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Jolley D, Shepherd L, Maughan A. The fear factor: examining the impact of fear on vaccine hesitancy and anti-vaccine conspiracy beliefs. Psychol Health 2024:1-20. [PMID: 39051863 DOI: 10.1080/08870446.2024.2381235] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2023] [Revised: 06/11/2024] [Accepted: 07/10/2024] [Indexed: 07/27/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES While anti-vaccine conspiracy beliefs can reduce vaccine intentions, longitudinal research shows that vaccine hesitancy can increase conspiracy beliefs. In three experiments (N = 949), we examined the effect of fear about a vaccine on vaccine hesitancy and anti-vaccine conspiracy beliefs. METHOD AND MEASURES In Studies 1a (N = 221) and 1b (N = 508), participants were exposed to high fear (vs low fear) about a (fictional) vaccine before reporting vaccine hesitancy and anti-vaccine conspiracy beliefs. In Study 2, all participants were exposed to high fear before being asked to think about not getting vaccinated (vs vaccinated) against the (fictional) disease. Participants then reported their vaccine hesitancy, anti-vaccine conspiracy beliefs, and closeness to others who distrust official narratives. RESULTS In Studies 1a and 1b, exposure to high fear (vs low fear) increased vaccine hesitancy, which was positively correlated with anti-vaccine conspiracy beliefs. The reverse model's effect was either smaller (Study 1a) or non-significant (Study 1b). In Study 2, fear and not wanting to vaccinate resulted in vaccine hesitancy, which then predicted anti-vaccine conspiracy beliefs and feeling closer to those distrusting official narratives. CONCLUSION Therefore, fear creates a response not to get vaccinated. A conspiracy belief may then justify this response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Jolley
- School of Psychology, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, United Kingdom
| | - Lee Shepherd
- Department of Psychology, Northumbria University, Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom
| | - Anna Maughan
- Department of Psychology, Northumbria University, Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom
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2
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Smith SE, Sivertsen N, Lines L, De Bellis A. Exploring social media influences on vaccine decision-making in parents: a netnography. Ther Adv Vaccines Immunother 2024; 12:25151355241249607. [PMID: 38726045 PMCID: PMC11080448 DOI: 10.1177/25151355241249607] [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: 07/09/2023] [Accepted: 03/28/2024] [Indexed: 05/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Immunization is one of the most significant health initiatives of recent times. Despite this, vaccine hesitancy is increasing and was listed as one of the top 10 threats to global health by the World Health Organization in 2019. A major factor associated with vaccine hesitancy is thought to be the viral spread of misinformation by a small but active anti-vaccination movement. Objectives The purpose of this study was to explore the influences of social media on vaccine decision-making in parents. Design This study is part of a larger body of research that explored vaccine decision-making in parents. Other methods included were an online survey and semi-structured interviews. This study investigated the influence of cyberculture on parents in an online environment. Method This study employed netnography, a form of qualitative inquiry with its roots in ethnography as methodology and a purpose-designed Facebook page as the means of exploring a purpose-designed online community with a particular focus on the culture, belief systems and influences present. Both manual and computer-assisted thematic analyses were used to analyse the data obtained. Results Three key themes were identified in this study. These included vaccine safety concerns, the emotional debate and COVID-19-specific issues. The results indicated the presence of strong anti-vaccination sentiment combined with an 'infodemic' of conspiracy theories, misinformation and vitriol with the potential to negatively impact parents seeking immunization information. Conclusion Given the popularity and accessibility of social media and the ready access to misinformation present online, it is evident that parental vaccine decision-making may be impacted adversely. Therefore, it is important that healthcare professionals are aware of this and provide adequate and timely education prior to parents seeking information on social media.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susan E. Smith
- College of Nursing and Health Science, Flinders University, P.O. Box 573, Stirling, SA 5154, Australia
| | - Nina Sivertsen
- College of Nursing and Health Science, Flinders University, Adelaide, SA, Australia
- Rural and Remote Arctic Health, UiT The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway
| | - Lauren Lines
- College of Nursing and Health Science, Flinders University, Adelaide, SA, Australia
| | - Anita De Bellis
- College of Nursing and Health Science, Flinders University, Adelaide, SA, Australia
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3
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Harris MJ, Murtfeldt R, Wang S, Mordecai EA, West JD. Perceived experts are prevalent and influential within an antivaccine community on Twitter. PNAS NEXUS 2024; 3:pgae007. [PMID: 38328781 PMCID: PMC10847722 DOI: 10.1093/pnasnexus/pgae007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2023] [Accepted: 12/29/2023] [Indexed: 02/09/2024]
Abstract
Perceived experts (i.e. medical professionals and biomedical scientists) are trusted sources of medical information who are especially effective at encouraging vaccine uptake. The role of perceived experts acting as potential antivaccine influencers has not been characterized systematically. We describe the prevalence and importance of antivaccine perceived experts by constructing a coengagement network of 7,720 accounts based on a Twitter data set containing over 4.2 million posts from April 2021. The coengagement network primarily broke into two large communities that differed in their stance toward COVID-19 vaccines, and misinformation was predominantly shared by the antivaccine community. Perceived experts had a sizable presence across the coengagement network, including within the antivaccine community where they were 9.8% of individual, English-language users. Perceived experts within the antivaccine community shared low-quality (misinformation) sources at similar rates and academic sources at higher rates compared to perceived nonexperts in that community. Perceived experts occupied important network positions as central antivaccine users and bridges between the antivaccine and provaccine communities. Using propensity score matching, we found that perceived expertise brought an influence boost, as perceived experts were significantly more likely to receive likes and retweets in both the antivaccine and provaccine communities. There was no significant difference in the magnitude of the influence boost for perceived experts between the two communities. Social media platforms, scientific communications, and biomedical organizations may focus on more systemic interventions to reduce the impact of perceived experts in spreading antivaccine misinformation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mallory J Harris
- Department of Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
- Center for an Informed Public, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Ryan Murtfeldt
- Information School, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98105, USA
| | - Shufan Wang
- Information School, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98105, USA
| | - Erin A Mordecai
- Department of Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Jevin D West
- Department of Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
- Center for an Informed Public, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
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4
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Wilson A, Wilkes S, Teramoto Y, Hale S. Multimodal analysis of disinformation and misinformation. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2023; 10:230964. [PMID: 38126058 PMCID: PMC10731323 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.230964] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2023] [Accepted: 11/22/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023]
Abstract
The use of disinformation and misinformation campaigns in the media has attracted much attention from academics and policy-makers. Multimodal analysis or the analysis of two or more semiotic systems-language, gestures, images, sounds, among others-in their interrelation and interaction is essential to understanding dis-/misinformation efforts because most human communication goes beyond just words. There is a confluence of many disciplines (e.g. computer science, linguistics, political science, communication studies) that are developing methods and analytical models of multimodal communication. This literature review brings research strands from these disciplines together, providing a map of the multi- and interdisciplinary landscape for multimodal analysis of dis-/misinformation. It records the substantial growth starting from the second quarter of 2020-the start of the COVID-19 epidemic in Western Europe-in the number of studies on multimodal dis-/misinformation coming from the field of computer science. The review examines that category of studies in more detail. Finally, the review identifies gaps in multimodal research on dis-/misinformation and suggests ways to bridge these gaps including future cross-disciplinary research directions. Our review provides scholars from different disciplines working on dis-/misinformation with a much needed bird's-eye view of the rapidly emerging research of multimodal dis-/misinformation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Wilson
- Oxford School of Global and Area Studies, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 2JD, UK
| | - Seb Wilkes
- Department of Physics, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | | | - Scott Hale
- Oxford Internet Institute, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
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5
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Smith SE, Sivertsen N, Lines L, De Bellis A. Netnography: A novel methodology for nursing research. J Adv Nurs 2023; 79:4207-4217. [PMID: 37464735 DOI: 10.1111/jan.15798] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2023] [Revised: 06/19/2023] [Accepted: 07/03/2023] [Indexed: 07/20/2023]
Abstract
AIM The aim of this paper is to critically reflect on our team's experience of using netnography to explore vaccine-hesitant parents and pregnant women, a group who have traditionally been difficult to recruit to research studies and a methodology that is underutilized in nursing research. DESIGN This paper takes the form of a discussion paper that will utilize data obtained from a qualitative netnographic study. Relevant literature was searched including 2015-2023. METHOD This paper utilized data obtained from a qualitative study that used netnography as methodology and an online minable data source. Netnography is a relatively new methodology that uses the online environment to explore digital cultures and study networked society. It pays particular attention to cultural insights and conditions that impact the human experience. This methodology is particularly relevant to nursing research which is often humanistic and always conducted to ensure optimal patient outcomes. RESULTS Using netnography for the first time has resulted in four main insights. These include the adaptability of the process; the creativity involved in designing the site; the ready acceptance of the site by participants and the co-creation knowledge that resulted. CONCLUSIONS Netnography is a creative methodology that was successful in accessing and engaging the vaccine-hesitant community, a group who are often marginalized. Netnography has the advantage of using a platform that is familiar and safe for many people and provides access to an extensive minable data source.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susan E Smith
- College of Nursing and Health Science, Flinders University, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Nina Sivertsen
- Caring Futures Institute, College of Nursing and Health Science, Flinders University, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
- University and UIT Arctic University of Norway, Rural and Remote Arctic health, Campus Hammersfest, Tromsø, Norway
| | - Lauren Lines
- College of Nursing and Health Science, Flinders University, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Anita De Bellis
- College of Nursing and Health Science, Flinders University, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
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Bellomo RK, Cerabona V, Massimi A, Migliara G, Sparano M, Novello F, Schilirò T, Siliquini R, Villari P, De Vito C. Who chooses alternative sources of information about childhood vaccinations? A cross-sectional study. Front Public Health 2023; 11:1225761. [PMID: 37771825 PMCID: PMC10525346 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2023.1225761] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2023] [Accepted: 08/28/2023] [Indexed: 09/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Vaccine hesitancy can lead to problematic outcomes in terms of public health. A factor playing a fundamental role in this dynamic is the source of information considered by parents in the decision-making progress that leads to the acceptance or refusal of childhood vaccinations. This study aims to investigate the sources of information considered by the parents of children attending primary and secondary schools in two large Italian cities and to identify predictors that led to choosing alternative sources of information. Methods An online questionnaire was administered to the parents of students attending elementary, middle, and high schools in Rome and Turin. Two validated tools were used: the Parent Attitudes about Childhood Vaccines Survey and the Vaccine Health Literacy of adults in Italian. Sources of information about vaccinations, trust toward the healthcare system, hesitancy and attitudes about COVID-19 vaccinations, were also investigated. A multivariable logistic regression model was built to identify predictors of the preferred sources of information on the topic. Results Totally, 2,301 answers to the survey were collected from June to October 2021. Of these, 1,127 came from parents in Rome (49%) and 1,174 from parents based in Turin (51%) with a mean age of 47.7 years (±6.4). The majority of the respondents were mothers (81%), married (73%), with two or more children (70.5%). The multivariable logistic regression model results showed that fathers were more inclined than mothers to use alternative sources of information (OR 1.48, 95% CI 1.29-2.00). Moreover, a higher level of vaccine hesitancy was a strong predictor for choosing alternative sources of information (OR 2.45, 95% CI 1.73-3.46). The HLVa-it scores show that parents with a lower Vaccine Literacy (VL) were more inclined to use alternative sources of information. Discussion Addressing health literacy issues and changing the official forms of communication could help improving vaccine acceptance. This study shows the importance of rebuilding a trusting relationship between patients and health care providers, which is fundamental in the fight against vaccine hesitancy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rosa Katia Bellomo
- Department of Public Health and Infectious Diseases, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Vito Cerabona
- Department of Public Health and Infectious Diseases, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Azzurra Massimi
- Department of Public Health and Infectious Diseases, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Migliara
- Department of Public Health and Infectious Diseases, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Michele Sparano
- Department of Public Health and Infectious Diseases, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | | | - Tiziana Schilirò
- Department of Public Health and Pediatrics, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | - Roberta Siliquini
- Department of Public Health and Pediatrics, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
- A.O.U. City of Health and Science of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | - Paolo Villari
- Department of Public Health and Infectious Diseases, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Corrado De Vito
- Department of Public Health and Infectious Diseases, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
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7
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Deng D, Shen Y, Li W, Zeng N, Huang Y, Nie X. Challenges of hesitancy in human papillomavirus vaccination: Bibliometric and visual analysis. Int J Health Plann Manage 2023; 38:1161-1183. [PMID: 37309072 DOI: 10.1002/hpm.3665] [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] [Received: 12/06/2022] [Revised: 04/30/2023] [Accepted: 05/15/2023] [Indexed: 06/14/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine has immense research value in the prevention of related tumours. A huge body of work has been published in this field, which may pose difficulties for researchers aiming to investigate all the available information. However, bibliometrics can provide deep insights into this research field. OBJECTIVE We aimed to study HPV vaccine development, visually analyse the development status, trends, research hotspots, and frontiers of this field, and provide a reference for research on it. METHODS Articles were acquired from the Web of Science Core Collection. VOS viewer and CiteSpace software were used to analyse publication growth, country/region, institution, journal distribution, author, reference, and keywords, and collected burst keyword words to display research hotspots. RESULTS A total of 4831 references were obtained, and the annual number of publications increased fluctuating over the past decade. The United States of America ranked at the top in terms of percentage of articles. The institution with the highest number of research publications in this field was the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The most productive and frequently cited authors was Lauri E Markowitz. The journal with the most publications in this field was Vaccine, and the most influential journal was Paediatrics. The most frequently cited reference was 'A 9-Valent HPV Vaccine against Infection and Intraepithelial Neoplasia in Women'. Burst detection analysis of top keywords showed that 'national immunisation survey', 'social media', and 'hesitancy' are the current research frontiers in this field. CONCLUSION This study provides useful information for acquiring knowledge on HPV vaccine. Research on solving the hesitation of HPV vaccination will become an academic trend in this field, which can offer guidance for more extensive and in-depth studies in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Disi Deng
- Hospital of Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
- Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
- State Key Laboratory of Southwestern Chinese Medicine Resources, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
| | - Yifeng Shen
- Hospital of Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
- Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
| | - Wanjing Li
- Department of Gynaecology, Fujian Maternity and Child Health Hospital College of Clinical Medicine for Obstetrics & Gynecology and Pediatrics, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Nan Zeng
- Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
- State Key Laboratory of Southwestern Chinese Medicine Resources, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
| | - Yefang Huang
- Hospital of Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
| | - Xiaowei Nie
- Beijing University of Chinese Medicine Third Affiliated Hospital, Beijing, China
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8
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Fasce A, Schmid P, Holford DL, Bates L, Gurevych I, Lewandowsky S. A taxonomy of anti-vaccination arguments from a systematic literature review and text modelling. Nat Hum Behav 2023; 7:1462-1480. [PMID: 37460761 DOI: 10.1038/s41562-023-01644-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2021] [Accepted: 05/25/2023] [Indexed: 09/23/2023]
Abstract
The proliferation of anti-vaccination arguments is a threat to the success of many immunization programmes. Effective rebuttal of contrarian arguments requires an approach that goes beyond addressing flaws in the arguments, by also considering the attitude roots-that is, the underlying psychological attributes driving a person's belief-of opposition to vaccines. Here, through a pre-registered systematic literature review of 152 scientific articles and thematic analysis of anti-vaccination arguments, we developed a hierarchical taxonomy that relates common arguments and themes to 11 attitude roots that explain why an individual might express opposition to vaccination. We further validated our taxonomy on coronavirus disease 2019 anti-vaccination misinformation, through a combination of human coding and machine learning using natural language processing algorithms. Overall, the taxonomy serves as a theoretical framework to link expressed opposition of vaccines to their underlying psychological processes. This enables future work to develop targeted rebuttals and other interventions that address the underlying motives of anti-vaccination arguments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angelo Fasce
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal.
| | - Philipp Schmid
- Institute for Planetary Health Behaviour, University of Erfurt, Erfurt, Germany
- Department of Implementation Research, Bernhard-Nocht-Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Dawn L Holford
- School of Psychological Science, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
- Department of Psychology, University of Essex, Colchester, UK
| | - Luke Bates
- Ubiquitous Knowledge Processing Lab/Department of Computer Science and Hessian Center for AI (hessian.AI), Technical University of Darmstadt, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Iryna Gurevych
- Ubiquitous Knowledge Processing Lab/Department of Computer Science and Hessian Center for AI (hessian.AI), Technical University of Darmstadt, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Stephan Lewandowsky
- School of Psychological Science, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
- School of Psychological Science, University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
- Department of Psychology, University of Potsdam, Potsdam, Germany
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9
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Harris MJ, Murtfeldt R, Wang S, Mordecai EA, West JD. The role and influence of perceived experts in an anti-vaccine misinformation community. MEDRXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR HEALTH SCIENCES 2023:2023.07.12.23292568. [PMID: 37546922 PMCID: PMC10398812 DOI: 10.1101/2023.07.12.23292568] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/08/2023]
Abstract
The role of perceived experts (i.e., medical professionals and biomedical scientists) as potential anti-vaccine influencers has not been characterized systematically. We describe the prevalence and importance of anti-vaccine perceived experts by constructing a coengagement network based on a Twitter data set containing over 4.2 million posts from April 2021. The coengagement network primarily broke into two large communities that differed in their stance toward COVID-19 vaccines, and misinformation was predominantly shared by the anti-vaccine community. Perceived experts had a sizable presence within the anti-vaccine community and shared academic sources at higher rates compared to others in that community. Perceived experts occupied important network positions as central anti-vaccine nodes and bridges between the anti- and pro-vaccine communities. Perceived experts received significantly more engagements than other individuals within the anti- and pro-vaccine communities and there was no significant difference in the influence boost for perceived experts between the two communities. Interventions designed to reduce the impact of perceived experts who spread anti-vaccine misinformation may be warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mallory J. Harris
- Department of Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA
- Center for an Informed Public, University of Washington, Seattle, WA
| | - Ryan Murtfeldt
- Information School, University of Washington, Seattle, WA
| | - Shufan Wang
- Information School, University of Washington, Seattle, WA
| | | | - Jevin D. West
- Center for an Informed Public, University of Washington, Seattle, WA
- Information School, University of Washington, Seattle, WA
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10
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Holford DL, Fasce A, Costello TH, Lewandowsky S. Psychological profiles of anti-vaccination argument endorsement. Sci Rep 2023; 13:11219. [PMID: 37460585 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-30883-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2022] [Accepted: 03/02/2023] [Indexed: 07/20/2023] Open
Abstract
The proliferation of anti-vaccination arguments online can threaten immunisation programmes, including those targeting COVID-19. To effectively refute misinformed views about vaccination, communicators need to go beyond providing correct information and debunking of misconceptions, and must consider the underlying motivations of people who hold contrarian views. Drawing on a taxonomy of anti-vaccination arguments that identified 11 "attitude roots"-i.e., psychological attributes-that motivate an individual's vaccine-hesitant attitude, we assessed whether these attitude roots were identifiable in argument endorsements and responses to psychological construct measures corresponding to the presumed attitude roots. In two UK samples (total n = 1250), we found that participants exhibited monological belief patterns in their highly correlated endorsements of anti-vaccination arguments drawn from different attitude roots, and that psychological constructs representing the attitude roots significantly predicted argument endorsement strength and vaccine hesitancy. We identified four different latent anti-vaccination profiles amongst our participants' responses. We conclude that endorsement of anti-vaccination arguments meaningfully dovetails with attitude roots clustering around anti-scientific beliefs and partisan ideologies, but that the balance between those attitudes differs considerably between people. Communicators must be aware of those individual differences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dawn L Holford
- School of Psychological Science, University of Bristol, Bristol, BS8 1TU, UK.
| | - Angelo Fasce
- University of Coimbra, 3004-531, Coimbra, Portugal
| | | | - Stephan Lewandowsky
- School of Psychological Science, University of Bristol, Bristol, BS8 1TU, UK
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11
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Kliniec K, Mendowski M, Zuziak P, Sobieski M, Grata-Borkowska U. The Correlation of Frequency of Work-Related Disorders with Type of Work among Polish Employees. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2023; 20:1624. [PMID: 36674377 PMCID: PMC9861492 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph20021624] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2023] [Accepted: 01/10/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Musculoskeletal disorders have a significant negative impact on the quality of life of the population. These conditions, as well as other work-related disorders, generate costs associated with treatment and work absence, which makes it a growing problem in industrialized countries. Available data from studies on individual populations of workers indicate a higher incidence of certain symptoms in these groups. Due to the lack of studies on the general population, we aimed to perform the preliminary study evaluating the occurrence of pain and work-related conditions depending on the type of occupational work among Polish employees to identify further possible areas for research. Data was collected using an electronic self-administered questionnaire, which was distributed in groups bringing together various professionals. The data obtained from 379 participants have been analyzed and divided according to performed work into sedentary, forced posture, standing, physical and requiring physical activity. Our study reveals a correlation between the frequency of work-related disorders and type of work performed in the Polish population. A significant correlation between the type of occupational work and prevalence of ankle, knee and shoulder pain, as well as heavy legs or upper limb paresthesia was found. According to our findings, female employees may be more vulnerable to lower limb symptoms. A place of residence also seems to affect the prevalence of upper back pain and heavy legs. The analysis also showed a correlation between the occurrence of hip, knee and ankle pain and the level of education of the participants. Surprisingly, lower extremity paresthesia was significantly more common among participants undertaking additional physical activity, compared to non-physically active respondents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katarzyna Kliniec
- Department of Family Medicine, Wroclaw Medical University, 51-141 Wroclaw, Poland
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12
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Yin JDC. Media Data and Vaccine Hesitancy: Scoping Review. JMIR INFODEMIOLOGY 2022; 2:e37300. [PMID: 37113443 PMCID: PMC9987198 DOI: 10.2196/37300] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2022] [Revised: 06/16/2022] [Accepted: 07/14/2022] [Indexed: 04/29/2023]
Abstract
Background Media studies are important for vaccine hesitancy research, as they analyze how the media shapes risk perceptions and vaccine uptake. Despite the growth in studies in this field owing to advances in computing and language processing and an expanding social media landscape, no study has consolidated the methodological approaches used to study vaccine hesitancy. Synthesizing this information can better structure and set a precedent for this growing subfield of digital epidemiology. Objective This review aimed to identify and illustrate the media platforms and methods used to study vaccine hesitancy and how they build or contribute to the study of the media's influence on vaccine hesitancy and public health. Methods This study followed the PRISMA-ScR (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews) guidelines. A search was conducted on PubMed and Scopus for any studies that used media data (social media or traditional media), had an outcome related to vaccine sentiment (opinion, uptake, hesitancy, acceptance, or stance), were written in English, and were published after 2010. Studies were screened by only 1 reviewer and extracted for media platform, analysis method, the theoretical models used, and outcomes. Results In total, 125 studies were included, of which 71 (56.8%) used traditional research methods and 54 (43.2%) used computational methods. Of the traditional methods, most used content analysis (43/71, 61%) and sentiment analysis (21/71, 30%) to analyze the texts. The most common platforms were newspapers, print media, and web-based news. The computational methods mostly used sentiment analysis (31/54, 57%), topic modeling (18/54, 33%), and network analysis (17/54, 31%). Fewer studies used projections (2/54, 4%) and feature extraction (1/54, 2%). The most common platforms were Twitter and Facebook. Theoretically, most studies were weak. The following five major categories of studies arose: antivaccination themes centered on the distrust of institutions, civil liberties, misinformation, conspiracy theories, and vaccine-specific concerns; provaccination themes centered on ensuring vaccine safety using scientific literature; framing being important and health professionals and personal stories having the largest impact on shaping vaccine opinion; the coverage of vaccination-related data mostly identifying negative vaccine content and revealing deeply fractured vaccine communities and echo chambers; and the public reacting to and focusing on certain signals-in particular cases, deaths, and scandals-which suggests a more volatile period for the spread of information. Conclusions The heterogeneity in the use of media to study vaccines can be better consolidated through theoretical grounding. Areas of suggested research include understanding how trust in institutions is associated with vaccine uptake, how misinformation and information signaling influence vaccine uptake, and the evaluation of government communications on vaccine rollouts and vaccine-related events. The review ends with a statement that media data analyses, though groundbreaking in approach, should supplement-not supplant-current practices in public health research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jason Dean-Chen Yin
- School of Public Health Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine The University of Hong Kong Hong Kong China (Hong Kong)
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13
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Continuance Intention of Online Healthcare Communities- The Mediation Mechanism of Social Interaction Ties. J ORGAN END USER COM 2022. [DOI: 10.4018/joeuc.302892] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
The purpose of this research is to evaluate the continuance usage intention on online healthcare community (OHC) platform for patients and examine the "doctor-OHC-patient" relationship. The proposed model attempted to integrate social interaction ties, shared value, trust with the indirect effects on the relationship between the determinants and continuous usage intention of the OHC platform. The empirical results showed that perceived critical mass, social identity, and para-social interaction would strengthen continuance intention via the social interaction ties. In addition, this study found that the shared values and trust increase users' willingness to continue usage of OHC. This study provides OHC platform managers with an in-depth understanding of the "doctor-OHC-patient" online social interaction. The results of this study may also help hospitals, health policy makers, and related healthcare practitioners to improve the way they use the web for advocacy and guidance, and provide insight into the intent of promoting the ongoing use of OHC platforms.
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14
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Davis TP, Yimam AK, Kalam MA, Tolossa AD, Kanwagi R, Bauler S, Kulathungam L, Larson H. Behavioural Determinants of COVID-19-Vaccine Acceptance in Rural Areas of Six Lower- and Middle-Income Countries. Vaccines (Basel) 2022; 10:vaccines10020214. [PMID: 35214672 PMCID: PMC8875839 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines10020214] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2021] [Revised: 01/18/2022] [Accepted: 01/21/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Delayed acceptance or refusal of COVID-19 vaccines may increase and prolong the threat to global public health and the economy. Identifying behavioural determinants is considered a critical step in explaining and addressing the barriers of vaccine refusal. This study aimed to identify the behavioural determinants of COVID-19-vaccine acceptance and provide recommendations to design actionable interventions to increase uptake of the COVID-19 vaccine in six lower- and middle-income countries. Taking into consideration the health belief model and the theory of reasoned action, a barrier analysis approach was employed to examine twelve potential behavioural determinants of vaccine acceptance in Bangladesh, India, Myanmar, Kenya, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), and Tanzania. In all six countries, at least 45 interviews with those who intended to get the vaccine (“Acceptors”) and another 45 or more interviews with those who did not (“Non-acceptors”) were conducted, totalling 542 interviews. Data analysis was performed to find statistically significant (p < 0.05) differences between Acceptors and Non-acceptors of COVID-19 vaccines and to identify which beliefs were most highly associated with acceptance and non-acceptance of vaccination based on the estimated relative risk. The analysis showed that perceived social norms, perceived positive and negative consequences, perceived risk, perceived severity, trust, perceived safety, and expected access to COVID-19 vaccines had the highest associations with COVID-19-vaccine acceptance in Bangladesh, Kenya, Tanzania, and the DRC. Additional behavioural determinants found to be significant in Myanmar and India were perceived self-efficacy, trust in COVID-19 information provided by leaders, perceived divine will, and perceived action efficacy of the COVID-19 vaccines. Many of the determinants were found to be significant, and their level of significance varied from country to country. National and local plans should include messages and activities that address the behavioural determinants found in this study to significantly increase the uptake of COVID-19 vaccines across these countries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas P. Davis
- World Vision International, 1202 Geneva, Switzerland; (A.K.Y.); (R.K.); (S.B.); (L.K.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +41-79-692-4053
| | - Adugna Kebede Yimam
- World Vision International, 1202 Geneva, Switzerland; (A.K.Y.); (R.K.); (S.B.); (L.K.)
| | - Md Abul Kalam
- Bangladesh Country Office, Helen Keller International, Dhaka 1212, Bangladesh;
| | | | - Robert Kanwagi
- World Vision International, 1202 Geneva, Switzerland; (A.K.Y.); (R.K.); (S.B.); (L.K.)
| | - Sarah Bauler
- World Vision International, 1202 Geneva, Switzerland; (A.K.Y.); (R.K.); (S.B.); (L.K.)
| | - Loria Kulathungam
- World Vision International, 1202 Geneva, Switzerland; (A.K.Y.); (R.K.); (S.B.); (L.K.)
| | - Heidi Larson
- Vaccine Confidence Project, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London WC1E 7HT, UK;
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15
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Fakonti G, Hadjikou A, Tzira E, Kyprianidou M, Giannakou K. Attitudes and perceptions of mothers towards childhood vaccination in Greece: lessons to improve the childhood COVID-19 vaccination acceptance. Front Pediatr 2022; 10:951039. [PMID: 36090549 PMCID: PMC9453258 DOI: 10.3389/fped.2022.951039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2022] [Accepted: 07/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Maternal attitudes and beliefs have been shown to influence childhood vaccination coverage, resulting in under-vaccination, non-vaccination, and vaccination delay. This study aimed to investigate the mothers' attitudes and perceptions about vaccination for their children in Greece. METHODS This was an online cross-sectional study, conducted from 4 April to 8 June 2020. A self-administered questionnaire was used to collect information about mothers' and their children's socio-demographic characteristics, previous vaccination behavior, and mothers' attitudes and perceptions about childhood vaccination. Participants included adult mothers with at least one minor child. RESULTS One thousand eight hundred eighty-five mothers participated, with the majority (91.7%) believing in the usefulness of vaccines and that vaccines protect children from serious and life-threatening diseases. A larger percentage of mothers with higher educational attainment agreed/absolutely agreed that all vaccinations provided by the National Vaccination Program must be offered to their children (91.6%) (p = 0.02) and that vaccines protect children from serious and life-threatening diseases (92.9%) (p = 0.01). Significant more married/in cohabitation and not single-parent mothers agreed that vaccines are safe (53.5% and 53.4%, respectively). There were also several significant associations between maternal attitudes toward childhood vaccination and previous maternal vaccination practices [(e.g., adherence to recommended vaccination dosages (all p-values < 0.01), vaccination delays (all p-values < 0.05), and vaccination during pregnancy (all p-values < 0.01)]. CONCLUSION Maternal attitudes and perceptions toward childhood vaccination are significantly influenced by sociodemographic factors and maternal vaccination practices. Revealing those is essential for public health officials in developing future strategies to improve childhood vaccination coverage and acceptance of new vaccines such as the COVID-19 vaccine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Georgia Fakonti
- Department of Health Sciences, School of Sciences, European University Cyprus, Nicosia, Cyprus
| | - Andria Hadjikou
- Department of Health Sciences, School of Sciences, European University Cyprus, Nicosia, Cyprus
| | - Eleana Tzira
- Department of Health Sciences, School of Sciences, European University Cyprus, Nicosia, Cyprus
| | - Maria Kyprianidou
- Department of Health Sciences, School of Sciences, European University Cyprus, Nicosia, Cyprus
| | - Konstantinos Giannakou
- Department of Health Sciences, School of Sciences, European University Cyprus, Nicosia, Cyprus
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16
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Identification of optimum combinations of media channels for approaching COVID-19 vaccine unsure and unwilling groups in Japan. THE LANCET REGIONAL HEALTH. WESTERN PACIFIC 2021; 18:100330. [PMID: 34927110 PMCID: PMC8665235 DOI: 10.1016/j.lanwpc.2021.100330] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Background Optimizing media campaigns for those who were unsure or unwilling to take coronavirus disease (COVID-19) vaccines is required urgently to effectively present public health messages aimed at increasing vaccination coverage. We propose a novel framework for selecting tailor-made media channels and their combinations for this task. Methods An online survey was conducted in Japan during February to March, 2021, with 30,053 participants. In addition to their sociodemographic characteristics, it asked the attitude toward vaccination and information sources (i.e., media channels) for COVID-19 issues. Multinomial logic regression was fitted to estimate the combinations of the media channels and their odds ratio (OR) associated with vaccination attitudes. Findings The proportion of respondents who were unsure or unwilling to take the vaccination was skewed toward younger generation: 58.1% were aged under 35, while 28.1% were 65 years or older. Media channels such as “Non-medical and Non-TV” and “Non-medical and Non-government” were associated with the unsure group: OR (95% Confidence intervals, (CI)) = 1.75 (1.62, 1.89) and 1.53 (1.44, 1.62), respectively. In addition, media channels such as “Newspapers or the Novel Coronavirus Expert Meeting”, “Medical or Local government”, and “Non-TV” were associated with the unwilling group: OR (95% CI) were 2.00 (1.47, 2.75), 3.13 (2.58, 3.81), and 2.25 (1.84, 2.77), respectively. Interpretation To effectively approach COVID-19 vaccine unsure and unwilling groups, generation-specific online and offline media campaigns should be optimized to the type of vaccine attitude. Funding Funded by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare of Japan (H29-Gantaisaku-ippan-009) and the Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development (AMED) (JP20fk0108535).
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17
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Eysenbach G, Ginossar T, Sulskis J, Zheleva E, Berger-Wolf T. Content and Dynamics of Websites Shared Over Vaccine-Related Tweets in COVID-19 Conversations: Computational Analysis. J Med Internet Res 2021; 23:e29127. [PMID: 34665760 PMCID: PMC8647974 DOI: 10.2196/29127] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2021] [Revised: 05/11/2021] [Accepted: 10/02/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic and the consequent "infodemic" increased concerns about Twitter's role in advancing antivaccination messages, even before a vaccine became available to the public. New computational methods allow for analysis of cross-platform use by tracking links to websites shared over Twitter, which, in turn, can uncover some of the content and dynamics of information sources and agenda-setting processes. Such understanding can advance theory and efforts to reduce misinformation. OBJECTIVE Informed by agenda-setting theory, this study aimed to identify the content and temporal patterns of websites shared in vaccine-related tweets posted to COVID-19 conversations on Twitter between February and June 2020. METHODS We used triangulation of data analysis methods. Data mining consisted of the screening of around 5 million tweets posted to COVID-19 conversations to identify tweets that related to vaccination and including links to websites shared within these tweets. We further analyzed the content the 20 most-shared external websites using a mixed methods approach. RESULTS Of 841,896 vaccination-related tweets identified, 185,994 (22.1%) contained links to specific websites. A wide range of websites were shared, with the 20 most-tweeted websites constituting 14.5% (27,060/185,994) of the shared websites and typically being shared for only 2 to 3 days. Traditional media constituted the majority of these 20 websites, along with other social media and governmental sources. We identified markers of inauthentic propagation for some of these links. CONCLUSIONS The topic of vaccination was prevalent in tweets about COVID-19 early in the pandemic. Sharing websites was a common communication strategy, and its "bursty" pattern and inauthentic propagation strategies pose challenges for health promotion efforts. Future studies should consider cross-platform use in dissemination of health information and in counteracting misinformation.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Tamar Ginossar
- Department of Communication and Journalism, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, United States
| | - Jason Sulskis
- Department of Computer Science, The University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Elena Zheleva
- Department of Computer Science, The University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Tanya Berger-Wolf
- Department of Computer Science, The University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States.,Translational Data Analytics Institute, The Ohio State University, Colombus, OH, United States
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18
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Liu J, Lu S, Lu C. Exploring and Monitoring the Reasons for Hesitation with COVID-19 Vaccine Based on Social-Platform Text and Classification Algorithms. Healthcare (Basel) 2021; 9:healthcare9101353. [PMID: 34683033 PMCID: PMC8544370 DOI: 10.3390/healthcare9101353] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2021] [Revised: 10/06/2021] [Accepted: 10/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
(1) Background: The COVID-19 pandemic is globally rampant, and it is the common goal of all countries to eliminate hesitation in taking the COVID-19 vaccine and achieve herd immunity as soon as possible. However, people are generally more hesitant about the COVID-19 vaccine than about other conventional vaccines, and exploring the specific reasons for hesitation with the COVID-19 vaccine is crucial. (2) Methods: this paper selected text data from a social platform to conduct qualitative analysis of the text to structure COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy reasons, and then conducted semiautomatic quantitative content analysis of the text through a supervised machine-learning method to classify them. (3) Results: on the basis of a large number of studies and news reports on vaccine hesitancy, we structured 12 types of the COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy reasons. Then, in the experiment, we conducted comparative analysis of three classifiers: support vector machine (SVM), logistic regression (LR), and naive Bayes classifier (NBC). Results show that the SVM classification model with TF-IDF and SMOTE had the best performance. (4) Conclusions: our study structured 12 types of COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy reasons through qualitative analysis, filling in the gaps of previous studies. At the same time, this work provides public health institutions with a monitoring tool to support efforts to mitigate and eliminate COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy.
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19
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Hughes B, Miller-Idriss C, Piltch-Loeb R, Goldberg B, White K, Criezis M, Savoia E. Development of a Codebook of Online Anti-Vaccination Rhetoric to Manage COVID-19 Vaccine Misinformation. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2021; 18:7556. [PMID: 34300005 PMCID: PMC8304769 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph18147556] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2021] [Revised: 06/28/2021] [Accepted: 07/11/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Vaccine hesitancy (delay in obtaining a vaccine, despite availability) represents a significant hurdle to managing the COVID-19 pandemic. Vaccine hesitancy is in part related to the prevalence of anti-vaccine misinformation and disinformation, which are spread through social media and user-generated content platforms. This study uses qualitative coding methodology to identify salient narratives and rhetorical styles common to anti-vaccine and COVID-denialist media. It organizes these narratives and rhetorics according to theme, imagined antagonist, and frequency. Most frequent were narratives centered on "corrupt elites" and rhetorics appealing to the vulnerability of children. The identification of these narratives and rhetorics may assist in developing effective public health messaging campaigns, since narrative and emotion have demonstrated persuasive effectiveness in other public health communication settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brian Hughes
- Polarization and Extremism Research and Innovation Lab (PERIL), American University, Washington, DC 20016, USA; (C.M.-I.); (K.W.); (M.C.)
- Program of Justice, Law, and Criminology, School of Public Affairs, American University, Washington, DC 20016, USA
| | - Cynthia Miller-Idriss
- Polarization and Extremism Research and Innovation Lab (PERIL), American University, Washington, DC 20016, USA; (C.M.-I.); (K.W.); (M.C.)
- Program of Justice, Law, and Criminology, School of Public Affairs, American University, Washington, DC 20016, USA
| | - Rachael Piltch-Loeb
- Emergency Preparedness Research Evaluation & Practice (EPREP) Program, Division of Policy Translation & Leadership Development, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115, USA;
| | | | - Kesa White
- Polarization and Extremism Research and Innovation Lab (PERIL), American University, Washington, DC 20016, USA; (C.M.-I.); (K.W.); (M.C.)
| | - Meili Criezis
- Polarization and Extremism Research and Innovation Lab (PERIL), American University, Washington, DC 20016, USA; (C.M.-I.); (K.W.); (M.C.)
| | - Elena Savoia
- Emergency Preparedness Research Evaluation & Practice (EPREP) Program, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115, USA;
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20
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Argyris YA, Monu K, Tan PN, Aarts C, Jiang F, Wiseley KA. Using Machine Learning to Compare Provaccine and Antivaccine Discourse Among the Public on Social Media: Algorithm Development Study. JMIR Public Health Surveill 2021; 7:e23105. [PMID: 34185004 PMCID: PMC8277307 DOI: 10.2196/23105] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2020] [Revised: 12/31/2020] [Accepted: 05/12/2021] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Despite numerous counteracting efforts, antivaccine content linked to delays and refusals to vaccinate has grown persistently on social media, while only a few provaccine campaigns have succeeded in engaging with or persuading the public to accept immunization. Many prior studies have associated the diversity of topics discussed by antivaccine advocates with the public's higher engagement with such content. Nonetheless, a comprehensive comparison of discursive topics in pro- and antivaccine content in the engagement-persuasion spectrum remains unexplored. OBJECTIVE We aimed to compare discursive topics chosen by pro- and antivaccine advocates in their attempts to influence the public to accept or reject immunization in the engagement-persuasion spectrum. Our overall objective was pursued through three specific aims as follows: (1) we classified vaccine-related tweets into provaccine, antivaccine, and neutral categories; (2) we extracted and visualized discursive topics from these tweets to explain disparities in engagement between pro- and antivaccine content; and (3) we identified how those topics frame vaccines using Entman's four framing dimensions. METHODS We adopted a multimethod approach to analyze discursive topics in the vaccine debate on public social media sites. Our approach combined (1) large-scale balanced data collection from a public social media site (ie, 39,962 tweets from Twitter); (2) the development of a supervised classification algorithm for categorizing tweets into provaccine, antivaccine, and neutral groups; (3) the application of an unsupervised clustering algorithm for identifying prominent topics discussed on both sides; and (4) a multistep qualitative content analysis for identifying the prominent discursive topics and how vaccines are framed in these topics. In so doing, we alleviated methodological challenges that have hindered previous analyses of pro- and antivaccine discursive topics. RESULTS Our results indicated that antivaccine topics have greater intertopic distinctiveness (ie, the degree to which discursive topics are distinct from one another) than their provaccine counterparts (t122=2.30, P=.02). In addition, while antivaccine advocates use all four message frames known to make narratives persuasive and influential, provaccine advocates have neglected having a clear problem statement. CONCLUSIONS Based on our results, we attribute higher engagement among antivaccine advocates to the distinctiveness of the topics they discuss, and we ascribe the influence of the vaccine debate on uptake rates to the comprehensiveness of the message frames. These results show the urgency of developing clear problem statements for provaccine content to counteract the negative impact of antivaccine content on uptake rates.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Kafui Monu
- School of Business, University of Northern British Columbia, Prince George, BC, Canada
| | - Pang-Ning Tan
- Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, United States
| | - Colton Aarts
- Department of Computer Science, University of Northern British Columbia, Prince George, BC, Canada
| | - Fan Jiang
- Department of Computer Science, University of Northern British Columbia, Prince George, BC, Canada
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21
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Cata-Preta BDO, Wehrmeister FC, Santos TM, Barros AJD, Victora CG. Patterns in Wealth-related Inequalities in 86 Low- and Middle-Income Countries: Global Evidence on the Emergence of Vaccine Hesitancy. Am J Prev Med 2021; 60:S24-S33. [PMID: 33131990 PMCID: PMC7613086 DOI: 10.1016/j.amepre.2020.07.028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2020] [Revised: 07/03/2020] [Accepted: 07/06/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Coverage of health interventions usually shows social gradients with higher levels among wealthy than among poor individuals. Owing to the upsurge of vaccine hesitancy in high-income countries, the authors hypothesized that the social gradient may also be changing over time in the low- and middle-income countries and set out to test this hypothesis. METHODS In January 2020, surveys conducted from 2010 to 2018 in 86 low- and middle-income countries were analyzed to assess full immunization coverage in children aged 12-23 months. The authors calculated full immunization coverage point estimates and 95% CIs for each country and wealth quintile. To explore wealth-related inequalities, the authors estimated the slope index of inequality and calculated the Pearson correlation coefficient between these values and per capita gross domestic product. Time trends were analyzed in 10 countries with recent evidence of hesitancy. RESULTS Pro-poor patterns were defined as significant slope index of inequality values with higher coverage among poor children, and pro-rich patterns were defined as the reverse pattern. A total of 11 countries showed pro-poor patterns in the most recent survey, accounting for 20% of upper middle- and 7% of low-income countries. The correlation between the slope index of inequality and log per capita gross domestic product was -0.38 (p<0.001). Among the 10 countries with recent evidence of hesitancy, 5 showed full immunization coverage declines over time in the wealthiest quintiles, and 4 switched from pro-rich to pro-poor patterns throughout the years. CONCLUSIONS Lower full immunization coverage was found among the wealthy than among the poor in 10 countries, especially in the upper middle-income group, consistent with the emergence of vaccine hesitancy. SUPPLEMENT INFORMATION This article is part of a supplement entitled Global Vaccination Equity, which is sponsored by the Global Institute for Vaccine Equity at the University of Michigan School of Public Health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bianca de O Cata-Preta
- International Center for Equity in Health, Federal University of Pelotas, Pelotas, Brazil.
| | - Fernando C Wehrmeister
- International Center for Equity in Health, Federal University of Pelotas, Pelotas, Brazil
| | - Thiago M Santos
- International Center for Equity in Health, Federal University of Pelotas, Pelotas, Brazil
| | - Aluísio J D Barros
- International Center for Equity in Health, Federal University of Pelotas, Pelotas, Brazil
| | - Cesar G Victora
- International Center for Equity in Health, Federal University of Pelotas, Pelotas, Brazil
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22
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Nudi R, Campagna M, Parma A, Nudi A, Biondi Zoccai G. Breakthrough healthcare technologies in the COVID-19 era: a unique opportunity for cardiovascular practitioners and patients. Panminerva Med 2020; 63:62-74. [PMID: 33165308 DOI: 10.23736/s0031-0808.20.04188-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, caused by symptomatic severe acute respiratory syndrome-Coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection, has wreaked havoc globally, challenging the healthcare, economical, technological and social status quo of developing but also developed countries. For instance, the COVID-19 scare has reduced timely hospital admissions for ST-elevation myocardial infarction in Europe and the USA, causing unnecessary deaths and disabilities. While the emergency is still ongoing, enough efforts have been put to study and tackle this condition such that a comprehensive perspective and synthesis on the potential role of breakthrough healthcare technologies is possible. Indeed, current state-of-the-art information technologies can provide a unique opportunity to adapt and adjust to the current healthcare needs associated with COVID-19, either directly or indirectly, and in particular those of cardiovascular patients and practitioners. EVIDENCE ACQUISITION We searched several biomedical databases, websites and social media, including PubMed, Medscape, and Twitter, for smartcare approaches suitable for application in the COVID-19 pandemic. EVIDENCE SYNTHESIS We retrieved details on several promising avenues for present and future healthcare technologies, capable of substantially reduce the mortality, morbidity, and resource use burden of COVID-19 as well as that of cardiovascular disease. In particular, we have found data supporting the importance of data sharing, model sharing, preprint archiving, social media, medical case sharing, distance learning and continuous medical education, smartphone apps, telemedicine, robotics, big data analysis, machine learning, and deep learning, with the ultimate goal of optimization of individual prevention, diagnosis, tracing, risk-stratification, treatment and rehabilitation. CONCLUSIONS We are confident that refinement and command of smartcare technologies will prove extremely beneficial in the short-term, but also dramatically reshape cardiovascular practice and healthcare delivery in the long-term future, for COVID-19 as well as other diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raffaele Nudi
- Service of Hybrid Cardio Imaging, Madonna della Fiducia Clinic, Rome, Italy.,Ostia Radiologica, Rome, Italy
| | | | | | | | - Giuseppe Biondi Zoccai
- Department of Medical-Surgical Sciences and Biotechnologies, Sapienza University, Latina, Rome, Italy - .,Mediterraneo Cardiocentro, Naples, Italy
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23
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Ferrand J, Hockensmith R, Houghton RF, Walsh-Buhi ER. Evaluating Smart Assistant Responses for Accuracy and Misinformation Regarding Human Papillomavirus Vaccination: Content Analysis Study. J Med Internet Res 2020; 22:e19018. [PMID: 32744508 PMCID: PMC7432152 DOI: 10.2196/19018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2020] [Revised: 05/18/2020] [Accepted: 07/02/2020] [Indexed: 01/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Almost half (46%) of Americans have used a smart assistant of some kind (eg, Apple Siri), and 25% have used a stand-alone smart assistant (eg, Amazon Echo). This positions smart assistants as potentially useful modalities for retrieving health-related information; however, the accuracy of smart assistant responses lacks rigorous evaluation. Objective This study aimed to evaluate the levels of accuracy, misinformation, and sentiment in smart assistant responses to human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination–related questions. Methods We systematically examined responses to questions about the HPV vaccine from the following four most popular smart assistants: Apple Siri, Google Assistant, Amazon Alexa, and Microsoft Cortana. One team member posed 10 questions to each smart assistant and recorded all queries and responses. Two raters independently coded all responses (κ=0.85). We then assessed differences among the smart assistants in terms of response accuracy, presence of misinformation, and sentiment regarding the HPV vaccine. Results A total of 103 responses were obtained from the 10 questions posed across the smart assistants. Google Assistant data were excluded owing to nonresponse. Over half (n=63, 61%) of the responses of the remaining three smart assistants were accurate. We found statistically significant differences across the smart assistants (N=103, χ22=7.807, P=.02), with Cortana yielding the greatest proportion of misinformation. Siri yielded the greatest proportion of accurate responses (n=26, 72%), whereas Cortana yielded the lowest proportion of accurate responses (n=33, 54%). Most response sentiments across smart assistants were positive (n=65, 64%) or neutral (n=18, 18%), but Cortana’s responses yielded the largest proportion of negative sentiment (n=7, 12%). Conclusions Smart assistants appear to be average-quality sources for HPV vaccination information, with Alexa responding most reliably. Cortana returned the largest proportion of inaccurate responses, the most misinformation, and the greatest proportion of results with negative sentiments. More collaboration between technology companies and public health entities is necessary to improve the retrieval of accurate health information via smart assistants.
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Affiliation(s)
- John Ferrand
- School of Public Health-Bloomington, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, United States
| | - Ryli Hockensmith
- School of Public Health-Bloomington, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, United States
| | | | - Eric R Walsh-Buhi
- School of Public Health-Bloomington, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, United States
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24
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Kim Y, Akhtar AM, Natalwalla S, Goshua A, Wilson K, Busse JW. Association between media attention and presentation of vaccination information on Canadian chiropractors' websites: a prospective mixed-methods cohort study. CMAJ Open 2020; 8:E338-E345. [PMID: 32371527 PMCID: PMC7207039 DOI: 10.9778/cmajo.20190204] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Historically, some chiropractors have been critical of vaccination, and this has been the subject of recent media attention in Canada. We explored the association between media attention and public dissemination of vaccination information on Canadian chiropractors' websites. METHODS In 2016, we identified all Canadian chiropractors' websites that provided information on vaccination by extracting details from the regulatory college website for each province using the search engine on their "find a chiropractor" page. We assessed the quality of information using the Web Resource Rating Tool (scores range from 0% [worst] to 100% [best]), determined whether vaccination was portrayed in a positive, neutral or negative manner, and conducted thematic analysis of vaccination content. We revisited all identified websites in 2019 to explore for changes to posted vaccination material. RESULTS In July 2016, of 3733 chiropractic websites identified, 94 unique websites provided information on vaccination: 59 (63%) gave negative messaging, 19 (20%) were neutral and 16 (17%) were positive. The quality of vaccination content on the websites was generally poor, with a median Web Resource Rating Tool score of 19%. We identified 4 main themes: there are alternatives to vaccination, vaccines are harmful, evidence regarding vaccination and health policy regarding vaccination. From 2012 to 2016, there was 1 Canadian newspaper story concerning antivaccination statements by chiropractors, whereas 51 news articles were published on this topic between 2017 and 2019. In April 2019, 45 (48%) of the 94 websites we had identified in 2016 had removed all vaccination content or had been discontinued. INTERPRETATION In 2016, a minority of Canadian chiropractors provided vaccination information on their websites, the majority of which portrayed vaccination negatively. After substantial national media attention, about half of all vaccination material on chiropractors' websites was removed within several years.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yechan Kim
- Faculty of Medicine (Kim), University of Western Ontario, London, Ont.; Departments of Medical Sciences (Kim), Health Sciences (Akhtar), Anesthesia (Busse) and Health Research Methods, Evidence & Impact (Busse), McMaster University, Hamilton, Ont.; Faculty of Medicine (Akhtar), Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Dublin, Ireland; Faculty of Medicine (Natalwalla), University of Toronto, Toronto, Ont.; School of Medicine (Goshua), Stanford University, Stanford, Calif.; Clinical Epidemiology Program (Wilson), Department of Medicine, Ottawa Hospital; Bruyère Research Institute (Wilson), Ottawa, Ont
| | - Adeel M Akhtar
- Faculty of Medicine (Kim), University of Western Ontario, London, Ont.; Departments of Medical Sciences (Kim), Health Sciences (Akhtar), Anesthesia (Busse) and Health Research Methods, Evidence & Impact (Busse), McMaster University, Hamilton, Ont.; Faculty of Medicine (Akhtar), Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Dublin, Ireland; Faculty of Medicine (Natalwalla), University of Toronto, Toronto, Ont.; School of Medicine (Goshua), Stanford University, Stanford, Calif.; Clinical Epidemiology Program (Wilson), Department of Medicine, Ottawa Hospital; Bruyère Research Institute (Wilson), Ottawa, Ont
| | - Shane Natalwalla
- Faculty of Medicine (Kim), University of Western Ontario, London, Ont.; Departments of Medical Sciences (Kim), Health Sciences (Akhtar), Anesthesia (Busse) and Health Research Methods, Evidence & Impact (Busse), McMaster University, Hamilton, Ont.; Faculty of Medicine (Akhtar), Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Dublin, Ireland; Faculty of Medicine (Natalwalla), University of Toronto, Toronto, Ont.; School of Medicine (Goshua), Stanford University, Stanford, Calif.; Clinical Epidemiology Program (Wilson), Department of Medicine, Ottawa Hospital; Bruyère Research Institute (Wilson), Ottawa, Ont
| | - Anna Goshua
- Faculty of Medicine (Kim), University of Western Ontario, London, Ont.; Departments of Medical Sciences (Kim), Health Sciences (Akhtar), Anesthesia (Busse) and Health Research Methods, Evidence & Impact (Busse), McMaster University, Hamilton, Ont.; Faculty of Medicine (Akhtar), Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Dublin, Ireland; Faculty of Medicine (Natalwalla), University of Toronto, Toronto, Ont.; School of Medicine (Goshua), Stanford University, Stanford, Calif.; Clinical Epidemiology Program (Wilson), Department of Medicine, Ottawa Hospital; Bruyère Research Institute (Wilson), Ottawa, Ont
| | - Kumanan Wilson
- Faculty of Medicine (Kim), University of Western Ontario, London, Ont.; Departments of Medical Sciences (Kim), Health Sciences (Akhtar), Anesthesia (Busse) and Health Research Methods, Evidence & Impact (Busse), McMaster University, Hamilton, Ont.; Faculty of Medicine (Akhtar), Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Dublin, Ireland; Faculty of Medicine (Natalwalla), University of Toronto, Toronto, Ont.; School of Medicine (Goshua), Stanford University, Stanford, Calif.; Clinical Epidemiology Program (Wilson), Department of Medicine, Ottawa Hospital; Bruyère Research Institute (Wilson), Ottawa, Ont
| | - Jason W Busse
- Faculty of Medicine (Kim), University of Western Ontario, London, Ont.; Departments of Medical Sciences (Kim), Health Sciences (Akhtar), Anesthesia (Busse) and Health Research Methods, Evidence & Impact (Busse), McMaster University, Hamilton, Ont.; Faculty of Medicine (Akhtar), Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Dublin, Ireland; Faculty of Medicine (Natalwalla), University of Toronto, Toronto, Ont.; School of Medicine (Goshua), Stanford University, Stanford, Calif.; Clinical Epidemiology Program (Wilson), Department of Medicine, Ottawa Hospital; Bruyère Research Institute (Wilson), Ottawa, Ont.
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