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Hartley S, Stelmach A, Opesen C, Openjuru GL, Neema S. Talking About Gene Drive in Uganda: The Need for Science Communication to Underpin Engagement. SCIENCE COMMUNICATION 2024; 46:431-457. [PMID: 39100392 PMCID: PMC11293996 DOI: 10.1177/10755470241234048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/06/2024]
Abstract
Uganda may host the world's first field trials of gene drive mosquitoes for malaria control. Global North discourses pre-suppose African publics have access to information about gene drive and are ready to make decisions about its governance. We explore assumptions about the availability of this information in Uganda. We find a paucity of information available combined with a strong desire for information from lay publics. We discuss these findings in the context of Ugandan information infrastructures and political sensitivities to genetic technologies. If Ugandans are to decide about gene drive, they need independent information about the science to underpin engagement.
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Chavez-Yenter D, Holton A, Vega AS, Zamora G, Kaphingst KA. Ciencia, Genética, y ¿Desinformación?: A content analysis of genetic testing coverage from US Spanish-language news media. J Genet Couns 2024; 33:445-454. [PMID: 37421231 DOI: 10.1002/jgc4.1747] [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: 01/20/2023] [Revised: 06/12/2023] [Accepted: 06/25/2023] [Indexed: 07/10/2023]
Abstract
Genetic testing (GT) has become ubiquitous in the United States, either in clinical or direct-to-consumer markets. White and English-speaking populations have primarily benefited from this new technology, leaving other groups, like Hispanic populations, behind. Explanations for this disparity has cited a lack of awareness and knowledge of genetic testing purposes. Science communication from English-language media play an important role in setting initial attitudes and influencing decision-making for audiences. However, Spanish-language media have virtually no research published on documented potential effects for GT utilization despite the continued growth of Hispanic Spanish-speaking groups in the United States. Thus, this study characterized coverage of GT from two of the most prominent US Spanish-language media outlets, Telemundo and Univision. Over a 12-year time period, we identified 235 written articles of GT, mainly focusing on forensics applications, followed by gossip and health. There were 292 sources referenced across all 235 articles drawing from governmental agencies or officials, other news agencies, and medical institutions or officials. The findings suggest that coverage of GT among Spanish-language news outlets is limited. When Spanish-language news outlets do cover GT, they focus on aspects of intrigue or entertainment more than demystifying and explaining GT. Stories tend to cite other published articles, with author attribution often missing, leading to questions of comfort of Spanish-media to cover these topics. Further, the publishing process may lead to confusion of the purpose of genetic testing for health purposes and may bias Spanish-speaking groups towards genetic testing for health purposes. Thus, reconciliation and education initiatives around genetic testing purposes are needed for Spanish-speaking communities from not only media, but also genetics providers and institutions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Chavez-Yenter
- Department of Communication, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA
- Utah Center for Excellence in ELSI Research, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA
- Cancer Control and Population Sciences, Huntsman Cancer Institute, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA
| | - Avery Holton
- Department of Communication, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA
- Utah Center for Excellence in ELSI Research, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA
| | - Alexis S Vega
- Department of Communication, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA
| | - Ginger Zamora
- Department of Communication, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA
| | - Kimberly A Kaphingst
- Department of Communication, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA
- Utah Center for Excellence in ELSI Research, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA
- Cancer Control and Population Sciences, Huntsman Cancer Institute, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA
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Fleerackers A, Chtena N, Pinfield S, Alperin JP, Barata G, Oliveira M, Peters I. Making science public: a review of journalists' use of Open Access research. F1000Res 2024; 12:512. [PMID: 37920454 PMCID: PMC10618641 DOI: 10.12688/f1000research.133710.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 12/13/2023] [Indexed: 11/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Science journalists are uniquely positioned to increase the societal impact of open research outputs by contextualizing and communicating findings in ways that highlight their relevance and implications for non-specialist audiences. Yet, it is unclear to what degree journalists use open research outputs, such as open access publications or preprints, in their reporting; what factors motivate or constrain this use; and how the recent surge in openly available research seen during the COVID-19 pandemic has affected this. This article examines these questions through a review of relevant literature published from 2018 onwards-particularly literature relating to the COVID-19 pandemic-as well as seminal articles outside the search dates. We find that research that explicitly examines journalists' engagement with open access publications or preprints is scarce, with existing literature mostly addressing the topic tangentially or as a secondary concern, rather than a primary focus. Still, the limited body of evidence points to several factors that may hamper journalists' use of these outputs and thus warrant further exploration. These include an overreliance on traditional criteria for evaluating scientific quality; concerns about the trustworthiness of open research outputs; and challenges using and verifying the findings. We also find that, while the COVID-19 pandemic encouraged journalists to explore open research outputs such as preprints, the extent to which these explorations will become established journalistic practices remains unclear. Furthermore, we note that current research is overwhelmingly authored and focused on the Global North, and the United States specifically. We conclude with recommendations for future research that attend to issues of equity and diversity, and more explicitly examine the intersections of open access and science journalism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alice Fleerackers
- Scholarly Communications Lab, Simon Fraser University, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
- Interdisclipinary Studies, Simon Fraser University, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Natascha Chtena
- Scholarly Communications Lab, Simon Fraser University, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
- School of Publishing, Simon Fraser University, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | | | - Juan Pablo Alperin
- Scholarly Communications Lab, Simon Fraser University, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
- School of Publishing, Simon Fraser University, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Germana Barata
- Laboratory of Advanced Studies in Journalism, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas, State of São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Monique Oliveira
- Laboratory of Advanced Studies in Journalism, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas, State of São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Isabella Peters
- ZBW – Leibniz Information Center for Economics, Kiel, Schleswig-Holstein, Germany
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Ornelas Van Horne Y, Diaz LM, Trowbridge J, Alcala CS, González DJ. Toward Language Justice in Environmental Health Sciences in the United States: A Case for Spanish as a Language of Science. ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PERSPECTIVES 2023; 131:85001. [PMID: 37610227 PMCID: PMC10445527 DOI: 10.1289/ehp12306] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2022] [Revised: 03/22/2023] [Accepted: 07/10/2023] [Indexed: 08/24/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Increasingly, marginalized communities are disproportionately facing the worsening effects of environmental hazards, including air pollution, water pollution, and climate change. Language isolation and accessibility has been understudied as a determinant of health. Spanish, despite being the second-most common language in the United States with some 41.8 million speakers, has been neglected among environmental health scientists. Building capacity in high-quality Spanish-language science communication, both for scientific and nonscientific audiences, can yield improvements in health disparities research, public health literacy, international collaborations, and diversity and inclusion efforts. OBJECTIVES In this article, we discuss the context of language diversity in environmental health sciences and offer recommendations for improving science communication in Spanish. DISCUSSION English is currently the predominant language for scientific discourse, but Spanish and other non-English languages are routinely used by many environmental health science students and professionals, as well as much of the public. To more effectively conduct and communicate environmental health work in Spanish, we suggest that researchers and scientific institutions a) foster structural changes, b) train emerging scholars and support established researchers, c) tap into community ways of knowing, and d) leverage emerging technologies. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP12306.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Laura M. Diaz
- Division of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, California, USA
| | - Jessica Trowbridge
- Department of Obstetrics Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Cecilia S. Alcala
- Department of Environmental Medicine and Public Health, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| | - David J.X. González
- Division of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, California, USA
- Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, California, USA
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Bahji A, Acion L, Laslett AM, Adinoff B. Exclusion of the non-English-speaking world from the scientific literature: Recommendations for change for addiction journals and publishers. NORDIC STUDIES ON ALCOHOL AND DRUGS 2023; 40:6-13. [PMID: 36793485 PMCID: PMC9893128 DOI: 10.1177/14550725221102227] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2021] [Accepted: 05/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: While English is only the native language of 7.3% of the world's population and less than 20% can speak the language, nearly 75% of all scientific publications are English. Aim: To describe how and why scientific contributions from the non-English-speaking world have been excluded from addiction literature, and put forward suggestions for making this literature more accessible to the non-English-speaking population. Methods: A working group of the International Society of Addiction Journal Editors (ISAJE) conducted an iterative review of issues related to scientific publishing from the non-English-speaking world. Findings: We discuss several issues stemming from the predominance of English in the scientific addiction literature, including historical drivers, why this matters, and proposed solutions, focusing on the increased availability of translation services. Conclusion: The addition of non-English-speaking authors, editorial team members, and journals will increase the value, impact, and transparency of research findings and increase the accountability and inclusivity of scientific publications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anees Bahji
- University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada; and British Columbia Centre on Substance Use, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Laura Acion
- University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, USA; and University of Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | | | - Bryon Adinoff
- University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Denver, Colorado, USA
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Caliskan C, Kilicaslan A. Varieties of corona news: a cross-national study on the foundations of online misinformation production during the COVID-19 pandemic. JOURNAL OF COMPUTATIONAL SOCIAL SCIENCE 2022; 6:191-243. [PMID: 36530785 PMCID: PMC9746594 DOI: 10.1007/s42001-022-00193-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2022] [Accepted: 11/11/2022] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
Misinformation in the media is produced by hard-to-gauge thought mechanisms employed by individuals or collectivities. In this paper, we shed light on what the country-specific factors of falsehood production in the context of COVID-19 Pandemic might be. Collecting our evidence from the largest misinformation dataset used in the COVID-19 misinformation literature with close to 11,000 pieces of falsehood, we explore patterns of misinformation production by employing a variety of methodological tools including algorithms for text similarity, clustering, network distances, and other statistical tools. Covering news produced in a span of more than 14 months, our paper also differentiates itself by its use of carefully controlled hand-labeling of topics of falsehood. Findings suggest that country-level factors do not provide the strongest support for predicting outcomes of falsehood, except for one phenomenon: in countries with serious press freedom problems and low human development, the mostly unknown authors of misinformation tend to focus on similar content. In addition, the intensity of discussion on animals, predictions and symptoms as part of fake news is the biggest differentiator between nations; whereas news on conspiracies, medical equipment and risk factors offer the least explanation to differentiate. Based on those findings, we discuss some distinct public health and communication strategies to dispel misinformation in countries with particular characteristics. We also emphasize that a global action plan against misinformation is needed given the highly globalized nature of the online media environment. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s42001-022-00193-5.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cantay Caliskan
- Goergen Institute for Data Science, University of Rochester, Rochester, USA
| | - Alaz Kilicaslan
- Department of Sociology, Criminology and Anthropology, University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, Whitewater, USA
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