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Dhawan D, Bekalu M, Pinnamaneni R, McCloud R, Viswanath K. COVID-19 News and Misinformation: Do They Matter for Public Health Prevention? J Health Commun 2021; 26:799-808. [PMID: 34865604 DOI: 10.1080/10810730.2021.2010841] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
An infodemic caused by a rampant spread of a mixture of correct and incorrect information in a connected world creates uncertainty about and dismissal of proven public health measures. Two key factors that can influence COVID-19 preventive behaviors are information and self-efficacy. Misinformation (inaccurate or misleading information) can modify people's attitudes and behaviors and deter them from following preventive behaviors. Self-efficacy, on the other hand, has been linked to the likelihood to engaging in preventive behaviors. This cross-sectional study used a nationally representative survey of Americans from 2020 to determine the associations between (1) COVID-19 news sources and COVID-19 misinformation and (2) COVID-19 misinformation and COVID-19 prevention self-efficacy, using multivariable logistic regression. Results indicate that reliance on conservative sources for COVID-19 news is significantly associated with endorsing COVID-19 misinformation. In contrast, reliance on liberal sources, mainstream print, or social media for COVID-19 news are significantly negatively associated with endorsing COVID-19 misinformation. Furthermore, endorsing COVID-19 misinformation is related to low COVID-19 prevention self-efficacy, which, in turn, can modify COVID-19 preventive behaviors. These findings suggest that customizing health messages to debunk misinformation and increase self-efficacy for preventive behaviors can motivate individuals to comply with preventive behaviors and protect themselves from COVID-19.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dhriti Dhawan
- Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Mesfin Bekalu
- Social and Behavioral Sciences, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Ramya Pinnamaneni
- Social and Behavioral Sciences, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Rachel McCloud
- Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
| | - K Viswanath
- Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
- Social and Behavioral Sciences, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
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McCloud R, Perez C, Bekalu MA, Viswanath K. Speaker, tell me a joke: The feasibility of using smart speaker technology for health and well-being in an older adult population (Preprint). JMIR Aging 2021; 5:e33498. [PMID: 35532979 PMCID: PMC9127651 DOI: 10.2196/33498] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2021] [Revised: 12/03/2021] [Accepted: 12/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Although smart speaker technology is poised to help improve the health and well-being of older adults by offering services such as music, medication reminders, and connection to others, more research is needed to determine how older adults from lower socioeconomic position (SEP) accept and use this technology. Objective This study aimed to investigate the feasibility of using smart speakers to improve the health and well-being of low-SEP older adults. Methods A total of 39 adults aged between 65 and 85 years who lived in a subsidized housing community were recruited to participate in a 3-month study. The participants had a smart speaker at their home and were given a brief orientation on its use. Over the course of the study, participants were given weekly check-in calls to help assist with any problems and newsletters with tips on how to use the speaker. Participants received a pretest and posttest to gauge comfort with technology, well-being, and perceptions and use of the speaker. The study staff also maintained detailed process notes of interactions with the participants over the course of the study, including a log of all issues reported. Results At the end of the study period, 38% (15/39) of the participants indicated using the speaker daily, and 38% (15/39) of the participants reported using it several times per week. In addition, 72% (28/39) of the participants indicated that they wanted to continue using the speaker after the end of the study. Most participants (24/39, 62%) indicated that the speaker was useful, and approximately half of the participants felt that the speaker gave them another voice to talk to (19/39, 49%) and connected them with the outside world (18/39, 46%). Although common uses were using the speaker for weather, music, and news, fewer participants reported using it for health-related questions. Despite the initial challenges participants experienced with framing questions to the speaker, additional explanations by the study staff addressed these issues in the early weeks of the study. Conclusions The results of this study indicate that there is promise for smart speaker technology for low-SEP older adults, particularly to connect them to music, news, and reminders. Future studies will need to provide more upfront training on query formation as well as develop and promote more specific options for older adults, particularly in the area of health and well-being.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Carly Perez
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Mesfin Awoke Bekalu
- Harvard T H Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University, Boston, MA, United States
| | - K Viswanath
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, United States
- Harvard T H Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University, Boston, MA, United States
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Bekalu MA, Dhawan D, McCloud R, Pinnamaneni R, Viswanath K. Adherence to COVID-19 mitigation measures among American adults: the need for consistent and unified messaging. Health Educ Res 2021; 36:178-191. [PMID: 33496331 PMCID: PMC7928934 DOI: 10.1093/her/cyab002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2020] [Accepted: 01/06/2021] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
In the United States, elite and media communications about the risks of, and mitigation strategies for, COVID-19 have been characterized by lack of consensus. In this study, we draw from a nationally representative sample of American adults to examine the associations between exposure to different media and platforms (mainstream, conservative, liberal or social media) and adherence to COVID-19 mitigation measures such as physical distancing and mask use. We also examine the individual and social factors associated with adherence to mitigation measures. We find that exposure to conservative outlets, being republican, having low confidence in scientists and high perception of information overload are associated with low adherence. In contrast, exposure to liberal and mainstream news outlets, being democrat, having high confidence in scientists, and low perception of information overload are associated with high adherence. The findings suggest the need for consistent and unified public health messaging that cuts across partisan splits and the growing skepticism in science.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mesfin A Bekalu
- Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Lee Kum Sheung Center for Health and Happiness, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Dhriti Dhawan
- Center for Community-Based Research, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Rachel McCloud
- Center for Community-Based Research, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Ramya Pinnamaneni
- Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Lee Kum Sheung Center for Health and Happiness, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Kasisomayajula Viswanath
- Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Lee Kum Sheung Center for Health and Happiness, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University, Boston, MA, USA
- Center for Community-Based Research, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
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Lee EW, Bekalu MA, McCloud R, Vallone D, Arya M, Osgood N, Li X, Minsky S, Viswanath K. The Potential of Smartphone Apps in Informing Protobacco and Antitobacco Messaging Efforts Among Underserved Communities: Longitudinal Observational Study. J Med Internet Res 2020; 22:e17451. [PMID: 32673252 PMCID: PMC7381035 DOI: 10.2196/17451] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2019] [Revised: 03/20/2020] [Accepted: 03/21/2020] [Indexed: 01/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Background People from underserved communities such as those from lower socioeconomic positions or racial and ethnic minority groups are often disproportionately targeted by the tobacco industry, through the relatively high levels of tobacco retail outlets (TROs) located in their neighborhood or protobacco marketing and promotional strategies. It is difficult to capture the smoking behaviors of individuals in actual locations as well as the extent of exposure to tobacco promotional efforts. With the high ownership of smartphones in the United States—when used alongside data sources on TRO locations—apps could potentially improve tobacco control efforts. Health apps could be used to assess individual-level exposure to tobacco marketing, particularly in relation to the locations of TROs as well as locations where they were most likely to smoke. To date, it remains unclear how health apps could be used practically by health promotion organizations to better reach underserved communities in their tobacco control efforts. Objective This study aimed to demonstrate how smartphone apps could augment existing data on locations of TROs within underserved communities in Massachusetts and Texas to help inform tobacco control efforts. Methods Data for this study were collected from 2 sources: (1) geolocations of TROs from the North American Industry Classification System 2016 and (2) 95 participants (aged 18 to 34 years) from underserved communities who resided in Massachusetts and Texas and took part in an 8-week study using location tracking on their smartphones. We analyzed the data using spatial autocorrelation, optimized hot spot analysis, and fitted power-law distribution to identify the TROs that attracted the most human traffic using mobility data. Results Participants reported encountering protobacco messages mostly from store signs and displays and antitobacco messages predominantly through television. In Massachusetts, clusters of TROs (Dorchester Center and Jamaica Plain) and reported smoking behaviors (Dorchester Center, Roxbury Crossing, Lawrence) were found in economically disadvantaged neighborhoods. Despite the widespread distribution of TROs throughout the communities, participants overwhelmingly visited a relatively small number of TROs in Roxbury and Methuen. In Texas, clusters of TROs (Spring, Jersey Village, Bunker Hill Village, Sugar Land, and Missouri City) were found primarily in Houston, whereas clusters of reported smoking behaviors were concentrated in West University Place, Aldine, Jersey Village, Spring, and Baytown. Conclusions Smartphone apps could be used to pair geolocation data with self-reported smoking behavior in order to gain a better understanding of how tobacco product marketing and promotion influence smoking behavior within vulnerable communities. Public health officials could take advantage of smartphone data collection capabilities to implement targeted tobacco control efforts in these strategic locations to reach underserved communities in their built environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Edmund Wj Lee
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, United States.,Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, United States.,Wee Kim Wee School of Communication and Information, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Mesfin Awoke Bekalu
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, United States.,Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Rachel McCloud
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, United States.,Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Donna Vallone
- Schroeder Institute, Truth Initiative, Washington, DC, United States.,College of Global Public Health, New York University, New York, NY, United States.,Department of Health, Behavior and Society, Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Monisha Arya
- Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States.,Center for Innovation in Quality, Effectiveness and Safety, Michael E DeBakey VA Medical Center, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Nathaniel Osgood
- Department of Computer Science, College of Arts and Science, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, Canada
| | - Xiaoyan Li
- Department of Computer Science, College of Arts and Science, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, Canada
| | - Sara Minsky
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Kasisomayajula Viswanath
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, United States.,Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, United States
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Ramanadhan S, Nagler RH, McCloud R, Kohler R, Viswanath K. Graphic health warnings as activators of social networks: A field experiment among individuals of low socioeconomic position. Soc Sci Med 2017; 175:219-227. [PMID: 28108053 PMCID: PMC5320580 DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2016.12.044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2016] [Revised: 12/20/2016] [Accepted: 12/28/2016] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
RATIONALE Graphic health warnings (GHWs) on cigarette packages present an important tobacco control opportunity, particularly for vulnerable populations suffering a disproportionate tobacco burden. One mechanism by which GHWs may influence smoking outcomes is by prompting interpersonal discussions within health discussion networks (the set of personal contacts with whom an individual discusses health issues). OBJECTIVE The study examined the association between GHW-prompted conversations within health discussion networks and key tobacco-related outcomes, with attention to valence and content of the discussions. METHOD Between August 2013 and April 2014, we recruited 1200 individuals from three communities in Massachusetts, emphasizing recruitment of individuals of low socioeconomic position (SEP) and members of other selected vulnerable groups. Respondents were exposed to the nine GHWs proposed by the FDA in 2011, asked a series of questions, and assessed at follow-up a few weeks later. RESULTS A total of 806 individuals were included in this analysis. About 51% of respondents reported having a health discussion network, with significantly lower reports among African-Americans and Hispanics compared to Whites. Around 70% of respondents (smokers and nonsmokers) with health discussion networks reported having one or more conversations about the GHWs with network members, the bulk of which were negative and focused on warning others about smoking. For smokers, we found a small but positive association between the percentage of network conversations that were negative and reports of quit attempts. CONCLUSION The results point to a potential mechanism by which GHWs may impact tobacco-related outcomes, prompting further inquiry into the role of health discussion networks (and discussion networks, more broadly) in tobacco control among low SEP individuals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shoba Ramanadhan
- Center for Community-based Research, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, 450 Brookline Ave, LW601, Boston, MA 02215, United States; Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, 677 Huntington Ave, Boston, MA 02115, United States.
| | - Rebekah H Nagler
- School of Journalism and Mass Communication, University of Minnesota, 206 Church St SE, Minneapolis, MN 55455, United States.
| | - Rachel McCloud
- Center for Community-based Research, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, 450 Brookline Ave, LW601, Boston, MA 02215, United States.
| | - Racquel Kohler
- Center for Community-based Research, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, 450 Brookline Ave, LW601, Boston, MA 02215, United States; Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, 677 Huntington Ave, Boston, MA 02115, United States.
| | - Kasisomayajula Viswanath
- Center for Community-based Research, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, 450 Brookline Ave, LW601, Boston, MA 02215, United States; Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, 677 Huntington Ave, Boston, MA 02115, United States.
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Viswanath K, McCloud R, Minsky S, Puleo E, Kontos E, Bigman-Galimore C, Rudd R, Emmons KM. Internet use, browsing, and the urban poor: implications for cancer control. J Natl Cancer Inst Monogr 2014; 2013:199-205. [PMID: 24395992 DOI: 10.1093/jncimonographs/lgt029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Despite the growing penetration of the Internet, little is known about the usage and browsing patterns of those in poverty. We report on a randomized controlled trial that sheds light on the Internet use and browsing patterns among the urban poor. METHODS The data come from 312 participants in Boston, Massachusetts, from Click to Connect, a study that examined the impact of an intervention that provided computers, Internet, and training to people from lower socioeconomic position (SEP). Data were gathered through pre- and posttest surveys and Internet use tracking software that generated approximately 13 million network activity files and more than 5.5 million records. RESULTS Internet use increased among intervention participants, with most of their time spent on social and participatory media sites or Internet portals. Differential patterns of use by gender and race/ethnicity were observed. Purposive searching for health information was low among all participants. Most of the visits to health-related sites were to local hospitals' sites suggesting the influence of possible preexisting relationships and trust. Social networking sites were frequently visited, with three sites enjoying similar popularity among all groups. CONCLUSIONS Our data show that the availability of Internet can lead to significant increase in its use among low SEP groups. Low SEP members used the Internet for participation and engagement, but the sites visited differed by group. Harnessing the power of social networking sites and shareware sites may be a way to increase access to health information.
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Affiliation(s)
- K Viswanath
- Harvard School of Public Health and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, 450 Brookline Ave, LW 630, Boston, MA 02215.
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