Trusting Social Media as a Source of Health Information: Online Surveys Comparing the United States, Korea, and Hong Kong

The Underlying Mechanisms of Active and Passive Cancer Information Behaviors: A Comparative Study Between Hong Kong and the United States

Although increasingly popular, theoretical frameworks describing complex and multidimensional cancer information behaviors remain limited. In response, this study developed a context-specific model by integrating cancer worry into the situational theory of problem solving (STOPS) to explain individuals' active and passive information behaviors. An online survey conducted in Hong Kong (N = 593) and the United States (N = 625) revealed that STOPS factors play different roles in explaining active and passive information behaviors, with the referent criterion and situation motivation being the dominant factors of active and passive information behaviors, respectively. Cancer worry partly mediated the relationship between such behaviors and situational motivation. While the effect of STOPS factors can be generally replicated across Hong Kong and U.S. contexts, the effects of cancer worry cannot. Altogether, our study has answered the call for research on the boundary conditions of STOPS and a more systematic understanding of cancer information behaviors.

Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices towards Acceptance of Health Science Information among WeChat Public Account Users: A Cross-Sectional Study

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to assess the knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) of WeChat users towards health-related public accounts.

METHODS

The study included 567 participants who completed the questionnaire. Pearson correlation analysis was used to evaluate the correlation among the 3 dimensions. Multivariate analysis identified independent factors associated with KAP scores.

RESULTS

The mean scores for knowledge, attitude, and practice were 6.12 ± 2.29 (61.2% of the total), 55.83 ± 7.33 (69.8% of the total), and 14.07 ± 3.72 (70.4% of the total), respectively. Significant positive correlations were observed between knowledge and practice (r = 0.392, P < 0.001) as well as between attitude and practice (r = 0.319, P < 0.001). Age [OR = 0.29 (0.09, 0.91), P = 0.034], marital status [OR = 2.11 (1.04, 4.29), P = 0.038], income [OR = 2.42 (1.23, 4.75), P = 0.010], and physical condition [OR = 0.45 (0.24, 0.85), P = 0.014] were independent factors associated with KAP scores.

CONCLUSIONS

WeChat users in China had relatively adequate knowledge and positive attitudes towards health-related public accounts. The findings highlight the potential of WeChat in enhancing health information dissemination in China.

Educational Needs and Priorities of People with Diabetes and Healthcare Providers in South Korea: A Mixed-Methods Study

Introduction: Effective self-care for managing diabetes requires culturally sensitive and patient-centered education. This study explored the educational needs and priorities of people with diabetes (PWD) and healthcare providers (HCPs). Method: A mixed-methods approach was employed with participants from a university-affiliated hospital in South Korea. Descriptive and content analyses were used for the questionnaire and interview data. Results: Both PWD (n=33) and HCPs (n=42) ranked diabetes-related side-effect management and medication purpose as the most important aspects of diabetes education. PWD had higher educational needs regarding diagnosed diseases and lifestyle modifications than HCPs. Three themes were revealed: incorporating lifestyle changes and medication taking, collaborating with HCPs and caregivers and providing care to meet person-centered mental health needs, and enhancing education on disease and complications. Discussion: Culturally sensitive and patient-centered education programs that recognize communal values, reflect individual preferences and needs, and promote lifestyle changes by leveraging technologies for Korean PWD are crucial.

Preferred format and strategies for seeking and trusting online health information: a survey of cardiology outpatient attendees across three New Zealand hospitals

Introduction The volume and quality of online health information requires consumers to be discerning. Aim This study aimed to explore consumer Internet use for health information, preferred format and what factors helped them to trust the source. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted in 2016-2017 with adults attending three cardiology outpatient clinic sites using a short paper-based survey. The survey included questions regarding online health information use and perceived trustworthiness with opportunities for free text responses. Survey data were summarised with key questions adjusted by age group, gender and ethnicity using logistic regression. Results Of the 708 respondents (51% women, 66% aged 45-74 years, 16% Māori, 12% Pacific), 73% had sought health information online (64% in the previous 12 months), commonly for medication side effects, their health condition and self-help. Most (65%) were successful, although Pacific respondents reported a lower likelihood of search success compared to Europeans. Younger age groups were more concerned about information quality. Fact sheets (80%) were the most popular format and for all ethnic groups, followed by short videos (31%) and discussion groups (23%). Trusting online information required many strategies with 72% wanting health professionals to recommend websites. Discussion Online health information seeking is a norm for consumers, with simple fact sheets being the preferred format to build knowledge and skills. With the rising tide of misinformation, health portal providers need to offer accurate and easy-to-read fact sheets in their suite of formats and health professionals need to support consumers guiding them to trusted websites.

Colorectal Cancer Risk Perceptions Among Black Men in Florida

PURPOSE

We examined colorectal cancer (CRC) risk perceptions among Black men in relation to socio-demographic characteristics, disease prevention factors, and personal/family history of CRC.

METHODS

A self-administered cross-sectional survey was conducted in five major cities in Florida between April 2008 and October 2009. Descriptive statistics and multivariable logistic regression were performed.

RESULTS

Among 331 eligible men, we found a higher proportion of CRC risk perceptions were exhibited among those aged ≥ 60 years (70.5%) and American nativity (59.1%). Multivariable analyses found men aged ≥ 60 had three times greater odds of having higher CRC risk perceptions compared to those ≤ 49 years (95% CI = 1.51-9.19). The odds of higher CRC risk perception for obese participants were more than four times (95% CI = 1.66-10.00) and overweight were more than twice the odds (95% CI = 1.03-6.31) as compared to healthy weight/underweight participants. Men using the Internet to search for health information also had greater odds of having higher CRC risk perceptions (95% CI = 1.02-4.00). Finally, men with a personal/family history of CRC were ninefold more likely to have higher CRC risk perceptions (95% CI = 2.02-41.79).

CONCLUSION

Higher CRC risk perceptions were associated with older age, being obese/overweight, using the Internet as a health information source, and having a personal/family history of CRC. Culturally resonate health promotion interventions are sorely needed to elevate CRC risk perceptions for increasing intention to screen among Black men.

Nurses' media competency: A concept analysis

OBJECTIVES

To analyze and define the concept of nurses' media competency.

DESIGN

Concept analysis.

DATA SOURCES

We conducted a literature search in PubMed, CINAHL, PsycInfo, and RISS International, as well as a hand-search, for relevant articles published between January 1990 and April 2023. A total of 57 articles related to nurses' media competency, published in English or Korean, were included in this study.

REVIEW METHODS

We used Walker and Avant's method of concept analysis to identify the defining attributes, antecedents, and consequences of the concept.

RESULTS

The seven defining attributes of nurses' media competency were networking with members of the media, selecting the appropriate media platform, considering that the target audience is the public, creating one's own media products, delivering intended messages through the media, monitoring and responding to the media, and maintaining professional dignity. Antecedents of the concept included cultivation of desirable nursing professionalism, critical evaluation of policies and issues, recognition of media influence, establishment of education and guidelines for media use, and having facilities and availability of technologies for media use. Consequences of the concept were improved influence of individual nurses, enhanced public awareness of the nursing profession, stronger networks and collaboration among professionals, and contributions to the promotion of public health.

CONCLUSIONS

This concept analysis presents a theoretical definition of nurses' media competency that can provide guidance on how to educate nurses to develop media competency and how to measure nurses' media competency.

Privacy Concerns About Sharing General and Specific Health Information on Twitter: Quantitative Study

BACKGROUND

Twitter is a common platform for people to share opinions, discuss health-related topics, and engage in conversations with a wide audience. Twitter users frequently share health information related to chronic diseases, mental health, and general wellness topics. However, sharing health information on Twitter raises privacy concerns as it involves sharing personal and sensitive data on a web-based platform.

OBJECTIVE

This study aims to adopt an interactive approach and develop a model consisting of privacy concerns related to web-based vendors and web-based peers. The research model integrates the 4 dimensions of concern for information privacy that express concerns related to the practices of companies and the 4 dimensions of peer privacy concern that reflect concerns related to web-based interactions with peers. This study examined how this interaction may affect individuals' information-sharing behavior on Twitter.

METHODS

Data were collected from 329 Twitter users in the United States using a web-based survey.

RESULTS

Results suggest that privacy concerns related to company practices might not significantly influence the sharing of general health information, such as details about hospitals and medications. However, privacy concerns related to companies and third parties can negatively shape the disclosure of specific health information, such as personal medical issues (β=-.43; P<.001). Findings show that peer-related privacy concerns significantly predict sharing patterns associated with general (β=-.38; P<.001) and specific health information (β=-.72; P<.001). In addition, results suggest that people may disclose more general health information than specific health information owing to peer-related privacy concerns (t165=4.72; P<.001). The model explains 41% of the variance in general health information disclosure and 67% in specific health information sharing on Twitter.

CONCLUSIONS

The results can contribute to privacy research and propose some practical implications. The findings provide insights for developers, policy makers, and health communication professionals about mitigating privacy concerns in web-based health information sharing. It particularly underlines the importance of addressing peer-related privacy concerns. The study underscores the need to build a secure and trustworthy web-based environment, emphasizing the significance of peer interactions and highlighting the need for improved regulations, clear data handling policies, and users' control over their own data.

Stuttering on Instagram: What is the focus of stuttering-related Instagram posts and how do users engage with them?

PURPOSE

Instagram has become a popular platform for sharing and seeking health-related information, including stuttering. However, concerns have been raised about the accuracy, confidentiality, and potential negative impact of such information. This study aims to examine how stuttering is defined and understood on Instagram, and how users engage with related content.

METHODS

We analyzed highly engaged Instagram posts with the hashtag "#Stuttering" published within a year and their corresponding comments using thematic analysis.

RESULTS

The results revealed four main themes and nine sub-themes that highlighted different understandings of stuttering on Instagram, including the need for intervention, emotional impact on people who stutter, positive meanings, and mental health implications. User engagement varied based on the nature of the post, with users showing appreciation, objections, seeking advice, celebrating success stories, mocking, or advocating for people who stutter.

CONCLUSION

Although Instagram can serve as a means of normalizing stuttering and highlighting success stories, it raises concerns about the promotion of non-evidence-based treatments and the use of stuttering for political or entertainment purposes. This study emphasizes the need to critically evaluate health-related information presented on social media platforms. To provide reliable information to PWS and their families who seek information on social media, it is recommended to promote evidence-based information on stuttering through trustworthy organizations such as the National Stuttering Association or the Stuttering Foundation, particularly on special occasions like International Stuttering Awareness Day.

Examining the Persuasive Effects of Health Communication in Short Videos: Systematic Review

BACKGROUND

The ubiquity of short videos has demonstrated vast potential for health communication. An expansion of research has examined the persuasive effect of health communication in short videos, yet a synthesis of the research is lacking.

OBJECTIVE

This paper aims to provide an overview of the literature by examining the persuasive effect of health communication in short videos, offering guidance for researchers and practitioners. In particular, it seeks to address 4 key research questions: What are the characteristics of short videos, samples, and research designs in short video-based health communication literature? What theories underpin the short video-based health communication literature? What are the persuasive effects of health communication in short videos? and What directions should future research in this area take?

METHODS

Following the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) guidelines, an electronic search of 10 databases up to March 10, 2023, generated 4118 results. After the full-text screening, 18 articles met the eligibility criteria.

RESULTS

The current research lacks a uniform definition of short videos, demonstrates sample biases in location and education, and adopts limited methodologies. Most studies in this synthesis are theoretically grounded or use theoretical concepts, which are predominantly well examined in persuasion research. Moreover, relevant topics and suitable themes are effective in persuasive health communication outcomes, whereas the impact of diverse narrative techniques remains ambiguous.

CONCLUSIONS

We recommend that future research extends the definition of short videos beyond time constraints and explores non-Western and less-educated populations. In addition, researchers should consider diverse methods to provide a more comprehensive examination and investigate the impact of audience targeting and narrative techniques in short video health communication. Finally, investigating how the unique aspects of short videos interact with or challenge traditional persuasion theories is essential.

Validation of the Korean Version of the Assessment of Strategies in Families-Effectiveness Scale

BACKGROUND

Family health significantly affects society and the country. Health problems have been identified as the most important cause of family anxiety and conflict in South Korea. Because valid instruments to measure this concept are limited, using the Assessment of Strategies in Families-Effectiveness scale may provide precious insight into family health and nursing practice.

PURPOSE

This study was designed to translate and validate the Korean version of the Assessment of Strategies in Families-Effectiveness (K-ASF-E) scale. This scale was developed based on the framework of systemic organization for assessment and intervention use in the context of family nursing in South Korea.

METHODS

A methodological approach was used to verify the validity and reliability of the K-ASF-E. To determine validity, we first invited four experts to evaluate content validity. Next, we collected data from 1,028 participants using stratified random sampling that considered the background of each participant in terms of region, age, and gender. On the basis of the collected data, we determined the construct validity of the scale using exploratory factor analysis and confirmatory factor analysis. Finally, we used Cronbach's alpha and intraclass correlation coefficient analyses to assess scale reliability.

RESULTS

The K-ASF-E showed item-level content validity index and scale-level content validity index values of 1.00, as assessed by four experts. Using the principal component analysis method with varimax rotation, the exploratory factor analysis verified the validity of a K-ASF-E scale comprising four dimensions and 20 items, including system maintenance (seven items), system change (four items), coherence (six items), and individuation (three items). For confirmatory factor analysis, the fit indices of the factor structure of K-ASF-E indicate appropriate model fitness. The Cronbach's alpha coefficients for each of the subfactors centered on the target were .59-.86, and the intraclass correlation coefficient (range) was .56-.85.

CONCLUSIONS/IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE

The K-ASF-E scale is the first attempt to develop a reliable and valid measurement tool for family effectiveness in South Korea. Initial testing was validated using a large number of stratified randomized clusters. The K-ASF-E scale accurately measures family effectiveness and may be used for family-related research, intervention, and training programs in community and clinical settings.

Best practice guidelines for citizen science in mental health research: systematic review and evidence synthesis

Partnering with people most affected by mental health problems can transform mental health outcomes. Citizen science as a research approach enables partnering with the public at a substantial scale, but there is scarce guidance on its use in mental health research. To develop best practise guidelines for conducting and reporting research, we conducted a systematic review of studies reporting mental health citizen science research. Documents were identified from electronic databases (n = 10), grey literature, conference proceedings, hand searching of specific journals and citation tracking. Document content was organised in NVIVO using the ten European Citizen Science Association (ECSA) citizen science principles. Best practise guidelines were developed by (a) identifying approaches specific to mental health research or where citizen science and mental health practises differ, (b) identifying relevant published reporting guidelines and methodologies already used in mental health research, and (c) identifying specific elements to include in reporting studies. A total of 14,063 documents were screened. Nine studies were included, from Australia, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Netherlands, Spain, the UK, and the United States. Citizen scientists with lived experience of mental health problems were involved in data collection, analysis, project design, leadership, and dissemination of results. Most studies reported against some ECSA principles but reporting against these principles was often unclear and unstated. Best practise guidelines were developed, which identified mental health-specific issues relevant to citizen science, and reporting recommendations. These included citizen science as a mechanism for empowering people affected by mental health problems, attending to safeguarding issues such as health-related advice being shared between contributors, the use of existing health research reporting guidelines, evaluating the benefits for contributors and impact on researchers, explicit reporting of participation at each research stage, naming the citizen science platform and data repository, and clear reporting of consent processes, data ownership, and data sharing arrangements. We conclude that citizen science is feasible in mental health and can be complementary to other participatory approaches. It can contribute to active involvement, engagement, and knowledge production with the public. The proposed guidelines will support the quality of citizen science reporting.

Twitter Perspectives on Cochlear Implantation: Sentiment and Thematic Analysis

OBJECTIVE

To identify themes that contribute to the most positive and negative perspectives of cochlear implants (CIs) on Twitter.

STUDY DESIGN

A cross-sectional qualitative study.

SETTING

Social media (Twitter).

METHODS

In this study, all English-language original tweets mentioning "cochlear implant" from 2019 to 2021 were collected from Twitter's Academic Research Database using a custom Python script. Sentiment analysis was performed using VADER, a sentiment analysis tool built to analyze the inherent positivity or negativity of social media posts. Tweets were quantitatively sorted by compound sentiment score (range -1 [most negative] to 1 [most positive]). Thematic analysis based on grounded theory was performed on the most positive, negative, and "liked" tweets.

RESULTS

Of the 19,376 tweets included, the average (standard deviation) compound sentiment score was 0.21 (0.46). A total of 10,375 (53.5%) tweets had a positive tone, 4965 (25.6%) were neutral and 4036 (20.8%) were negative. Of the 100 most negative tweets, the most prominent themes were media representation (21.9%), the controversy of CI within the Deaf community (19.8%), and unrelated to direct patient experience (16.7%). Of the 100 most positive tweets, the most prominent themes were tweets of happiness and support (25.0%), tweets unrelated to direct patient experience (18.0%), and tweets about hearing new sounds (10.0%).

CONCLUSION

While the majority of tweets on CI carried a positive tone, there are ongoing challenges with the stigma surrounding CI. Public perspectives of CI on social media may help clinicians counsel CI patients and elucidate issues that lead to newfound acceptance or ongoing stigma of CI in the general population.

Healthy eating blog readership: A cross-sectional survey in Australian adults

AIMS

To investigate whether members of the public read blogs for the purpose of accessing healthy eating information; examine demographic predictors of healthy eating blog readership, specifically education, gender, age, body mass index, and residential location; and explore the reasons for reading, and not reading, healthy eating blogs.

METHODS

This study used a cross-sectional online self-reported survey design collected over three time points (round 1: December 2017-March 2018, round 2: August 2018-December 2018, round 3: December 2021-March 2022). The total sample of participants comprised of 238 respondents with a mean age of 46 years old, who mostly reported gender as female (82%), being educated with a university degree (69%), and predominantly resided in urban and city areas (84%).

RESULTS

Fifty-one percent of respondents reported reading healthy eating blogs, suggesting that consumers were proactively seeking healthy eating information through this avenue. Participants who identified as female were 3.2 times more likely to read healthy eating blogs. Commonly, healthy eating blogs were read to receive practical information that aligned with current food choices. The main reason participants reported not reading healthy eating blogs was not thinking about using them (29%).

CONCLUSIONS

Understanding who is seeking healthy eating information through blogs, and their reasons doing so, is important to continue research into the potential effectiveness of blogs as a platform to communicate healthy eating and nutrition messages. This study provides direction for further investigation into how dietetics professionals could effectively use blogs to disseminate healthy eating information and positively influence consumer food choices and dietary intake.

Are exposure to health information and media health literacy associated with fruit and vegetable consumption?

BACKGROUND

Health information promotes a healthy lifestyle; however, media health literacy (MHL) is essential to personal intake, especially fruit and vegetables (F&V). This study aimed to determine how exposure to health information and MHL affect F&V consumption among Thai youth aged 10-14 years. Health behavior at this age can be an important determinant of consumption habits when transitioning into adulthood.

METHODS

A stratified two-stage sample survey was conducted to recruit 1,871 youth across regions to be nationally representative. Qualtrics offline survey application was used for data collection face-to-face with all respondents. Multiple linear regression was used to analyze the explanatory variables on fruit consumption and vegetable consumption.

RESULTS

This study found that almost 70% of Thai youth were exposed to health-related content via the Internet, and had low analytical skills to process that information. Grade Point Average (GPA), exposure to health information, various media types, frequency of exposure to health information, and MHL influenced the frequency of F&V intake. Health status related to fruit intake, age, place of residence, amount of pocket money, and body mass index (BMI) were associated with F&V consumption.

CONCLUSION

Exposure to health information and MHL are associated with F&V intake. Therefore, exposure to health information and MHL should be addressed for policy formulation in Thai schools and the health system.

Examining thematic and emotional differences across Twitter, Reddit, and YouTube: The case of COVID-19 vaccine side effects

Social media discourse has become a key data source for understanding the public's perception of, and sentiments during a public health crisis. However, given the different niches which platforms occupy in terms of information exchange, reliance on a single platform would provide an incomplete picture of public opinions. Based on the schema theory, this study suggests a 'social media platform schema' to indicate users' different expectations based on previous usages of platform and argues that a platform's distinct characteristics foster distinct platform schema and, in turn, distinct nature of information. We analyzed COVID-19 vaccine side effect-related discussions from Twitter, Reddit, and YouTube, each of which represents a different type of the platform, and found thematic and emotional differences across platforms. Thematic analysis using k-means clustering algorithm identified seven clusters in each platform. To computationally group and contrast thematic clusters across platforms, we employed modularity analysis using the Louvain algorithm to determine a semantic network structure based on themes. We also observed differences in emotional contexts across platforms. Theoretical and public health implications are then discussed.

Sharing health information across online platforms: A systematic review

Advanced Web 2.0 communication technologies have facilitated health-related information (HRI) sharing on the Internet. Especially, the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdowns around the world have forced more people to turn to the Internet for HRI. A better understanding of users' sharing content and sharing behavior can help communicators improve health literacy, raise community awareness, and facilitate social support exchanges. This paper reports the results of a systematic review of online HRI sharing literature, including key research topics, theories and methods used in past studies, and key factors of sharing behavior across online platforms. Following the PRISMA procedure for a systematic review, 58 articles were identified and analyzed using keyword matching, thematic analysis, and expert review. Guided by the platform theory, our findings differentiated five types of online platforms that differently influenced online users' sharing content and sharing purposes, including micro-blogs, social network sites, online health communities, social question and answer sites, and Wikis. The findings also clarify five main research topics and applicable theories used in each topic, including personal health sharing, health-related knowledge sharing, general health message diffusion, outcomes of HRI sharing, and exploratory research. Key factors of sharing behavior and potential sharing outcomes are also reviewed and summarized in the research framework developed from the motivation theory. Our study contributes to the understanding of online sharing behavior and provides implications for health communicators to develop effective health campaigns. Potential research directions are also identified and discussed.

Topic Modeling Analysis of Diabetes-Related Health Information during the Coronavirus Disease Pandemic

This study aimed to provide diabetes-related health information by analyzing queries posted in the diabetes-related online community required during the COVID-19 pandemic. A total of 9156 queries from the diabetes-related online community, dated between 1 December 2019 and 3 May 2022, were used in the study. The collected data were preprocessed for bidirectional encoder representation from transformer topic modeling analysis. Topics were extracted using the class-based term frequency-inverse document frequency for nouns and verbs. From the extracted verbs, words with common definitions were subject to substitution and unification processes, which enabled the identification of multifrequent verb categories by noun topics. The following nine noun topics were extracted, in this order: dietary management, drug management, gestational and childhood diabetes, management of diabetic complications, use and cost of medical treatment, blood glucose management, exercise treatment, COVID-19 vaccine and complications, and diabetes in older adults. The top three verb categories by noun topics were permission, method, and possibility. This study provided baseline data that can be used by clinical nurses to deliver diabetes-related education and management based on information sought by patients.

The Effects of Patient-Centered Communication on Emotional Health: Examining the Roles of Self-Efficacy, Information Seeking Frustration, and Social Media Use

The existing literature on the direct association between patient-centered communication (PCC) and emotional well-being often demonstrates inconsistent results. To explain such inconsistency, it is important to explore the mediating and moderating mechanisms underlying this relationship. Built upon the communication pathways model, this study empirically analyzed the Health Information National Trends Survey 5 Cycle 3 dataset (N = 4,709) and tested a moderated mediation model that links PCC to emotional health via information-seeking self-efficacy, with an additional assessment of the moderating effects of information-seeking frustration and social media use. The findings showed that PCC was positively related to emotional health. Also, PCC was indirectly associated with emotional health through information-seeking self-efficacy. In addition, information-seeking frustration and social media use weakened the association between PCC and information-seeking self-efficacy. Furthermore, the indirect path from PCC to emotional health through information-seeking self-efficacy was conditional on both information-seeking frustration and social media use. Important theoretical and practical implications are also discussed.

Dengue-Related Information Needs and Information-Seeking Behavior in Pakistan

This present study aims to examine the information needs and information-seeking behavior of Dengue-affected and non-affected people by exploring their information needs, resources used, and obstacles encountered. A structured questionnaire was used to collect data from 100 Dengue patients and 200 non-patients. The collected data were analyzed by applying descriptive and inferential statistics. The findings revealed that a majority of the respondents had information needs regarding nutritional options, best approaches to treatment, and expected benefits of treatment. They mostly sought information to keep themselves up-to-date and to prevent the disease. Television, Internet search engines, and social media outlets were frequently used information sources along with information-seeking from family and friends. Respondents with higher academic qualifications reported comparatively higher Dengue-related information needs. Moreover, age was a positive predictor of both their information needs and frequency of using health information sources. The findings will be helpful for healthcare providers to tailor Dengue awareness campaigns and prevention strategies according to the public needs and preferences.

Intention of health experts to counter health misinformation in social media: Effects of perceived threat to online users, correction efficacy, and self-affirmation

Our study analyzes the intention of Chinese health experts (health professionals and medical students) to correct health misinformation in social media. In an experimental 2 × 2 × 2 between-subjects factorial design (n = 415), we manipulated the experts' perception of the threat that health misinformation poses for online users, their self-efficacy with respect to correcting misinformation, and their self-affirmation. To select the potential influence factors, we draw on self-affirmation theory and the extended parallel process model. Results of our experiment revealed that correction intention increases if experts perceive the threat for online users as severe, believe that they are capable of countering the impact of misinformation, and have a high motivation to maintain a positive self-image of caring for others. We discuss the consequences of our findings for motivating experts to help reduce the adverse effects of health misinformation in social media.

A cross-sectional study of nursing students' eHealth literacy and COVID-19 preventive behaviours

AIM

This study explored nursing students' eHealth literacy, lifestyle behaviours and COVID-19-related preventive behaviours and associated factors.

DESIGN

A cross-sectional comparative correlational study.

METHODS

Nursing students (n = 358) from a metropolitan area of South Korea were recruited for an online survey. The online questionnaire included: The eHealth Literacy Scale, the Health Promoting Lifestyle Profile-II and the COVID-19-related preventive behaviour scale.

RESULTS

COVID-19-related preventive behaviours correlated positively with satisfaction with one's major, time spent seeking health information online, eHealth literacy and lifestyle behaviours. Significant factors affecting COVID-19-related preventive behaviours were the following: being female (β = 0.194, p < .001), time spent seeking health information online (β = 0.114, p = .002), eHealth literacy (β = 0.167, p = .001) and lifestyle behaviours (β = 0.266, p < .001).

CONCLUSIONS

Findings highlight the need to strengthen searching behaviours to access accurate health information online and reinforce eHealth literacy and health-promoting lifestyle behaviours to improve COVID-19 preventive behaviours among nursing students.

Parental COVID-19-related health information practises, sources, evaluations and needs: A qualitative interview study

BACKGROUND

Parents of infants and young children may have specific health information needs and preferences, as they are responsible for their children's health. COVID-19 posed many challenges for families, not least in terms of the constantly updated disease-prevention guidelines. However, little is known about parents' experiences with this unprecedented situation, that is, how and where they seek, use and evaluate COVID-19 (child)-specific health information. We aimed to find out more about this to provide insights to health (information) providers when communicating pandemic information to parents.

METHODS

We conducted semistructured telephone interviews (August to October 2020) with a purposively selected sample of 20 German-speaking and 10 Arabic-speaking parents of children up to 4 years old. Recruitment occurred through multiple channels, including childcare institutions and social media. Qualitative content analysis of the interview transcripts illustrates the main differences between the two groups.

RESULTS

By the time the interviews were conducted (mid-2020), some parents reported to seek information less actively or not at all, compared to the beginning of COVID-19. German speakers frequently used Google to obtain information, whereas Arabic speakers mentioned social media (particularly Facebook) as a central source. However, medical providers were the most trusted source for child health. Though determining the credibility of online information was difficult for some parents, others, mostly German speakers (middle-high education), were aware of some author-related criteria. When deciding on information use, parents often rely on their own judgement and gut instinct. Besides the necessity to disseminate information via multiple outlets to reach all parents, Arabic speakers desired audio-visual and translation tools to facilitate understanding.

DISCUSSION AND PUBLIC CONCLUSION

Apart from education, language and knowledge of the health system and of the attributes of credible information may determine its quality and consequent decisions. There seems to be a considerable need to foster knowledge about reliable information sources, a greater understanding of the range of quality criteria and specific support for nonnative speakers, not least to better inform parents' decision-making.

PATIENT AND PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION

A parent panel (n = 7) contributed to gathering ideas regarding recruitment, discussing initial results and the choice of topics and questions for a second interview phase.

Pretesting of Infographic as a Communication Tool on Pregnant Women During Covid-19 Period

Purpose

This study was to analyze the responses of informants about Instagram infographics on Covid-19 prevention for pregnant women.

Methods

This was a qualitative study that used Rapid Assessment Procedure (RAP) and used pretesting communication theory. The informant selection technique was purposive sampling that consist of three pregnant women as main informants, a midwifery lecturer and a visual graphic designer as key informants. One-to-one pretesting communication procedure was selected because the research was conducted at the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic, so it had a difficulty in recruiting informants. The interview guideline was conducted by the research team and was examined in a field trial. Data collection was by semi-structured interview using voice call WhatsApp application. Data were analysed using thematic analysis.

Results

In attraction aspect, this was considered quite interesting by the informants. In comprehension aspect, the messages were easily understood because of using brief, concise, and simple sentences. Furthermore, the messages were supported by images and comprehensive. In acceptance aspect, all the informants' opinions were identified that the messages of this infographic did not have a conflict with the existing norms. In self-involvement aspect, this infographic was in accordance with the current condition of the informants. In persuasion aspect, it had a good persuasive value as the informants were willing to share the infographic with others.

Conclusion

The infographic still needed improvements from the attraction aspect such as consider using contrasting colour between the background and text, equalize the font size and change icons to become related to the text. As from the comprehension aspect consider using terms that are more popular in the community. There were no need improvements from acceptance, self-involvement, and persuasion aspects. However, evidence-based research is still needed on how this infographic is developed and implemented to optimize transfer of knowledge.

Online Health (Mis)Information: The Role of Medical Students

The public perceive social media as a convenient source of health information. Some physicians might use this to enhance their visibility and market value. In this study, we aimed to assess medical students' awareness of regulations for dispersion of health-related information on social media and physicians' online self-promotional activities. A cross-sectional study was conducted among undergraduate medical students from the 3 largest administrative regions of Saudi Arabia: Central, Western, and Eastern regions. Data was collected between February-July 2020 via online distribution of a self-administered questionnaire. Results showed that: (a) a total of 730 medical students participated; (b) about half of respondents were unsure or unaware of guidelines of both, online posting of medical information and physicians' online self-promotional activities (343/47% and 385/52.7%, respectively); (c) 610 (83.6%) students supported that healthcare providers report accounts sharing unreliable health information. Physicians' online promotional activities, and posting about successful cases, might shift physicians' focus from patient care to becoming more popular online. Care should be taken not to breach essential professional and ethical principles, such as protecting the confidentiality and privacy of patients. Raising awareness among patients and physicians, current and future ones, of the regulations governing these online health related interactions is imperative.

A Community-Based Participatory Research Approach to Developing and Testing Social and Behavioural Interventions to Reduce the Spread of SARS-CoV-2: A Protocol for the 'COPAR for COVID' Programme of Research with Five Interconnected Studies in the Hong Kong Context

BACKGROUND

While a number of population preventive measures for COVID-19 exist that help to decrease the spread of the virus in the community, there are still many areas in preventative efforts that need improvement or refinement, particularly as new strains of the virus develop. Some of the key issues currently include incorrect and/or inconsistent use of face masks, low acceptance of early screening or vaccination for COVID-19, vaccine hesitance, and misinformation. This is particularly the case in some vulnerable populations, such as older people with chronic illnesses, ethnic minorities who may not speak the mainstream language well and children. The current protocol introduces a large programme of research through five interrelated studies that all focus on social and behavioural interventions to improve different aspects of community-related preventative indicators. Hence, the specific objectives of the overall programme are to (1) increase early testing for COVID-19 and promote the uptake of COVID-19 vaccines in the community (Study 1); (2) increase COVID-19-related health literacy and vaccine literacy and promote improved preventative measures in minority ethnic groups, chronically ill populations and caregivers (Study 2); (3) strengthen the public's motivation to stay at home and avoid nonessential high-risk activities (Study 3); (4) decrease COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy (Study 4); and (5) enhance the adherence to COVID-19-related hygiene practices and the uptake of early testing in school children (Study 5).

METHODS

We will utilise a community-based participatory research (CBPR) approach in the proposed studies. All studies will incorporate an intervention development phase in conjunction with key community stakeholders, a feasibility study and an execution stage. A variety of self-reported and objective-based measures will be used to assess various outcomes, based on the focus of each study, in both the short- and long-term, including, for example, the 8-item self-reported eHealth Literacy Scale (eHEAL) and objective measures such as vaccine uptake.

DISCUSSION

Theory-driven interventions will address each study's focus (e.g., social distancing, promotion of vaccine uptake, eHealth education, preventive measures and early detection). Improvements are expected to be seen in the outcomes of vulnerable and high-risk groups. Decreased infection rates are expected due to improved preventative behaviours and increased vaccine uptake. Long-term sustainability of the approach will be achieved through the CBPR model. The publication of this protocol can assist not only in sharing a large-scale and complex community-based design, but will also allow all to learn from this, so that we will have better insight in the future whether sharing of study designs can elicit timely research initiatives.

Facebook as a source of access to medicines

Over the last decade, we've observed an enormous social media development, which have recently become commercial services. Hence, we aimed to verify if Facebook might be considered as a source of access to medicines. We also intended to identify prescription (Rx) and over the counter (OTC) medicines if available on that platform. The study was conducted from January 2019 to July 2020. We investigated offers of pharmaceuticals posted on Facebook (individual posts and communities) between 2016 and 2019. Medicines were divided into Rx and OTC brands and in accordance with their possible therapeutic use. We verified whether the medicines were for sale, to exchange, or available for free. Posts and groups were investigated for example, by entering the phrase "for free," followed by a city in Poland. Out of 409 offers, 380 (92.91%) concerned Rx brands and 29 (7.09%) OTC brands. 315 (77.02%) medications were available "for free". In 47 (11.49%) cases, an "exchange" was expected, and 47 (11.49%) announcements were marked as "for sale". Cardiovascular medicines (n = 125; 30.56%) were the most popular. There were also antidiabetics (n = 38; 9.29%) and antipsychotics (n = 28; 6.84%). We also found clear candidates for misuse. These were opioids (n = 7; 1.71%), benzodiazepines (n = 2; 0.48%), clomifene (n = 1; 0.24%), and letrozole (n = 1; 0.24%). Facebook provides the possibility of uncontrolled access to medicines. The majority of offers concerned Rx brands, including opioids and benzodiazepines. Medicines offered on Facebook were mainly accessible for free. The scope and the number of medications offered on Facebook should make this issue a hazardous phenomenon.

The reliability, functional quality, understandability, and actionability of fall prevention content in YouTube: an observational study

Background

Falls are common but dangerous in the elderly. More and more seniors are searching for healthcare information online. YouTube has become the world’s most popular video streaming platform. Albeit thousands of fall prevention videos are available on YouTube, their reliability, functional quality, understandability, and actionability have not been verified.

Methods

The top 300 watched videos on YouTube related to fall prevention were retrieved. After exclusion, all qualified sample videos were evaluated by three validated assessment instruments (the PEMAT scale, the HONCode scale, and the DISCERN instrument) regarding their reliability, functional quality, understandability, and actionability. Each video’s length, number of views/likes/comments, forms of expression, and the uploader’s profile were collected as well. The Wilcoxon rank sum test was performed for further analysis from the perspective of expression forms and uploaders’ identities.

Results

One hundred thirty-seven videos (45.67%) were qualified as sample videos, and individuals/organizations with medical backgrounds posted 54.01% of them. Most of the excluded videos (n = 163) were irrelevant (n = 91, 55.83%), and commercial (n = 52, 31.90%). The median video length for sample videos was 470 seconds. The DISCERN instrument indicated that 115 videos (83.94%) were of moderate to high overall quality. Medical practitioners and organizations gained the highest scores in functional quality and reliability (P < 0.05), while they also tended to use technical terms more often (mean = 3.15). The HONCode scale suggested a lack of traceability was common. The most popular and actionable form of expression was workout (n = 58, median score = 86.90, P < 0.05), while monolog and keynote presentations scored the highest in understandability (no significant difference between them). The PEMAT scale suggested videos uploaded by medical teams were the easiest to be understood (P = 0.011 and P < 0.001, respectively), whereas they were less actionable than those made by fitness trainers (P = 0.039 and P < 0.001, respectively).

Conclusions

Cooperation between the medical team and fitness trainers is expected for better health promotion. Plain language is advised, and sources should be provided. As for expression form, monolog or keynote presentations, plus workout clips, might be the most effective.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12877-022-03330-x.

Understanding Preconception Women’s Needs and Preferences for Digital Health Resources: Qualitative Study

Background

Improving preconception health can benefit all women, their children, and their families regardless of their individual pregnancy intentions. Rapidly increasing access to information technology and online engagement have created opportunities to use digital health resources to engage with preconception women regarding lifestyle behaviors.

Objective

This study explores how preconception women engage with digital health resources and online platforms to inform the design and development of a digital health resource to support women to make positive behavior change for their preconception health.

Methods

This codesign research followed the Double Diamond process, which focuses on contextualization and explorative processes in phase 1 and ideation and development processes in phase 2. Phase 1 is reported on in this study and was undertaken via a series of 1-on-1 in-depth interviews with female participants (N=12) aged 18-45 years over 3 months. Interviews were designed to explore participants’ lived experiences in relation to their health and desired supports for healthy lifestyle behaviors. The first interview focused on participants’ perceptions of health and health behaviors, the second interview focused on social connections for health, and the third interview focused on digital health information and supports. Conversations from the first interview informed the development of the second interview, and conversations from the second interview informed the development of the third interview. Community advisors (N=8) met to provide feedback and advice to the researchers throughout the interview process. Qualitative analyses of transcripts from interviews were undertaken by 2 researchers before a deductive process identified themes mapped to the capability, opportunity, motivation, and behavior (COM-B) framework.

Results

In total, 9 themes and 8 subthemes were identified from 124 codes. In relation to digital health resources, specifically, participants were already engaging with a range of digital health resources and had high expectations of these. Digital health resources needed to be easy to access, make women’s busy lives easier, be evidence based, and be reputable. Social connectedness was also highly important to our participants, with information and advice from peers with similar experiences being preferred over yet more online health information. Online communities facilitated these social interactions. Participants were open to the idea of chatbots and virtual assistants but acknowledged that they would not replace authentic social interactions.

Conclusions

Codesigned digital health resources should be evidence based, reputable, and easy to access. Social connections were considered highly important to women, and designers of digital health resources should consider how they can increase opportunities for women to connect and learn from each other to promote health behaviors.

What topics are women interested in during pregnancy: exploring the role of social media as informational and emotional support

BACKGROUND

Social media plays an important role as a source for obtaining or sharing health information. It is frequently used as a resource by pregnant women who seek information and emotional support regarding their physical and role changes. To provide high-quality support for pregnant women, it is important to determine what topics they want information on from social media during their pregnancy, and what effects they expect from each topic. This study investigates what topics pregnant women are interested in according to their stage of pregnancy and need for informational or emotional support from each topic of interest.

METHODS

An online survey was conducted with 302 pregnant Korean women. The survey questionnaires included information sources and experience of social media. Along with the questionnaires, they were asked to describe three to ten health topics that they were most interested in in the last two weeks.

RESULTS

Social media (72.85%) and search engines (72.85%) were found to be most frequently used for pregnancy-related health information. The topics of interest slightly differed by stage, but mainly postpartum care, pregnancy symptoms, and daily life issues ranked high. Mood related topics appeared frequently among women in their first trimester or post-partum stage of pregnancy. Informational support was mostly needed for daily life issues, and emotional support needs centered mostly around stories about family and mood during pregnancy.

CONCLUSIONS

Pregnant women have different needs for informational or emotional support, depending on their stage of pregnancy and their topics of interest. Therefore, social media support should be delivered with varying content and platforms tailored to women's needs at each trimester.

Facebook Feeds and Child Feeding: A Qualitative Study of Thai Mothers in Online Child Feeding Support Groups

Mothers have traditionally sought child feeding information from social connections. While mothers are heavily engaged on social media and value peer support in online communities, very little is known about how they use online communities for information about child feeding practices after exclusive breastfeeding cessation. This study explores mothers' perceptions of joining Facebook child feeding support groups. Individual semi-structured interviews with ten Thai mothers were conducted. The transcribed interviews were analyzed using a phenomenological hermeneutical approach. Our findings highlighted that Thai mothers participated in Facebook child feeding support groups in a deliberate effort to reduce their uncertainty by normalizing the process through accessing the shared experiences of others. One of their intentions was to seek menu recipes based on favorable psychosocial and environmental factors. Implications for using social media in health promotion and communication include the importance of building appropriate common practices through social collaboration and interactivity to supplement traditional knowledge and attitudes.

Internet-Based Information Behavior After Pregnancy Loss: Interview Study

BACKGROUND

Information behavior describes all human behaviors in relation to information. Individuals experiencing disruption or stigma often use internet-based tools and spaces to meet their associated information needs. One such context is pregnancy loss, which, although impactful and common, has been absent from much of feminist and reproductive health and information behavior scholarship. By understanding information behavior after pregnancy loss and accounting for it in designing internet-based information spaces, we can take a meaningful step toward countering the stigma and silence that many who experience such loss endure, facilitate coping, and make space for diverse pregnancy narratives in our society.

OBJECTIVE

This study's objective is to provide a characterization of internet-based information behavior after pregnancy loss.

METHODS

We examined internet-based information behavior after pregnancy loss through 9 in-depth interviews with individuals residing in the United States. We analyzed the data by using open and axial coding.

RESULTS

We identified the following three themes in relation to participants' information behavior in internet-based spaces: needed information types, information-related concerns, and information outcomes. We drew from information behavior frameworks to interpret the processes and concerns described by participants as they moved from recognizing information needs to searching for information and to using information and experiencing outcomes. Specifically, we aligned these themes with information use concepts from the information behavior literature-information search, knowledge construction, information production, information application, and information effects. Participants' main concerns centered on being able to easily find information (ie, searchability), particularly on topics that had already been covered (ie, persistence), and, once found, being able to assess the information for its relevance, helpfulness, and credibility (ie, assessability). We suggest the following design implications that support health information behavior: assessability, persistence, and searchability.

CONCLUSIONS

We examined internet-based information behavior in the context of pregnancy loss, an important yet silenced reproductive health experience. Owing to the prevalence of information seeking during pregnancy, we advocate that generic pregnancy-related information spaces should address the needs related to pregnancy loss that we identified in addition to spaces dedicated to pregnancy loss. Such a shift could not only support those who use these spaces to manage pregnancies and then experience a loss but also help combat the silence and stigma associated with loss and the linear and normative narrative by which pregnancies are often represented.

Social Attitude to COVID-19 and Influenza Vaccinations after the Influenza Vaccination Season and between the Second and Third COVID-19 Wave in Poland, Lithuania, and Ukraine

The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic affected the entire world and contributed to severe health and economic consequences. A safe and effective vaccine is a tool allowing the pandemic to be controlled. Hence, we aimed to conduct a survey on vaccinations against seasonal influenza and COVID-19 in Poland, Lithuania, and Ukraine. We also evaluated societal attitudes towards influenza and COVID-19 vaccinations. Materials and methods: We conducted the study between December 2020 and May 2021. At the time, the countries subject to the research were between the second and third waves of the COVID-19 pandemic. We used an anonymous and self-designed questionnaire comprised of eleven closed-ended questions and a short socio-demographic section. The questionnaire was administered by direct contact or mainly (due to the COVID-19 pandemic) by e-mail or Facebook. Finally, we included 2753 answers from Poland, 1852 from Ukraine, and 213 from Lithuania. Results: Between 61% (Poland) and 72.9% (Ukraine) of the study participants have never been vaccinated against influenza (p < 0.05). Totals of 67.6% of the respondents in Poland, 73.71% in Lithuania, and 29.5% in Ukraine responded that they want to be vaccinated against COVID-19 (p < 0.05). Vaccine hesitancy was mainly related to worries about its side effects. There were also vaccine non-adopters in the study. In Ukraine, 67% of the respondents were clearly opposed to mandatory COVID-19 vaccines, compared to 41.7% in Poland and 30.99% in Lithuania (p < 0.05). Conclusions: There are still many people who present vaccine hesitancy or are opposed to vaccines. Thus, societal education about vaccination and the pandemic is crucial. Vaccine hesitancy or refusal might be related to vaccine origin. Shortages of influenza vaccines made it impossible to vaccinate those who were determined to be vaccinated. There is room for discussion of mandatory COVID-19 vaccinations.

Social Media Use and Misinformation Among Asian Americans During COVID-19

Social media has been crucial for seeking and communicating COVID-19 information. However, social media has also promulgated misinformation, which is particularly concerning among Asian Americans who may rely on in-language information and utilize social media platforms to connect to Asia-based networks. There is limited literature examining social media use for COVID-19 information and the subsequent impact of misinformation on health behaviors among Asian Americans. This perspective reviews recent research, news, and gray literature to examine the dissemination of COVID-19 misinformation on social media platforms to Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese, and South Asian Americans. We discuss the linkage of COVID-19 misinformation to health behaviors, with emphasis on COVID-19 vaccine misinformation and vaccine decision-making in Asian American communities. We then discuss community- and research-driven responses to investigate misinformation during the pandemic. Lastly, we propose recommendations to mitigate misinformation and address the COVID-19 infodemic among Asian Americans.

Risk sharing on Twitter: Social amplification and attenuation of risk in the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic

Social media trust and sharing behaviors have considerable implications on how risk is being amplified or attenuated at early stages of pandemic outbreaks and may undermine subsequent risk communication efforts. A survey conducted in February 2020 in the United States examined factors affecting information sharing behaviors and social amplification or attenuation of risk on Twitter among U.S. citizens at the early stage of the COVID-19 outbreak. Building on the social amplification of risk framework (SARF), the study suggests the importance of factors such as online discussion, information seeking behaviors, blame and anger, trust in various types of Twitter accounts and misinformation concerns in influencing the spread of risk information during the incipient stages of a crisis when the publics rely primarily on social media for information. An attenuation of risk was found among the US public, as indicated by the overall low sharing behaviors. Findings also imply that (dis)trust and misinformation concerns on social media sources, and inconsistencies in early risk messaging may have contributed to the attenuation of risk and low risk knowledge among the US publics at the early stage of the outbreak, further problematizing subsequent risk communication efforts.

Use of social media for COVID-19-related information and associated factors among health professionals in Northwest Ethiopia: A cross-sectional study

Background

Social media has become an alternative platform for communication during medical crises like the COVID-19 pandemic. This study aimed to assess social media usage for COVID-19-related information among health professionals.

Method

A quantitative cross-sectional study design was conducted among 370 health professionals. The data were analyzed using SPSS version 25 software. Data were collected using a semi-structured, self-administered, and pre-tested questionnaire. Descriptive and binary logistic regression analysis techniques were used to describe respondents’ social media usage for COVID-19 information and identify its associated factors.

Results

About 54% (95% CI: 48–58%) of the participants had good social media usage for COVID-19-related information. Age≤30 (AOR = 2.02, 95% CI: 1.14–3.58), Wi-Fi/broadband Internet access (AOR = 2.45, 95% CI: 1.38–4.33), taking computer training (AOR = 2.58, 95% CI: 1.37–4.85), basic computer skill (AOR = 3.28, 95% CI: 1.71–6.29), and usefulness of social media (AOR = 3.56, 95% CI: 1.57–8.04) were found to be the significant factors associated with usage of social media for COVID-19-related information.

Conclusion

The present study confirms that more than half of health professionals had good social media usage for COVID-19-related information. This shows that social media platforms can be used as a source of COVID-19-related information for health professionals if basic computer training is offered, internet connection is available in the workplace, and the usefulness of social media is emphasized.

Exploring Knowledge, Prevention Methods, and Prevention Barriers of COVID-19 Among Somali, Karen, and Latinx Community Members in Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA

Background:

As the COVID-19 pandemic has unfolded, understanding the virus and necessary measures to prevent infection have evolved. While effective preventative measures for COVID-19 have been identified, there are also identifiable barriers to implementation.

Objective:

Explore the access to information, knowledge, and prevention methods and barriers of COVID-19 among Somali, Karen, and Latinx immigrant community members in Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA through analysis of in-depth interviews.

Methods:

Data were collected through 32 interviews via phone, video conference on a computer, or in-person with Somali, Karen, and Latinx adults to understand the experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic in each group’s native language. All participants were over the age of 18, and identified as Somali, Karen, and Latinx refugee or immigrant. Interview protocol contained 9 main questions including probes. Data were analyzed through use of the qualitative analysis software, Atlas.ti using phenomenology.

Results:

A total of 32 adults were interviewed (Somali = 12, Karen = 10, and Latinx = 10). One-third were in person and the remainder were remote. The average age recorded was 37 years (range 20-66 years), 43.8% males and 56.3% females. Somali, Karen, and Latinx respondents consistently had accurate knowledge about COVID-19 and were attentive to finding trustworthy information. Information was available in Somali, Karen, and Latinx written language, although Karen elders who are not literate would benefit more from video messaging. Knowledge of preventive measures was consistent; however, barriers included access, working in front-line positions, and living in high density housing.

Conclusion:

Exploring the impact of COVID-19 on Somali, Karen, and Latinx community members in Minneapolis, MN is advantageous in removing identified barriers and disparities in health. The results of this study highlight the need for increased efforts to address barriers in the prevention of COVID-19, as well as future pandemics for immigrant and refugee populations.

Frequency of Online Health Information Seeking and Types of Information Sought Among the General Chinese Population: Cross-sectional Study

BACKGROUND

The internet is one of the most popular health information resources, and the Chinese constitute one-fifth of the online users worldwide. As internet penetration continues to rise, more details on the Chinese population seeking online health information need to be known based on the current literature.

OBJECTIVE

This study aims to explore the sociodemographic differences in online health information seeking (OHIS), including the frequency of OHIS and the types of online health information sought among the general Chinese population in mainland China.

METHODS

A cross-sectional study for assessing the residents' health care needs with self-administered questionnaires was implemented in 4 counties and districts in China from July 2018 to August 2018. Pearson's chi-square test was used to identify the sociodemographic differences between infrequent and frequent online health information seekers. We also performed binary logistic regression for the 4 types of online health information as the dependent variables and the sociodemographic factors as the independent variables.

RESULTS

Compared with infrequent online health information seekers, frequent seekers were more likely to be female (infrequent: 1654/3318; 49.85%; frequent: 1015/1831, 55.43%), older (over 60 years old; infrequent: 454/3318, 13.68%; frequent: 282/1831, 15.40%), married (infrequent: 2649/3318, 79.84%; frequent: 1537/1831, 83.94%), and better educated (bachelor's or above; infrequent: 834/3318, 25.14%; frequent: 566/1831, 30.91%). They were also more likely to earn a higher income (over RMB ¥50k [RMB ¥1=US $0.15641]; infrequent: 1139/3318, 34.33%; frequent: 710/1831, 34.78%), have commercial health insurance (infrequent: 628/3318, 18.93%; frequent: 470/1831, 25.67%), and have reported illness in the past 12 months (infrequent: 659/3318, 19.86%; frequent: 415/1831, 22.67%). Among the 4 health information types, health science popularization was the most searched for information by Chinese online health information seekers (3654/5149, 70.79%), followed by healthy behaviors (3567/5149, 69.28%), traditional Chinese medicine (1931/5149, 37.50%), and medical concerns (1703/5149, 33.07%). The binary logistic regression models showed that males were less likely to seek information on healthy behaviors (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] 0.69, 95% CI 0.61-0.78) and traditional Chinese medicine (AOR 0.64, 95% CI 0.57-0.73), and respondents who had at least 1 chronic disease were more likely to seek information on medical concerns (AOR 1.27, 95% CI 1.07-1.51) and traditional Chinese medicine (AOR 1.26, 95% CI 1.06-1.49).

CONCLUSIONS

Sociodemographic factors were associated with the frequency of OHIS and types of information sought among the general Chinese population. The results remind providers of online health information to consider the needs of specific population groups when tailoring and presenting health information to the target population.

Cancer Communication and User Engagement on Chinese Social Media: Content Analysis and Topic Modeling Study

Background

Cancer ranks among the most serious public health challenges worldwide. In China—the world’s most populous country—about one-quarter of the population consists of people with cancer. Social media has become an important platform that the Chinese public uses to express opinions.

Objective

We investigated cancer-related discussions on the Chinese social media platform Weibo (Sina Corporation) to identify cancer topics that generate the highest levels of user engagement.

Methods

We conducted topic modeling and regression analyses to analyze and visualize cancer-related messages on Weibo and to examine the relationships between different cancer topics and user engagement (ie, the number of retweets, comments, and likes).

Results

Our results revealed that cancer communication on Weibo has generally focused on the following six topics: social support, cancer treatment, cancer prevention, women’s cancers, smoking and skin cancer, and other topics. Discussions about social support and cancer treatment attracted the highest number of users and received the greatest numbers of retweets, comments, and likes.

Conclusions

Our investigation of cancer-related communication on Weibo provides valuable insights into public concerns about cancer and can help guide the development of health campaigns in social media.

Leveraging Text Mining Approach to Identify What People Want to Know About Mental Disorders From Online Inquiry Platforms

Online inquiry platforms, which is where a person can anonymously ask questions, have become an important information source for those who are concerned about social stigma and discrimination that follow mental disorders. Therefore, examining what people inquire about regarding mental disorders would be useful when designing educational programs for communities. The present study aimed to examine the contents of the queries regarding mental disorders that were posted on online inquiry platforms. A total of 4,714 relevant queries from the two major online inquiry platforms were collected. We computed word frequencies, centralities, and latent Dirichlet allocation (LDA) topic modeling. The words like symptom, hospital and treatment ranked as the most frequently used words, and the word my appeared to have the highest centrality. LDA identified four latent topics: (1) the understanding of general symptoms, (2) a disability grading system and welfare entitlement, (3) stressful life events, and (4) social adaptation with mental disorders. People are interested in practical information concerning mental disorders, such as social benefits, social adaptation, more general information about the symptoms and the treatments. Our findings suggest that instructions encompassing different scopes of information are needed when developing educational programs.

Experimental effects of fitspiration messaging on body satisfaction, exercise motivation, and exercise behavior among college women and men

The popular #fitspiration trend on Instagram and other social media platforms is intended to inspire healthy living (particularly exercise engagement), though several studies have documented the negative effects of fitspiration-style posts on women's body satisfaction and mood. Pairing fitspiration images with text focused on self-compassion shows promise for buffering this effect and warrants additional attention. In particular, little is known about the benefit of self-compassion (vs. traditional) messaging for exercise motivation or engagement, and few studies have examined gender differences in these effects. The present study used an experimental design to test the differential effects of fitspiration posts paired with traditional messaging, self-compassion messaging, or no text (image-only control). College students (N = 655; 59% women, 64% Caucasian) were randomized to view gender-congruent stimuli on Instagram; they then completed self-report measures of body satisfaction and exercise motivation, and their attendance at campus fitness centers was tracked over the following 7 days (to capture exercise engagement). Neither the expected benefits of self-compassion (vs. traditional) messages for body satisfaction and exercise motivation nor the expected benefit of traditional (vs. self-compassion) messages for exercise engagement were observed. However, results of exploratory analyses suggest that, as predicted, self-compassion messaging may be optimal for promoting positive outcomes among women, whereas images without associated text may be optimal for promoting positive outcomes among men (Cohen's ds = 0.14-0.41). Findings from this study provide insight into potential methods for optimizing the fitspiration trend to promote healthy self-perceptions and exercise engagement during college.

Social networking sites: a new source of child feeding information for parents in Thailand

Social networking sites (SNSs) provide opportunities for health and nutrition communication. Data are lacking on whether these SNSs influence Thai parent's food provisioning to young children. In the current study, we examined the prevalence and characteristics of Thai parents who reported participating in child food and nutrition-SNSs and investigated the association between participation in these sites and parents' perceptions and feeding practices. A sample of 379 Thai parents completed a survey about the use of child food and nutrition-SNSs, and feeding practices and child eating behavior. Around 70% of participants, especially female millennials with their first child, have participated in SNSs that provide information about children's diets. High engagement was more common among younger and less educated participants, as well as rural dwellers and those with abnormal body mass index. Among these SNSs' participants, those with higher engagement had higher levels of trust in the nutritional information shared on SNSs. Further analyses showed that parents who have joined these sites had positive associations with not only providing children with more fresh fruits and vegetable but also more processed meats. Further investigations are needed to explore the information these SNSs provided and what influences they have on parents' perceptions around feeding children.

Levels of Trust in Information Sources as a Predictor of Protective Health Behaviors During COVID-19 Pandemic: A UAE Cross-Sectional Study

Health information sources and the level of trust in a particular source may influence the subsequent adoption of advocated health behaviors. Information source preference and levels of trust are also likely to be influenced by sociodemographic (culture, age, gender) variables. Understanding these source-trust-behavior relationships across various national and cultural contexts is integral to improved health messaging. The present study identified the sources most frequently consulted to obtain information about COVID-19 during the pandemic's early stages in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The study quantified levels of trust across an array of information sources, factoring in sociodemographic variables. Finally, the study explored the relationship between sociodemographic variables, levels of trust in information sources, and the adoption of COVID-19 related protective behaviors. Participants (n = 1585) were recruited during the first 2 weeks of April 2020 via announcements in the UAE media and through email networks. All participants completed a web-based survey presented in English or Arabic, as preferred. The most frequently consulted information sources were websites (health information websites), social media, government communications, and family and friends. The sources rated most trustworthy were: personal physicians, health care professionals, and government communications. There were differences in the use of sources and levels of trust according to age, gender, and education. The levels of trust in sources of information were associated with the adoption of protective behaviors, significantly so for citizens of the UAE. These findings may help inform the improvement of pandemic-related health messaging in multicultural contexts.

Wound Care Knowledge and Perception of the Saudi General Population in Riyadh Region

Objective: Proper wound care and management are essential in health care facilities to prevent complications. There are many statistical studies on wound management both globally and in the Middle East. However, patient perception and knowledge regarding wound care have not been assessed in depth. Therefore, this study explored patient perception, attitude, and knowledge of wound care as well as the factors influencing patient perception among the Saudi population. Approach: This cross-sectional study included 414 individuals (mean age, 34 years; females, 64%) from varied social backgrounds who met the inclusion criteria. It was conducted in Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), from June to December 2019. Data were obtained from the participants using a pretested, validated self-administered questionnaire. Results: Of the participants, 78.0% completed a bachelor's degree or higher. The majority (71.7%) had an average level of knowledge regarding wound care. Most of the participants sought medical information from nonmedical resources-from social media (42.8%) and from relatives and friends (40.6%). Moreover, most of them (73.3%) used home remedies, 77.1% Vaseline, 71% butter, 70.2% coffee beans, 71.5% toothpaste, and 83.1% Zamzam water for their wounds. Innovation: This study is the first study to address the beliefs of the Saudi nonhealth care community toward wound care. Conclusion: Our findings revealed a gap between the level of education and knowledge and beliefs of our population, which could negatively affect clinical outcomes. To address this issue, there is a need to develop an awareness program on wound care and management for patients and providers.

Classification of the Use of Online Health Information Channels and Variation in Motivations for Channel Selection: Cross-sectional Survey

BACKGROUND

Existing health education and communication research routinely measures online channel use as a whole by, for example, evaluating how frequently people use the internet to search for health information. This approach fails to capture the complexity and diversity of online channel use in health information seeking. The measurement of generic online channel use may cause too much error, and it lends no support to media planning in public health promotion campaigns or scholarly research involving online channel use.

OBJECTIVE

This study intends to present a thorough picture of patterns of online health information channel use and classify the use of various types of online health information channels, including WeChat, microblogs, web portals, search engines, mobile apps, and online forums. Under the framework of the risk information seeking and processing model, this study also analyzes the differences in individuals' motivations for channel selection to offer further evidence to validate the classification scheme.

METHODS

This study sampled 542 Chinese internet users in Beijing. The average age of the respondents was 33 years, female respondents accounted for 52.0% (282/542) of the sample, and the average monthly income ranged from US $900 to $1200. The study surveyed the use of 13 commonly used online health information channels and various sociopsychological factors associated with online health information seeking.

RESULTS

This study derived 3 categories of online health information channels: searching, browsing, and scanning channels. It was found that the use of online searching channels was affect driven (B=0.11; β=0.10; P=.02) and characterized by a stronger need for health knowledge (B=0.09; β=0.01; P<.001). The use of browsing channels was directly influenced by informational subjective norms (B=0.33; β=0.15; P=.004) and perceived current knowledge (B=0.007; β=0.09; P=.003). The use of scanning channels was mainly influenced by informational subjective norms (B=0.29; β=0.15; P=.007).

CONCLUSIONS

The results of this study suggest that health communication practitioners and scholars may consider measuring the use of internet, new media, or online media more precisely instead of simply asking the public about the frequency of online channel use or internet use in the acquisition of health information. Scholars and practitioners may consider measuring the use of online health information channels by using the 3-category scheme described in this study. Future research is encouraged to further explore how people process health information when using different online channels.

Barriers and Challenges to Cervical Cancer Screening, Follow-Up, and Prevention Measures among Korean Immigrant Women in Hawaii

OBJECTIVE

Despite being the fastest-growing population in the United States, Asian American women have one of the lowest cancer screening rates and the least attention given to cancer-related research. Cervical cancer screening disparities among Korean immigrant women (KIWs) in Hawaii have been reported.

METHODS

The qualitative ethnographic study was to explore the health barriers and challenges of cervical cancer prevention among KIWs in Hawaii. The Social Ecological Model was used to guide the study. Data were collected using individual structured interviews with 20 KIWs aged 21-65 years. The data were coded and analyzed to identify themes in exploring health barriers.

RESULTS

The findings revealed that participants (a) lacked knowledge about the U.S. health-care system; (b) lacked access; (c) had limited resources regarding cervical cancer screening communicated in Korean; (d) lacked an understanding of cultural and psychosocial beliefs on preventive care; (e) lacked female and Korean-speaking providers; and (f) experienced language barriers and limited coverage of health insurance.

CONCLUSIONS

A multicomponent intervention combining individual and community-based, Internet-accessible, culturally, and linguistically appropriate approaches may enhance effective cervical cancer screening rates and positive health outcomes among KIWs in Hawaii.

Factors Driving Users’ Engagement in Patient Social Network Systems

Participatory medicine and e-health help to promote health literacy among non-medical professionals. Users of e-health systems actively participate in a patient social network system (PSNS) to share health information and experiences with other users with similar health conditions. Users’ activities provide valuable healthcare resources to develop effective participatory medicine between patients, caregivers, and medical professionals. This study aims to investigate the factors of patients’ engagement in a PSNS by integrating and modifying an existing behavioral model and information system model (i.e., affective events theory (AET) and self-determination theory (SDT)). The AET is used to model the structure, the affective aspects of the driven behavior, and actual affective manifestation. The SDT is used to model interest and its relations with behavior. The data analysis and model testing are based on structural equation modeling, using responses from 428 users. The results indicate that interest and empathy promote users’ engagement in a PSNS. The findings from this study suggest recommendations to further promote users’ participation in a PSNS from the sociotechnical perspective, which include sensitizing and constructive engagement features. Furthermore, the data generated from a user’s participation in a PSNS could contribute to the study of clinical manifestations of disease, especially an emerging disease.