behavior change-quitting vaping-using Twitter data. Twitter posts (tweets) related to e-cigarettes were collected between June 2019 and October 2020 through a Twitter streaming API. Based on the geolocation and keywords related to quitting vaping, tweets mentioning quitting vaping from the US were filtered. The demographics (age and gender) of Twitter users who mentioned quitting vaping were further inferred using a deep learning algorithm (deepFace). The proportion of tweets and Twitter users mentioning quitting vaping were compared between before and after the announcement and implementation of the flavor policy. Compared to before the FDA flavor policy, the proportion of tweets (from 0.11% to 0.20% and 0.24%) and Twitter users (from 0.15% to 0.70% and 0.86%) mentioning quitting vaping were significantly higher after the announcement and implementation of the policy (p-value < 0.001). In addition, there was an increasing trend in the proportion of female and young adults (18-35 years old) mentioning quitting vaping on Twitter after the announcement and implementation of the policy compared to that before the policy. Our results showed that the FDA flavor enforcement policy did have a positive impact on quitting vaping on Twitter. Our study provides an initial evaluation of the potential influence of the FDA flavor enforcement policy on user vaping behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zidian Xie
- Department of Clinical & Translational Research, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY 14642, USA
| | - Jinlong Ruan
- Department of Computer Science, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY 14627, USA
| | - Yifan Jiang
- Department of Computer Science, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY 14627, USA
| | - Bokai Zhang
- Department of Computer Science, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY 14627, USA
| | - Tianlang Chen
- Department of Computer Science, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY 14627, USA
| | - Jiebo Luo
- Department of Computer Science, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY 14627, USA
| | - Dongmei Li
- Department of Clinical & Translational Research, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY 14642, USA
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19
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Sidani JE, Hoffman B, Colditz JB, Wolynn R, Hsiao L, Chu KH, Rose JJ, Shensa A, Davis E, Primack B. Discussions and Misinformation About Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems and COVID-19: Qualitative Analysis of Twitter Content. JMIR Form Res 2022; 6:e26335. [PMID: 35311684 PMCID: PMC9009382 DOI: 10.2196/26335] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2020] [Revised: 05/14/2021] [Accepted: 03/14/2022] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Misinformation and conspiracy theories related to COVID-19 and electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) are increasing. Some of this may stem from early reports suggesting a lower risk of severe COVID-19 in nicotine users. Additionally, a common conspiracy is that the e-cigarette or vaping product use–associated lung injury (EVALI) outbreak of 2019 was actually an early presentation of COVID-19. This may have important public health ramifications for both COVID-19 control and ENDS use. Objective Twitter is an ideal tool for analyzing real-time public discussions related to both ENDS and COVID-19. This study seeks to collect and classify Twitter messages (“tweets”) related to ENDS and COVID-19 to inform public health messaging. Methods Approximately 2.1 million tweets matching ENDS-related keywords were collected from March 1, 2020, through June 30, 2020, and were then filtered for COVID-19–related keywords, resulting in 67,321 original tweets. A 5% (n=3366) subsample was obtained for human coding using a systematically developed codebook. Tweets were coded for relevance to the topic and four overarching categories. Results A total of 1930 (57.3%) tweets were coded as relevant to the research topic. Half (n=1008, 52.2%) of these discussed a perceived association between ENDS use and COVID-19 susceptibility or severity, with 42.4% (n=818) suggesting that ENDS use is associated with worse COVID-19 symptoms. One-quarter (n=479, 24.8%) of tweets discussed the perceived similarity/dissimilarity of COVID-19 and EVALI, and 13.8% (n=266) discussed ENDS use behavior. Misinformation and conspiracy theories were present throughout all coding categories. Conclusions Discussions about ENDS use and COVID-19 on Twitter frequently highlight concerns about the susceptibility and severity of COVID-19 for ENDS users; however, many contain misinformation and conspiracy theories. Public health messaging should capitalize on these concerns and amplify accurate Twitter messaging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jaime E Sidani
- Center for Social Dynamics and Community Health, Department of Behavioral and Community Health Sciences, University of Pittsburgh School of Public Health, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
| | - Beth Hoffman
- Center for Social Dynamics and Community Health, Department of Behavioral and Community Health Sciences, University of Pittsburgh School of Public Health, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
| | - Jason B Colditz
- Division of General Internal Medicine, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
| | - Riley Wolynn
- Kenneth P Dietrich School of Arts & Sciences, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
| | - Lily Hsiao
- Kenneth P Dietrich School of Arts & Sciences, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
| | - Kar-Hai Chu
- Center for Social Dynamics and Community Health, Department of Behavioral and Community Health Sciences, University of Pittsburgh School of Public Health, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
| | - Jason J Rose
- Division of Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care Medicine, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
| | - Ariel Shensa
- Department of Health Administration and Public Health, John G Rangos Sr School of Health Sciences, Duquesne University, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
| | - Esa Davis
- Division of General Internal Medicine, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
| | - Brian Primack
- College of Education and Health Professions, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AZ, United States
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20
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Lu X, Sun L, Xie Z, Li D. Perception of the Food and Drug Administration Electronic Cigarette Flavor Enforcement Policy on Twitter: Observational Study. JMIR Public Health Surveill 2022; 8:e25697. [PMID: 35348461 PMCID: PMC9006136 DOI: 10.2196/25697] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2020] [Revised: 04/13/2021] [Accepted: 11/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Background
On January 2, 2020, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) released the electronic cigarette (e-cigarette) flavor enforcement policy to prohibit the sale of all flavored cartridge–based e-cigarettes, except for menthol and tobacco flavors.
Objective
This research aimed to examine the public perception of this FDA flavor enforcement policy and its impact on the public perception of e-cigarettes on Twitter.
Methods
A total of 2,341,660 e-cigarette–related tweets and 190,490 FDA flavor enforcement policy–related tweets in the United States were collected from Twitter before (between June 13 and August 22, 2019) and after (between January 2 and March 30, 2020) the announcement of the FDA flavor enforcement policy. Sentiment analysis was conducted to detect the changes in the public perceptions of the policy and e-cigarettes on Twitter. Topic modeling was used for finding frequently discussed topics about e-cigarettes.
Results
The proportion of negative sentiment tweets about e-cigarettes significantly increased after the announcement of the FDA flavor enforcement policy compared with before the announcement of the policy. In contrast, the overall sentiment toward the FDA flavor enforcement policy became less negative. The FDA flavor enforcement policy was the most popular topic associated with e-cigarettes after the announcement of the FDA flavor enforcement policy. Twitter users who discussed about e-cigarettes started to talk about other alternative ways of getting e-cigarettes after the FDA flavor enforcement policy.
Conclusions
Twitter users’ perceptions of e-cigarettes became more negative after the announcement of the FDA flavor enforcement policy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinyi Lu
- Goergen Institute for Data Science, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY, United States
| | - Li Sun
- Goergen Institute for Data Science, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY, United States
| | - Zidian Xie
- Department of Clinical & Translational Research, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY, United States
| | - Dongmei Li
- Department of Clinical & Translational Research, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY, United States
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21
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#NicotineAddictionCheck: Puff Bar Culture, Addiction Apathy, and Promotion of E-Cigarettes on TikTok. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:ijerph19031820. [PMID: 35162846 PMCID: PMC8835227 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph19031820] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/01/2022] [Revised: 01/30/2022] [Accepted: 02/02/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
This study aimed to classify and delineate types of user-generated content about the disposable e-cigarette Puff Bar shared on the popular video-based social media platform TikTok. We qualitatively analyzed 148 popular TikTok videos collected in July 2020. During an iterative process of data reduction and thematic analysis, we categorized videos by overarching genres and identified emergent themes. Young adults were engaged at all stages of the research process. Together, videos were viewed over 137 million times on TikTok. Seven genres of Puff Bar content emerged: skits and stories, shared vaper experiences, videos to show off, product reviews, product unboxing, promotion of Puff Bar, and crafts. Videos depicted Puff Bar users’ apathy about addiction and a lack of concern of the health effects of e-cigarette use. Additionally, Puff Bar promotion content from underground retailers was extensive and some targeted underage persons. Qualitative analysis of social media content can richly describe emerging online culture and illuminate the motivations of adolescent and young adult e-cigarette use. Social media can facilitate new product adoption; comprehensive e-cigarette regulation and enforcement can counteract these effects by closing loopholes through which new products emerge.
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22
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Using Machine Learning for Pharmacovigilance: A Systematic Review. Pharmaceutics 2022; 14:pharmaceutics14020266. [PMID: 35213998 PMCID: PMC8924891 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics14020266] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2021] [Revised: 01/13/2022] [Accepted: 01/21/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Pharmacovigilance is a science that involves the ongoing monitoring of adverse drug reactions to existing medicines. Traditional approaches in this field can be expensive and time-consuming. The application of natural language processing (NLP) to analyze user-generated content is hypothesized as an effective supplemental source of evidence. In this systematic review, a broad and multi-disciplinary literature search was conducted involving four databases. A total of 5318 publications were initially found. Studies were considered relevant if they reported on the application of NLP to understand user-generated text for pharmacovigilance. A total of 16 relevant publications were included in this systematic review. All studies were evaluated to have medium reliability and validity. For all types of drugs, 14 publications reported positive findings with respect to the identification of adverse drug reactions, providing consistent evidence that natural language processing can be used effectively and accurately on user-generated textual content that was published to the Internet to identify adverse drug reactions for the purpose of pharmacovigilance. The evidence presented in this review suggest that the analysis of textual data has the potential to complement the traditional system of pharmacovigilance.
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Jun J, Zhang N, Zain A, Mohammadi E. Social Media Discussions on the FDA's Modified Risk Tobacco Product Authorization of IQOS. Subst Use Misuse 2022; 57:472-480. [PMID: 34986075 DOI: 10.1080/10826084.2021.2019777] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
Background: The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) authorized the marketing of the IQOS tobacco heating system as a modified risk tobacco product (MRTP) in July 2020, permitting its 'reduced exposure' marketing. This decision is accompanied by much controversy among the global health community. We provide a preliminary analysis of Twitter conversations regarding the MRTP authorization of IQOS by identifying the authors, valence towards the policy decision, source of cited link, and focused topic. Methods: We analyzed 548 tweets mentioning MRTP posted between July 2016 (when PMI submitted the proposal) and October 2020. Results: We found a higher proportion of pro-MRTP valence (25.4%) than anti-MRTP (16.2%). Nearly half of the tweets (47.2%) expressing personal opinions presented pro-MRTP valence (vs. anti-MRTP = 23.9%). The FDA website was more frequently cited in pro-MRTP tweets (30.8% vs. anti = 4.8%), while tobacco control advocates' websites were cited only in anti-MRTP tweets (77.4% vs. pro = 0). Pro-MRTP valence appeared more frequently in tweets mentioning health (53.1% vs. anti =38.5%) and cessation (100% vs. anti = 0). Nearly 42% of tweets showed a bot score greater than .43, indicating a possibility of automation. Conclusion: Continuous efforts are needed to surveil the industry's attempts to create a climate of false consensus and circulate misinformation regarding MRTP on social media, as well as to assist non-scientific audiences' understanding of MRTP.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jungmi Jun
- School of Journalism and Mass Communications, College of Information and Communications, University of South Carolina, Columbia, South Carolina, USA
| | - Nanlan Zhang
- School of Journalism and Mass Communications, College of Information and Communications, University of South Carolina, Columbia, South Carolina, USA
| | - Ali Zain
- School of Journalism and Mass Communications, College of Information and Communications, University of South Carolina, Columbia, South Carolina, USA
| | - Ehsan Mohammadi
- School of Information Science, College of Information and Communications, University of South Carolina, Columbia, South Carolina, USA
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24
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Jung J, Widmar NO, Subramani S, Feng Y. Online Media Attention Devoted to Flour and Flour-Related Food Safety in 2017 to 2020. J Food Prot 2022; 85:73-84. [PMID: 34347869 PMCID: PMC9906424 DOI: 10.4315/jfp-21-085] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2021] [Accepted: 08/04/2021] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
ABSTRACT In light of extended stay-at-home periods during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic, recent societal trends have revealed an increased use of online media to remain connected. Simultaneously, interests in at-home cooking and baking, particularly of "comfort foods" have increased. Because flour is a crucial component in many of these products, we analyze how the U.S. public, in social and online media spaces, references "flour" and its use. We also quantify the share of media mentions about flour that are devoted to flour-related food safety risks and/or risk mitigation. It was found that the volume of mentions about flour and its use fluctuate seasonally, often increasing ahead of the winter holiday season (November to December). Further, the volume of interest rapidly increased in March 2020 when stay-at-home orders were issued. The share of media devoted to flour-related food safety risks or associated illness was extremely small but generally corresponded with flour recall announcements or other public risk communications. Overall, the interest in flour and its use remains seasonal and predictably related to societal trends, such as increased baking at home during the holidays or 2020 stay-at-home orders. However, awareness of flour-related food safety risks seems largely absent on the basis of online media data collection and analysis, except in immediate reactions to flour recalls. This study suggests that more flour safety education programs may be desired to support consumers' informed decision making. HIGHLIGHTS
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinho Jung
- Department of Agricultural Economics, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana 47906, USA,Author for correspondence. Tel: 765-714-7983; Fax: 765-494-9176
| | - Nicole Olynk Widmar
- Department of Agricultural Economics, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana 47906, USA
| | - Sangavi Subramani
- Department of Food Science, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana 47906, USA
| | - Yaohua Feng
- Department of Food Science, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana 47906, USA
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25
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Lu J, Lee EWJ. Examining Twitter Discourse on Electronic Cigarette and Tobacco Consumption During National Cancer Prevention Month in 2018: Topic Modeling and Geospatial Analysis. J Med Internet Res 2021; 23:e28042. [PMID: 34964716 PMCID: PMC8756341 DOI: 10.2196/28042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2021] [Revised: 06/08/2021] [Accepted: 11/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Examining public perception of tobacco products is critical for effective tobacco policy making and public education outreach. While the link between traditional tobacco products and lung cancer is well established, it is not known how the public perceives the association between electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) and lung cancer. In addition, it is unclear how members of the public interact with official messages during cancer campaigns on tobacco consumption and lung cancer. Objective In this study, we aimed to analyze e-cigarette and smoking tweets in the context of lung cancer during National Cancer Prevention Month in 2018 and examine how e-cigarette and traditional tobacco product discussions relate to implementation of tobacco control policies across different states in the United States. Methods We mined tweets that contained the term “lung cancer” on Twitter from February to March 2018. The data set contained 13,946 publicly available tweets that occurred during National Cancer Prevention Month (February 2018), and 10,153 tweets that occurred during March 2018. E-cigarette–related and smoking-related tweets were retrieved, using topic modeling and geospatial analysis. Results Debates on harmfulness (454/915, 49.7%), personal experiences (316/915, 34.5%), and e-cigarette risks (145/915, 15.8%) were the major themes of e-cigarette tweets related to lung cancer. Policy discussions (2251/3870, 58.1%), smoking risks (843/3870, 21.8%), and personal experiences (776/3870, 20.1%) were the major themes of smoking tweets related to lung cancer. Geospatial analysis showed that discussion on e-cigarette risks was positively correlated with the number of state-level smoke-free policies enacted for e-cigarettes. In particular, the number of indoor and on campus smoke-free policies was related to the number of tweets on e-cigarette risks (smoke-free indoor, r49=0.33, P=.02; smoke-free campus, r49=0.32, P=.02). The total number of e-cigarette policies was also positively related to the number of tweets on e-cigarette risks (r49=0.32, P=.02). In contrast, the number of smoking policies was not significantly associated with any of the smoking themes in the lung cancer discourse (P>.13). Conclusions Though people recognized the importance of traditional tobacco control policies in reducing lung cancer incidences, their views on e-cigarette risks were divided, and discussions on the importance of e-cigarette policy control were missing from public discourse. Findings suggest the need for health organizations to continuously engage the public in discussions on the potential health risks of e-cigarettes and raise awareness of the insidious lobbying efforts from the tobacco industry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiahui Lu
- School of New Media and Communication, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China
| | - Edmund W J Lee
- Wee Kim Wee School of Communication and Information, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore
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26
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Esthetic Dentistry on Twitter: Benefits and Dangers. Int J Dent 2021; 2021:5077886. [PMID: 34925512 PMCID: PMC8674081 DOI: 10.1155/2021/5077886] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2021] [Revised: 10/20/2021] [Accepted: 11/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Objectives The demand for esthetic dentistry is growing, and social media constitute the main driving force behind this revolution. Twitter is a leading social media platform; however, there is a lack of research on the pattern of communications and the impact of Twitter on esthetic dentistry. The purpose of this study was to analyze the content of tweets related to esthetic dentistry and to investigate how Twitter has affected the perception of, and demand for, esthetic dentistry. Moreover, it aimed to assess the potential benefits and risks of esthetic dentistry advertising strategies on Twitter as a potential social media platform. Materials and Methods Using a specialized web scrapping tool made available by the Python programming language, a total of 54,000 public tweets were downloaded from Twitter at real-time by matching specific keywords. The downloaded tweets were manually filtered, and 13,787 tweets were included and categorized into four tweet sets by content. Results The main categories were tweets regarding specific cosmetic procedure, totaling 56.53% (43.2% for veneers, 13.3% for whitening), advertisements (36.72%), information (5.53%), and general cosmetic dentistry (1.22%). Negative opinions towards veneers and whitening were the most common themes (68.03% and 43.44%). For veneers, illegal use for kids was the most common negative theme (59.7%) and being destructive for whitening (86.3%). Positive opinions counted 6.26% of veneers and 4.3% of whitening tweets. Advertising for whitening products was the second most common between all tweets (16.6%), and advertising for dental practices was the third (14.7%). Presenting facilities/services was the most common marketing strategy for dental practices (49.7%). Twitter was weakly used to circulate educational content (5.5%) and to post reviews (0.75%). Conclusion Twitter was extensively used to share experiences/opinions towards dental cosmetic interventions. Advertising is another vital use of this platform. However, circulating information was the least common use of this social media. Additionally, tweeters were rarely to post online reviews and specific advices and recommendations regarding esthetic dentistry. Moreover, females tended to participate and tweet more significantly in cosmetic-related topics than males. This platform should be tailored efficiently to target users' priorities and to improve health literacy and self-care. Twitter was weakly used to circulate educational content according to this study and rarely used to share online reviews.
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Haupt MR, Xu Q, Yang J, Cai M, Mackey TK. Characterizing Vaping Industry Political Influence and Mobilization on Facebook: Social Network Analysis. J Med Internet Res 2021; 23:e28069. [PMID: 34714245 PMCID: PMC8590191 DOI: 10.2196/28069] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2021] [Revised: 05/01/2021] [Accepted: 08/04/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Background In response to recent policy efforts to regulate tobacco and vaping products, the vaping industry has been aggressive in mobilizing opposition by using a network of manufacturers, trade associations, and tobacco user communities, and by appealing to the general public. One strategy the alternative tobacco industry uses to mobilize political action is coordinating on social media platforms, such as the social networking site Facebook. However, few studies have specifically assessed how platforms such as Facebook are used to influence public sentiment and attitudes towards tobacco control policy. Objective This study used social network analysis to examine how the alternative tobacco industry uses Facebook to mobilize online users to influence tobacco control policy outcomes with a focus on the state of California. Methods Data were collected from local and national alternative tobacco Facebook groups that had affiliations with activities in the state of California. Network ties were constructed based on users’ reactions to posts (eg, “like” and “love”) and comments to characterize political mobilization networks. Results Findings show that alternative tobacco industry employees were more likely to engage within these networks and that these employees were also more likely to be influential members (ie, be more active) in the network. Comparisons between subnetworks show that communication within the local alternative tobacco advocacy group network was less dense and more centralized in contrast to a national advocacy group that had overall higher levels of engagement among members. A timeline analysis found that a higher number of influential posts that disseminated widely across networks occurred during e-cigarette–related legislative events, suggesting strategic online engagement and increased mobilization of online activity for the purposes of influencing policy outcomes. Conclusions Results from this study provide important insights into how tobacco industry–related advocacy groups leverage the Facebook platform to mobilize their online constituents in an effort to influence public perceptions and coordinate to defeat tobacco control efforts at the local, state, and federal level. Study results reveal one part of a vast network of socially enabled alternative tobacco industry actors and constituents that use Facebook as a mobilization point to support goals of the alternative tobacco industry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Robert Haupt
- Department of Cognitive Science, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States.,Global Health Policy and Data Institute, San Diego, CA, United States
| | - Qing Xu
- Global Health Policy and Data Institute, San Diego, CA, United States.,Department of Healthcare Research and Policy, University of California, San Diego Extension, La Jolla, CA, United States.,S-3 Research, San Diego, CA, United States
| | - Joshua Yang
- Department of Public Health, California State University, Fullerton, CA, United States
| | - Mingxiang Cai
- Global Health Policy and Data Institute, San Diego, CA, United States.,Department of Healthcare Research and Policy, University of California, San Diego Extension, La Jolla, CA, United States.,S-3 Research, San Diego, CA, United States
| | - Tim K Mackey
- Global Health Policy and Data Institute, San Diego, CA, United States.,S-3 Research, San Diego, CA, United States.,Global Health Program, Department of Anthropology, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States
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28
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Basch CH, Fera J, Pellicane A, Basch CE. Videos With the Hashtag #vaping on TikTok and Implications for Informed Decision-making by Adolescents: Descriptive Study. JMIR Pediatr Parent 2021; 4:e30681. [PMID: 34694231 PMCID: PMC8576590 DOI: 10.2196/30681] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2021] [Revised: 07/29/2021] [Accepted: 09/06/2021] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Despite the public health importance of vaping and the widespread use of TikTok by adolescents and young adults, research is lacking on the nature and scope of vaping content on this networking service. OBJECTIVE The purpose of this study is to describe the content of TikTok videos related to vaping. METHODS By searching the hashtag #vaping in the discover feature, ~478.4 million views were seen during the time of data collection. The first 100 relevant videos under that hashtag were used in this study. Relevance was determined by simply noting if the video was related in any way to vaping. Coding consisted of several categories directly related to vaping and additional categories, including the number of likes, comments, and views, and if the video involved music, humor, or dance. RESULTS The 100 videos included in the sample garnered 156,331,347 views; 20,335,800 likes; and 296,460 comments. The majority of the videos (n=59) used music and over one-third (n=37) used humor. The only content category observed in the majority of the videos sampled was the promotion of vaping, which was included in 57 videos that garnered over 74 million views (47.5% of cumulative views). A total of 42% (n=42) of the 100 videos sampled featured someone vaping or in the presence of vape pens, and these videos garnered over 22% (>35 million) of the total views. CONCLUSIONS It is necessary for public health agencies to improve understanding of the nature and content of videos that attract viewers' attention and harness the strength of this communication channel to promote informed decision-making about vaping.
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Affiliation(s)
- Corey H Basch
- William Paterson University, Wayne, NJ, United States
| | | | | | - Charles E Basch
- Teachers College, Columbia University, New York, NY, United States
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29
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Xu Q, Yang J, Haupt MR, Cai M, Nali MC, Mackey TK. Digital Surveillance to Identify California Alternative and Emerging Tobacco Industry Policy Influence and Mobilization on Facebook. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2021; 18:ijerph182111150. [PMID: 34769666 PMCID: PMC8583030 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph182111150] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2021] [Revised: 10/18/2021] [Accepted: 10/19/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Growing popularity of electronic nicotine-delivery systems (ENDS) has coincided with a need to strengthen tobacco-control policy. In response, the ENDS industry has taken actions to mobilize against public health measures, including coordination on social media platforms. To explore this phenomenon, data mining was used to collect public posts on two Facebook public group pages: the California Consumer Advocates for Smoke Free Alternatives Association (CCASAA) and the community page of the Northern California Chapter of SFATA (NC-SFATA). Posts were manually annotated to characterize themes associated with industry political interference and user interaction. We collected 288 posts from the NC-SFATA and 411 posts from CCASAA. A total of 522 (74.7%) posts were categorized as a form of political interference, with 339 posts (64.9%) from CCASAA and 183 posts (35.1%) from NC-SFATA. We identified three different categories of policy interference-related posts: (1) providing updates on ENDS-related policy at the federal, state, and local levels; (2) sharing opinions about ENDS-related policies; (3) posts related to scientific information related to vaping; and (4) calls to action to mobilize against tobacco/ENDS policies. Our findings indicate that pro-tobacco social media communities on Facebook, driven by strategic activities of trade associations and their members, may act as focal points for anti-policy information dissemination, grass-roots mobilization, and industry coordination that needs further research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qing Xu
- Global Health Policy and Data Institute, San Diego, CA 92121, USA; (Q.X.); (M.R.H.); (M.C.); (M.C.N.)
- S-3 Research, LLC, San Diego, CA 92121, USA
| | - Joshua Yang
- Department of Public Health, California State University, Fullerton, CA 92834, USA;
| | - Michael R. Haupt
- Global Health Policy and Data Institute, San Diego, CA 92121, USA; (Q.X.); (M.R.H.); (M.C.); (M.C.N.)
- Department of Cognitive Science, University of California, San Diego, CA 92093, USA
| | - Mingxiang Cai
- Global Health Policy and Data Institute, San Diego, CA 92121, USA; (Q.X.); (M.R.H.); (M.C.); (M.C.N.)
- S-3 Research, LLC, San Diego, CA 92121, USA
- Global Health Program, Department of Anthropology, University of California, San Diego, CA 92093, USA
| | - Matthew C. Nali
- Global Health Policy and Data Institute, San Diego, CA 92121, USA; (Q.X.); (M.R.H.); (M.C.); (M.C.N.)
- S-3 Research, LLC, San Diego, CA 92121, USA
- Global Health Program, Department of Anthropology, University of California, San Diego, CA 92093, USA
| | - Tim K. Mackey
- Global Health Policy and Data Institute, San Diego, CA 92121, USA; (Q.X.); (M.R.H.); (M.C.); (M.C.N.)
- S-3 Research, LLC, San Diego, CA 92121, USA
- Global Health Program, Department of Anthropology, University of California, San Diego, CA 92093, USA
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +1-(951)-491-4161
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30
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Lyu JC, Han EL, Luli GK. COVID-19 Vaccine-Related Discussion on Twitter: Topic Modeling and Sentiment Analysis. J Med Internet Res 2021; 23:e24435. [PMID: 34115608 PMCID: PMC8244724 DOI: 10.2196/24435] [Citation(s) in RCA: 117] [Impact Index Per Article: 39.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2021] [Revised: 06/10/2021] [Accepted: 06/10/2021] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Vaccination is a cornerstone of the prevention of communicable infectious diseases; however, vaccines have traditionally met with public fear and hesitancy, and COVID-19 vaccines are no exception. Social media use has been demonstrated to play a role in the low acceptance of vaccines. OBJECTIVE The aim of this study is to identify the topics and sentiments in the public COVID-19 vaccine-related discussion on social media and discern the salient changes in topics and sentiments over time to better understand the public perceptions, concerns, and emotions that may influence the achievement of herd immunity goals. METHODS Tweets were downloaded from a large-scale COVID-19 Twitter chatter data set from March 11, 2020, the day the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a pandemic, to January 31, 2021. We used R software to clean the tweets and retain tweets that contained the keywords vaccination, vaccinations, vaccine, vaccines, immunization, vaccinate, and vaccinated. The final data set included in the analysis consisted of 1,499,421 unique tweets from 583,499 different users. We used R to perform latent Dirichlet allocation for topic modeling as well as sentiment and emotion analysis using the National Research Council of Canada Emotion Lexicon. RESULTS Topic modeling of tweets related to COVID-19 vaccines yielded 16 topics, which were grouped into 5 overarching themes. Opinions about vaccination (227,840/1,499,421 tweets, 15.2%) was the most tweeted topic and remained a highly discussed topic during the majority of the period of our examination. Vaccine progress around the world became the most discussed topic around August 11, 2020, when Russia approved the world's first COVID-19 vaccine. With the advancement of vaccine administration, the topic of instruction on getting vaccines gradually became more salient and became the most discussed topic after the first week of January 2021. Weekly mean sentiment scores showed that despite fluctuations, the sentiment was increasingly positive in general. Emotion analysis further showed that trust was the most predominant emotion, followed by anticipation, fear, sadness, etc. The trust emotion reached its peak on November 9, 2020, when Pfizer announced that its vaccine is 90% effective. CONCLUSIONS Public COVID-19 vaccine-related discussion on Twitter was largely driven by major events about COVID-19 vaccines and mirrored the active news topics in mainstream media. The discussion also demonstrated a global perspective. The increasingly positive sentiment around COVID-19 vaccines and the dominant emotion of trust shown in the social media discussion may imply higher acceptance of COVID-19 vaccines compared with previous vaccines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joanne Chen Lyu
- Center for Tobacco Control Research and Education, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States
| | - Eileen Le Han
- School of Information, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
| | - Garving K Luli
- Department of Mathematics, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
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31
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Jongenelis MI, Jongenelis G, Alexander E, Kennington K, Phillips F, Pettigrew S. A content analysis of the tweets of e-cigarette proponents in Australia. Health Promot J Austr 2021; 33:445-450. [PMID: 34143553 DOI: 10.1002/hpja.510] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2021] [Accepted: 06/16/2021] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
ISSUE ADDRESSED Social media sites have become platforms for public discourse on e-cigarettes, providing proponents with an opportunity to disseminate favourable information about the devices. Research examining the information being presented by Australian proponents of e-cigarettes is limited. Accordingly, this study explored the Twitter feeds of Australian proponents of e-cigarettes to determine the nature of the e-cigarette-related content being disseminated. METHODS All publicly available e-cigarette-related tweets and retweets (n = 1397) disseminated over a 15-week period by five Australian e-cigarette proponents were captured and analysed. RESULTS The main topics covered in the 1397 tweets analysed related to (a) criticism of the arguments made by public health agencies/advocates who oppose e-cigarettes (29%), (b) Australian e-cigarette policy (19%), (c) the health risks of e-cigarettes (16%) and (d) the efficacy of e-cigarettes as smoking cessation aids (13%). Proponents argued that the precautionary principle adopted by public health agencies/advocates lacks an appropriate evidence base and that legalising e-cigarettes would reduce smoking rates and smoking-related harm. Proponents minimised the risks associated with e-cigarette use and only presented evidence indicating that use facilitates smoking cessation. CONCLUSIONS The assessed tweets have the potential to reduce the public's trust in the information being presented by authoritative public health agencies/advocates. The dissemination of information downplaying the health risks associated with e-cigarettes may distort perceptions of the devices. SO WHAT?: To assist tobacco control efforts, results highlight the need for (a) ongoing surveillance of the tweets of e-cigarette proponents and (b) provision of evidence-based counterarguments on social media.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michelle I Jongenelis
- Melbourne Centre for Behaviour Change, Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
| | | | | | | | | | - Simone Pettigrew
- The George Institute for Global Health, University of New South Wales, Newtown, Australia
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32
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Yang B, Barbati JL, Choi Y. Will E-Cigarette Modified Risk Messages with a Nicotine Warning Polarize Smokers' Beliefs about the Efficacy of Switching Completely to E-Cigarettes in Reducing Smoking-Related Risks? INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2021; 18:6094. [PMID: 34198812 PMCID: PMC8200968 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph18116094] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2021] [Revised: 05/30/2021] [Accepted: 06/02/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
In the U.S., e-cigarette companies can apply for permission to use reduced or modified risk messages (MRMs) in their marketing materials. Because e-cigarette marketing materials should have a nicotine addictiveness warning, MRMs and a nicotine warning could appear together-resulting in a conflicting message. When reading a conflicting message, individuals assimilate evidence supporting their pre-existing beliefs and eventually develop stronger beliefs, diverging more from those with different pre-existing beliefs (i.e., polarization). This study examined if exposure to e-cigarette MRMs with a nicotine warning polarizes smokers' initially opposing beliefs about the efficacy of switching completely to e-cigarettes in reducing smoking-related risks, and if this polarization depends on individuals' need for closure. An online experiment randomized 761 U.S. adult smokers to either three MRMs with a nicotine warning or three control messages. People reported their perceived efficacy of switching completely to e-cigarettes at pre- and posttest and need for closure at pretest. Linear regression showed no polarization effects. Nonetheless, need for closure and pretest efficacy beliefs influenced message response: MRMs with a nicotine warning only enhanced efficacy beliefs of smokers with low pretest efficacy beliefs and low need for closure. Evaluation of e-cigarette mixed communication should consider individuals' motivational and cognitive differences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bo Yang
- Department of Communication, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA; (J.L.B.); (Y.C.)
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33
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Kim K, Gibson LA, Williams S, Kim Y, Binns S, Emery SL, Hornik RC. Valence of Media Coverage About Electronic Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products From 2014 to 2017: Evidence From Automated Content Analysis. Nicotine Tob Res 2021; 22:1891-1900. [PMID: 32428214 DOI: 10.1093/ntr/ntaa090] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2019] [Accepted: 05/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION As media exposure can influence people's opinions and perceptions about vaping and smoking, analyzing the valence of media content about tobacco products (ie, overall attitude toward tobacco, cigars, electronic cigarettes, etc.) is an important issue. This study advances the field by analyzing a large amount of media content about multiple tobacco products across six different media sources. AIMS AND METHODS From May 2014 to December 2017, we collected all English-language media items about tobacco products that U.S. young people might see from mass media and websites (long-form) and social media (Twitter and YouTube). We used supervised machine learning to develop validated algorithms to label the valence of these media items. Using the labeled results, we examined the impact of product type (e-cigarettes vs. other tobacco products), source (long-form vs. social media), and time (by month) on the valence of coverage. RESULTS We obtained 152 886 long-form media texts (20% with more than a passing mention), nearly 86 million tweets, and 12 262 YouTube videos about tobacco products. Most long-form media content opposed, while most social media coverage supported, the use of e-cigarettes and other tobacco products. Over time, within-source valence proportions were stable, though in aggregate, the amount of media coverage against the use of tobacco products decreased. CONCLUSIONS This study describes the U.S. public communication environment about vaping and smoking for young people and offers a novel big data approach to analyzing media content. Results suggest that content has gradually become less negative toward the use of e-cigarettes and other tobacco products. IMPLICATIONS This study is the first to examine how the valence of media coverage differs for e-cigarettes versus other tobacco products, across several media sources, and over time using a large corpus of media items. Unlike prior studies, these data allow us to draw conclusions about relative support and opposition for these two categories of products in a variety of media coverage because the same coding scheme was used across products and media sources.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kwanho Kim
- Annenberg School for Communication, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
| | - Laura A Gibson
- Annenberg School for Communication, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
| | - Sharon Williams
- Annenberg School for Communication, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
| | | | | | | | - Robert C Hornik
- Annenberg School for Communication, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
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McCausland K, Maycock B, Leaver T, Wolf K, Freeman B, Thomson K, Jancey J. E-Cigarette Promotion on Twitter in Australia: Content Analysis of Tweets. JMIR Public Health Surveill 2020; 6:e15577. [PMID: 33151159 PMCID: PMC7677022 DOI: 10.2196/15577] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2019] [Revised: 11/20/2019] [Accepted: 09/12/2020] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The sale of electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) containing nicotine is prohibited in all Australian states and territories; yet, the growing availability and convenience of the internet enable the promotion and exposure of e-cigarettes across countries. Social media's increasing pervasiveness has provided a powerful avenue to market products and influence social norms and risk behaviors. At present, there is no evidence of how e-cigarettes and vaping are promoted on social media in Australia. OBJECTIVE This study aimed to investigate how e-cigarettes are portrayed and promoted on Twitter through a content analysis of vaping-related tweets containing an image posted and retweeted by Australian users and how the portrayal and promotion have emerged and trended over time. METHODS In total, we analyzed 1303 tweets and accompanying images from 2012, 2014, 2016, and 2018 collected through the Tracking Infrastructure for Social Media Analysis (TrISMA), a contemporary technical and organizational infrastructure for the tracking of public communication by Australian users of social media, via a list of 15 popular e-cigarette-related terms. RESULTS Despite Australia's cautious approach toward e-cigarettes and the limited evidence supporting them as an efficacious smoking cessation aid, it is evident that there is a concerted effort by some Twitter users to promote these devices as a health-conducive (91/129, 70.5%), smoking cessation product (266/1303, 20.41%). Further, Twitter is being used in an attempt to circumvent Australian regulation and advocate for a more liberal approach to personal vaporizers (90/1303, 6.90%). A sizeable proportion of posts was dedicated to selling or promoting vape products (347/1303, 26.63%), and 19.95% (260/1303) were found to be business listings. These posts used methods to try and expand their clientele further than immediate followers by touting competitions and giveaways, with those wanting to enter having to perform a sequence of steps such as liking, tagging, and reposting, ultimately exposing the post among the user's network and to others not necessarily interested in vaping. CONCLUSIONS The borderless nature of social media presents a clear challenge for enforcing Article 13 of the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, which requires all ratifying nations to implement a ban on tobacco advertising, promotion, and sponsorship. Countering the advertising and promotion of these products is a public health challenge that will require cross-border cooperation with other World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control parties. Further research aimed at developing strategies to counter the advertising and promotion of e-cigarettes is therefore needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kahlia McCausland
- Collaboration for Evidence, Research and Impact in Public Health, School of Public Health, Curtin University, Bentley, Australia
| | - Bruce Maycock
- College of Medicine and Health, University of Exeter, Devon, United Kingdom
| | - Tama Leaver
- School of Media, Creative Arts and Social Inquiry, Curtin University, Bentley, Australia
| | - Katharina Wolf
- School of Marketing, Curtin University, Bentley, Australia
| | - Becky Freeman
- School of Public Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - Katie Thomson
- School of Public Health, Curtin University, Bentley, Australia
| | - Jonine Jancey
- Collaboration for Evidence, Research and Impact in Public Health, School of Public Health, Curtin University, Bentley, Australia
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Wang D, Lyu JC, Zhao X. Public Opinion About E-Cigarettes on Chinese Social Media: A Combined Study of Text Mining Analysis and Correspondence Analysis. J Med Internet Res 2020; 22:e19804. [PMID: 33052127 PMCID: PMC7593864 DOI: 10.2196/19804] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2020] [Revised: 09/04/2020] [Accepted: 09/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) have become increasingly popular. China has accelerated its legislation on e-cigarettes in recent years by issuing two policies to regulate their use: the first on August 26, 2018, and the second on November 1, 2019. Social media provide an efficient platform to access information on the public opinion of e-cigarettes. Objective To gain insight into how policies have influenced the reaction of the Chinese public to e-cigarettes, this study aims to understand what the Chinese public say about e-cigarettes and how the focus of discussion might have changed in the context of policy implementation. Methods This study uses a combination of text mining and correspondence analysis to content analyze 1160 e-cigarette–related questions and their corresponding answers from Zhihu, China’s largest question-and-answer platform and one of the country’s most trustworthy social media sources. From January 1, 2017, to December 31, 2019, Python was used to text mine the most frequently used words and phrases in public e-cigarette discussions on Zhihu. The correspondence analysis was used to examine the similarities and differences between high-frequency words and phrases across 3 periods (ie, January 1, 2017, to August 27, 2018; August 28, 2018, to October 31, 2019; and November 1, 2019, to January 1, 2020). Results The results of the study showed that the consistent themes across time were comparisons with traditional cigarettes, health concerns, and how to choose e-cigarette products. The issuance of government policies on e-cigarettes led to a change in the focus of public discussion. The discussion of e-cigarettes in period 1 mainly focused on the use and experience of e-cigarettes. In period 2, the public’s attention was not only on the substances related to e-cigarettes but also on the smoking cessation functions of e-cigarettes. In period 3, the public shifted their attention to the e-cigarette industry and government policy on the banning of e-cigarette sales to minors. Conclusions Social media are an informative source, which can help policy makers and public health professionals understand the public’s concerns over and understanding of e-cigarettes. When there was little regulation, public discussion was greatly influenced by industry claims about e-cigarettes; however, once e-cigarette policies were issued, these policies, to a large extent, set the agenda for public discussion. In addition, media reporting of these policies might have greatly influenced the way e-cigarette policies were discussed. Therefore, monitoring e-cigarette discussions on social media and responding to them in a timely manner will both help improve the public’s e-cigarette literacy and facilitate the implementation of e-cigarette–related policies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Di Wang
- Faculty of Humanities and Arts, Macau University of Science and Technology, Taipa, Macao
| | - Joanne Chen Lyu
- Center for Tobacco Control Research and Education, University of California, San Francisco, CA, United States
| | - Xiaoyu Zhao
- Faculty of Humanities and Arts, Macau University of Science and Technology, Taipa, Macao
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McCausland K, Maycock B, Leaver T, Wolf K, Freeman B, Jancey J. E-Cigarette Advocates on Twitter: Content Analysis of Vaping-Related Tweets. JMIR Public Health Surveill 2020; 6:e17543. [PMID: 33052130 PMCID: PMC7593865 DOI: 10.2196/17543] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2019] [Revised: 03/18/2020] [Accepted: 09/12/2020] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Background As the majority of Twitter content is publicly available, the platform has become a rich data source for public health surveillance, providing insights into emergent phenomena, such as vaping. Although there is a growing body of literature that has examined the content of vaping-related tweets, less is known about the people who generate and disseminate these messages and the role of e-cigarette advocates in the promotion of these devices. Objective This study aimed to identify key conversation trends and patterns over time, and discern the core voices, message frames, and sentiment surrounding e-cigarette discussions on Twitter. Methods A random sample of data were collected from Australian Twitter users who referenced at least one of 15 identified e-cigarette related keywords during 2012, 2014, 2016, or 2018. Data collection was facilitated by TrISMA (Tracking Infrastructure for Social Media Analysis) and analyzed by content analysis. Results A sample of 4432 vaping-related tweets posted and retweeted by Australian users was analyzed. Positive sentiment (3754/4432, 84.70%) dominated the discourse surrounding e-cigarettes, and vape retailers and manufacturers (1161/4432, 26.20%), the general public (1079/4432, 24.35%), and e-cigarette advocates (1038/4432, 23.42%) were the most prominent posters. Several tactics were used by e-cigarette advocates to communicate their beliefs, including attempts to frame e-cigarettes as safer than traditional cigarettes, imply that federal government agencies lack sufficient competence or evidence for the policies they endorse about vaping, and denounce as propaganda “gateway” claims of youth progressing from e-cigarettes to combustible tobacco. Some of the most common themes presented in tweets were advertising or promoting e-cigarette products (2040/4432, 46.03%), promoting e-cigarette use or intent to use (970/4432, 21.89%), and discussing the potential of e-cigarettes to be used as a smoking cessation aid or tobacco alternative (716/4432, 16.16%), as well as the perceived health and safety benefits and consequences of e-cigarette use (681/4432, 15.37%). Conclusions Australian Twitter content does not reflect the country’s current regulatory approach to e-cigarettes. Rather, the conversation on Twitter generally encourages e-cigarette use, promotes vaping as a socially acceptable practice, discredits scientific evidence of health risks, and rallies around the idea that e-cigarettes should largely be outside the bounds of health policy. The one-sided nature of the discussion is concerning, as is the lack of disclosure and transparency, especially among vaping enthusiasts who dominate the majority of e-cigarette discussions on Twitter, where it is unclear if comments are endorsed, sanctioned, or even supported by the industry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kahlia McCausland
- Collaboration for Evidence, Research and Impact in Public Health, School of Public Health, Curtin University, Bentley, Australia
| | - Bruce Maycock
- College of Medicine and Health, University of Exeter, Devon, United Kingdom
| | - Tama Leaver
- School of Media, Creative Arts and Social Inquiry, Curtin University, Bentley, Australia
| | - Katharina Wolf
- School of Marketing, Curtin University, Bentley, Australia
| | - Becky Freeman
- School of Public Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - Jonine Jancey
- Collaboration for Evidence, Research and Impact in Public Health, School of Public Health, Curtin University, Bentley, Australia
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Carlyle KE, Guidry JPD, Dougherty SA, Burton CW. Intimate Partner Violence on Instagram: Visualizing a Public Health Approach to Prevention. HEALTH EDUCATION & BEHAVIOR 2020; 46:90-96. [PMID: 31742450 DOI: 10.1177/1090198119873917] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Social media platforms like Instagram are often used as venues for discussing relationships, making them ideal channels for promoting healthy relationships and preventing intimate partner violence (IPV). This is particularly relevant for IPV, which has been historically understood as a personal issue and lacked support for consideration as a significant public health issue. To explore a potential platform for IPV prevention, this study examines the ways in which IPV messages on Instagram reflect public health understandings of, and approaches to, prevention and how Instagram users engage with these posts. We analyzed 700 Instagram posts about IPV using the social ecological model as the theoretical framework for conceptualizing framing devices. Posts that mentioned individual causal attribution and individual solution responsibility were both present in the majority of posts and elicited more engagement than posts that did not. Encouragingly, the Instagram sample was more reflective of a range of different types of IPV experiences than previous analyses of traditional media content, possibly indicating that a public health approach to this issue is gaining traction.
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Young LE, Soliz S, Xu JJ, Young SD. A review of social media analytic tools and their applications to evaluate activity and engagement in online sexual health interventions. Prev Med Rep 2020; 19:101158. [PMID: 32685364 PMCID: PMC7358714 DOI: 10.1016/j.pmedr.2020.101158] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2019] [Revised: 06/25/2020] [Accepted: 06/28/2020] [Indexed: 11/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Social media analytic tools offer ways to evaluate online sex health interventions. Most tools measure reach, aggregate activity, and page- and post-level engagement. User-level activity and engagement metrics are rarely provided. Various metrics comprising composite engagement scores are difficult to discern. Most tools have limited or no capabilities in text and social network analytics.
Unprecedented public engagement with social media has provided viable and culturally relevant platforms for application in sexual health interventions, yet there are concerns that methods for evaluating engagement in these interventions have not kept pace with their implementation. More recently, the rise of social media analytics (SMA) and online marketing has spawned the development of analytic tools that boast promise for such a task. In this paper, we review a sample of the most popular of these tools, paying particular attention to: (1) the social media platforms that can be analyzed; (2) analytic capabilities; and (3) measures of engagement. We follow this with a review of sexual health intervention studies that apply these tools in evaluation efforts. Our findings suggest that these tools have numerous analytic capabilities that would be useful for evaluating interventions more efficiently. However, in nearly all cases, the tools we reviewed alone would not be sufficient to fully grasp engagement dynamics, as they need to be complemented with additional tools for textual analysis and social network analysis. Therefore, we consider this fertile ground for future collaborations between software developers and behavioral health scientists to develop more comprehensive analytic platforms with applications for public health research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lindsay E Young
- Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Stephanie Soliz
- School of Social Work, University of Washington, Seattle, United States
| | - Jackie Jingyi Xu
- Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Sean D Young
- Department of Informatics, Donald Bren School of Information and Computer Sciences, University of California, Irvine, CA, United States
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Blank ML, Hoek J, George M, Gendall P, Conner TS, Thrul J, Ling PM, Langlotz T. An Exploration of Smoking-to-Vaping Transition Attempts Using a "Smart" Electronic Nicotine Delivery System. Nicotine Tob Res 2020; 21:1339-1346. [PMID: 29878179 DOI: 10.1093/ntr/nty093] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2017] [Accepted: 05/07/2018] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) are used to aid smoking cessation attempts; however, many smokers continue to smoke while using an ENDS (dual use). Although uncertainty remains regarding whether specific ENDS patterns hinder or support successful smoking cessation, recent advances in "smart" technology allow passive and active recording of behaviors in real time, enabling more detailed insights into how smoking and vaping patterns may coevolve. We describe patterns of ENDS initiation, and subsequent use, including any changes in cigarette consumption, among daily smokers using a "smart" ENDS (S-ENDS) to quit smoking. METHOD An 8-week long mixed-methods feasibility study used Bluetooth-enabled S-ENDS that passively recorded real-time device use by participants (n = 11). Daily surveys administered via smartphones collected data on self-reported cigarette consumption. RESULTS All 11 participants were dual users, at least initially, during their quit attempt. We observed three provisional vaping and smoking patterns: immediate and intensive ENDS initiation coupled with immediate, dramatic, and sustained smoking reduction, leading to smoking abstinence; gradual ENDS uptake with gradual smoking reductions, leading to daily dual use throughout the study period; and ENDS experimentation with return to exclusive smoking. For six participants, the patterns observed in week 1 were similar to the vaping and smoking patterns observed throughout the rest of the study period. CONCLUSION Technological advances now allow fine-grained description of ENDS use and smoking patterns. Larger and longer studies describing smoking-to-vaping patterns, and estimating associations with smoking outcomes, could inform ENDS-specific cessation advice promoting full transition from smoking to exclusive ENDS use. IMPLICATIONS The use of an S-ENDS that recorded real-time device use among daily smokers engaged in a quit attempt provides insight into patterns and trajectories of dual use (continuing to smoke while using ENDS), and the possible associations between ENDS initiation, subsequent use, and smoking cessation outcomes. Such work could support more targeted cessation counseling and technical advice for smokers using ENDS to quit smoking, reduce the risk of users developing long-term dual use patterns, and enhance the contributions ENDS may make to reducing smoking prevalence.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Janet Hoek
- University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
| | | | | | | | | | - Pamela M Ling
- University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA
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Mavragani A. Infodemiology and Infoveillance: Scoping Review. J Med Internet Res 2020; 22:e16206. [PMID: 32310818 PMCID: PMC7189791 DOI: 10.2196/16206] [Citation(s) in RCA: 111] [Impact Index Per Article: 27.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2019] [Revised: 02/05/2020] [Accepted: 02/08/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Web-based sources are increasingly employed in the analysis, detection, and forecasting of diseases and epidemics, and in predicting human behavior toward several health topics. This use of the internet has come to be known as infodemiology, a concept introduced by Gunther Eysenbach. Infodemiology and infoveillance studies use web-based data and have become an integral part of health informatics research over the past decade. OBJECTIVE The aim of this paper is to provide a scoping review of the state-of-the-art in infodemiology along with the background and history of the concept, to identify sources and health categories and topics, to elaborate on the validity of the employed methods, and to discuss the gaps identified in current research. METHODS The PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) guidelines were followed to extract the publications that fall under the umbrella of infodemiology and infoveillance from the JMIR, PubMed, and Scopus databases. A total of 338 documents were extracted for assessment. RESULTS Of the 338 studies, the vast majority (n=282, 83.4%) were published with JMIR Publications. The Journal of Medical Internet Research features almost half of the publications (n=168, 49.7%), and JMIR Public Health and Surveillance has more than one-fifth of the examined studies (n=74, 21.9%). The interest in the subject has been increasing every year, with 2018 featuring more than one-fourth of the total publications (n=89, 26.3%), and the publications in 2017 and 2018 combined accounted for more than half (n=171, 50.6%) of the total number of publications in the last decade. The most popular source was Twitter with 45.0% (n=152), followed by Google with 24.6% (n=83), websites and platforms with 13.9% (n=47), blogs and forums with 10.1% (n=34), Facebook with 8.9% (n=30), and other search engines with 5.6% (n=19). As for the subjects examined, conditions and diseases with 17.2% (n=58) and epidemics and outbreaks with 15.7% (n=53) were the most popular categories identified in this review, followed by health care (n=39, 11.5%), drugs (n=40, 10.4%), and smoking and alcohol (n=29, 8.6%). CONCLUSIONS The field of infodemiology is becoming increasingly popular, employing innovative methods and approaches for health assessment. The use of web-based sources, which provide us with information that would not be accessible otherwise and tackles the issues arising from the time-consuming traditional methods, shows that infodemiology plays an important role in health informatics research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amaryllis Mavragani
- Department of Computing Science and Mathematics, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Stirling, Stirling, United Kingdom
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Briganti M, Wackowski OA, Delnevo CD, Brown L, Hastings SE, Singh B, Steinberg MB. Content Analysis of Electronic Nicotine Delivery System Publications in Core Clinical Journals from 2012 to 2018. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2020; 17:E2201. [PMID: 32218306 PMCID: PMC7177383 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph17072201] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2020] [Revised: 03/11/2020] [Accepted: 03/21/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
There is no consensus if electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) should be used to reduce harm among the smoking population. Physicians, who represent a trusted source of health communication, are exposed to a range of often conflicting ENDS information and this information may be relayed to patients looking to quit smoking. Previous studies have examined ENDS content of various sources of media but there is a lack of knowledge about ENDS content in medical journals. We analyzed 421 ENDS publications printed between 2012 and 2018 from PubMed's Core Clinical Journal list. Publications were analyzed based on publication type, journal type, study design, geographic focus, theme, terminology, outcomes, and positive/negative statements. The number of ENDS publications grew since 2012, and peaked in 2015. Across all years, negative statements about ENDS outnumbered positive statements, though this difference decreased over time. Over time, negative statements about "toxins and carcinogens" were made less frequently, while negative statements about "gateway effects" and "youth appeal" became more prevalent. UK journals had fewer negative statements relative to US journals. Only 12.6% of publications included guidance for healthcare professionals about ENDS. As published ENDS topics change over time, physicians' communications with patients may be impacted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Briganti
- Rutgers Center for Tobacco Studies, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA; (M.B.); (O.A.W.); (C.D.D.); (B.S.)
| | - Olivia A. Wackowski
- Rutgers Center for Tobacco Studies, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA; (M.B.); (O.A.W.); (C.D.D.); (B.S.)
| | - Cristine D. Delnevo
- Rutgers Center for Tobacco Studies, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA; (M.B.); (O.A.W.); (C.D.D.); (B.S.)
| | - Leanne Brown
- Department of Medicine, Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA; (L.B.); (S.E.H.)
| | - Shirin E. Hastings
- Department of Medicine, Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA; (L.B.); (S.E.H.)
| | - Binu Singh
- Rutgers Center for Tobacco Studies, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA; (M.B.); (O.A.W.); (C.D.D.); (B.S.)
| | - Michael B. Steinberg
- Department of Medicine, Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA; (L.B.); (S.E.H.)
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Kim Y, Emery SL, Vera L, David B, Huang J. At the speed of Juul: measuring the Twitter conversation related to ENDS and Juul across space and time (2017-2018). Tob Control 2020; 30:137-146. [PMID: 32198278 PMCID: PMC7907568 DOI: 10.1136/tobaccocontrol-2019-055427] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2019] [Revised: 02/11/2020] [Accepted: 02/18/2020] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
Background Electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) are the most-used tobacco product by adolescents, and Juul has rapidly become the most popular ENDS brand. Evidence indicates that Juul has been marketed heavily on social media. In light of recent lawsuits against the FDA spurred by claims that the agency responded inadequately to this marketing push, measuring the social media conversation about ENDS like Juul has important public health implications. Methods We employed search filters to collect Juul-related and other ENDS-related data from Twitter in 2017–2018 using Gnip Historic PowerTrack. Trained coders labelled random samples for Juul and ENDS relevance, and the labelled samples were used to train a supervised learning classifier to filter out irrelevant tweets. Tweets were geolocated into US counties and their fitness for use was assessed. Results The amount of Juul-related tweets increased 67 times over the study period (from 18 849 in the first quarter of 2017 to 1 287 028 in the last quarter of 2018), spreading widely across US counties. By the last quarter 2018, 34% of US counties had more than 6 Juul-related posts per 10 000 people, up from 0% in the first quarter 2017. However, during the same period, the total of non-Juul ENDS-related tweets decreased by 25%. Conclusions Juul-related content grew exponentially on Twitter and spread across the entire country during the time when the brand was gaining market share. This social media buzz continued to increase even after FDA’s multiple interventions to curb promotions targeting minors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yoonsang Kim
- Social Data Collaboratory, Public Health, NORC at the University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Sherry L Emery
- Social Data Collaboratory, Public Health, NORC at the University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Lisa Vera
- VeraCite Inc, La Jolla, California, USA
| | - Bryn David
- Center for Excellence in Survey Research, NORC at the University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Jidong Huang
- School of Public Health, Georgia State University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
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Rowbotham S, Astell-Burt T, Barakat T, Hawe P. 30+ years of media analysis of relevance to chronic disease: a scoping review. BMC Public Health 2020; 20:364. [PMID: 32192448 PMCID: PMC7083065 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-020-8365-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2018] [Accepted: 02/17/2020] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Chronic, non-communicable diseases are a significant public health priority, requiring action at individual, community and population levels, and public and political will for such action. Exposure to media, including news, entertainment, and advertising media, is likely to influence both individual behaviours, and attitudes towards preventive actions at the population level. In recent years there has been a proliferation of research exploring how chronic diseases and their risk factors are portrayed across various forms of media. This scoping review aims to map the literature in this area to identify key themes, gaps, and opportunities for future research in this area. METHODS We searched three databases (Medline, PsycINFO and Global Health) in July 2016 and identified 499 original research articles meeting inclusion criteria: original research article, published in English, focusing on media representations of chronic disease (including how issues are framed in media, impact or effect of media representations, and factors that influence media representations). We extracted key data from included articles and examined the health topics, media channels and methods of included studies, and synthesised key themes across studies. RESULTS Our findings show that research on media portrayals of chronic disease increased substantially between 1985 and 2016. Smoking and nutrition were the most frequent health topics, and television and print were the most common forms of media examined, although, as expected, research on online and social media channels has increased in recent years. The majority of studies focused on the amount and type of media coverage, including how issues are framed, typically using content analysis approaches. In comparison, there was much less research on the influences on and consequences of media coverage related to chronic disease, suggesting an important direction for future work. CONCLUSIONS The results highlight key themes across media research of relevance to chronic disease. More in-depth syntheses of studies within the identified themes will allow us to draw out the key patterns and learnings across the literature.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samantha Rowbotham
- Menzies Centre for Health Policy, Sydney School of Public Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia. .,The Australian Prevention Partnership Centre, Sydney, Australia.
| | - Thomas Astell-Burt
- Menzies Centre for Health Policy, Sydney School of Public Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia.,Population Wellbeing and Environment Research Lab (PowerLab), School of Health and Society, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, Australia.,School of Public Health, Peking Union Medical College and The Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China.,National Institute of Environmental Health, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention (China CDC), Beijing, China
| | - Tala Barakat
- Menzies Centre for Health Policy, Sydney School of Public Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia.,The Australian Prevention Partnership Centre, Sydney, Australia
| | - Penelope Hawe
- Menzies Centre for Health Policy, Sydney School of Public Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia.,The Australian Prevention Partnership Centre, Sydney, Australia.,O'Brien Institute of Public Health, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada
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44
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Liu J, Lochbuehler K, Yang Q, Gibson LA, Hornik RC. Breadth of Media Scanning Leads to Vaping among Youth and Young Adults: Evidence of Direct and Indirect Pathways from a National Longitudinal Survey. JOURNAL OF HEALTH COMMUNICATION 2020; 25:91-104. [PMID: 31900063 PMCID: PMC7138723 DOI: 10.1080/10810730.2019.1709925] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
Electronic cigarette use among youth and young adults has reached an epidemic proportion of growth. This study examined the direct and indirect effects of the breadth of media scanning about e-cigarette use on subsequent vaping behavior through interpersonal communication and changes in descriptive norm perceptions. We conducted a nationally representative longitudinal phone survey of 13- to 25-year-olds from June 2014 to March 2017, with 11,013 respondents who completed a baseline survey, among which 3,212 completed a follow-up 6 months later. The results from both cross-sectional and lagged analyses provided robust evidence to suggest that passive routine exposure to e-cigarette use content from more media outlets predicted increased likelihood of vaping among youth and young adults. High scanners were about twice as likely to vape as non-scanners (17% versus 9%). Mediation models using bootstrapping procedures found that breadth of scanning predicted higher descriptive norm perceptions which were associated with subsequent vaping; in addition, interpersonal communication mediated the relationship between breadth of scanning and changes in descriptive norm perceptions. These findings highlight the important roles of scanning, norm perceptions and interpersonal discussions in shaping cognition and behavior changes. The results also suggest an overall pro-e-cigarette public communication environment, which warrants further examination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiaying Liu
- Department of Communication Studies, University of Georgia, Athens, GA
| | | | - Qinghua Yang
- Department of Communication Studies, Texas Christian University, Fort Worth, TX
| | - Laura A. Gibson
- Annenberg School for Communication, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
- Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
| | - Robert C. Hornik
- Annenberg School for Communication, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
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45
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Kwon M, Park E. Perceptions and Sentiments About Electronic Cigarettes on Social Media Platforms: Systematic Review. JMIR Public Health Surveill 2020; 6:e13673. [PMID: 31939747 PMCID: PMC6996744 DOI: 10.2196/13673] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2019] [Revised: 09/23/2019] [Accepted: 09/27/2019] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) have been widely promoted on the internet, and subsequently, social media has been used as an important informative platform by e-cigarette users. Beliefs and knowledge expressed on social media platforms have largely influenced e-cigarette uptake, the decision to switch from conventional smoking to e-cigarette smoking, and positive and negative connotations associated with e-cigarettes. Despite this, there is a gap in our knowledge of people’s perceptions and sentiments on e-cigarettes as depicted on social media platforms. Objective This study aimed to (1) provide an overview of studies examining the perceptions and sentiments associated with e-cigarettes on social media platforms and online discussion forums, (2) explore people’s perceptions of e-cigarette therein, and (3) examine the methodological limitations and gaps of the included studies. Methods Searches in major electronic databases, including PubMed, Cumulative Index of Nursing and Allied Health Literature, EMBASE, Web of Science, and Communication and Mass Media Complete, were conducted using the following search terms: “electronic cigarette,” “electronic vaporizer,” “electronic nicotine,” and “electronic nicotine delivery systems” combined with “internet,” “social media,” and “internet use.” The studies were selected if they examined participants’ perceptions and sentiments of e-cigarettes on online forums or social media platforms during the 2007-2017 period. Results A total of 21 articles were included. A total of 20 different social media platforms and online discussion forums were identified. A real-time snapshot and characteristics of sentiments, personal experience, and perceptions toward e-cigarettes on social media platforms and online forums were identified. Common topics regarding e-cigarettes included positive and negative health effects, testimony by current users, potential risks, benefits, regulations associated with e-cigarettes, and attitude toward them as smoking cessation aids. Conclusions Although perceptions among social media users were mixed, there were more positive sentiments expressed than negative ones. This study particularly adds to our understanding of current trends in the popularity of and attitude toward e-cigarettes among social media users. In addition, this study identified conflicting perceptions about e-cigarettes among social media users. This suggests that accurate and up-to-date information on the benefits and risks of e-cigarettes needs to be disseminated to current and potential e-cigarette users via social media platforms, which can serve as important educational channels. Future research can explore the efficacy of social media–based interventions that deliver appropriate information (eg, general facts, benefits, and risks) about e-cigarettes. Trial Registration PROSPERO CRD42019121611; https://tinyurl.com/yfr27uxs
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Affiliation(s)
- Misol Kwon
- School of Nursing, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, United States
| | - Eunhee Park
- School of Nursing, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, United States
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46
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Paek HJ, Baek H, Lee S, Hove T. Electronic Cigarette Themes on Twitter: Dissemination Patterns and Relations with Online News and Search Engine Queries in South Korea. HEALTH COMMUNICATION 2020; 35:1-9. [PMID: 30372161 DOI: 10.1080/10410236.2018.1536952] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
This study examines multiple aspects of e-cigarette mentions on different online media channels during the announcement and implementation of a cigarette tax increase policy in South Korea. It consists of three parts. First, a Naive Bayes classifier was used to sort 59,147 tweets about e-cigarettes into five pre-designated themes - promotion, health, policy, product evaluation, and price - and to determine their relative prevalence. Second, social network analysis was used to identify the themes' dissemination patterns. Third, the themes were examined for their associations with e-cigarette mentions in two other media channels - online news articles (n = 580) and search engine queries (64 weeks of Google Trends data). Results show that the most prevalent tweet theme was product evaluation, and the theme with the largest increase during the data collection period was promotion. Promotion-themed tweets were the least connected with tweets about the other five themes, while health-themed tweets were the most connected. Finally, product evaluation-themed tweets exhibited the strongest correlation with search engine query count and had the largest explanatory power.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hye-Jin Paek
- Department of Advertising & Public Relations, Hanyang University
| | - Hyunmi Baek
- School of Media and Communication, Korea University
| | - Saerom Lee
- School of Business Administration, Kyungpook National University
| | - Thomas Hove
- Department of Advertising & Public Relations, Hanyang University
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47
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Pomputius A. Can You Hear Me Now? Social Listening as a Strategy for Understanding User Needs. Med Ref Serv Q 2019; 38:181-186. [PMID: 31173567 DOI: 10.1080/02763869.2019.1588042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
Maintaining regular engagement with audiences through various forms of social media is becoming more important as library users and the general public increasingly rely on social media for news, updates, and feedback. While large corporations have been monitoring social media for more than a decade, libraries have recently begun to use social listening to stay abreast of trends and assess user needs as voiced directly by their communities. This column will explain what social listening is, explore concerns over its widespread application, consider examples of social media listening software currently available, and offer an overview of its application in library settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ariel Pomputius
- a Health Science Center Libraries, University of Florida , Gainesville , Florida , USA
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48
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Liu J, Siegel L, Gibson LA, Kim Y, Binns S, Emery S, Hornik RC. Toward an Aggregate, Implicit, and Dynamic Model of Norm Formation: Capturing Large-Scale Media Representations of Dynamic Descriptive Norms Through Automated and Crowdsourced Content Analysis. THE JOURNAL OF COMMUNICATION 2019; 69:563-588. [PMID: 31956275 PMCID: PMC6954383 DOI: 10.1093/joc/jqz033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2019] [Revised: 08/07/2019] [Accepted: 08/10/2019] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
Media content can shape people's descriptive norm perceptions by presenting either population-level prevalence information or descriptions of individuals' behaviors. Supervised machine learning and crowdsourcing can be combined to answer new, theoretical questions about the ways in which normative perceptions form and evolve through repeated, incidental exposure to normative mentions emanating from the media environment. Applying these methods, this study describes tobacco and e-cigarette norm prevalence and trends over 37 months through an examination of a census of 135,764 long-form media texts, 12,262 popular YouTube videos, and 75,322,911 tweets. Long-form texts mentioned tobacco population norms (4-5%) proportionately less often than e-cigarette population norms (20%). Individual use norms were common across sources, particularly YouTube (tobacco long-form: 34%; Twitter: 33%; YouTube: 88%; e-cigarette long form: 17%; Twitter: 16%; YouTube: 96%). The capacity to capture aggregated prevalence and temporal dynamics of normative media content permits asking population-level media effects questions that would otherwise be infeasible to address.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiaying Liu
- Department of Communication Studies, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA
| | - Leeann Siegel
- Annenberg School for Communication, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Laura A Gibson
- Annenberg School for Communication, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
- Perelman School of Medicine, University of Penns ylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Yoonsang Kim
- Social Data Collaboratory, NORC at the University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60603, USA
| | - Steven Binns
- Social Data Collaboratory, NORC at the University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60603, USA
| | - Sherry Emery
- Social Data Collaboratory, NORC at the University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60603, USA
| | - Robert C Hornik
- Annenberg School for Communication, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
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49
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Miller CA, Guidry JPD, Fuemmeler BF. Breast Cancer Voices on Pinterest: Raising Awareness or Just an Inspirational Image? HEALTH EDUCATION & BEHAVIOR 2019; 46:49-58. [PMID: 31742451 PMCID: PMC7357243 DOI: 10.1177/1090198119863774] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
The public increasingly searches for and discusses health information online, but few studies have examined breast cancer-related posts on visual social media platforms. To shed light on cancer-focused posts on the visual social media platform Pinterest, this study analyzed a random sample of 476 breast cancer-related posts (also referred to as "pins"). Using a quantitative content analysis, pins were coded for type of visual and textual information included and user engagement with pins (i.e., frequency of repins and comments). This novel research supports the current use and potential future utility of Pinterest as a venue for health communication related to breast cancer. Study results have important implications for the development of future health promotion programs on Pinterest aimed at reducing breast cancer risk among women.
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50
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Gibson LA, Siegel L, Kranzler E, Volinsky A, O'Donnell MB, Williams S, Yang Q, Kim Y, Binns S, Tran H, Maidel Epstein V, Leffel T, Jeong M, Liu J, Lee S, Emery S, Hornik RC. Combining Crowd-Sourcing and Automated Content Methods to Improve Estimates of Overall Media Coverage: Theme Mentions in E-cigarette and Other Tobacco Coverage. JOURNAL OF HEALTH COMMUNICATION 2019; 24:889-899. [PMID: 31718524 PMCID: PMC9173594 DOI: 10.1080/10810730.2019.1682724] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
Exposure to media content can shape public opinions about tobacco. Accurately describing content is a first step to showing such effects. Historically, content analyses have hand-coded tobacco-focused texts from a few media sources which ignored passing mention coverage and social media sources, and could not reliably capture over-time variation. By using a combination of crowd-sourced and automated coding, we labeled the population of all e-cigarette and other tobacco-related (including cigarettes, hookah, cigars, etc.) 'long-form texts' (focused and passing coverage, in mass media and website articles) and social media items (tweets and YouTube videos) collected May 2014-June 2017 for four tobacco control themes. Automated coding of theme coverage met thresholds for item-level precision and recall, event validation, and weekly-level reliability for most sources, except YouTube. Health, Policy, Addiction and Youth themes were frequent in e-cigarette long-form focused coverage (44%-68%), but not in long-form passing coverage (5%-22%). These themes were less frequent in other tobacco coverage (long-form focused (13-32%) and passing coverage (4-11%)). Themes were infrequent in both e-cigarette (1-3%) and other tobacco tweets (2-4%). Findings demonstrate that passing e-cigarette and other tobacco long-form coverage and social media sources paint different pictures of theme coverage than focused long-form coverage. Automated coding also allowed us to code the amount of data required to estimate reliable weekly theme coverage over three years. E-cigarette theme coverage showed much more week-to-week variation than did other tobacco coverage. Automated coding allows accurate descriptions of theme coverage in passing mentions, social media, and trends in weekly theme coverage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura A Gibson
- Annenberg School for Communication, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Leeann Siegel
- Annenberg School for Communication, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Elissa Kranzler
- Annenberg School for Communication, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Allyson Volinsky
- Annenberg School for Communication, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Matthew B O'Donnell
- Annenberg School for Communication, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Sharon Williams
- Annenberg School for Communication, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Qinghua Yang
- Annenberg School for Communication, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Yoonsang Kim
- NORC at the University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Steven Binns
- NORC at the University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Hy Tran
- NORC at the University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | | | | | - Michelle Jeong
- Annenberg School for Communication, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Jiaying Liu
- Annenberg School for Communication, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Stella Lee
- Annenberg School for Communication, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Sherry Emery
- NORC at the University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Robert C Hornik
- Annenberg School for Communication, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
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