1
|
Koyama S, Morishima T, Saito MK, Ma C, Nishimura N, Aoki K, Nishio M, Otsuka T, Tabuchi T, Ishibashi M, Miyashiro I. Faster surgery initiation in oral cancer patients during the COVID-19 pandemic in Osaka, Japan. Oral Dis 2024; 30:307-312. [PMID: 36691715 DOI: 10.1111/odi.14518] [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: 09/12/2022] [Revised: 01/10/2023] [Accepted: 01/19/2023] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND We investigated the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on oral cancer (OC), comparing diagnosis and number of pre-operative days in the diagnosis of OC in 2019 (pre-COVID-19) and that in 2020 (during the COVID-19 pandemic). METHODS Using data from a cancer registry-based study on the impact of COVID-19 on cancer care in Osaka (CanReCO), we collected details of sex, age, residential area, cancer site, date of diagnosis, clinical stage at first treatment and number of pre-operative days in OC patients. RESULTS A total of 1470 OC cases were registered. Incidence of OC before and during COVID-19 was 814 and 656 cases, respectively. During the first wave of the pandemic (March to May 2020), incidence was about half that in the same period in 2019 (2019; n = 271, 2020; n = 145). Number of pre-operative days (median number of days between the first hospital visit and surgery date) was significantly shorter during the COVID-19 year (24.5 days) than in the pre-COVID-19 year (28 days, p = 0.0015). CONCLUSIONS Incidence of OC during the COVID-19 pandemic was lower than in pre-COVID-19. Despite disruption in the healthcare system, the number of pre-operative days for OC cases was shorter during the pandemic.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Shihoko Koyama
- Cancer Control Center, Osaka International Cancer Institute, Osaka, Japan
| | | | | | - Chaochen Ma
- Cancer Control Center, Osaka International Cancer Institute, Osaka, Japan
| | - Nao Nishimura
- Department of Dentistry, Osaka International Cancer Institute, Osaka, Japan
| | - Kengo Aoki
- Department of Head and Neck Surgery, Osaka International Cancer Institute, Osaka, Japan
| | - Minako Nishio
- Department of Medical Oncology, Osaka International Cancer Institute, Osaka, Japan
| | - Tomoyuki Otsuka
- Department of Medical Oncology, Osaka International Cancer Institute, Osaka, Japan
| | - Takahiro Tabuchi
- Cancer Control Center, Osaka International Cancer Institute, Osaka, Japan
| | - Miki Ishibashi
- Department of Dentistry, Osaka International Cancer Institute, Osaka, Japan
| | - Isao Miyashiro
- Cancer Control Center, Osaka International Cancer Institute, Osaka, Japan
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Gianfredi V, Nucci D, Nardi M, Santangelo OE, Provenzano S. Using Google Trends and Wikipedia to Investigate the Global Public's Interest in the Pancreatic Cancer Diagnosis of a Celebrity. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2023; 20:2106. [PMID: 36767473 PMCID: PMC9915341 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph20032106] [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: 12/20/2022] [Revised: 01/16/2023] [Accepted: 01/20/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
A cross-sectional study was designed to assess the impact of a celebrity's announcement of having been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer on the volume of cancer-related research on the Internet. Global searches were carried out on Google Trends (GT) for the period from 1 January 2004 to 20 November 2022 (since data prior to 2004 were not available) using the search words Tumore del Pancreas (pancreatic cancer), Tumore neuroendocrino (neuroendocrine tumor), and Fedez (the name of a popular Italian rapper). The frequency of specific page views for Fedez, Tumore del pancreas, and Tumore neuroendocrino was collected via Wikipedia Trends data. Statistical analyses were carried out using the Pearson correlation coefficient (r). The GT data revealed a strong correlation (r = 0.83) while the Wikipedia Trends data indicated a moderate correlation (r = 0.37) for Tumore neuroendocrino and Tumore del pancreas. The search peaks for the GT and Wikipedia pages occur during the same time period. An association was found between the celebrity's announcement of his pancreatic cancer diagnosis and the volume of pancreatic-cancer-related online searches. Our findings demonstrate that media events and media coverage of health-related news can raise people's curiosity and desire for health information.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Vincenza Gianfredi
- Department of Biomedical Sciences for Health, University of Milan, Via Pascal, 36, 20133 Milan, Italy
| | - Daniele Nucci
- Nutritional Support Unit, Veneto Institute of Oncology IOV-IRCCS, Via Gattamelata, 64, 35128 Padua, Italy
| | - Mariateresa Nardi
- Nutritional Support Unit, Veneto Institute of Oncology IOV-IRCCS, Via Gattamelata, 64, 35128 Padua, Italy
| | - Omar Enzo Santangelo
- Regional Health Care and Social Agency of Lodi, Azienda Socio Sanitaria Territoriale di Lodi (ASST Lodi), Piazza Ospitale 10, 26900 Lodi, Italy
| | | |
Collapse
|
3
|
Vafeiadis M, Wang W, Baker M, Shen F. Examining the Effects of Celebrity (Vs. Noncelebrity) Narratives on Opioid Addiction Prevention: Identification, Transportation, and the Moderating Role of Personal Relevance. JOURNAL OF HEALTH COMMUNICATION 2022; 27:271-280. [PMID: 35833499 DOI: 10.1080/10810730.2022.2097752] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Celebrity disclosures and narratives are popular strategies in health promotion. However, less is known about their joint effects and the mechanisms through which they function. A 2 (narrative type: celebrity vs. layperson) x 2 (personal relevance: low vs. high) online experiment (N = 248) tested the impact of different narrative types in increasing awareness about prescription opioid abuse. Results indicated that a celebrity narrative is more persuasive than its layperson counterpart. Also, personal relevance toward opioid addiction moderated the influence of narrative type. Celebrity narratives evoked more positive attitudes toward opioid prevention and greater behavioral compliance intentions with the recommended action for low-relevance individuals. Transportation and identification mediated the effects of celebrity narratives on participants' issue attitudes and behavioral intentions, but only for low-relevance individuals. Practically, the data suggest that incorporating celebrities in health narratives about opioid addiction prevention facilitates behavioral compliance, especially for individuals to whom a pressing health issue like opioid misuse is currently of low relevance.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Michail Vafeiadis
- School of Communication & Journalism, Auburn University, Auburn, Alabama, USA
| | - Weirui Wang
- 2 Department of Communication, Florida International University, North Miami, Florida, USA
| | - Michelle Baker
- 3 Donald P. Bellisario College of Communications, Pennsylvania State University, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Fuyuan Shen
- Donald P. Bellisario College of Communications, Pennsylvania State University, Pennsylvania, USA
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Lan R, Campana F, Tardivo D, Catherine JH, Vergnes JN, Hadj-Saïd M. Relationship between internet research data of oral neoplasms and public health programs in the European Union. BMC Oral Health 2021; 21:648. [PMID: 34920710 PMCID: PMC8679572 DOI: 10.1186/s12903-021-02022-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2021] [Accepted: 12/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Tobacco and alcohol are the main risk factors for oral squamous cell carcinoma, the low survival rate of which is a public health problem. European-wide health policies (a prevention campaign, tobacco packaging) have been put in place to inform the population of the risks associated with consumption. Due to the increase in smoking among women, the incidence of this disease remains high. The identification of internet research data on the population could help to measure the impact of and better position these preventive measures. The objective was to analyze a potential temporal association between public health programs and interest in oral cancers on the internet in the European Union (EU). METHODS A search of data from Google ©, Wikipedia © and Twitter © users in 28 European countries relating to oral cancer between 2004 and 2019 was completed. Bibliometric analysis of press and scientific articles over the same period was also performed. The association between these data and the introduction of public health programs in Europe was studied. RESULTS There was a temporal association between changes in tobacco packaging and a significant increase in internet searches for oral cancer in seven countries. Unlike national policies and ad campaigns, the European awareness program Make Sense has had no influence on internet research. There was an asymmetric correlation in internet searches between publications on oral cancer from scientific articles or "traditional" media (weak association) and those from internet media such as Twitter © or Wikipedia © (strong association). CONCLUSION Our work highlights seven areas around which oral cancer awareness in Europe could be refocused, such as a change in the communication of health warnings on cigarette packs, the establishment of a more explicit campaign name regarding oral cancer, the involvement of public figures and associations in initiatives to be organized at the local level and the strengthening of awareness of the dangers of tobacco in the development of oral cancer.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Romain Lan
- APHM, CNRS, EFS, ADES, Timone Hospital, Oral Public Health Department, Aix Marseille Univ, Marseille, France.
| | - Fabrice Campana
- APHM, INSERM, MMG, Timone Hospital, Oral Surgery Department, Aix Marseille Univ, Marseille, France
| | - Delphine Tardivo
- APHM, CNRS, EFS, ADES, Timone Hospital, Oral Public Health Department, Aix Marseille Univ, Marseille, France
| | - Jean-Hugues Catherine
- APHM, CNRS, EFS, ADES, Timone Hospital, Oral Surgery Department, Aix Marseille Univ, 13005, Marseille, France
| | - Jean-Noel Vergnes
- Functional Unit of Epidemiology and Oral Public Health, Faculty of Odontology, Paul Sabatier University, Toulouse III, Toulouse, France.,Division of Oral Health and Society, Mc Gill University, Montreal, Canada
| | - Mehdi Hadj-Saïd
- Oral Surgery Department, APHM, CHU Timone, Marseille, France
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Lan R, Catherine JH, Chossegros C, Campana F, Vergnes JN, Had-Saïd M. Temporal association between the introduction of public health programs and interest in oral cancers on the internet in the European Union. Oral Oncol 2021; 119:105250. [PMID: 33685818 DOI: 10.1016/j.oraloncology.2021.105250] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2021] [Accepted: 02/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Romain Lan
- Aix Marseille Univ, APHM, CNRS, EFS, ADES, Timone Hospital, Oral Surgery Department, Marseille, France.
| | | | - Cyrille Chossegros
- APHM, CHU Conception, Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Marseille, France
| | - Fabrice Campana
- Aix Marseille Univ, APHM, INSERM, MMG, Timone Hospital, Oral Surgery Department, Marseille, France
| | - Jean-Noel Vergnes
- Paul Sabatier University, Toulouse III, Faculty of Odontology, Functional Unit of Epidemiology and Oral Public Health, Toulouse, France; Mc Gill University, Division of Oral Health and Society, Montreal, Canada
| | - Mehdi Had-Saïd
- Aix Marseille Univ, APHM, CHU Timone, Oral Surgery Department, Marseille, France
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Mohammadi S, Ramezankhani A, Montazeri A, Nasrollahi A, Keshavarz Mohammadi N. Why medical journalism wins public health journalism: systems thinking recommendations for health-promoting media. HEALTH EDUCATION 2021. [DOI: 10.1108/he-05-2020-0033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
PurposeHealth-related issues are widely covered in news agencies by medical and health journalists. The quantity, format and quality of their coverage influence the general public as well as policymakers and professions. Current studies and observations suggest that news agencies are more dominated by medical topics (disease, symptoms, epidemiology, treatment and medicines) than general public health issues (risk prevention, health protection, education and promotion). This study explores the causes of the current situation in Iran and generates solutions for supporting health-promoting media that may also prove beneficial for other countries.Design/methodology/approachA qualitative study was conducted to explore the coverage of health-related topics in selected news agencies. Stakeholders, including health journalists, health professionals and public relations staff at the Iranian Ministry of Health and Medical Education were interviewed. Data were collected until data saturation was reached. The transcripts of all the 17 interviews conducted were analyzed using conventional content analysis.FindingsFour groups of causes were identified, including individual factors, organizational factors, socioeconomic factors and the different nature of medicine and public health. The participants proposed several solutions that were classified into three categories, including the empowerment of stakeholders through capacity development, organizational change and mutual communication and culture change.Originality/valueCreating health-promoting media is a complex but urgent task, and providing a comprehensive and deep understanding of the dynamic interdependencies of the multiple factors at play in it and developing and implementing the most effective interventions for it requires a systematic approach.
Collapse
|
7
|
Finnegan A. Effects of a sister's death in childbirth on reproductive behaviors: Difference-in-difference analyses using sisterhood mortality data from Indonesia. Soc Sci Med 2020; 250:112795. [PMID: 32145482 DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2020.112795] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2019] [Revised: 10/08/2019] [Accepted: 01/08/2020] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
RATIONALE Risk of maternal mortality increases rapidly during the intrapartum period making skilled care at delivery an effective intervention to reduce the risk of maternal death. Demand generation for skilled care typically focuses on institutional channels; however, much less attention has been paid to whether what women may learn through their social networks can potentially influence their choice of delivery care. OBJECTIVE The objective of this study was to analyze whether a sister's death in childbirth has the potential to improve delivery care choices for women who experience this event. METHODS This study uses retrospective reports of sister deaths - either in childbirth or from some other cause - reported in the sisterhood moratlity module from five waves of the Indonesia Demographic and Health Surveys (IDHS) spanning 1989 to 2012. A cross-sectional, difference-in-difference strategy compares delivery care behavior of women before and after losing a sister in childbirth to women before and after losing a sister of reproductive age from some other cause in an intent-to-treat framework. RESULTS Women are less likely to give birth at home after losing a sister in childbirth relative to women who lose a sister from some other cause. Losing a sister in childbirth may trigger behaviors that help usher women of lower socioeconomic status into formal delivery care. CONCLUSION This study extends the literature on health behavior change through social networks to improve delivery care. Public health campaigns should consider social networks when designing messages around maternal mortality in order to help women at risk of maternal mortality make decisions that reduce their risk of and ultimately avoid maternal death.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Amy Finnegan
- Duke Global Health Institute (DGHI), 310 Trent Drive Durham, NC, 27710, United States; IntraHealth International, 6340 Quadrangle Drive, Suite 200, Chapel Hill, NC 27517, United States.
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Vasconcellos-Silva PR, Sormunen T, Craftman ÅG. Evolution of accesses to information on breast cancer and screening on the Brazilian National Cancer Institute website: an exploratory study. CIENCIA & SAUDE COLETIVA 2018; 23:1303-1312. [PMID: 29694575 DOI: 10.1590/1413-81232018234.14082016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2015] [Accepted: 07/09/2016] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Delays in diagnosis due to low Breast Cancer awareness are widespread in Brazil maybe owing to ineffective strategies to raise attention on early diagnosis. As a proxy of collective interest in BC screanning (BCS) we studied the monthly accesses to BC and BCS webpages in INCA's website along 48 months. A log analyzer built a time serie (2006-2009) of BC and BCS monthly means, which oscilations were studied by analysis of variance (ANOVA). We found significant increasing accesses to BC and transient "attention peaks". Enlargement in BC/BCS differences along all period were caused by increasing accesses to BC and decreasing/minor/stable oscillations to SBC pages. These results are consistent with previous reports on increasing interest to BC contrasting with indifference on BCS. In the context of an exploratory study, we discussed some aspects: weakness of a "prevention culture"; lack of confidence in health system and screening programs; "celebrity effect" in the context of media framing; collective perception of risks heightened by perception of social vulnerability. Findings suggest that culture-tailored communication strategies would be necessary to inform Brazilian people about BCS. Future research is needed to study social perceptions and constructions on BC topics.
Collapse
|
9
|
Rosenthal EL, de Castro Buffington S, Cole G. From the small screen to breast cancer screening: examining the effects of a television storyline on awareness of genetic risk factors. JOURNAL OF COMMUNICATION IN HEALTHCARE 2018; 11:140-150. [PMID: 30100923 PMCID: PMC6084479 DOI: 10.1080/17538068.2018.1438766] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The topic of breast cancer genetics entered the public discourse following Angelina Jolie's 2013 announcement that she carries the BRCA1 mutation and underwent a prophylactic double mastectomy to reduce her breast cancer risk. A year prior to Jolie's announcement, the teen drama 90210 ran an eight-episode story arc on the BRCA gene mutations. This study focuses on an evaluation of the impact of this particular media text within the broader context of research on the persuasive effects of entertainment narratives (i.e. entertainment education). METHOD The evaluation consisted of two complementary studies of adult women: a pre-test/post-test study using a panel sample of regular television viewers who were directed to watch a particular episode (Study 1), and a cross-sectional study using a convenience sample of frequent 90210 viewers (Study 2). RESULTS In both studies, storyline exposure was associated with increased knowledge (familiarity with the BRCA gene, knowledge about mastectomy). Study 1 additionally saw evidence of increased fears regarding the consequences of the BRCA gene and intentions to talk to a doctor. In Study 2, the number of episodes viewed was positively related to both knowledge and behavior (finding out about one's family history of breast cancer). CONCLUSIONS These findings suggest that despite unprecedented changes in the ways audiences engage with and consume entertainment media, television narratives remain a powerful method of educating viewers about health risks and inspiring them to take action.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Erica L. Rosenthal
- Hollywood, Health & Society, University of Southern California, Beverly Hills, CA, USA
| | - Sandra de Castro Buffington
- Hollywood, Health & Society, University of Southern California, Beverly Hills, CA, USA
- † StoryAction, Pacific Palisades, CA, USA
| | - Galen Cole
- Division of Cancer Prevention and Control, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA
- ‡ Licensed Counselor, Private Practice, Atlanta, GA, USA
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Aguirre PE, Coelho M, Oliveira T, Rios D, Cruvinel AF, Cruvinel T. What Can Google Inform Us about People's Interests regarding Dental Caries in Different Populations? Caries Res 2018; 52:177-188. [PMID: 29353276 DOI: 10.1159/000485107] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2017] [Accepted: 11/09/2017] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
Abstract
The diagnosis or suspicion of dental caries can lead people to seek additional information on the Internet through the use of structured queries in search engine tools. This action generates a considerable volume of data, which can be analyzed to provide a better understanding of the public's behavior linked to the consumption of oral health information. This study aimed to assess the volume and profile of web searches on dental caries-related queries performed by Google users from different countries. The monthly variation of the Search Volume Index (SVI) for dental caries was obtained in Google Trends for the period between January 2004 and September 2016. The validity of SVI data was assessed by their levels of stability and correlation with the disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) for permanent teeth. In all countries, a trend of an increasing interest of Google users in dental caries issues was revealed by the comparison of the means observed in the predictive models and those in the last 12 months. The interest levels varied throughout the year, with the observation of the highest SVI values in the spring and the lowest in the summer. The most popular queries were markedly associated with symptoms and treatments, with a little interest in prevention. In conclusion, the use of Internet data mining could be helpful in establishing the dental needs of specific population groups in a near real-time, since the web consumption of dental information is increasing in importance and appears to have a direct relation with untreated dental caries.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Patricia Estefania Aguirre
- Department of Pediatric Dentistry, Orthodontics and Public Health, Bauru School of Dentistry, University of São Paulo, Bauru, Brazil
| | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
11
|
Huang X, Baade P, Youlden DR, Youl PH, Hu W, Kimlin MG. Google as a cancer control tool in Queensland. BMC Cancer 2017; 17:816. [PMID: 29202718 PMCID: PMC5715989 DOI: 10.1186/s12885-017-3828-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2016] [Accepted: 11/23/2017] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Recent advances in methodologies utilizing "big data" have allowed researchers to investigate the use of common internet search engines as a real time tool to track disease. Little is known about its utility with tracking cancer incidence. This study aims to investigate the potential correlates of monthly internet search volume indexes (SVIs) and observed monthly age standardised incidence rates (ASRs) for breast cancer, colorectal cancer, melanoma and prostate cancer. METHODS The monthly ASRs for the four cancers in Queensland were calculated using data from the Queensland Cancer Registry between January 2006 and December 2012. The monthly SVIs of the respective cancer search terms in Queensland were accessed from Google Trends for the same period. A time series seasonal decomposition method was performed to detect the seasonal patterns of SVIs and ASRs. Pearson's correlation coefficient and time series cross-correlation analysis were used to assess the associations between SVIs and ASRs. Linear regression models were used to examine the power of SVIs to predict monthly in ASRs. RESULTS Increases in the monthly ASRs of the four cancers were significantly correlated with increases in the monthly SVIs of the respective cancers except for colorectal cancer. The predictive power of the SVIs to explain variances in the corresponding ASRs varied by cancer type, with the percent explained ranging from 5.6% for breast cancer to 17.9% for skin cancer (SVI) with melanoma (ASR). Some improvement in the variation explained was obtained by including more search terms or lagged SVIs for the respective cancers in the linear regression models. The seasonal analysis indicated that the SVIs peaked periodically at around their respective cancer awareness months. CONCLUSIONS Using SVIs from a popular internet search engine was only able to explain a small portion of changes in the respective ASRs. While an expanded regression model explained a higher proportion of variability, the interpretation of this was difficult. Further development and refinement of this approach will be needed before search-based cancer surveillance can provide useful information regarding resource deployment to guide cancer control and track the impact of cancer awareness and education programmes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xiaodong Huang
- Faculty of Science, Health, Education and Engineering, University of the Sunshine Coast, Sippy Downs Dr, Sippy Downs, QLD, 4556, Australia
| | - Peter Baade
- Cancer Council Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | | | - Philippa H Youl
- Faculty of Science, Health, Education and Engineering, University of the Sunshine Coast, Sippy Downs Dr, Sippy Downs, QLD, 4556, Australia.,Cancer Council Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia.,School of Public Health and Social Work, Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD, Australia.,Menzies Health Institute Queensland, Griffith University, Gold Coast, QLD, Australia
| | - Wenbiao Hu
- School of Public Health and Social Work, Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Michael G Kimlin
- Faculty of Science, Health, Education and Engineering, University of the Sunshine Coast, Sippy Downs Dr, Sippy Downs, QLD, 4556, Australia. .,Cancer Council Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia.
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Fishman J, Greenberg P, Bagga MB, Casarett D, Propert K. Comparing Strategies for Health Information Dissemination: Messengers That Can Help or Hinder. Am J Health Promot 2017; 32:932-938. [PMID: 29050506 DOI: 10.1177/0890117117733780] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE To test the effects of different messengers on the dissemination of health information. DESIGN An experimental study exposed participants to 12 news articles pertaining to 1 of 3 health topics framed from the perspective of 4 generic messengers: religious figures, doctors, celebrity patients, or ordinary patients. Participants select as many of the 12 articles as desired. SETTING A cancer clinic within a large, urban hospital serving a sociodemographically diverse patient population. PARTICIPANTS Eighty-nine patients with a history of cancer. MEASURES The primary outcome was the frequency with which each news story was selected. ANALYSIS Summary statistics and a general estimating equation model. RESULTS For each health topic, news articles using celebrity messengers were the least likely to be selected; almost half of the participants (36 [41.4%] of 87) rejected all such articles. Articles linked to religious figures were equally unpopular ( P = .59). Articles that used doctors or ordinary patients as the messenger were very likely to be selected: Nearly all women (84 [96.6%] of 87) selected at least one of these. Furthermore, the odds of choosing articles linked to celebrities or religious leaders were statistically significantly lower than the odds of choosing those linked to ordinary patients or doctors ( P < .01). CONCLUSION Commonly used generic messengers had large effects on the dissemination of information. Health materials linked to celebrities or religious figures were consistently less likely to be selected than those linked to ordinary patients, or doctors.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jessica Fishman
- 1 Department of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Patricia Greenberg
- 2 Hackensack Meridian Health, Jersey Shore University Medical Center, Neptune, NJ, USA
| | | | - David Casarett
- 4 Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Kathleen Propert
- 5 Department of Biostatistics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Sayma M, Saleh D, Kerwat D, Jamshaid S, Ahmed A, Oyewole F, Wahid AS, Perry C, Cox B. A qualitative inquiry into the barriers and facilitators to achieving home death. BMJ Support Palliat Care 2017; 10:e18. [PMID: 28760819 DOI: 10.1136/bmjspcare-2016-001260] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2016] [Revised: 05/22/2017] [Accepted: 06/26/2017] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES To explore the barriers and facilitators to patients achieving death at home. METHODS In-depth, semistructured interviews with end-of-life care experts were conducted to develop an insight into the barriers and facilitators to achieving death at home. Thirty-three interviews were conducted compromising of a mixture of face-to-face and tele interviews. Experts included healthcare professionals working in the community, hospital and policy/academic settings. Thematic analysis was undertaken on interview transcripts. RESULTS Three overarching themes, further divided into a total of 12 subthemes were identified. The three themes were 'managing people', 'education' and 'planning'. The 'managing people' theme included subthemes of patient preferences and family influences; the 'education' theme encompassed knowledge and training, perceptions of death and communication and the 'planning' theme contained seven subthemes including 'coordination', 'resources' and 'cost'. CONCLUSIONS Multiple barriers and facilitators to achieving death at home were identified in this study. Of particular significance was the identification of the fear and stigma associated with death among doctors, patients and their families serving as a barrier to home death, not previously identified in the literature. Additionally, the importance of social networks and resource provision were highlighted as key in influencing patient death at home.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Meelad Sayma
- Peninsula College of Medicine and Dentistry and Imperial College London, London, UK.,Barts and the London School of Medicine and Dentistry and Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Dina Saleh
- Barts and the London School of Medicine and Dentistry and Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Doa'a Kerwat
- Barts and the London School of Medicine and Dentistry and Imperial College London, London, UK.,Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Shiraz Jamshaid
- Barts and the London School of Medicine and Dentistry and Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Aaniya Ahmed
- Barts and the London School of Medicine and Dentistry and Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Folashade Oyewole
- Barts and the London School of Medicine and Dentistry and Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Abdul Samad Wahid
- Barts and the London School of Medicine and Dentistry and Imperial College London, London, UK
| | | | - Benita Cox
- Barts and the London School of Medicine and Dentistry and Imperial College London, London, UK
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Noll-Hussong M. Whiplash Syndrome Reloaded: Digital Echoes of Whiplash Syndrome in the European Internet Search Engine Context. JMIR Public Health Surveill 2017; 3:e15. [PMID: 28347974 PMCID: PMC5387115 DOI: 10.2196/publichealth.7054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2016] [Revised: 01/22/2017] [Accepted: 02/20/2017] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Background In many Western countries, after a motor vehicle collision, those involved seek health care for the assessment of injuries and for insurance documentation purposes. In contrast, in many less wealthy countries, there may be limited access to care and no insurance or compensation system. Objective The purpose of this infodemiology study was to investigate the global pattern of evolving Internet usage in countries with and without insurance and the corresponding compensation systems for whiplash injury. Methods We used the Internet search engine analytics via Google Trends to study the health information-seeking behavior concerning whiplash injury at national population levels in Europe. Results We found that the search for “whiplash” is strikingly and consistently often associated with the search for “compensation” in countries or cultures with a tort system. Frequent or traumatic painful injuries; diseases or disorders such as arthritis, headache, radius, and hip fracture; depressive disorders; and fibromyalgia were not associated similarly with searches on “compensation.” Conclusions In this study, we present evidence from the evolving viewpoint of naturalistic Internet search engine analytics that the expectations for receiving compensation may influence Internet search behavior in relation to whiplash injury.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Michael Noll-Hussong
- Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University of Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Waszak P, Kawalec N. Impact of celebrities' cancer deaths on oncology-related news and internet searches in Poland. Public Health 2017; 144:13-15. [DOI: 10.1016/j.puhe.2016.11.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2016] [Accepted: 11/16/2016] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
|
16
|
Cohen EL, Hoffner C. Finding meaning in a celebrity’s death: The relationship between parasocial attachment, grief, and sharing educational health information related to Robin Williams on social network sites. COMPUTERS IN HUMAN BEHAVIOR 2016. [DOI: 10.1016/j.chb.2016.06.042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
|
17
|
Staudigl C, Pfeiler G, Hrauda K, Renz R, Berger A, Lichtenschopf R, Singer CF, Tea MKM. Changes of Socio-demographic data of clients seeking genetic counseling for hereditary breast and ovarian cancer due to the "Angelina Jolie Effect". BMC Cancer 2016; 16:436. [PMID: 27391110 PMCID: PMC4938920 DOI: 10.1186/s12885-016-2472-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2015] [Accepted: 06/30/2016] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The purpose of this study was to evaluate socio-demographic characteristics of clients claiming genetic counseling for hereditary breast and ovarian cancer (HBOC) in Austria. Furthermore, changes of these parameters before and after Angelina Jolie’s (AJ) disclosure of carrying a BRCA mutation were evaluated. Methods In this prospective, nonrandomized study 268 consecutive clients seeking genetic counseling for HBOC at the Medical University of Vienna, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Vienna, Austria between June 2012 and June 2014 were included. Socio-demographic data and source of information about HBOC and genetic counseling were evaluated. First, socio-demographic parameters were compared to the general Austrian population. Second, changes in these parameters after AJ’s public disclosure of carrying a BRCA mutation were analyzed. Results Subjects were more frequent female, younger and higher educated in comparison to Austria’s general population (p < 0.001). Furthermore, level of education in participants was higher before than after AJ’s disclosure (p = 0.046). Most clients were informed about genetic counseling by physicians. As expected, after AJ’s public announcement patients were more frequent advised to genetic counseling by social media (p = 0.043) and family or friends (p = 0.010) than before. Conclusions In this present study we could demonstrate that particularly younger and female participants with high educational level attended significantly more often genetic counseling for HBOC. Increased presence of HBOC in media since AJ’s disclosure of carrying a BRCA mutation had lead that information and awareness about HBOC was obtained by a wider audience from different social background.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Christine Staudigl
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Division of Senology, Comprehensive Cancer Center, Medical University of Vienna, Waehringer Guertel 18-20, 1090, Vienna, Austria.,Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Hospital of the Sisters of Charity Linz, 4020, Linz, Austria
| | - Georg Pfeiler
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Division of Senology, Comprehensive Cancer Center, Medical University of Vienna, Waehringer Guertel 18-20, 1090, Vienna, Austria
| | - Katharina Hrauda
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Division of Senology, Comprehensive Cancer Center, Medical University of Vienna, Waehringer Guertel 18-20, 1090, Vienna, Austria
| | - Romana Renz
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Division of Senology, Comprehensive Cancer Center, Medical University of Vienna, Waehringer Guertel 18-20, 1090, Vienna, Austria
| | - Andreas Berger
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Division of Senology, Comprehensive Cancer Center, Medical University of Vienna, Waehringer Guertel 18-20, 1090, Vienna, Austria
| | - Renate Lichtenschopf
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Division of Senology, Comprehensive Cancer Center, Medical University of Vienna, Waehringer Guertel 18-20, 1090, Vienna, Austria
| | - Christian F Singer
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Division of Senology, Comprehensive Cancer Center, Medical University of Vienna, Waehringer Guertel 18-20, 1090, Vienna, Austria
| | - Muy-Kheng M Tea
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Division of Senology, Comprehensive Cancer Center, Medical University of Vienna, Waehringer Guertel 18-20, 1090, Vienna, Austria.
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Freedman R, Mountain H, Karina D, Schofield L. A Retrospective Exploration of the Impact of the ‘Angelina Jolie Effect’ on the Single State-Wide Familial Cancer Program in Perth, Western Australia. J Genet Couns 2016; 26:52-62. [DOI: 10.1007/s10897-016-9982-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2015] [Accepted: 05/24/2016] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
|
19
|
Du L, Rachul C, Guo Z, Caulfield T. Gordie Howe's "Miraculous Treatment": Case Study of Twitter Users' Reactions to a Sport Celebrity's Stem Cell Treatment. JMIR Public Health Surveill 2016; 2:e8. [PMID: 27227162 PMCID: PMC4869214 DOI: 10.2196/publichealth.5264] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2015] [Revised: 12/20/2015] [Accepted: 01/04/2016] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Former Detroit Red Wing Gordie Howe received stem cell (SC) treatment in Mexico in December 2014 for a stroke he suffered in October 2014. The news about his positive response to the SC treatment prompted discussion on social networks like Twitter. Objective This study aims to provide information about discussions that took place on Twitter regarding Howe’s SC treatment and SC treatment in general. In particular, this study examines whether tweets portrayed a positive or negative attitude towards Howe’s SC treatment, whether or not tweets mention that the treatment is unproven, and whether the tweets mention risks associated with the SC treatment. Methods This is an infodemiology study, harnessing big data published on the Internet for public health research and analysis of public engagement. A corpus of 2783 tweets about Howe’s SC treatment was compiled using a program that collected English-language tweets from December 19, 2014 at 00:00 to February 7, 2015 at 00:00. A content analysis of the corpus was conducted using a coding framework developed through a two-stage process. Results 78.87% (2195/2783) of tweets mentioned improvements to Howe’s health. Only one tweet explicitly mentioned that Howe’s SC treatment was unproven, and 3 tweets warned that direct-to-consumer SC treatments lacked scientific evidence. In addition, 10.31% (287/2783) of tweets mentioned challenges with SC treatment that have been raised by scientists and researchers, and 3.70% (103/2783) of tweets either defined Howe as a “stem cell tourist” or claimed that his treatment was part of “stem cell tourism”. In general, 71.79% (1998/2783) of tweets portrayed a positive attitude towards Howe’s SC treatment. Conclusions Our study found the responses to Howe’s treatment on Twitter to be overwhelmingly positive. There was far less attention paid to the lack of scientific evidence regarding the efficacy of the treatment. Unbalanced and uncritical discussion on Twitter regarding SC treatments is another example of inaccurate representations of SC treatments that may create unrealistic expectations that will facilitate the market for unproven stem cell therapies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Li Du
- Health Law Institute Faculty of Law University of Alberta Edmonton, AB Canada
| | - Christen Rachul
- School of Linguistics and Language Studies Carleton University Ottawa, ON Canada
| | - Zhaochen Guo
- Department of Computing Science University of Alberta Edmonton, AB Canada
| | - Timothy Caulfield
- Health Law Institute, Law Centre, University of Alberta Edmonton, AB Canada
| |
Collapse
|
20
|
Dodd RH, Marlow LAV, Forster AS, Waller J. Print and online newspaper coverage of the link between HPV and oral cancer in the UK: a mixed-methods study. BMJ Open 2016; 6:e008740. [PMID: 26920439 PMCID: PMC4769401 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2015-008740] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2015] [Revised: 12/17/2015] [Accepted: 02/09/2016] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES The role of human papillomavirus (HPV) in some oral cancers has been reported in the news press, though little is known about the content of these articles. This study aimed to examine how frequently the link between HPV and oral cancer has been reported in the news press and to examine the content of these articles. DESIGN UK media articles were searched for articles relating to oral cancer and HPV in the database NexisUK. Of 854 articles identified by the initial search, 112 were eligible for inclusion (2002-2014) and content analysis was used to determine the main themes discussed. RESULTS Themes included actor Michael Douglas' claim that his throat cancer was caused by HPV, the riskiness of oral sex, health information (including HPV as a cause of oral cancer) and the need to vaccinate boys against HPV. Many articles also referred to the link between HPV and cervical cancer and the increasing incidence of HPV-related oral cancer. The largest peak in articles occurred when Michael Douglas discussed his cancer (June 2013). Facts about HPV and references to research were provided in some articles. CONCLUSIONS The link between HPV and oral cancer and the transmission of HPV via oral sex was regularly discussed, yet coverage often lacked detailed health information. This could increase awareness of the link between oral sex and HPV risk, but may also lead to public concern about oral sex as a sexual behaviour.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Rachael H Dodd
- Department of Epidemiology & Public Health, Cancer Research UK Health Behaviour Research Centre, UCL, London, UK
| | - Laura A V Marlow
- Department of Epidemiology & Public Health, Cancer Research UK Health Behaviour Research Centre, UCL, London, UK
| | - Alice S Forster
- Department of Epidemiology & Public Health, Cancer Research UK Health Behaviour Research Centre, UCL, London, UK
| | - Jo Waller
- Department of Epidemiology & Public Health, Cancer Research UK Health Behaviour Research Centre, UCL, London, UK
| |
Collapse
|
21
|
Why do people google movement disorders? An infodemiological study of information seeking behaviors. Neurol Sci 2016; 37:781-7. [DOI: 10.1007/s10072-016-2501-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2015] [Accepted: 01/28/2016] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
|
22
|
Dean M. Celebrity Health Announcements and Online Health Information Seeking: An Analysis of Angelina Jolie's Preventative Health Decision. HEALTH COMMUNICATION 2015; 31:752-761. [PMID: 26574936 DOI: 10.1080/10410236.2014.995866] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
On May 14, 2013, Angelina Jolie disclosed she carries BRCA1, which means she has an 87% risk of developing breast cancer during her lifetime. Jolie decided to undergo a preventative bilateral mastectomy (PBM), reducing her risk to 5%. The purpose of this study was to analyze the type of information individuals are exposed to when using the Internet to search health information regarding Jolie's decision. Qualitative content analysis revealed four main themes--information about genetics, information about a PBM, information about health care, and information about Jolie's gender identity. Broadly, the identified websites mention Jolie's high risk for developing cancer due to the genetic mutation BRCA1, describe a PBM occasionally noting reasons why she had this surgery and providing alternatives to the surgery, discuss issues related to health care services, costs, and insurances about Jolie's health decision, and portray Jolie as a sexual icon, a partner to Brad Pitt, a mother of six children, and an inspirational humanitarian. The websites also depict Jolie's health decision in positive, negative, and/or both ways. Discussion centers on how this actress' health decision impacts the public.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Marleah Dean
- a Department of Communication , University of South Florida
| |
Collapse
|
23
|
Abedi V, Mbaye M, Tsivgoulis G, Male S, Goyal N, Alexandrov AV, Zand R. Internet-based information-seeking behavior for transient ischemic attack. Int J Stroke 2015; 10:1212-6. [PMID: 26282685 DOI: 10.1111/ijs.12593] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/25/2014] [Accepted: 05/24/2015] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND In recent years, Internet became an increasingly important tool for accessing health information and is being used more frequently to promote public health. AIMS AND/OR HYPOTHESIS To use Google search data to explore information seeking behavior for transient ischemic attack. METHODS We selected two groups of keywords related to transient ischemic attack: 'Transient Ischemic Attack' and 'Mini Stroke'. We obtained all available online search data performed in the United States from the Google search engine for a 10-year span--January 2004 to December 2013. The monthly and daily search data for the selected keywords were analyzed--using moving average--to explore the trends, peaks, and declining effects. RESULTS There were three significant concurrent peaks in the Google search data for the selected keywords. Each peak was directly associated with media coverage and news headlines related to the incident of transient ischemic attack in a public figure. Following each event, it took three- to seven-days for the search trend to return to its respective average value. Furthermore, the trend was steady for 'Transient Ischemic Attack'; however, the search interest for the keyword 'Mini Stroke' shows a steady increase. The overall search interest for the selected keywords was significantly higher in the southeastern United States. CONCLUSIONS Our study shows that changes in online search behavior can be associated with media coverage of key events (in our case transient ischemic attack) in public figures. These findings suggest that multimedia health promotion campaigns might be more effective, if increased promptly after similar media coverage.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Vida Abedi
- Virginia Bioinformatics Institute, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA, USA
| | - Marieme Mbaye
- Department of Neurology, University of Tennessee Health Sciences Center, Memphis, TN, USA
| | - Georgios Tsivgoulis
- Department of Neurology, University of Tennessee Health Sciences Center, Memphis, TN, USA.,Second Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Shailesh Male
- Department of Neurology, University of Tennessee Health Sciences Center, Memphis, TN, USA
| | - Nitin Goyal
- Department of Neurology, University of Tennessee Health Sciences Center, Memphis, TN, USA
| | - Andrei V Alexandrov
- Department of Neurology, University of Tennessee Health Sciences Center, Memphis, TN, USA
| | - Ramin Zand
- Department of Neurology, University of Tennessee Health Sciences Center, Memphis, TN, USA
| |
Collapse
|
24
|
Carroll B, Freeman B. 'The secret shame': a content analysis of online news reporting of a celebrity admitting smoking while pregnant. Health Promot J Austr 2015; 26:4-9. [PMID: 25774973 DOI: 10.1071/he14069] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2014] [Accepted: 12/02/2014] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
ISSUE ADDRESSED Around one in 10 Australian women report that they smoke while pregnant, and this may be a significant underestimation. In 2013, Australian celebrity Chrissie Swan announced publicly that she had been smoking during her pregnancy, generating substantial media coverage. This study sought to identify the main themes in the reporting of the 'Swan pregnant and admitting smoking' story by online news media. METHODS Between 6 February 2013 and 18 February 2013 inclusively, a content analysis was conducted of Australian online news items using the keywords: 'Chrissie Swan smoking', and 'Chrissie Swan pregnant and smoking'. News items were coded for nine themes. RESULTS A total of 124 items were identified. The most frequent themes were: 'celebrity story' (90.32%) and 'societal judgement of pregnant smokers' (69.35%). Less than one-half (45.97%) of the news items included 'quitting is hard' content and only 29.03% of the news items included 'smoking and health' content. Specific quit-referral content was found in only 13.71% of the news items. CONCLUSIONS There was a missed opportunity to promote positive, non-judgemental smoking and pregnancy messages and health information that support pregnant women to quit smoking. SO WHAT?: Health promotion strategies are needed to build capacity in advocacy to promote positive health messages and counter societal judgement of pregnant smokers. Formative research into the use of celebrities and other influential women to promote positive empowering messages should be carried out and incorporated in future health promotion campaigns to improve pregnant women's ability to quit smoking.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Beverley Carroll
- School of Public Health, Sydney Medical School, University of Sydney, c/o 226a, Edward Ford Building (A27), University of Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia
| | - Becky Freeman
- School of Public Health, Sydney Medical School, University of Sydney, c/o 226a, Edward Ford Building (A27), University of Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
25
|
Eylert MF, Bahl A, Hounsome L, Verne J, Jefferies ER, Persad RA. The impact of socio-economic deprivation on incidence, treatment and mortality from prostate cancer in England, 1990–2010. JOURNAL OF CLINICAL UROLOGY 2015. [DOI: 10.1177/2051415815594976] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Objective: To explore any association between socio-economic deprivation and prostate cancer diagnosis and/or treatment. Patients and methods: Data was extracted as follows: We gained the incident cases and staging from the National Cancer Data Repository, survival from the Cancer Information System, mortality from the Office for National Statistics, treatment data from Hospital Episode Statistics and National Clinical Analysis and Specialised Applications Team. Our analysis regarding socio-economic deprivation was controlled for age distribution. Results: We recorded 518,453 diagnoses of prostate cancer; 174,579 prostate cancer deaths; 33,889 prostatectomies and 21,351 radiotherapy treatments. Incidence is increasing in all groups, but the highest is amongst the least deprived. Mortality is decreasing, with survival consistently better in the least deprived. Prostatectomies are more frequent in the least deprived; however, this gap is narrowing. Conclusions: Prostate cancer incidence, survival and treatment are associated with socio-economic deprivation. Prostatectomy rates show a decrease in the gap of inequality. Multiple potential confounding factors, such as rates of prostate specific antigen (PSA) testing and access to health care are associated with socio-economic deprivation. The unifying influences of Improving Outcomes Guidance and the National Treatment Guidelines are intended to counteract the above inequalities. Particularly in prostate cancer, where long-term gain depends on multiple factors, individualised treatment decisions are paramount.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- MF Eylert
- Department of Urology, University Hospital of Wales, Cardiff, Wales, UK
| | - A Bahl
- Department of Oncology, Bristol Haematology and Oncology Centre, Bristol, UK
| | - L Hounsome
- Knowledge and Intelligence Team, Public Health England, Bristol, UK
| | - J Verne
- Knowledge and Intelligence Team, Public Health England, Bristol, UK
| | - ER Jefferies
- Department of Urology, Southmead Hospital, Bristol, UK
| | - RA Persad
- Department of Urology, Southmead Hospital, Bristol, UK
| |
Collapse
|
26
|
Noar SM, Althouse BM, Ayers JW, Francis DB, Ribisl KM. Cancer information seeking in the digital age: effects of Angelina Jolie's prophylactic mastectomy announcement. Med Decis Making 2014; 35:16-21. [PMID: 25349187 DOI: 10.1177/0272989x14556130] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE . This study used digital surveillance to examine the impact of Angelina Jolie's prophylactic mastectomy announcement on cancer information seeking. METHODS . We analyzed 4 categories of breast cancer-related Internet search queries from 2010 to 2013 in the United States. RESULTS . Compared with the preceding 6 weeks, general information queries were 112% (95% confidence interval [CI], 79-146) higher the day of the announcement and remained 35% (95% CI, 22-49) higher over the week after the editorial. Risk assessment queries were 165% (95% CI, 110-222) higher the day of the announcement and 52% (95% CI, 31-75) higher across the week. Genetics and treatment queries showed little volume before the announcement but increased 2154% (95% CI, 1550-7076) and 9900% (95% CI, 3196-1,064,000) the day of, respectively, and remained higher across the week (812% [95% CI, 402-3913] and 2625% [95% CI, 551-317,000]). All query categories returned to normal volumes by the beginning of the second week. CONCLUSION . Jolie's unique announcement spurred significant information seeking about breast cancer genetic testing and treatment procedures, although the surge in queries returned to preannouncement levels after 1 week. Future research should apply digital methods to advance our understanding of cancer information seeking in the digital age.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Seth M Noar
- School of Journalism and Mass Communication, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill (SMN, DBF),Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill (SMN, KMR)
| | | | - John W Ayers
- Graduate School of Public Health, San Diego State University, San Diego, California (JWA)
| | - Diane B Francis
- School of Journalism and Mass Communication, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill (SMN, DBF)
| | - Kurt M Ribisl
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill (SMN, KMR),Department of Health Behavior, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill (KMR)
| |
Collapse
|
27
|
Juthe RH, Zaharchuk A, Wang C. Celebrity disclosures and information seeking: the case of Angelina Jolie. Genet Med 2014; 17:545-53. [PMID: 25341112 PMCID: PMC4408206 DOI: 10.1038/gim.2014.141] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2014] [Accepted: 09/02/2014] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Purpose On May 14, 2013, actress Angelina Jolie disclosed that she had a BRCA1 mutation and underwent a prophylactic bilateral mastectomy. This study documents the impact of her disclosure on information-seeking behavior, specifically regarding online genetics and risk reduction resources available from the National Cancer Institute (NCI). Methods Using Adobe Analytics, daily page views for 11 resources were tracked from April 23, 2013 through June 25, 2013. Usage data were also obtained for four resources over a 2-year period (2012–2013). Source of referral by which viewers located a specific resource was also examined. Results There was a dramatic and immediate increase in traffic to NCI’s online resources. The Preventive Mastectomy fact sheet received 69,225 page views on May 14, representing a 795-fold increase compared with the previous Tuesday. A fivefold increase in page views was observed for the PDQ®Genetics of Breast and Ovarian Cancer summary in the same timeframe. A substantial increase from 0% to 49% was seen in referrals from news outlets to four resources from May 7 to May 14. Conclusion Celebrity disclosures can dramatically influence online information-seeking behaviors. Efforts to capitalize on these disclosures to ensure easy access to accurate information are warranted.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Robin H Juthe
- Office of Communications and Education, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | | | - Catharine Wang
- Department of Community Health Sciences, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| |
Collapse
|
28
|
Nuti SV, Wayda B, Ranasinghe I, Wang S, Dreyer RP, Chen SI, Murugiah K. The use of google trends in health care research: a systematic review. PLoS One 2014; 9:e109583. [PMID: 25337815 PMCID: PMC4215636 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0109583] [Citation(s) in RCA: 522] [Impact Index Per Article: 52.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2014] [Accepted: 09/03/2014] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Google Trends is a novel, freely accessible tool that allows users to interact with Internet search data, which may provide deep insights into population behavior and health-related phenomena. However, there is limited knowledge about its potential uses and limitations. We therefore systematically reviewed health care literature using Google Trends to classify articles by topic and study aim; evaluate the methodology and validation of the tool; and address limitations for its use in research. METHODS AND FINDINGS PRISMA guidelines were followed. Two independent reviewers systematically identified studies utilizing Google Trends for health care research from MEDLINE and PubMed. Seventy studies met our inclusion criteria. Google Trends publications increased seven-fold from 2009 to 2013. Studies were classified into four topic domains: infectious disease (27% of articles), mental health and substance use (24%), other non-communicable diseases (16%), and general population behavior (33%). By use, 27% of articles utilized Google Trends for casual inference, 39% for description, and 34% for surveillance. Among surveillance studies, 92% were validated against a reference standard data source, and 80% of studies using correlation had a correlation statistic ≥0.70. Overall, 67% of articles provided a rationale for their search input. However, only 7% of articles were reproducible based on complete documentation of search strategy. We present a checklist to facilitate appropriate methodological documentation for future studies. A limitation of the study is the challenge of classifying heterogeneous studies utilizing a novel data source. CONCLUSION Google Trends is being used to study health phenomena in a variety of topic domains in myriad ways. However, poor documentation of methods precludes the reproducibility of the findings. Such documentation would enable other researchers to determine the consistency of results provided by Google Trends for a well-specified query over time. Furthermore, greater transparency can improve its reliability as a research tool.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sudhakar V. Nuti
- Center for Outcomes Research and Evaluation, Yale-New Haven Hospital, New Haven, Connecticut, United States of America
| | - Brian Wayda
- Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, United States of America
| | - Isuru Ranasinghe
- Center for Outcomes Research and Evaluation, Yale-New Haven Hospital, New Haven, Connecticut, United States of America
| | - Sisi Wang
- Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, Connecticut, United States of America
| | - Rachel P. Dreyer
- Center for Outcomes Research and Evaluation, Yale-New Haven Hospital, New Haven, Connecticut, United States of America
| | - Serene I. Chen
- Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, United States of America
| | - Karthik Murugiah
- Center for Outcomes Research and Evaluation, Yale-New Haven Hospital, New Haven, Connecticut, United States of America
| |
Collapse
|
29
|
Brigo F. Impact of news of celebrity illness on online search behavior: the 'Robin Williams' phenomenon'. J Public Health (Oxf) 2014; 37:555-6. [PMID: 25320073 DOI: 10.1093/pubmed/fdu083] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Francesco Brigo
- Department of Neurological and Movement Sciences, Section of Clinical Neurology, University of Verona, Piazzale L.A. Scuro, 10, Verona 37134, Italy Department of Neurology, Franz Tappeiner Hospital, Merano, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
30
|
Abstract
The article by Korfage and colleagues in this issue of Breast Cancer Research highlights the importance of enabling women to make informed choices about breast cancer chemoprevention. Decision aids have the potential to improve knowledge and decision-making in this context, but they do not guarantee increased uptake of chemoprevention amongst high-risk women if this option is inconsistent with women’s values. Important avenues for further research in this area include evaluating: decision aids with explicit values clarification exercises and with comparison between chemoprevention and nonpharmacological options to reduce breast cancer risk, the influence of mediating factors such as anxiety and risk perception, and the role of clinicians and family members in decision-making.
Collapse
|
31
|
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To determine whether recent newspaper coverage of the four most common cancer types relates to their relative burden and national awareness months, and to identify the subject focus during high-coverage periods. DESIGN Content analysis using the Nexis newspaper article database. SETTING UK 2011-2012. OUTCOME MEASURES Annual number and ranking, monthly proportions and subject of articles on breast, lung, bowel and prostate cancers. RESULTS 9178 articles were identified during 2011 and 2012 featuring breast (4237), prostate (1757), lung (1746) and bowel (1438) cancer. Peaks in monthly proportions above the 99% upper confidence limit were identified for each. Breast cancer had the highest coverage of 12% and 17% during its awareness month. Smaller peaks (11%) were identified during Bowel Cancer Awareness month. Prostate cancer received high coverage in relation to the case of the man convicted of the Lockerbie bombing who had been diagnosed with the cancer, and lung cancer in relation to the deaths of celebrities. Breast cancer was covered most often overall and by newspaper category while the lower coverage of other cancer types did not consistently mirror the relative number of new cases each year. The peaks by newspaper category were similar to the overall coverage with few exceptions. CONCLUSIONS UK newspaper coverage of common cancer types other than of the breast appears under-represented relative to their population burden. Coverage of breast cancer and bowel cancer appears to be influenced by their awareness months, while that of prostate cancer and lung cancer is influenced by other media stories. Health-promoting public bodies and campaigners could learn from the success of Breast Cancer Awareness Month and work more closely with journalists to ensure that the relevant messages reach wider audiences.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Julie Konfortion
- Public Health England, Knowledge and Intelligence Team (London), London, UK
- King's College London, Cancer Epidemiology and Population Health, London, UK
| | - Ruth H Jack
- Public Health England, Knowledge and Intelligence Team (London), London, UK
- King's College London, Cancer Epidemiology and Population Health, London, UK
| | - Elizabeth A Davies
- Public Health England, Knowledge and Intelligence Team (London), London, UK
- King's College London, Cancer Epidemiology and Population Health, London, UK
| |
Collapse
|
32
|
Elstad EA, Sheridan SL, Lee JGL, Rini C, Earp JA, Brewer NT. Have screening harms become newsworthy? News coverage of prostate and colorectal cancer screening since the 2008 USPSTF recommendation changes. J Behav Med 2014; 37:1242-51. [DOI: 10.1007/s10865-014-9572-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2013] [Accepted: 05/14/2014] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
|
33
|
Myrick JG, Noar SM, Willoughby JF, Brown J. Public reaction to the death of Steve Jobs: implications for cancer communication. JOURNAL OF HEALTH COMMUNICATION 2014; 19:1278-1295. [PMID: 24716627 DOI: 10.1080/10810730.2013.872729] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
The present study aimed to examine the public reaction to the death of Steve Jobs, focusing on general and cancer-specific information seeking and interpersonal communication. Shortly after Jobs's death, employees from a large university in the Southeastern United States (N = 1,398) completed a web-based survey. Every employee had heard about Steve Jobs's death, and 97% correctly identified pancreatic cancer as the cause of his death. General (50%) and pancreatic cancer-specific (7%) information seeking, as well as general (74%) and pancreatic cancer-specific (17%) interpersonal communication, took place in response to Steve Jobs's death. In multivariate logistic regression analyses controlling for demographics and several cancer-oriented variables, both identification with Steve Jobs and cancer worry in response to Steve Jobs's death significantly (p < .05) predicted pancreatic cancer information seeking as well as interpersonal communication about pancreatic cancer. Additional analyses revealed that cancer worry partially mediated the effects of identification on these outcome variables. Implications of these results for future research as well as cancer prevention and communication efforts are discussed.
Collapse
|
34
|
Brigo F, Lochner P, Tezzon F, Nardone R. Web search behavior for multiple sclerosis: An infodemiological study. Mult Scler Relat Disord 2014; 3:440-3. [PMID: 25877054 DOI: 10.1016/j.msard.2014.02.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2014] [Revised: 01/24/2014] [Accepted: 02/18/2014] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Millions of people worldwide use the Internet daily as a source of health information. Google is the most popular search engine and is used by patients and physicians to search for online health-related information. This study aimed to evaluate changes in Web search behavior occurring in English-speaking countries over time for the term "multiple sclerosis" (MS). METHODS Using Google Trends, data on global search queries for the term "multiple sclerosis" between January 2004 and December 2013 were analyzed. RESULTS Over time there was a reduction in tendency to search for the term "multiple sclerosis". Most terms associated with the search queries for MS were related to causes and symptoms (including pain) of the disease, and most peaks in search volume over the period studied corresponded to news of celebrities having MS. CONCLUSIONS Most people appear to use search engines to look for MS to obtain information on symptoms, possibly to aid initial self-diagnosis. News on celebrities with MS seem to be a major factor that influences online search behavior.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Francesco Brigo
- Department of Neurological and Movement Sciences, Section of Clinical Neurology, University of Verona, Piazzale L.A. Scuro, 10, 37134 Verona, Italy; Department of Neurology, Franz Tappeiner Hospital, Merano, Italy.
| | | | - Frediano Tezzon
- Department of Neurology, Franz Tappeiner Hospital, Merano, Italy
| | - Raffaele Nardone
- Department of Neurology, Franz Tappeiner Hospital, Merano, Italy; Department of Neurology, Christian Doppler Clinic, Paracelsus Medical University, Salzburg, Austria
| |
Collapse
|
35
|
Brigo F, Igwe SC, Ausserer H, Nardone R, Tezzon F, Bongiovanni LG, Trinka E. Why do people Google epilepsy? An infodemiological study of online behavior for epilepsy-related search terms. Epilepsy Behav 2014; 31:67-70. [PMID: 24361764 DOI: 10.1016/j.yebeh.2013.11.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2013] [Revised: 11/12/2013] [Accepted: 11/16/2013] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Millions of people worldwide use the Internet daily as a source of health information. Google is the most popular search engine and is used by patients and physicians to search for online health-related information. This study aimed to evaluate changes in web search behavior occurring in English-speaking countries over time for terms related to epilepsy and epileptic seizures. Using Google Trends, data on global search queries for the terms "epilepsy", "seizure", and "seizures" between January 2004 and September 2013 were analyzed. The reduction over time in search queries for the term "epilepsy" (and, to a lesser extent, "seizures") was counterbalanced by an increased trend in searches for the term "seizure". Most terms associated with the search queries were related to symptoms of seizures, especially tonic-clonic seizures, and to seizures occurring in children. Three peaks in search volume over the period studied corresponded to news of celebrities having seizures. The volume of searches for the term "epilepsy SUDEP" was found to be enormously increased over time. Most people appear to use search engines to look for terms related to epilepsy to obtain information on seizure symptoms, possibly to aid initial self-diagnosis. Fears and worries about epileptic seizures and news on celebrities with epilepsy seem to be major factors that influence online search behavior.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Francesco Brigo
- Department of Neurological and Movement Sciences, Section of Clinical Neurology, University of Verona, Italy; Department of Neurology, Franz Tappeiner Hospital, Merano, Italy.
| | - Stanley C Igwe
- Department of Neuro-Psychiatry, Federal Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki, Ebonyi State, Nigeria
| | - Harald Ausserer
- Department of Neurology, Franz Tappeiner Hospital, Merano, Italy
| | - Raffaele Nardone
- Department of Neurology, Franz Tappeiner Hospital, Merano, Italy; Department of Neurology, Christian Doppler Clinic, Paracelsus Medical University, Salzburg, Austria
| | - Frediano Tezzon
- Department of Neurology, Franz Tappeiner Hospital, Merano, Italy
| | - Luigi Giuseppe Bongiovanni
- Department of Neurological and Movement Sciences, Section of Clinical Neurology, University of Verona, Italy
| | - Eugen Trinka
- Department of Neurology, Christian Doppler Clinic, Paracelsus Medical University, Salzburg, Austria
| |
Collapse
|
36
|
Do celebrity cancer diagnoses promote primary cancer prevention? Prev Med 2014; 58:81-4. [PMID: 24252489 DOI: 10.1016/j.ypmed.2013.11.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2013] [Revised: 11/03/2013] [Accepted: 11/08/2013] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Celebrity cancer diagnoses generate considerable media coverage of and increase interest in cancer screening, but do they also promote primary cancer prevention? METHODS Daily trends for smoking cessation-related media (information-availability) and Google queries (information-seeking) around Brazilian President and smoker Lula da Silva's laryngeal cancer diagnosis announcements were compared to a typical period and several cessation awareness events. RESULTS Cessation media coverage was 163% (95% confidence interval, 54-328) higher than expected the week after the announcement but returned to typical levels the second week. Cessation queries were 67% (95% confidence interval, 40-96) greater the week after Lula's announcement, remaining 153% (95% confidence interval, 121-188), 130% (95% confidence interval, 101-163) and 71% (95% confidence interval, 43-100) greater during the second, third, and fourth week after the announcement. There were 1.1 million excess cessation queries the month after Lula's announcement, eclipsing query volumes for the week around New Years Day, World No Tobacco Day, and Brazilian National No Smoking Day. CONCLUSION Just as celebrity diagnoses promote cancer screening, they may also promote primary prevention. Discovery of this dynamic suggests the public should be further encouraged to consider primary (in addition to the usual secondary) cancer prevention around celebrity diagnoses, though more cases, cancers, and prevention behaviors must be explored.
Collapse
|
37
|
Know Your Market: Use of Online Query Tools to Quantify Trends in Patient Information-seeking Behavior for Varicose Vein Treatment. J Vasc Interv Radiol 2014; 25:53-7. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jvir.2013.09.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2013] [Revised: 09/12/2013] [Accepted: 09/13/2013] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
|
38
|
Noar SM, Ribisl KM, Althouse BM, Willoughby JF, Ayers JW. Using Digital Surveillance to Examine the Impact of Public Figure Pancreatic Cancer Announcements on Media and Search Query Outcomes. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2013; 2013:188-94. [DOI: 10.1093/jncimonographs/lgt017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
|
39
|
Burnett E, Johnston B, Corlett J, Kearney N. Constructing identities in the media: newspaper coverage analysis of a major UK Clostridium difficile outbreak. J Adv Nurs 2013; 70:1542-52. [PMID: 24224760 DOI: 10.1111/jan.12305] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 10/12/2013] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
AIM To examine how a major Clostridium difficile outbreak in the UK was represented in the media. BACKGROUND Clostridium difficile is a serious health care-associated infection with significant global prevalence. As major outbreaks have continued to occur worldwide over the last few decades, it has also resulted in increasing media coverage. Newspaper journalists are, however, frequently criticized for sensationalized and inaccurate reporting and alarming the public. Despite such criticisms, nothing is known about how the media frame Clostridium difficile related coverage. DESIGN Qualitative interpretive descriptive study. METHOD An interpretive analysis of newspaper articles from the national press that reported about the outbreak from the first day of coverage over 3 weeks (12 June-3 July 2008). FINDINGS Twenty-eight newspaper articles were included in the study from tabloids, broadsheets, a regional and a Sunday newspaper. Monster and war metaphors were frequently adopted to portray the severity of Clostridium difficile and the impact it can have on patient safety. In addition, the positioning of the affected patients, their families, healthcare professionals and the Government produced representations of victims, villains and heroes. This subsequently evoked notions of vulnerability, blame and conflict. CONCLUSION The media are and will remain critical convectors of public information and, as such, are hugely influential in risk perceptions and responses. Rather than simply dismissing media coverage, further understanding around how such stories in specific contexts are constructed and represented is needed so that it can help inform future communication and management strategies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Emma Burnett
- School of Nursing and Midwifery, University of Dundee, UK
| | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
40
|
Taylor-Phillips S, O'Sullivan E, Kearins O, Parsons H, Clarke A. The effects of a UK review of Breast Cancer Screening on Uptake: an observational before/after study. J Med Screen 2013; 20:86-90. [PMID: 24009089 PMCID: PMC3807969 DOI: 10.1177/0969141313497198] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES To measure whether uptake of breast cancer screening was affected by the publication of the Marmot Review and associated press coverage. SETTING Eight NHS breast screening centres in the West Midlands of the UK. METHODS Uptake of breast cancer screening invitations was compared in the week before and after the Marmot review publication. All 12,023 women invited for screening between 23 October 2012 and 5 November 2012 were included. A mixed effects model of the predictors of screening uptake (on date invited, or within 21 days) was created. Predictors considered for inclusion were whether the allocated screening appointment was before or after publication of the review, population factors (age, index of multiple deprivation income domain by quintile, previous attendance), and interaction terms. RESULTS Uptake decreased after publication of the review from 65% to 62% (OR = 0.87 95%CI = 0.80-0.94), but a similar decrease was seen for the same dates on the previous year (OR = 0.85 95%CI = 0.78-0.93). Odds of attending screening were lower for women in the most deprived (uptake = 49%, OR = 0.54, 95%CI = 0.46-0.62) in comparison with the least deprived quintile (uptake = 71%). Odds of attendance also increased if the woman had ever previously attended (OR 3.9 95% CI 3.5-4.4), and decreased with each year of increasing age (OR 0.96 95% CI 0.96-0.97). There were no interactions between any of the other predictors and whether the appointment was before or after publication of the Marmot review. CONCLUSION No change in uptake of breast cancer screening above normal seasonal variation was detected after publication of the Marmot review.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sian Taylor-Phillips
- NIHR postdoctoral research fellow, Warwick Medical School, The University of Warwick, Coventry, CV4 7AL
| | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
41
|
Noar SM, Willoughby JF, Myrick JG, Brown J. Public figure announcements about cancer and opportunities for cancer communication: a review and research agenda. HEALTH COMMUNICATION 2013; 29:445-461. [PMID: 23845155 DOI: 10.1080/10410236.2013.764781] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
Announcements by public figures and celebrities about cancer diagnosis or death represent significant events in public life. But what are the substantive effects of such events, if any? The purpose of this article is to systematically review studies that examined the impact of public figure cancer announcements on cancer-oriented outcomes. Using comprehensive search procedures, we identified k = 19 studies that examined 11 distinct public figures. The most commonly studied public figures were Jade Goody, Kylie Minogue, Nancy Reagan, and Steve Jobs, with the most common cancers studied being breast (53%), cervical (21%), and pancreatic (21%) cancer. Most studies assessed multiple outcome variables, including behavioral outcomes (k = 15), media coverage (k = 10), information seeking (k = 8), cancer incidence (k = 3), and interpersonal communication (k = 2). Results fairly consistently indicated that cancer announcements from public figures had meaningful effects on many, if not most, of these outcome variables. While such events essentially act as naturally occurring interventions, the effects tend to be relatively short term. Gaps in this literature include few contemporary studies of high-profile public figures in the United States and a general lack of theory-based research. Directions for future research as well as implications for cancer communication and prevention are discussed.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Seth M Noar
- a School of Journalism and Mass Communication , University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
| | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
42
|
Jones RB, Soler-Lopez M, Zahra D, Shankleman J, Trenchard-Mabere E. Using online adverts to increase the uptake of cervical screening amongst "real Eastenders": an opportunistic controlled trial. BMC Res Notes 2013; 6:117. [PMID: 23531167 PMCID: PMC3621164 DOI: 10.1186/1756-0500-6-117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2012] [Accepted: 03/18/2013] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Cervical screening uptake has increased as a result of occurrences of cervical cancer in TV ‘soap operas’ and in real life celebrities such as Jade Goody. Media analysis at the time of Jade Goody’s death suggested the NHS did not take sufficient advantage of this opportunity to improve cervical screening rates. Google AdWords has been used to recruit and raise awareness of health but we were not aware of its use to supplement media events. Methods This was an opportunistic service evaluation to accompany a cervical cancer storyline in Eastenders (a TV ‘soap opera’). We ran an AdWords campaign based on keywords such as ‘Eastenders’, and ‘cervical cancer’ in a one mile radius in East London, linked to one webpage giving details of 10 practices and other links on cervical cancer. We recorded costs of adverts and setting up the webpage. We used routine statistics from Tower Hamlets, City and Hackney, and Newham Primary Care Trusts (PCTs) of the number of smears, eligible populations, and coverage by practice by month from September 2010 to January 2012 to compare the ten intervention practices with controls. Results Eight people per day in the target area viewed the project webpage. The cost of setting up the website and running Google AdWords was £1320 or £1.88 per person viewing the webpage. Unlike Jade Goody’s death, there was no major impact from the Eastenders’ storyline on Google searches for cervical cancer. There was considerable monthly variation in the number of smear tests in the 3 PCTs. The AdWords campaign may have had some effect on smear rates but this showed, at best, a marginal statistical difference. Assuming a ‘real’ effect, the intervention may have resulted in 110 ‘extra’ women being screened but there was no change in coverage. Conclusions Although the Eastenders storyline seemed to have no effect on interest in cervical cancer or screening, the AdWords campaign may have had some effect. Given the small scale exploratory nature of the study this was not statistically significant but the relatively modest cost of advertising suggests a larger study may be worthwhile. An outline of a possible study is described.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ray B Jones
- Faculty of Health, Plymouth University, 3 Portland Villas, Plymouth PL4 8AA, UK.
| | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
43
|
McCusker SM, Macqueen I, Lough G, Macdonald AI, Campbell C, Graham SV. Gaps in detailed knowledge of human papillomavirus (HPV) and the HPV vaccine among medical students in Scotland. BMC Public Health 2013; 13:264. [PMID: 23521847 PMCID: PMC3614879 DOI: 10.1186/1471-2458-13-264] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2012] [Accepted: 03/11/2013] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND A vaccination programme targeted against human papillomavirus (HPV) types 16 and 18 was introduced in the UK in 2008, with the aim of decreasing incidence of cervical disease. Vaccine roll out to 12-13 year old girls with a catch-up programme for girls aged up to 17 years and 364 days was accompanied by a very comprehensive public health information (PHI) campaign which described the role of HPV in the development of cervical cancer. METHODS A brief questionnaire, designed to assess acquisition of knowledge of HPV infection and its association to cervical cancer, was administered to two different cohorts of male and female 1st year medical students (school leavers: 83% in age range 17-20) at a UK university. The study was timed so that the first survey in 2008 immediately followed a summer's intensive PHI campaign and very shortly after vaccine roll-out (150 students). The second survey was exactly one year later over which time there was a sustained PHI campaign (213 students). RESULTS We addressed three research questions: knowledge about three specific details of HPV infection that could be acquired from PHI, whether length of the PHI campaign and/or vaccination of females had any bearing on HPV knowledge, and knowledge differences between men and women regarding HPV. No female student in the 2008 cohort had completed the three-dose vaccine schedule compared to 58.4% of female students in 2009. Overall, participants' knowledge regarding the sexually transmitted nature of HPV and its association with cervical cancer was high in both year groups. However, in both years, less than 50% of students correctly identified that HPV causes over 90% of cases of cervical cancer. Males gave fewer correct answers for these two details in 2009. In 2008 only around 50% of students recognised that the current vaccine protects against a limited subset of cervical cancer-causing HPV sub-types, although there was a significant increase in correct response among female students in the 2009 cohort compared to the 2008 cohort. CONCLUSIONS This study highlights a lack of understanding regarding the extent of protection against cervical cancer conferred by the HPV vaccine, even among an educated population in the UK who could have a vested interest in acquiring such knowledge. The intensive PHI campaign accompanying the first year of HPV vaccination seemed to have little effect on knowledge over time. This is one of the first studies to assess detailed knowledge of HPV in both males and females. There is scope for continued improvements to PHI regarding the link between HPV infection and cervical cancer.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sarah M McCusker
- MRC-University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research, Institute of Infection Immunity and Inflammation, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, Scotland, G12 8TT, UK
| | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
44
|
Marlow LAV, Sangha A, Patnick J, Waller J. The Jade Goody Effect: whose cervical screening decisions were influenced by her story? J Med Screen 2012; 19:184-8. [PMID: 23271834 DOI: 10.1258/jms.2012.012095] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES In 2009 more women attended cervical screening in England and Wales than in the previous year. Described as the 'Jade Goody Effect' this was attributed to the death from cervical cancer of a UK celebrity. The present study aimed to establish which sociodemographic characteristics were associated with being influenced by Jade Goody's story. METHODS Data were collected as part of a Taylor Nelson Sofres (TNS) omnibus survey using random location sampling. Women in England aged 26-64 years were asked to report whether they felt Jade Goody's story had influenced their decisions about cervical screening over the 18 months between her death and the time of the survey. RESULTS Data from 890 participants was included in analysis. Over a third of women felt Goody's story had influenced their decisions about cervical screening (40%). Younger women (aged 26-35 years) were more likely to have been influenced by Goody's story than older women (56-64 year olds). There was also evidence of socioeconomic variation with women from lower socioeconomic class groups and those with fewer educational qualifications more likely to say they had been influenced by Goody's story. CONCLUSIONS The 'Jade Goody Effect', as acknowledged by women themselves, was more pronounced among young women and influenced screening decisions more markedly among those from lower socioeconomic backgrounds. Narrative communication may be an effective way to encourage attendance at cervical cancer screening and reach groups of the population that are difficult to reach using traditional intervention methods.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Laura A V Marlow
- Health Behaviour Research Centre, Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, UCL, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, UK.
| | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
45
|
Whynes DK. Screening for colorectal cancer: how can we maximize uptake? COLORECTAL CANCER 2012. [DOI: 10.2217/crc.12.64] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
SUMMARY Screening for colorectal cancer is being introduced in a number of countries, yet uptake remains low. The rationalistic model of screening participation explains low uptake in terms of deficient knowledge and high cost. There is evidence to support this view and remedial actions produce anticipated effects up to a point. However, differential uptake among specific groups suggests that the individual decision to participate in screening is idiosyncratic, and understanding decisions requires interpretation in terms of message framing, reference points, the use of simplifying heuristics and affective or emotional reaction. As these aspects of decisions originate from fundamental personal characteristics, they may be difficult to combat. When decision determinants, such as fear and herding, are manipulated, consequences for uptake can be contradictory.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- David K Whynes
- School of Economics, University of Nottingham, Nottingham NG7 2RD, UK
| |
Collapse
|
46
|
Anderson L, O'Rorke M, Jamison J, Wilson R, Gavin A. Prevalence of human papillomavirus in women attending cervical screening in the UK and Ireland: New data from northern Ireland and a systematic review and meta-analysis. J Med Virol 2012; 85:295-308. [DOI: 10.1002/jmv.23459] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/28/2012] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
|
47
|
Lo S, Vart G, Snowball J, Halloran S, Wardle J, Von Wagner C. The impact of media coverage of the Flexible Sigmoidoscopy Trial on English colorectal screening uptake. J Med Screen 2012; 19:83-8. [DOI: 10.1258/jms.2012.012017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Objective To assess the impact of media coverage of the UK Flexible Sigmoidoscopy Trial on colorectal screening uptake in England. Setting In April 2010, publication of the UK Flexible Sigmoidoscopy (FS) Trial results generated considerable media interest in both FS and colorectal cancer (CRC) generally. Methods We used routinely collected data from the south of England (excluding London) to analyse return of faecal occult blood test (FOBt) kits within 28 days of the invitation (early uptake) among 60–69 year olds, before (T1, n = 31,229), around the time of (T2, n = 39,571), and one month after (T3, n = 33,430) the FS publicity. Results FOBt uptake over the whole period was 58.2%, with 38.4% of the kits returned within 28 days (early uptake). Across the three time periods, early uptake was 35.8% at T1, 39.4% at T2, and 39.7% at T3. Multivariate regression controlling for age, gender and socioeconomic status confirmed that uptake was higher if people received the FOBt kit around the time of the media coverage (T2: odds ratio [OR] = 1.17, 95% CI = 1.13–1.20), or one month after (T3: OR = 1.18, 95% CI = 1.15–1.22) than before (T1). Sub-group analyses demonstrated that the impact was stronger among previous non-responders than among first-time invitees or previous responders (P < 0.001). Conclusion Media coverage of the FS Trial appeared to have a small but positive impact on FOBt screening uptake, especially among people who had previously abstained from screening.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sh Lo
- Cancer Research UK Health Behaviour Research Centre, Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University College London
| | - G Vart
- Cancer Research UK Health Behaviour Research Centre, Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University College London
| | - J Snowball
- Bowel Cancer Screening Programme, Southern Hub, Royal Surrey County Hospital
| | - Sp Halloran
- Bowel Cancer Screening Programme, Southern Hub, University of Surrey and Royal Surrey County Hospital NHS Trust
| | - J Wardle
- Cancer Research UK Health Behaviour Research Centre, Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University College London
| | - C Von Wagner
- Cancer Research UK Health Behaviour Research Centre, Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University College London
| |
Collapse
|
48
|
Hearsum P. A musical matter of life and death: the morality of mortality and the coverage of Amy Winehouse's death in the UK press. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2012. [DOI: 10.1080/13576275.2012.674305] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
|
49
|
Macarthur GJ, Wright M, Beer H, Paranjothy S. Impact of media reporting of cervical cancer in a UK celebrity on a population-based cervical screening programme. J Med Screen 2011; 18:204-9. [DOI: 10.1258/jms.2011.011092] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Objectives To determine the impact of media reporting of cervical cancer in a UK celebrity on cervical screening uptake, response time and colposcopy referral and attendance. Setting Population-based national cervical screening programme for women in Wales, UK. Methods A time series regression analysis of the Welsh national cervical screening and colposcopy databases was used to examine the number of smear tests carried out between 2000 and 2010, stratified by age group and deprivation indicators. Logistic regression was used to analyse colposcopy attendance. Results Over 33,000 more cervical screening tests than expected were carried out in the year of media reporting (2008/9), 11,539 (35%) of which were in the month of Jade Goody's death. The largest increase was evident in women aged 35–39 years (475 additional tests per month, 95% CI 331–619). Impacts were similar across deprivation quintiles. Colposcopy referrals increased by 18% during the year of media reporting. Increases were observed for all smear test results in 2008/9, particularly among younger women, and further rises were evident in 2009/10 for smear tests showing borderline changes and mild dyskaryosis. The proportion of women attending colposcopy appointments rose in the year of media reporting (χ 2 = 45.8, P < 0.001). Conclusions Mass media reporting of cervical cancer in a UK celebrity was associated with a significant, but transient, increase in screening uptake and colposcopy referral and attendance. Mass media reporting can play a role in enhanced detection of abnormalities, but public health messages must be communicated effectively to minimize anxiety whilst maximizing case-finding and uptake among non-responders.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Melissa Wright
- Clinical Epidemiology Interdisciplinary Research Group, School of Medicine, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
| | - Helen Beer
- Screening Division, Public Health Wales NHS Trust, Cardiff, UK
| | - Shantini Paranjothy
- Clinical Epidemiology Interdisciplinary Research Group, School of Medicine, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK; Screening Division, Public Health Wales NHS Trust, Cardiff, UK
| |
Collapse
|