Effect Of Public Health Campaigns Research Articles

The Influence of Billboard-Based Tobacco Prevention Posters on Memorization, Attitudes, and Craving: Immersive Virtual Reality Study.

Health prevention campaigns often face challenges in reaching their target audience and achieving the desired impact on health behaviors. These campaigns, particularly those aimed at reducing tobacco use, require rigorous evaluation methods to assess their effectiveness. This study aims to use immersive virtual reality (iVR) to systematically evaluate recall, attitudinal, and craving responses to antitobacco prevention messages when presented in a realistic virtual environment, thereby exploring the potential of iVR as a novel tool to improve the effectiveness of public health campaigns. A total of 121 undergraduate students (mean age 19.6, SD 3.7 years), mostly female (n=99, 82.5%), were invited to take a guided walk in the virtual environment, where they were randomly exposed to a different ratio of prevention and general advertising posters (80/20 or 20/80) depending on the experimental condition. Participants' gaze was tracked throughout the procedure, and outcomes were assessed after the iVR exposure. Incidental exposure to antitobacco prevention and general advertising posters did not significantly alter attitudes toward tobacco. Memorization of prevention posters was unexpectedly better in the condition where advertising was more frequent (β=-6.15; P<.001), and high contrast between poster types led to a better memorization of the less frequent type. Despite a nonsignificant trend, directing attention to prevention posters slightly improved their memorization (β=.02; P=.07). In addition, the duration of exposure to prevention posters relative to advertisements negatively affected memorization of advertising posters (β=-2.30; P=.01). Although this study did not find significant changes in attitudes toward tobacco after exposure to prevention campaigns using iVR, the technology does show promise as an evaluation tool. To fully evaluate the use of iVR in public health prevention strategies, future research should examine different types of content, longer exposure durations, and different contexts. Open Science Framework E3YK7; https://osf.io/e3yk7.

Emerging technologies in public health campaigns: Artificial intelligence and big data

This research explores the integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Big Data into public health campaigns, envisioning a future where precision, personalization, and proactive interventions redefine healthcare. Analyzing the transformative potential and challenges, the study examines AI's role in disease surveillance, diagnostics, and predictive modeling, alongside Big Data's contributions to personalized interventions and comprehensive health understanding. Ethical considerations, the digital divide, and regulatory frameworks are central challenges, necessitating a delicate balance between innovation and responsibility. The conclusion foresees a healthcare landscape where AI and Big Data enhance the effectiveness of public health campaigns, promising a future characterized by equitable, data-driven, and resilient approaches to address emerging health challenges.

Assessing The Effectiveness Of Public Health Campaigns In Promoting Healthy Behaviors

&#x0D; &#x0D; &#x0D; &#x0D; Background: Campaigns for public health have a critical role in influencing health-related behaviors and fostering community wellness. The purpose of this study is to evaluate how well different public health initiatives can impact and maintain good behavioral changes in a range of demographic groups. The study tries to find effective techniques that have shown long-lasting benefits on behavior modification by synthesizing empirical evidence from multiple campaigns. Moreover, it explores the significance of cultural competence and customizing messaging for demographic segments to augment campaign effectiveness and resonance.&#x0D; Methodology: The study measures the immediate and long-term effects of public health campaigns using both quantitative and qualitative assessments. Utilizing focus groups, surveys, and longitudinal research, the behavioral impact is evaluated over time while taking possible external impacts and confounding variables into account. The study also looks at how social media and technology might be combined to maximize campaign participation and reach.&#x0D; Conclusion: The purpose of this research's findings is to give public health professionals, legislators, and campaign designers useful information. The study helps to improve future public health campaigns by identifying evidence-based techniques and filling in the gaps in existing approaches. This leads to a more thorough comprehension of properly promoting and sustaining healthy behaviors within various demographics.&#x0D; &#x0D; &#x0D; &#x0D;

Does vaccination elicit risk compensation? Insights from the COVID-19 pandemic in France

ABSTRACT Vaccination has played a key role in reducing the health burden of COVID-19, however, concern has been raised worldwide regarding risk compensation, a process whereby feelings of security arising from being vaccinated may lead people to reduce their engagement in other protective behaviours. We investigated whether vaccination led to risk compensation and whether this changed over time by conducting a repeated cross-sectional study at seven intervals over the initial months (February to September 2021) of the vaccine rollout in France. Participants (N = 14,003) completed an online survey measuring vaccination status, vaccination intention and engagement in four preventive behaviours: mask wearing, avoidance of physical contact, hand hygiene, and avoiding social gatherings. Risk compensation was measured indirectly by comparing levels of engagement in protective behaviours according to vaccination status, with those unvaccinated but intending to vaccinate serving as a baseline. Risk compensation did not occur systematically and was mostly observed towards the end of the vaccine rollout for two of the four protective behaviours: avoiding social gatherings (in July and September for fully-vaccinated participants (Adjusted Odds Ratio (AOR) = .72, p = .045; AOR = .54, p = .022, respectively) and wearing a mask (those vaccinated with one dose, in September: AOR = .48, p = .029)). Our findings suggest that whilst unlikely to impede the overall effectiveness of public health campaigns, risk compensation nonetheless merits attention when designing informed, targeted public health messages and policy.

Vaccination and risk compensation during the COVID-19 pandemic in France

Abstract Vaccination has played a key role in reducing the health burden of COVID-19 (World Health Organisation (WHO), 2022), however, concern has been raised worldwide that risk compensation, a process whereby feelings of security arising from being vaccinated may lead people to reduce their engagement in other protective behaviours (Hedlund, 2000), could detract from the overall health benefit of the COVID-19 vaccination campaign (WHO, 2020). We explored whether COVID-19 vaccination elicited risk compensation and whether this changed over time by conducting a repeated cross-sectional study at seven intervals over the initial months of the vaccine rollout in France (February–September, 2021). Participants (N = 14,003) completed an online survey measuring vaccination status, vaccination intention and engagement in four preventive behaviours: mask wearing, avoidance of physical contact, hand hygiene, and avoiding social gatherings. Risk compensation was measured indirectly by comparing levels of engagement in protective behaviours according to vaccination status, with those unvaccinated but intending to vaccinate serving as a baseline. Risk compensation did not occur systematically and was mostly observed towards the end of the vaccine rollout for two of the four protective behaviours: avoiding social gatherings and wearing a mask. Fully-vaccinated participants reported avoiding social gatherings less often than those intending to vaccinate in July (Adjusted Odds Ratio (AOR) = .72, p = .045), and in September (AOR = .54, p = .022). A similar trend was observed in September among participants vaccinated with one dose who reported wearing a mask less often than their unvaccinated-but-intending-to-vaccinate counterparts (AOR = .48, p = .029). Our findings suggest that whilst unlikely to impede the overall effectiveness of public health campaigns, risk compensation, particularly among certain groups, nonetheless merits attention when designing informed, targeted public health messages and policy. Key messages • Limited evidence of risk compensation was observed towards the end of the vaccination campaign in France. • Risk compensation may not negate overall health benefit of a vaccination campaign, however from a public health perspective, nonetheless merits attention.

Ebola Virus Disease Sensitization: Community-Driven Efforts in Sierra Leone.

The 2014-2016 West Africa Ebola outbreak was the largest in history, resulting in approximately 11,000 deaths. Despite the outbreak's eventual end, national and international health sensitization and containment efforts were subject to criticism. This study investigates disease-related knowledge and beliefs, as well as trusted sources of health information among EVD-survivors and their family members, highlighting the importance of community-informed public health responses. Participants (n = 134) were adults who were either EVD-infected, affected families/caregivers, or community leaders. In-depth interviews and focus groups explored EVD-related experiences, including health effects, stigma, and community relationships. Using a grounded theory and thematic content analysis approach, transcripts were coded for evidence of health sensitization, as well as compliance with mitigation measures and trusted sources of information. Participants displayed a high level of knowledge around EVD and reported compliance with mandated and personal prevention measures. Levels of health sensitization and subsequent reintegration of survivors were reported to be largely the products of community-based efforts, rather than the top-down, national public health response. Primary sources of trusted information included EVD survivors acting as peer educators; local leaders; and EVD sensitization by community health workers. This study highlights the importance of a community-based response for increasing the effectiveness of public health campaigns. Participants expressed that relying on the experiences of trusted cultural insiders led to a deeper understanding of Ebola compared to top-down public health campaigns, and helped infected and affected community members reintegrate. Future public health efforts should incorporate community-based participatory approaches to address infectious disease outbreaks.

Fact-Checking Journalism: A Palliative Against the COVID-19 Infodemic in Ibero-America.

This study explores how fact-checkers understand information disorder in Ibero-America, in particular the COVID-19 disinformation. We conducted a quantitative content analysis of the LatamChequea Coronavirus alliance database and in-depth interviews with journalists from the network. Evidence found that one of the most prevalent disinformation topics was the government's restrictive measures, threatening to jeopardize the effectiveness of public health campaigns. This, added to disinformation that eroded the trust in the institutions and the press, and the opacity of governments constituted a political crisis in Ibero-America. Under this scenario, fact-checkers created relevant journalistic collaborations and strategies to fight disinformation in the region.

Actions Speak Louder Than Words: Sentiment and Topic Analysis of COVID-19 Vaccination on Twitter and Vaccine Uptake.

BackgroundThe lack of trust in vaccines is a major contributor to vaccine hesitancy. To overcome vaccine hesitancy for the COVID-19 vaccine, the Australian government launched multiple public health campaigns to encourage vaccine uptake. This sentiment analysis examines the effect of public health campaigns and COVID-19–related events on sentiment and vaccine uptake.ObjectiveThis study aims to examine the relationship between sentiment and COVID-19 vaccine uptake and government actions that impacted public sentiment about the vaccine.MethodsUsing machine learning methods, we collected 137,523 publicly available English language tweets published in Australia between February and October 2021 that contained COVID-19 vaccine–related keywords. Machine learning methods were used to extract topics and sentiments relating to COVID-19 vaccination. The relationship between public vaccination sentiment on Twitter and vaccine uptake was examined.ResultsThe majority of collected tweets expressed negative (n=91,052, 66%) rather than positive (n=21,686, 16%) or neutral (n=24,785, 18%) sentiments. Topics discussed within the study time frame included the role of the government in the vaccination rollout, availability and accessibility of the vaccine, and vaccine efficacy. There was a significant positive correlation between negative sentiment and the number of vaccine doses administered daily (r267=.15, P<.05), with positive sentiment showing the inverse effect. Public health campaigns, lockdowns, and antivaccination protests were associated with increased negative sentiment, while vaccination mandates had no significant effect on sentiment.ConclusionsThe study findings demonstrate that negative sentiment was more prevalent on Twitter during the Australian vaccination rollout but vaccine uptake remained high. Australians expressed anger at the slow rollout and limited availability of the vaccine during the study period. Public health campaigns, lockdowns, and antivaccination rallies increased negative sentiment. In contrast, news of increased vaccine availability for the public and government acquisition of more doses were key government actions that reduced negative sentiment. These findings can be used to inform government communication planning.

Understanding the Relationship Between Official and Social Information About Infectious Disease: Experimental Analysis.

BackgroundCommunicating official public health information about infectious diseases is complicated by the fact that individuals receive much of their information from their social contacts, either via interpersonal interaction or social media, which can be prone to bias and misconception.ObjectiveThis study aims to evaluate the effect of public health campaigns and the effect of socially communicated health information on learning about diseases simultaneously. Although extant literature addresses the effect of one source of information (official or social) or the other, it has not addressed the simultaneous interaction of official information (OI) and social information (SI) in an experimental setting.MethodsWe used a series of experiments that exposed participants to both OI and structured SI about the symptoms and spread of hepatitis C over a series of 10 rounds of computer-based interactions. Participants were randomly assigned to receive a high, low, or control intensity of OI and to receive accurate or inaccurate SI about the disease.ResultsA total of 195 participants consented to participate in the study. Of these respondents, 186 had complete responses across all ten experimental rounds, which corresponds to a 4.6% (9/195) nonresponse rate. The OI high intensity treatment increases learning over the control condition for all symptom and contagion questions when individuals have lower levels of baseline knowledge (all P values ≤.04). The accurate SI condition increased learning across experimental rounds over the inaccurate condition (all P values ≤.01). We find limited evidence of an interaction between official and SI about infectious diseases.ConclusionsThis project demonstrates that exposure to official public health information increases individuals’ knowledge of the spread and symptoms of a disease. Socially shared information also facilitates the learning of accurate and inaccurate information, though to a lesser extent than exposure to OI. Although the effect of OI persists, preliminary results suggest that it can be degraded by persistent contradictory SI over time.

Google trends to identify public’s Interest in bowel cancer, A Web Based Analysis.

Aims: Bowel Cancer is one of the commonest cancers in UK. Google Trends were used to evaluate public’s search interest regarding bowel cancer. We hypothesize that the search data in Google Trends may be influenced by “Bowel cancer awareness month” campaign and that in future this might be a useful surrogate to monitor the effectiveness of public health campaigns. Methods: Google Trends were used to extract data presented as “Relative search volume index”(SVI) ranging between 0 to 100. “Bowel Cancer” was used as a search term to collect the relevant data for the last 5 years ( January 2015 to December 2019), All the peaks were assessed and their correlation with bowel cancer awareness month was noted. Results: We noticed an upward trend for the searched term during the months of April for most of the years where peak of search touched 90%. It corresponds with bowel cancer awareness month campaign. A downward trend was also noticed during the months of December during all years where it went down to 53%. This may represent avoidance of health related searches during the happy holiday period. Conclusion: Our study shows an encouraging association between bowel cancer awareness month campaign and public’s search interest. Results can be used in future to start effective awareness strategies and leverage future interventions.

Political polarization drives online conversations about COVID ‐19 in the United States

Since the outbreak in China in late 2019, the novel coronavirus (COVID‐19) has spread around the world and has come to dominate online conversations. By linking 2.3 million Twitter users to locations within the United States, we study in aggregate how political characteristics of the locations affect the evolution of online discussions about COVID‐19. We show that COVID‐19 chatter in the United States is largely shaped by political polarization. Partisanship correlates with sentiment toward government measures and the tendency to share health and prevention messaging. Cross‐ideological interactions are modulated by user segregation and polarized network structure. We also observe a correlation between user engagement with topics related to public health and the varying impact of the disease outbreak in different U.S. states. These findings may help inform policies both online and offline. Decision‐makers may calibrate their use of online platforms to measure the effectiveness of public health campaigns, and to monitor the reception of national and state‐level policies, by tracking in real‐time discussions in a highly polarized social media ecosystem.

The Relevance of Citizen Co-Creation for the Effectiveness of Public Health Campaigns: Results from the Evaluation of a HIV Prevention Campaign in Switzerland

While decreasing public health budgets force campaign managers to spend money more wisely, many public health campaigns still use traditional communication channels and neglect the great potential of citizen co-creation, the active involvement of the target group. This article provides an overview of the issue of citizen co-creation in the context of public health campaigns and presents a case study of an HIV campaign in Switzerland as an example of applied citizen co-creation. The incremental effect of word of mouth on campaign effectiveness and efficiency is examined, showing how citizen co-creation can be quantified in the context of evaluating a campaign. Finally, the article suggests practical implications for the design and evaluation of future public health campaigns involving citizen co-creation.

One year of campaigns in Cameroon: effects on routine health services.

Background: Targeted campaigns have been reported to disrupt routine health services in low- and middle-income countries. The objective of this study was to evaluate the average effect of public health campaigns over 1 year on routine services such as antenatal care, routine vaccination and outpatient services.Method: We collected daily activity data in 60 health facilities in two regions of Cameroon that traditionally undergo different intensities of campaign activity, the Centre region (low) and the Far North (high), to ascertain effects on routine services. For each outcome, we restricted our analysis to the public health centres for which good data were available and excluded private health facilities given their small number. We used segment-linear regression to account for the longitudinal nature of the data, and assessed whether the number of routine activities decreased in health facilities during periods when campaigns occurred. The analysis controlled for secular trends and serial correlation.Results: We found evidence that vaccination campaigns had a negative impact on routine activities, decreasing outpatient visits when they occurred (Centre: −9.9%, P = 0.079; Far North: −11.6%, P = 0.025). The average negative effect on routine services [outpatient visits −18% (P = 0.02) and antenatal consultations −70% [P = 0.001]) was most pronounced in the Far North during ‘intensive’ campaigns that usually require high mobilization of staff.Discussion: With an increasing number of interventions delivered by campaigns and in the context of elimination and eradication targets, these are important results for countries and agencies to consider. Achieving disease control targets hinges on ensuring high uptake of routine services. Therefore, we suggest that campaigns should systematically monitor ‘impact on routine services’, while also devising concrete strategies to mitigate potential adverse effects.

Corporate Image and Public Health: An Analysis of the Philip Morris, Kraft, and Nestlé Websites

Companies need to maintain a good reputation to do business; however, companies in the infant formula, tobacco, and processed food industries have been identified as promoting disease. Such companies use their websites as a means of promulgating a positive public image, thereby potentially reducing the effectiveness of public health campaigns against the problems they perpetuate. The author examined documents from the websites of Philip Morris, Kraft, and Nestlé for issue framing and analyzed them using Benoit's typology of corporate image repair strategies. All three companies defined the problems they were addressing strategically, minimizing their own responsibility and the consequences of their actions. They proposed solutions that were actions to be taken by others. They also associated themselves with public health organizations. Health advocates should recognize industry attempts to use relationships with health organizations as strategic image repair and reject industry efforts to position themselves as stakeholders in public health problems. Denormalizing industries that are disease vectors, not just their products, may be critical in realizing positive change.

Analysing the effect of public health campaigns on reducing excess weight: A modelling approach for the Spanish Autonomous Region of the Community of Valencia

Excess weight is fast becoming a serious health concern in the developed and developing world. The concern of the public health sector has lead to the development of public health campaigns, focusing on two-fold goals: to inform the public as to the health risks inherent in being overweight, and the benefits of a change in nutritional behaviour. Recent studies indicate that the effects of the average public health campaign on the target community is around 5%. In this study we aim to quantify the effect of different public health campaigns on lifestyle behaviour in the target populations in order to bring about weightloss in a significant number of people over the next few years. This study is based on recent works that consider excess weight as a consequence of the transmission of unhealthy lifestyles from one individual to another. Following this point of view, first a mathematical model is presented. Then, policies based on public health campaigns addressed to stop people gaining weight (prevention; this type of policy acts on individuals in order to maintain their weight and to stop an increase in weight) and, policies addressed to overweight individuals to reduce their weight (treatment; these campaigns act on overweight and/or obese individuals in order to reduce their weight) are simulated in order to evaluate their effectiveness. The study concludes that combination of preventive plus treatment campaigns are more effective than considering them separately.

From “Overweight” to “About Right”: Evidence of a Generational Shift in Body Weight Norms

In this article, we describe differences in the self-perception of weight status in the United States between the two most recent National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) periods (1988-1994 and 1999-2004), and test the hypothesis that secular increases in adult mean BMI, adult obesity, and childhood obesity contributed to changes over time in weight perceptions. We find that the probability of self-classifying as overweight is significantly lower on average in the more recent survey, for both women and men, controlling for objective weight status and other factors. Among women, the decline in the tendency to self-classify as overweight is concentrated in the 17-35 age range, and is more pronounced among women with normal BMI than those with overweight BMI. Among men, the shift away from feeling overweight is roughly equal across age groups. Overweight men exhibit a sharper decline in feeling overweight than normal weight men. Despite the declines in feeling overweight between surveys, weight misperception did not increase significantly for men and decreased by a sizable margin among women. We interpret the findings as evidence of a generational shift in social norms related to body weight. As a result, people may be less likely to desire weight loss than previously, limiting the effectiveness of public health campaigns aimed at weight reduction. On the other hand, there may be health benefits associated with improved body image.

Burden of mortality in Greenland - today and tomorrow

Objectives. Investigation of the relative impact of three factors expected to influence the future mortality burden in Greenland: demographic change, epidemiological transition and behavioural patterns. Study design. To identify general trends in public health status, evaluating the effect of public health campaigns and providing the basis for making predictions of future trends in the mortality burden data from the Greenlandic Death Causes Register to estimate Years of Life Lost (YLL) in the period 1976 — 1998 has been used. Methods. YLL were estimated according to the Burden of Disease Method. Age standardised death rates were calculated per 10,000 person years. Regression analysis (ordinary least squares) using time as the explanatory variable was applied to project the time series 1976 — 1998 into the prediction period 1999 - 2028. Results. The projections indicate that the demographic component in combination with behavioural patterns will have a dominant effect in the expected increase in the future burden of mortality. Relative to these two components, epidemiological transition will constitute a relatively insignificant impact on the future mortality burden in Greenland. Conclusion. Concerted multi-sectoral approaches and broad holistic health strategies related to health promotion and prevention today will strategically improve the capability of the Greenlandic society to manage the future disease burden from ageing via its health care sector and the institutional sector for care of the elderly.

Modeling the Effect of Public Health Campaigns on the Spread of Aids

A series of combined epidemic and public health campaign models is developed that examines the effect of public health campaigns on the long-term spread of AIDS. This series of models can be useful in the differential equations classroom to demonstrate how models of increasing complexity are built and analyzed, interpreted, and further modified. It is hoped that the students will also be helped to appreciate the applicability of differential equations to questions of current interest outside the field of mathematics.