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Zhao J, Liu H, Dong H, Zhang W, Xin J, Zhou X, Wang Z, Zhang X, Ren X, Zhang S. A synergistic study of policy and literature on rumor governance. Heliyon 2024; 10:e29995. [PMID: 38694098 PMCID: PMC11059112 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e29995] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2023] [Revised: 04/18/2024] [Accepted: 04/18/2024] [Indexed: 05/03/2024] Open
Abstract
Rumor governance is an important guarantee for social stability and public safety. Based on the life cycle and crisis cycle model, this paper conducts a synergistic analysis of China's rumor governance policies and regulations and the core scientific research literature on rumor governance in WOS and CNKI. In this paper, we use the TF-IDF algorithm to count the word frequencies of 326 policy and regulation texts, the Jieba-RoBERTa-Kmeans model to cluster high-frequency keywords, and CiteSpace software and the LLR clustering algorithm are utilized to extract and cluster keywords from 391 documents in the WOS database and from 703 documents in the CNKI database. Based on the synergistic analysis of the life cycle model, it is found that the research on policies and regulations precedes the research on literature, and both are in the period of refinement.Based on the synergistic analysis using the co-occurrence comparison of subject terms in the crisis cycle model, it is found that there is a lack of research in the stages of prevention, monitoring, and governance, and this paper proposes the systematic governance mechanism and strategy for crisis resolution that conforms to the trend of life cycle evolution and is synergistic with policy and literature. This study has only selected Chinese policies and regulations, and the proposed governance strategies have not yet been verified in practice; future research can expand the scope and depth of the study and conduct empirical research and pilot projects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jianbo Zhao
- Department of Economics & Management, Xidian University, 266 Xifeng Road, Xi'an, 710071, Shaanxi, China
| | - Huailiang Liu
- Department of Economics & Management, Xidian University, 266 Xifeng Road, Xi'an, 710071, Shaanxi, China
| | - Haiping Dong
- Department of Economics & Management, Xidian University, 266 Xifeng Road, Xi'an, 710071, Shaanxi, China
| | - Weili Zhang
- Department of Economics & Management, Xidian University, 266 Xifeng Road, Xi'an, 710071, Shaanxi, China
| | - Jige Xin
- Department of Economics & Management, Xidian University, 266 Xifeng Road, Xi'an, 710071, Shaanxi, China
| | - Xuan Zhou
- Department of Economics & Management, Xidian University, 266 Xifeng Road, Xi'an, 710071, Shaanxi, China
| | - Zhen Wang
- Department of Electronic Engineering, Xidian University, 266 Xifeng Road, Xi'an, 710071, Shaanxi, China
| | - Xiaojin Zhang
- Department of Economics & Management, Xidian University, 266 Xifeng Road, Xi'an, 710071, Shaanxi, China
| | - Xinyuan Ren
- Department of Economics & Management, Xidian University, 266 Xifeng Road, Xi'an, 710071, Shaanxi, China
| | - Shanzhuang Zhang
- Department of Economics & Management, Xidian University, 266 Xifeng Road, Xi'an, 710071, Shaanxi, China
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Rizzi M, Attwell K. Giving Bad Science the Stamp of Approval: Policy and Legal Consequences of a Vaccine Scare in Italy. Public Health Rev 2024; 45:1606756. [PMID: 38419733 PMCID: PMC10899427 DOI: 10.3389/phrs.2024.1606756] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2023] [Accepted: 02/05/2024] [Indexed: 03/02/2024] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Marco Rizzi
- UWA Law School, University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia
| | - Katie Attwell
- School of Social Sciences, University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia
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Bianchi FP, Tafuri S. Spreading of misinformation on mass media and digital platforms regarding vaccines. A systematic scoping review on stakeholders, policymakers, and sentiments/behavior of Italian consumers. Hum Vaccin Immunother 2023; 19:2259398. [PMID: 37782549 PMCID: PMC10547076 DOI: 10.1080/21645515.2023.2259398] [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: 06/08/2023] [Accepted: 09/12/2023] [Indexed: 10/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Studies on traditional and social media have found that misinformation about vaccines has been widely spread over the last decade, negatively impacting public opinion and people's willingness to get vaccinated. We reviewed the sentiments of Italian users to define the characteristic of anti-vax and pro-vax contents and defined the strategies to deal with the misinformation. Scopus, MEDLINE/PubMed, Google Scholar (up to page 10), and ISI Web of Knowledge databases were systematically searched. Research articles, brief reports, commentaries, and letters published between January 1, 2010 and March 30, 2022 were included in the search. No-vax or ambiguous contents in Italian mass media are not prevalent compared to neutral and pro-vax content; the communication of no-vax groups is significantly simplified, favoring the understanding of the topics by users. Events related to vaccinations are associated with news coverage by media, search engine consultations, and user reactions on social networks. In this context, the activity of no-vax groups is triggered, and misinformation and fake news spread even further. A multifactorial approach is necessary to manage online user sentiment and use mass and social media as health promotion tools.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Silvio Tafuri
- Interdisciplinary Department of Medicine, Aldo Moro University of Bari, Bari, Italy
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Profeti S, Toth F. Climbing the 'ladder of intrusiveness': the Italian government's strategy to push the Covid-19 vaccination coverage further. POLICY SCIENCES 2023:1-23. [PMID: 37361645 PMCID: PMC10183224 DOI: 10.1007/s11077-023-09509-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/25/2023] [Indexed: 06/28/2023]
Abstract
In all Western countries, the vaccination campaign against COVID-19 encountered some resistance. To overcome vaccine inertia and hesitancy, governments have used a variety of strategies and policy instruments. These instruments can be placed on a 'ladder of intrusiveness', starting from voluntary tools based on simple information and persuasion, through material incentives and disincentives of varying nature and magnitude, to highly coercive tools, such as lockdown for the unvaccinated and the introduction of the vaccination mandate. Italy's experience during the vaccination campaign against Covid provides an ideal observational point for starting to investigate this issue: not only was Italy among the top countries with the highest percentage of people vaccinated at the beginning of 2022, but-at least compared to other European countries-it was also one of the countries that had gradually introduced the most intrusive measures to increase vaccination compliance. In the article the different steps of the 'intrusiveness ladder' are presented, providing examples from various countries, and then tested on the Italian Covid-19 vaccination campaign between 2021 and the first months of 2022. For each phase of the campaign, the instrument mixes adopted by the Italian government are described, as well as the contextual conditions that led to their adoption. In the final section, an assessment of the composition and evolution of the Italian vaccination strategy is provided, based on the following criteria: legitimacy, feasibility, effectiveness, internal consistency and strategic coherence. Conclusions highlight the pragmatic approach adopted by the Italian government and underline the effects-both positive and negative-of scaling up the intrusiveness ladder.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefania Profeti
- Dipartimento di Scienze Politiche e Sociali, University of Bologna, Strada Maggiore 45, 40125 Bologna, Italy
| | - Federico Toth
- Dipartimento di Scienze Politiche e Sociali, University of Bologna, Strada Maggiore 45, 40125 Bologna, Italy
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Odone A, Dallagiacoma G, Vigezzi GP. Vaccine Mandates in the COVID-19 Era: Changing Paradigm or Public Health Opportunity? Comment on "Convergence on Coercion: Functional and Political Pressures as Drivers of Global Childhood Vaccine Mandates". Int J Health Policy Manag 2022; 12:7616. [PMID: 37579446 PMCID: PMC10125141 DOI: 10.34172/ijhpm.2022.7616] [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: 08/14/2022] [Accepted: 11/30/2022] [Indexed: 08/16/2023] Open
Abstract
The debate around vaccine mandates has flourished over the last decade, with several countries introducing or extending mandatory childhood vaccinations. In a recent study, Attwell and Hannah explore how functional and political pressures added to public health threats in selected countries, motivating governments to increase the coerciveness of their childhood vaccine regimes. In this commentary, we reflect on whether such model applies to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) case and how the pandemic has re-shuffled the deck around vaccine mandates. We identify COVID-19 immunisation policies' distinctive aspects as we make the case of countries implementing mass immunisation programmes while relying on digital COVID-19 certificates as an indirect form of mandate to increase vaccine uptake. We conclude by acknowledging that different forms of mandatory vaccination might serve as a shortcut to protect population health in times of emergency, underlining, however, that the ultimate public health goal is to promote voluntary, informed, and responsible adherence to preventive behaviours.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Odone
- Department of Public Health Experimental and Forensic Medicine, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
| | | | - Giacomo Pietro Vigezzi
- Department of Public Health Experimental and Forensic Medicine, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
- Collegio Ca’ della Paglia, Fondazione Ghislieri, Pavia, Italy
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Attwell K, Hannah A. Convergence on Coercion: Functional and Political Pressures as Drivers of Global Childhood Vaccine Mandates. Int J Health Policy Manag 2022; 11:2660-2671. [PMID: 35397484 PMCID: PMC9818102 DOI: 10.34172/ijhpm.2022.6518] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2021] [Accepted: 02/05/2022] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Vaccine hesitancy is a global problem with diverse local policy responses, from voluntaristic to coercive. Between 2015 and 2017, California, Australia, France, and Italy increased the coerciveness of their childhood vaccine regimes. Despite this apparent convergence, there is little evidence of imposition, policy learning, or diffusion - the drivers that are usually discussed in scholarly literature on policy convergence. The fact that the four governments were oriented across the political spectrum, with quite different political and institutional systems, further indicates an empirical puzzle. METHODS To better understand the drivers of enhanced vaccine mandates, a crucial issue during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) global rollout, this article engages with four case studies assembled from qualitative analysis of semi-structured in-country interviews and document analysis between November 2018 and November 2020. Key informants had specific expert knowledge or played a role in the introduction or implementation of the new policies. Interview transcripts were coded inductively and deductively, augmented with extensive analysis of legal, policy, academic and media documents. RESULTS The case analysis identifies two key and interacting elements in government decisions to tighten vaccine mandates: functional and political pressures. Policy-makers in Italy and France were primarily driven by functional challenges, with their vaccination governance systems under threat from reduced population compliance. California and Australia did not face systemic threats to the functioning of their systems, but activists utilised local opportunities to heighten political pressure on decision makers. CONCLUSION In four recent cases of high-income jurisdictions making childhood vaccination policies more coercive, vaccine hesitancy alone could not explain why the policies arose in these jurisdictions and not others, while path dependency alone could not explain why some jurisdictions with mandates made them more coercive. Explanation lies in restrictive mandates being attractive for governments, whether they face systemic functional problems in vaccine governance, or political pressures generated by media and activists. Mandates can be framed as targeting whole populations or localised groups of refusers, and implemented without onerous costs or policy complexity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katie Attwell
- Political Science and International Relations, School of Social Sciences, University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia
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Goren T, Vashdi DR, Beeri I. Count on trust: the indirect effect of trust in government on policy compliance with health behavior instructions. POLICY SCIENCES 2022; 55:593-630. [PMID: 36405103 PMCID: PMC9665042 DOI: 10.1007/s11077-022-09481-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 10/29/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Trust in government is considered a prominent factor for enhancing public compliance with government policies and instructions. The Coronavirus pandemic demonstrates the crucial role public compliance with governmentally issued health guidelines has in mitigating the pandemic. However, the mechanism explaining the trust-compliance association, particularly in regard to health-behavior compliance, is unclear. This article develops a new theoretical model, the Mediated Trust Model (MTM), for explaining the relationship between trust in government and public compliance with health instructions. The model extends the classic Health Belief Model for predicting health behavior by claiming that the perceptions regarding the instructions' costs, benefits and one's ability to perform them are affected by trust in government and mediate the trust-compliance association. The MTM was tested in four cross-sectional studies performed during the first 20 months of the Coronavirus pandemic in Israel on 3732 participants, for various health instructions. Implications for public health literature, policy compliance theory and policy makers are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Talia Goren
- Division of Public Administration and Policy, School of Political Sciences, University of Haifa, 31905 Mount Carmel, Israel
| | - Dana R. Vashdi
- Division of Public Administration and Policy, School of Political Sciences, University of Haifa, 31905 Mount Carmel, Israel
| | - Itai Beeri
- Division of Public Administration and Policy, School of Political Sciences, University of Haifa, 31905 Mount Carmel, Israel
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Ramia G, Mitchell E, Morris A, Wilson S, Hastings C, Davies J. Explaining Government Policy Inaction on International Student Housing in Australia: The Perspectives of Stakeholders. HIGHER EDUCATION POLICY 2022; 37:1-19. [PMID: 36249879 PMCID: PMC9547558 DOI: 10.1057/s41307-022-00288-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Housing is a major concern for many international students. This is especially so in those countries where students are mostly dependent on the private market for their accommodation. Australia is one such country, and is one of the world's major destinations for international students. This article analyses governmental failure to address problems relating to international student housing affordability and conditions. Using theory on 'policy inaction' to frame the analysis, we draw on 20 interviews with policy stakeholders to explain the Australian government's reliance on: (1) market-based housing provision for international students, and (2) a longstanding policy preference not to provide support. Interviewees were widely critical of the lack of action to address international student housing problems and understood inaction in relation, rather than in opposition, to the dominance of market-based action in housing and higher education. However, analysis of stakeholder perspectives also illuminates how policy-making action benefiting some emerges as inaction for others left behind or overlooked by the status quo. The interview data points to the need for government to overhaul its policy framework, and in doing so, to collaborate with higher education providers in revising the market-based regulatory approach. The main implications for theory and policy are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gaby Ramia
- The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | | | - Alan Morris
- University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, Australia
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Attwell K, Roberts L, Blyth CC, Carlson SJ. Western Australian health care workers' views on mandatory COVID-19 vaccination for the workplace. HEALTH POLICY AND TECHNOLOGY 2022; 11:100657. [PMID: 35910408 PMCID: PMC9314263 DOI: 10.1016/j.hlpt.2022.100657] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Background Health care workers (HCWs) are at an increased risk of catching and spreading Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) compared with the general community, putting health systems at risk. Several jurisdictions globally have mandated or are looking to mandate COVID-19 vaccines for this cohort, but little is known about the acceptability of this measure, especially in different contexts, and there is little qualitative data to explore nuance, depth, and the reasons behind HCWs’ opinions. Methods In-depth semi-structured qualitative interviews were undertaken with 39 HCWs in Western Australia (WA) between February-August 2021, ascertaining their views on the prospective introduction and implementation of mandates for COVID-19 vaccines. Data were thematically analysed using NVivo 20. Results There was broad support for COVID-19 vaccine mandates for HCWs amongst our participants, but also different views about what such a mandate would mean (redeployment versus termination) and how it would impact the rest of the workforce. One vaccine hesitant participant said that mandates would be their prompt to get vaccinated. Other participants invoked an informal code whereby HCWs have an obligation to be seen to support vaccination and to protect public health more broadly. However, they also raised concerns about implementation and procedural and policy fairness. Conclusion Policymakers should consider how to mobilise the informal code of health promotion and public health support if introducing mandates. They should also consider whether HCWs will bring the same attitudes and approaches to mandates for additional vaccine doses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katie Attwell
- School of Social Sciences, University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Highway, Crawley WA 6009, Australia.,Wesfarmers Centre of Vaccines and Infectious Diseases, Telethon Kids Institute, Perth Children's Hospital, Nedlands, WA 6009, Australia
| | - Leah Roberts
- School of Social Sciences, University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Highway, Crawley WA 6009, Australia
| | - Christopher C Blyth
- Wesfarmers Centre of Vaccines and Infectious Diseases, Telethon Kids Institute, Perth Children's Hospital, Nedlands, WA 6009, Australia
| | - Samantha J Carlson
- Wesfarmers Centre of Vaccines and Infectious Diseases, Telethon Kids Institute, Perth Children's Hospital, Nedlands, WA 6009, Australia
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Peruch M, Toscani P, Grassi N, Zamagni G, Monasta L, Radaelli D, Livieri T, Manfredi A, D'Errico S. Did Italy Really Need Compulsory Vaccination against COVID-19 for Healthcare Workers? Results of a Survey in a Centre for Maternal and Child Health. Vaccines (Basel) 2022; 10:1293. [PMID: 36016179 PMCID: PMC9414650 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines10081293] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2022] [Revised: 07/29/2022] [Accepted: 08/06/2022] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Since its early spread, the COVID-19 pandemic has become a health threat globally. Due to their crucial role in the pandemic, Italy declared compulsory vaccination for healthcare workers. Vaccine hesitancy was observed among the healthcare workers and an ethical debate arose about Italian legal statement D.L. n. 44/2021. In this article, we present the results of a survey performed in an Italian center for maternal and infant care and assess the attitudes towards the COVID-19 pandemic and the mandatory COVID-19 vaccination of healthcare workers. Since March 2022, 91.5% of healthcare workers have been vaccinated with an additional dose. Only 2.3% of the respondents refused to take vaccination: the reasons behind this refusal were distrust, doubts over safety, and lack of information. Despite the high rate of response to vaccination, 17.7% of HCWs did not agree with its mandatory nature. In addition, 5.4% stated that they agreed to be vaccinated exclusively because of the sanctions provided for by the legislation. In conclusion, adequate vaccination coverage has been achieved in the hospital under consideration. However, it is still very important to continue to persuade HCWs of vaccine efficacy and safety, considering their social role.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michela Peruch
- Department of Medical Surgical and Health Sciences, University of Trieste, 34149 Trieste, Italy
| | - Paola Toscani
- Institute for Maternal and Child Health-IRCCS Burlo Garofolo, 34137 Trieste, Italy
| | - Nicoletta Grassi
- Institute for Maternal and Child Health-IRCCS Burlo Garofolo, 34137 Trieste, Italy
| | - Giulia Zamagni
- Institute for Maternal and Child Health-IRCCS Burlo Garofolo, 34137 Trieste, Italy
| | - Lorenzo Monasta
- Institute for Maternal and Child Health-IRCCS Burlo Garofolo, 34137 Trieste, Italy
| | - Davide Radaelli
- Department of Medical Surgical and Health Sciences, University of Trieste, 34149 Trieste, Italy
| | - Tommaso Livieri
- Department of Medical Surgical and Health Sciences, University of Trieste, 34149 Trieste, Italy
| | - Alessandro Manfredi
- Institute for Maternal and Child Health-IRCCS Burlo Garofolo, 34137 Trieste, Italy
| | - Stefano D'Errico
- Department of Medical Surgical and Health Sciences, University of Trieste, 34149 Trieste, Italy
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