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Butterworth J, Smerdon D, Baumeister R, von Hippel W. Cooperation in the Time of COVID. PERSPECTIVES ON PSYCHOLOGICAL SCIENCE 2024; 19:640-651. [PMID: 37384624 PMCID: PMC10311366 DOI: 10.1177/17456916231178719] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/01/2023]
Abstract
Humans evolved to be hyper-cooperative, particularly when among people who are well known to them, when relationships involve reciprocal helping opportunities, and when the costs to the helper are substantially less than the benefits to the recipient. Because humans' cooperative nature evolved over many millennia when they lived exclusively in small groups, factors that cause cooperation to break down tend to be those associated with life in large, impersonal, modern societies: when people are not identifiable, when interactions are one-off, when self-interest is not tied to the interests of others, and when people are concerned that others might free ride. From this perspective, it becomes clear that policies for managing pandemics will be most effective when they highlight superordinate goals and connect people or institutions to one another over multiple identifiable interactions. When forging such connections is not possible, policies should mimic critical components of ancestral conditions by providing reputational markers for cooperators and reducing the systemic damage caused by free riding. In this article, we review policies implemented during the pandemic, highlighting spontaneous community efforts that leveraged these aspects of people's evolved psychology, and consider implications for future decision makers.
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Baumer-Mouradian SH, Hofstetter AM, O'Leary ST, Opel DJ. Vaccine Confidence as Critical to Pandemic Preparedness and Response. Pediatr Clin North Am 2024; 71:499-513. [PMID: 38754938 DOI: 10.1016/j.pcl.2024.01.017] [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] [Indexed: 05/18/2024]
Abstract
Vaccine confidence is a belief that vaccines work, are safe, and are part of a trustworthy medical system. The COVID-19 pandemic exposed the fragility of the public's confidence in vaccines and the vaccine enterprise, limiting the public health impact of vaccination. In this review, we examine the critical nature of vaccine confidence to pandemic preparedness and response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shannon H Baumer-Mouradian
- Department of Pediatrics, Medical College of Wisconsin, 9000 W. Wisconsin Avenue, Milwaukee, WI 53226, USA
| | - Annika M Hofstetter
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Washington School of Medicine and Center for Clinical and Translational Research, Seattle Children's Research Institute, M/S CURE-4, PO Box 5371, Seattle, WA 98145, USA
| | - Sean T O'Leary
- Department of Pediatrics and Adult and Child Center for Health Outcomes Research and Delivery Science, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, 1890 North Revere Court, Aurora, CO 80045, USA
| | - Douglas J Opel
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Washington School of Medicine and Treuman Katz Center for Pediatric Bioethics and Palliative Care, Center for Clinical and Translational Research, Seattle Children's Research Institute, M/S: JMB-6; 1900 Ninth Avenue, Seattle, WA 98101, USA.
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3
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Murdoch B, Sapir-Pichhadze R, de Chickera SN, Caulfield T. Communicating About Precision Transplantation Tools. Can J Kidney Health Dis 2024; 11:20543581241228737. [PMID: 38328390 PMCID: PMC10848791 DOI: 10.1177/20543581241228737] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2023] [Accepted: 12/12/2023] [Indexed: 02/09/2024] Open
Abstract
Purpose of review Precision tools that ensure molecular compatibility can help prevent rejection and improve kidney transplantation outcomes. However, these tools will generate controversy because they are perceived to and can in fact impact equity in the ethics of allocation. They may also affect the extent to which physicians can advocate for their patient fiduciaries, as generally required by Canadian professional ethics and law. Sources of information Electronic databases such as Google Scholar and PubMed were searched for peer-reviewed literature, and Google search engine was used to identify the news articles, jurisprudence, legal information, and other relevant websites cited. Methods We discuss controversies precision transplantation tools will likely generate, consider what challenges will arise from their implementation, and provide recommendations of avenues and content for communication to address these issues. Key findings Communication about the translation of new precision tools will be challenging as media portrayals of transplantation often focus on individual narratives about access to transplantation and fail to center the issues of utility, allocation, and rejection. Incomplete portrayals of this nature will need to be countered with explanations of how new precision tools can be of net benefit when implemented equitably, as maintaining trust in the donation and transplantation system is key. Limitations Our manuscript focuses on precision medicine applications pertaining to the implementation of molecular compatibility in transplantation. Distinct communication content and avenues may need to be considered in other contexts. Implications Clear, accurate, and strategic communication is key to managing translation of precision medicine tools. For this purpose, we provide detailed recommendations for stakeholder engagement, content, and avenues for communicating about precision transplantation tools.
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Affiliation(s)
- Blake Murdoch
- Health Law Institute, Faculty of Law, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada
| | | | | | - Timothy Caulfield
- Health Law Institute, Faculty of Law, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada
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4
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Zaidi Z, Ye M, Samon F, Jama A, Gopalakrishnan B, Gu C, Karunasekera S, Evans J, Kashima Y. Topics in Antivax and Provax Discourse: Yearlong Synoptic Study of COVID-19 Vaccine Tweets. J Med Internet Res 2023; 25:e45069. [PMID: 37552535 PMCID: PMC10411425 DOI: 10.2196/45069] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2022] [Revised: 05/14/2023] [Accepted: 06/06/2023] [Indexed: 08/09/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Developing an understanding of the public discourse on COVID-19 vaccination on social media is important not only for addressing the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic but also for future pathogen outbreaks. There are various research efforts in this domain, although, a need still exists for a comprehensive topic-wise analysis of tweets in favor of and against COVID-19 vaccines. OBJECTIVE This study characterizes the discussion points in favor of and against COVID-19 vaccines posted on Twitter during the first year of the pandemic. The aim of this study was primarily to contrast the views expressed by both camps, their respective activity patterns, and their correlation with vaccine-related events. A further aim was to gauge the genuineness of the concerns expressed in antivax tweets. METHODS We examined a Twitter data set containing 75 million English tweets discussing the COVID-19 vaccination from March 2020 to March 2021. We trained a stance detection algorithm using natural language processing techniques to classify tweets as antivax or provax and examined the main topics of discourse using topic modeling techniques. RESULTS Provax tweets (37 million) far outnumbered antivax tweets (10 million) and focused mostly on vaccine development, whereas antivax tweets covered a wide range of topics, including opposition to vaccine mandate and concerns about safety. Although some antivax tweets included genuine concerns, there was a large amount of falsehood. Both stances discussed many of the same topics from opposite viewpoints. Memes and jokes were among the most retweeted messages. Most tweets from both stances (9,007,481/10,566,679, 85.24% antivax and 24,463,708/37,044,507, 66.03% provax tweets) came from dual-stance users who posted both provax and antivax tweets during the observation period. CONCLUSIONS This study is a comprehensive account of COVID-19 vaccine discourse in the English language on Twitter from March 2020 to March 2021. The broad range of discussion points covered almost the entire conversation, and their temporal dynamics revealed a significant correlation with COVID-19 vaccine-related events. We did not find any evidence of polarization and prevalence of antivax discourse over Twitter. However, targeted countering of falsehoods is important because only a small fraction of antivax discourse touched on a genuine issue. Future research should examine the role of memes and humor in driving web-based social media activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zainab Zaidi
- Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia
| | - Mengbin Ye
- Centre for Optimisation and Decision Science, Curtin University, Perth, Australia
| | - Fergus Samon
- Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia
| | - Abdisalan Jama
- Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia
| | - Binduja Gopalakrishnan
- Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia
| | - Chenhao Gu
- Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia
| | - Shanika Karunasekera
- Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia
| | - Jamie Evans
- Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia
| | - Yoshihisa Kashima
- Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia
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5
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Van Espen M, Dewachter S, Holvoet N. COVID-19 vaccination willingness in peri-urban Tanzanian communities: Towards contextualising and moving beyond the individual perspective. SSM Popul Health 2023; 22:101381. [PMID: 36936725 PMCID: PMC10014502 DOI: 10.1016/j.ssmph.2023.101381] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2022] [Revised: 03/10/2023] [Accepted: 03/13/2023] [Indexed: 03/17/2023] Open
Abstract
With only 5.1% of the population fully vaccinated against COVID-19, Tanzania has one of the lowest vaccination rates in the world and after two years of changing policies regarding the disease, the country struggles to get its vaccination campaign on the rails. In this study, we identify the determinants of COVID-19 vaccination willingness in two villages of the Mvomero district in Eastern Tanzania. Based on survey data, we performed univariate analyses to assess differences in vaccination intention for various social groups, and built a four-dimensional multivariate ordered logistic regression model that comprises respondents' personal and socioeconomic characteristics, the channels through which they get their information, their attitudes and perceptions towards COVID-19, and their social network embeddedness. Only 37.0% of the respondents indicated that they would be willing to get vaccinated against COVID-19. Vaccination willingness differed significantly according to gender, age, educational attainment and religion; with men, the elderly, people with post-secondary education and Catholics and Muslims more likely to accept a vaccine. Predictors of vaccination willingness were gender, age, social media and informal contacts as information sources, perceived effectiveness of the vaccine and of alternative medicine, fear of side effects, a general dislike of vaccines, and the proportion of vaccinated people and the highest value of trust in international organisations in one's network. Although people's attitudes and perceptions have the largest share of the explanatory value, our model shows that all four of our model's building blocks were imperative in explaining vaccination willingness. Therefore, our paper presents a compelling case for the inclusion of respondents' social embeddedness as a common dimension for exploratory models of vaccination willingness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marie Van Espen
- Institute of Development Policy, University of Antwerp, Department of Agricultural Economics, Ghent University, Belgium
| | - Sara Dewachter
- Institute of Development Policy, University of Antwerp, Belgium
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6
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Carpiano RM, Callaghan T, DiResta R, Brewer NT, Clinton C, Galvani AP, Lakshmanan R, Parmet WE, Omer SB, Buttenheim AM, Benjamin RM, Caplan A, Elharake JA, Flowers LC, Maldonado YA, Mello MM, Opel DJ, Salmon DA, Schwartz JL, Sharfstein JM, Hotez PJ. Confronting the evolution and expansion of anti-vaccine activism in the USA in the COVID-19 era. Lancet 2023; 401:967-970. [PMID: 36871571 PMCID: PMC9981160 DOI: 10.1016/s0140-6736(23)00136-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2022] [Revised: 01/09/2023] [Accepted: 01/19/2023] [Indexed: 03/06/2023]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Timothy Callaghan
- Department of Health Law, Policy & Management, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Renee DiResta
- Stanford Internet Observatory, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Noel T Brewer
- Department of Health Behavior, Gillings School of Global Public Health, Chapel Hill, NC, USA; Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Chelsea Clinton
- Clinton Foundation, New York, NY, USA; Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Alison P Galvani
- Center for Infectious Disease Modeling and Analysis, Yale School of Public Health, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA; Department of Epidemiology of Microbial Diseases, Yale School of Public Health, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | | | - Wendy E Parmet
- Center for Health Policy & Law, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Saad B Omer
- Department of Epidemiology of Microbial Diseases, Yale School of Public Health, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA; Yale School of Nursing, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA; Yale Institute of Global Health, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA; Department of Internal Medicine (Infectious Diseases), Yale School of Medicine, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Alison M Buttenheim
- Department of Family and Community Health, University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing, and Center for Health Incentives and Behavioral Economics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | | | - Arthur Caplan
- New York University Langone School of Medicine, New York University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Jad A Elharake
- Yale Institute of Global Health, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Lisa C Flowers
- Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | | | - Michelle M Mello
- Department of Health Policy, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA; Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA; Stanford Law School, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Douglas J Opel
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA, USA; Treuman Katz Center for Pediatric Bioethics, Seattle Children's Research Institute, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Daniel A Salmon
- Institute for Vaccine Safety, Department of International Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Jason L Schwartz
- Department of Health Policy and Management, Yale School of Public Health, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Joshua M Sharfstein
- Department of Health Policy and Management, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Peter J Hotez
- Texas Children's Center for Vaccine Development, Departments of Pediatrics and Molecular Virology & Microbiology, National School of Tropical Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA; Department of Biology, Baylor University, Waco, TX, USA; Hagler Institute for Advanced Study, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA; Scowcroft Institute of International Affairs, Bush School of Government and Public Service, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA; James A Baker III Institute for Public Policy, Rice University, Houston, TX, USA
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7
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A systematic review of worldwide causal and correlational evidence on digital media and democracy. Nat Hum Behav 2023; 7:74-101. [PMID: 36344657 PMCID: PMC9883171 DOI: 10.1038/s41562-022-01460-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2021] [Accepted: 09/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
One of today's most controversial and consequential issues is whether the global uptake of digital media is causally related to a decline in democracy. We conducted a systematic review of causal and correlational evidence (N = 496 articles) on the link between digital media use and different political variables. Some associations, such as increasing political participation and information consumption, are likely to be beneficial for democracy and were often observed in autocracies and emerging democracies. Other associations, such as declining political trust, increasing populism and growing polarization, are likely to be detrimental to democracy and were more pronounced in established democracies. While the impact of digital media on political systems depends on the specific variable and system in question, several variables show clear directions of associations. The evidence calls for research efforts and vigilance by governments and civil societies to better understand, design and regulate the interplay of digital media and democracy.
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8
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Chen S, Xiao L, Kumar A. Spread of misinformation on social media: What contributes to it and how to combat it. COMPUTERS IN HUMAN BEHAVIOR 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.chb.2022.107643] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
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9
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Wasike B. When the influencer says jump! How influencer signaling affects engagement with COVID-19 misinformation. Soc Sci Med 2022; 315:115497. [PMID: 36368060 PMCID: PMC9643098 DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2022.115497] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2022] [Revised: 10/14/2022] [Accepted: 10/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
With signaling theory, credibility, and social media engagement (SME) as guiding frameworks, this study used an experiment to examine how social media influencers (SMIs) affect how people engage with COVID-19 misinformation. SMI-promoted information elicited more SME, credibility, and purchase likelihood than non-SMI promoted information. The most effective message was a post promoted by an SMI that contained detailed information about an authentic product. However, data indicated nuance regarding the effect of SMIs. The authenticity of the information as well as the amount of detail in the post played a role. Additionally, mediated effects analysis showed that the impact of SME on purchase likelihood was higher among non-SMI followers. Data suggests that using a multi-signal messaging approach is suitable regardless of promotion by an SMI. This has important implications to public health messaging and the author discusses how health agencies may effectively signal information to the public.
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10
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Processes of persuasion and social influence in conspiracy beliefs. Curr Opin Psychol 2022; 48:101463. [PMID: 36215908 DOI: 10.1016/j.copsyc.2022.101463] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2022] [Revised: 08/22/2022] [Accepted: 08/26/2022] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
If conspiracy beliefs were an individual process, no conspiracy theory would be alike. Instead, these beliefs are promoted by individuals or social groups through the media or informal channels of communication, leading to identical beliefs being espoused by different people and social groups. This paper reviews the role of the social influence as a basis for conspiracy beliefs and describes the role of legacy media, discussions with others, and social media, as well as the underlying informational and normative mechanisms. The role of trust is also considered, including how trust in science can increase vulnerability to conspiracy theories by opening audiences up to the influence of pseudo-scientists. Mitigating the impact of these influences will require research attention to processes that go beyond correction, elucidating the interpersonal consequences of corrections within contemporary information wars.
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11
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Balakrishnan V, Ng WZ, Soo MC, Han GJ, Lee CJ. Infodemic and fake news - A comprehensive overview of its global magnitude during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2021: A scoping review. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF DISASTER RISK REDUCTION : IJDRR 2022; 78:103144. [PMID: 35791376 PMCID: PMC9247231 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijdrr.2022.103144] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2021] [Revised: 06/22/2022] [Accepted: 06/23/2022] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
The spread of fake news increased dramatically during the COVID-19 pandemic worldwide. This study aims to synthesize the extant literature to understand the magnitude of this phenomenon in the wake of the pandemic in 2021, focusing on the motives and sociodemographic profiles, Artificial Intelligence (AI)-based tools developed, and the top trending topics related to fake news. A scoping review was adopted targeting articles published in five academic databases (January 2021-November 2021), resulting in 97 papers. Most of the studies were empirical in nature (N = 69) targeting the general population (N = 26) and social media users (N = 13), followed by AI-based detection tools (N = 27). Top motives for fake news sharing include low awareness, knowledge, and health/media literacy, Entertainment/Pass Time/Socialization, Altruism, and low trust in government/news media, whilst the phenomenon was more prominent among those with low education, males and younger. Machine and deep learning emerged to be the widely explored techniques in detecting fake news, whereas top topics were related to vaccine, virus, cures/remedies, treatment, and prevention. Immediate intervention and prevention efforts are needed to curb this anti-social behavior considering the world is still struggling to contain the spread of the COVID-19 virus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vimala Balakrishnan
- Faculty of Computer Science & Information Technology, Universiti Malaya, 50603, Lembah Pantai, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Wei Zhen Ng
- Faculty of Computer Science & Information Technology, Universiti Malaya, 50603, Lembah Pantai, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Mun Chong Soo
- Faculty of Computer Science & Information Technology, Universiti Malaya, 50603, Lembah Pantai, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Gan Joo Han
- Faculty of Computer Science & Information Technology, Universiti Malaya, 50603, Lembah Pantai, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Choon Jiat Lee
- Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Malaya, 50603, Lembah Pantai, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
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12
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Knowledge about COVID-19 Best Practices in the North of Portugal and the Importance of Health Education in the Prevention of Pandemic Events. SOCIETIES 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/soc12030082] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
The rapid global spread of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has made COVID-19 one of the biggest pandemics of all time, with several devastating public health challenges. In this study, we investigated the knowledge towards COVID-19 best practices in the north of Portugal. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was performed with a convenience sample of the population of northern Portugal to assess their knowledge about COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2 and measures to prevent and mitigate pandemics. An online validated questionnaire was completed by 411 participants, from September to October 2020. Results: The overall correct knowledge was 81.3%, which indicates a good knowledge by the northern Portuguese respondents about COVID-19. The correct answer score differed considerably between men and women, being significantly higher among the latter (12.28 ± 1.22; p = 0.011). Moreover, the highest knowledge was observed in participants who attended high school or above (12.27 ± 1.21; p < 0.000). Conclusion: This study contributes to the analysis of COVID-19 knowledge by the northern Portuguese population, emphasizes the crucial role of health education in the control and mitigation of the COVID-19 pandemic, and provides field-based evidence to prevent the next pandemic event.
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13
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Rughiniş C, Flaherty MG. The Social Bifurcation of Reality: Symmetrical Construction of Knowledge in Science-Trusting and Science-Distrusting Discourses. FRONTIERS IN SOCIOLOGY 2022; 7:782851. [PMID: 35224088 PMCID: PMC8864180 DOI: 10.3389/fsoc.2022.782851] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2021] [Accepted: 01/11/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
This article proposes a conceptual framework to study the social bifurcation of reality in polarized science-trusting and science-distrusting lay worldviews, by analyzing and integrating five concepts: science work, number work, emotion work, time work, and boundary work. Despite the epistemological asymmetry between accounts relying on mainstream science and science-distrusting or denialist ones, there are symmetrical social processes contributing to the construction of lay discourses. Through conceptual analysis, we synthesize an alternative to the deficit model of contrarian discourses, replacing the model of social actors as "defective scientists" with a focus on their culturally competent agency. The proposed framework is useful for observing the parallel construction of polarized realities in interaction and their ongoing articulation through hinge objects, such as vaccines, seatbelts, guns, or sanitary masks in the Covid-19 context. We illustrate the framework through a comparative approach, presenting arguments and memes from contemporary online media in two controversies: namely, vaccine-trusting versus vaccine-distrusting views and Covid-convinced versus Covid-suspicious discourses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cosima Rughiniş
- Faculty of Sociology and Social Work, University of Bucharest, Bucharest, Romania
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14
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Fang F, Wang T, Tan S, Chen S, Zhou T, Zhang W, Guo Q, Liu J, Holme P, Lu X. Network Structure and Community Evolution Online: Behavioral and Emotional Changes in Response to COVID-19. Front Public Health 2022; 9:813234. [PMID: 35087790 PMCID: PMC8787074 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2021.813234] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2021] [Accepted: 12/15/2021] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Background: The measurement and identification of changes in the social structure in response to an exceptional event like COVID-19 can facilitate a more informed public response to the pandemic and provide fundamental insights on how collective social processes respond to extreme events. Objective: In this study, we built a generalized framework for applying social media data to understand public behavioral and emotional changes in response to COVID-19. Methods: Utilizing a complete dataset of Sina Weibo posts published by users in Wuhan from December 2019 to March 2020, we constructed a time-varying social network of 3.5 million users. In combination with community detection, text analysis, and sentiment analysis, we comprehensively analyzed the evolution of the social network structure, as well as the behavioral and emotional changes across four main stages of Wuhan's experience with the epidemic. Results: The empirical results indicate that almost all network indicators related to the network's size and the frequency of social interactions increased during the outbreak. The number of unique recipients, average degree, and transitivity increased by 24, 23, and 19% during the severe stage than before the outbreak, respectively. Additionally, the similarity of topics discussed on Weibo increased during the local peak of the epidemic. Most people began discussing the epidemic instead of the more varied cultural topics that dominated early conversations. The number of communities focused on COVID-19 increased by nearly 40 percent of the total number of communities. Finally, we find a statistically significant "rebound effect" by exploring the emotional content of the users' posts through paired sample t-test (P = 0.003). Conclusions: Following the evolution of the network and community structure can explain how collective social processes changed during the pandemic. These results can provide data-driven insights into the development of public attention during extreme events.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fan Fang
- College of Systems Engineering, National University of Defense Technology, Changsha, China
| | - Tong Wang
- College of Systems Engineering, National University of Defense Technology, Changsha, China
| | - Suoyi Tan
- College of Systems Engineering, National University of Defense Technology, Changsha, China
| | - Saran Chen
- School of Mathematics and Big Data, Foshan University, Foshan, China
| | - Tao Zhou
- Big Data Research Center, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
| | - Wei Zhang
- West China Biomedical Big Data Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Qiang Guo
- Research Center of Complex Systems Science, University of Shanghai for Science and Technology, Shanghai, China
| | - Jianguo Liu
- Institute of Accounting and Finance, Shanghai University of Finance and Economics, Shanghai, China
| | - Petter Holme
- Tokyo Tech World Hub Research Initiative, Institute of Innovative Research, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Xin Lu
- College of Systems Engineering, National University of Defense Technology, Changsha, China
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15
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Wright JM, Chun WHK, Clarke A, Herder M, Ramos H. Protecting expert advice for the public: promoting safety and improved communications. Facets (Ott) 2022. [DOI: 10.1139/facets-2021-0181] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The drivers of the harassment and intimidation of researchers are complex, widespread, and global in their reach and were being studied across many disciplines even before COVID-19. This policy briefing reviews some of the scholarship on this wide-ranging problem but focuses on what can be done to help ensure that Canadians fully benefit from the work of Canada’s researchers while also preserving the security and safety of those researchers. It identifies policies and actions that can be implemented in the near term to gather information on the problem, better frame public research communications, and ensure that mechanisms are readily available to support researchers who are threatened. The policy briefing is concerned with researchers, but these behaviours are also harming journalists, politicians, public health communicators, and many others more fully in the public eye than researchers. Some recommendations here may help to address this wider problem.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia M. Wright
- Department of English, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, B3H 4R2, Canada
| | | | - Amanda Clarke
- School of Public Policy & Administration, Carleton University, Ottawa, ON, K1S 5B6, Canada
| | - Matthew Herder
- Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, and Director, Health Law Institute, Schulich School of Law, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, B3H 4R2, Canada
| | - Howard Ramos
- Department of Sociology, Western University, London, ON, N6A 5C2, Canada
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Wang X, Chao F, Yu G. Evaluating Rumor Debunking Effectiveness During the COVID-19 Pandemic Crisis: Utilizing User Stance in Comments on Sina Weibo. Front Public Health 2021; 9:770111. [PMID: 34926388 PMCID: PMC8678741 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2021.770111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2021] [Accepted: 11/05/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: The spread of rumors related to COVID-19 on social media has posed substantial challenges to public health governance, and thus exposing rumors and curbing their spread quickly and effectively has become an urgent task. This study aimed to assist in formulating effective strategies to debunk rumors and curb their spread on social media. Methods: A total of 2,053 original postings and 100,348 comments that replied to the postings of five false rumors related to COVID-19 (dated from January 20, 2020, to June 28, 2020) belonging to three categories, authoritative, social, and political, on Sina Weibo in China were randomly selected. To study the effectiveness of different debunking methods, a new annotation scheme was proposed that divides debunking methods into six categories: denial, further fact-checking, refutation, person response, organization response, and combination methods. Text classifiers using deep learning methods were built to automatically identify four user stances in comments that replied to debunking postings: supporting, denying, querying, and commenting stances. Then, based on stance responses, a debunking effectiveness index (DEI) was developed to measure the effectiveness of different debunking methods. Results: The refutation method with cited evidence has the best debunking effect, whether used alone or in combination with other debunking methods. For the social category of Car rumor and political category of Russia rumor, using the refutation method alone can achieve the optimal debunking effect. For authoritative rumors, a combination method has the optimal debunking effect, but the most effective combination method requires avoiding the use of a combination of a debunking method where the person or organization defamed by the authoritative rumor responds personally and the refutation method. Conclusion: The findings provide relevant insights into ways to debunk rumors effectively, support crisis management of false information, and take necessary actions in response to rumors amid public health emergencies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin Wang
- School of Management, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, China
| | - Fan Chao
- School of Management, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, China
| | - Guang Yu
- School of Management, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, China
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