Effective Health Communication Research Articles

Building and Maintaining a Whole Community Initiative: Health Communication in Practice with Be Well Communities™

ABSTRACT The most effective health communication builds from evidence-based best practices and theory. In practice, health campaigns rely on considerations often under-discussed in health communication, such as consistent agency-style client service, image management, and community coalition-building. Health outcome progress often requires change at multiple levels, from individual cognition and behavior to policy creation. These multi-level needs further highlight the importance of effective practical health communication supporting a range of outcomes and building toward replication. This article covers the complexities of building and implementing a theory-informed health communication structure for a multifaceted, place-based cancer prevention initiative. Part of the overall process includes detailing the internal communications of a health communication group, interorganizational communication, engaging community partner support, the message creation process, and longitudinal efforts on program maintenance and assessment. Furthermore, this article seeks to offer an example of the client service role a health communication team can play to combine theory, empirical message development, and community goals in whole community efforts. Ultimately, the goal is to share experiences from seven years of program work to help guide future community-based efforts in other health contexts and foster progress in theoretical and practical understandings of health communication.

Learning from the past: Essential knowledge and vigilance for healthcare workers in future pandemics

This paper examines critical lessons from past pandemics and highlights essential knowledge and skills healthcare workers need to prepare for future health crises. By reviewing the Black Death, Spanish Flu, H1N1 Influenza, and COVID-19, we identify key themes such as early detection, rapid response, effective public health communication, and socio-economic impacts. We emphasize continuous education, simulation exercises, interdisciplinary collaboration, and the integration of technology in pandemic response. The roles of AI and data analytics in prediction and management, telemedicine, and innovative diagnostic tools are discussed. Ethical considerations and global cooperation are underscored to ensure equitable and effective responses. Recommendations include enhancing health security, strengthening infrastructure, and fostering a culture of vigilance. Learning from history and proactive preparation can enable healthcare workers to manage future pandemics and ensure healthcare system resilience.

Determining the Perception Created by Health Warnings on Plain Cigarette Packs with Visual Attention: Eye-Tracking Technique

This study examines the effects of the plain packaging policy implemented in Türkiye, analyzing how different demographic groups perceive health warnings on cigarette packaging. Employing advanced eye-tracking technology, the research identifies distinct visual attention patterns between smokers and non-smokers when exposed to ‘Anxiety’ and ‘Disturbing’ visual cues. Detailed metrics, including fixation counts, durations, and saccade amplitudes, are used to measure and analyze the responses of these groups to the health warnings. The findings reveal that non-smokers significantly focus more on textual warnings, suggesting that text-based elements are more impactful for this group. Conversely, smokers tend to either avoid or become desensitized to disturbing imagery. Additionally, the study finds that female participants exhibit higher saccade amplitudes compared to males, indicating a more thorough examination of the packaging. This gender-specific difference is especially pronounced in their responses to ‘Disturbing’ images, where females show greater engagement, pointing to an increased sensitivity to such stimuli. These insights not only advance our understanding of effective health communication but also underscore the importance of designing public health interventions that cater to the unique responses of different demographic groups. This research significantly enriches the field of tobacco control, providing evidence-based strategies to enhance the effectiveness of visual warnings, thereby supporting targeted smoking cessation efforts.

Instagram for audience engagement: an evaluation of CERC framework in the GCC nations for digital public health during the Covid-19 pandemic

BackgroundIn this study, we investigate the utilization of Instagram by public health ministries across the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) nations to disseminate health-related information during the COVID-19 pandemic. With Instagram’s visual-centric approach and high user engagement, the research aims to investigate its critical yet complex role in information dissemination amid a health crisis.MethodsTo examine how Instagram communication strategies align with the CDC’s Crisis and Emergency Risk Communication (CERC) framework, we employ the content analysis method. This approach helps to evaluate the effectiveness and challenges of employing Instagram for health communication within a region known for its significant social media usage.ResultsFindings indicate that Instagram serves as a vital platform for the rapid dissemination of health information in the GCC, leveraging its visual capabilities and wide reach. The GCC ministries of health utilized Instagram to demonstrate a consistent and strategic approach to communicate essential COVID-19 related information. Kuwait and Bahrain were the most active of all the assessed ministries with respect to the number of engagement metrics (likes and comments). Most of the posts, as per the CERC framework, were informational and related to vaccine infection and death cases. The second most salient theme in line with the CERC framework was about promoting actions, followed by Instagram posts about activities, events, and campaigns.ConclusionsThe research underscores Instagram’s potential as a powerful tool in enhancing public health resilience and responsiveness during health emergencies in the GCC. It suggests that leveraging social media, with careful consideration of its affordances, can contribute significantly to effective health communication strategies in times of crisis.

Assessing ChatGPT's Potential in HIV Prevention Communication: A Comprehensive Evaluation of Accuracy, Completeness, and Inclusivity.

With the advancement of artificial intelligence(AI), platforms like ChatGPT have gained traction in different fields, including Medicine. This study aims to evaluate the potential of ChatGPT in addressing questions related to HIV prevention and to assess its accuracy, completeness, and inclusivity. A team consisting of 15 physicians, six members from HIV communities, and three experts in gender and queer studies designed an assessment of ChatGPT. Queries were categorized into five thematic groups: general HIV information, behaviors increasing HIV acquisition risk, HIV and pregnancy, HIV testing, and the prophylaxis use. A team of medical doctors was in charge of developing questions to be submitted to ChatGPT. The other members critically assessed the generated responses regarding level of expertise, accuracy, completeness, and inclusivity. The median accuracy score was 5.5 out of 6, with 88.4% of responses achieving a score ≥ 5. Completeness had a median of 3 out of 3, while the median for inclusivity was 2 out of 3. Some thematic groups, like behaviors associated with HIV transmission and prophylaxis, exhibited higher accuracy, indicating variable performance across different topics. Issues of inclusivity were identified, notably the use of outdated terms and a lack of representation for some communities. ChatGPT demonstrates significant potential in providing accurate information on HIV-related topics. However, while responses were often scientifically accurate, they sometimes lacked the socio-political context and inclusivity essential for effective health communication. This underlines the importance of aligning AI-driven platforms with contemporary health communication strategies and ensuring the balance of accuracy and inclusivity.

Evaluation of information accuracy and clarity: ChatGPT responses to the most frequently asked questions about premature ejaculation.

Premature ejaculation (PE) is the most prevalent sexual dysfunction in men, and like many diseases and conditions, patients use Internet sources like ChatGPT, which is a popular artificial intelligence-based language model, for queries about this andrological disorder. The objective of this research was to evaluate the quality, readability, and understanding of texts produced by ChatGPT in response to frequently requested inquiries on PE. In this study we used Google Trends to identify the most frequently searched phrases related to PE. Subsequently, the discovered keywords were methodically entered into ChatGPT, and the resulting replies were assessed for quality using the Ensuring Quality Information for Patients (EQIP) program. The produced texts were assessed for readability using the Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level (FKGL), Flesch Reading Ease Score (FRES), and DISCERN metrics. This investigation has identified substantial concerns about the quality of texts produced by ChatGPT, highlighting severe problems with reading and understanding. The mean EQIP score for the texts was determined to be 45.93 ± 4.34, while the FRES was 15.8 ± 8.73. Additionally, the FKGL score was computed to be 15.68 ± 1.67 and the DISCERN score was 38.1 ± 3.78. The comparatively low average EQIP and DISCERN scores suggest that improvements are required to increase the quality and dependability of the presented information. In addition, the FKGL scores indicate a significant degree of linguistic intricacy, requiring a level of knowledge comparable to about 14 to 15years of formal schooling in order to understand. The texts about treatment, which are the most frequently searched items, are more difficult to understand compared to other texts about other categories. The results of this research suggest that compared to texts on other topics the PE texts produced by ChatGPT exhibit a higher degree of complexity, which exceeds the recommended reading threshold for effective health communication. Currently, ChatGPT is cannot be considered a substitute for comprehensive medical consultations. This study is to our knowledge the first reported research investigating the quality and comprehensibility of information generated by ChatGPT in relation to frequently requested queries about PE. The main limitation is that the investigation included only the first 25 popular keywords in English. ChatGPT is incapable of replacing the need for thorough medical consultations.

Public perspectives on COVID-19 public health and social measures in Japan and the United Kingdom: a qualitative study

BackgroundThe COVID-19 pandemic, caused by SARS-CoV-2, was one of the greatest modern public health crises that the world has faced. Countries undertook sweeping public health and social measures (PHSM); including environmental actions such as disinfection and ventilation; surveillance and response, such as contact tracing and quarantine; physical, such as crowd control; and restrictions on travel. This study focuses on the public perceptions of PHSM in two countries, Japan and the United Kingdom (UK) as examples of high-income countries that adopted different measures over the course of the pandemic.MethodsThis study was conducted between November 2021 and February 2022, a period in which the Omicron variant of SARS-CoV-2 was predominant. Fourteen online focus group discussions were conducted in each country. Overall, 106 total participants (50 from the UK and 56 from Japan) participated in 23 focus groups (11 in the UK and 12 in Japan) with an average of three to six participants per group. Both countries were compared using a thematic analysis method.ResultsBoth countries’ participants agreed that vaccination was an effective measure. However, they did not favor mandatory vaccination policies. Working from home was well accepted by both sides, but they reported that schools should have continued to be opened as before COVID-19. Both sides of participants expressed that temperature testing alone in indoor facilities was ineffective as a COVID-19 control measure. There were contrasting views on face covering rules in public spaces, international and domestic movement restrictions. High acceptance of mask-wearing was reflective of Japanese customs, while it was accepted as a strong recommendation for participants in the UK. Japanese participants favored quarantine for international travel, while the UK participants supported banning non-essential travel.ConclusionSimilar and contrasting views on PHSM against COVID-19 between Japan and the UK demonstrated how policies in controlling an epidemic should be tailored by country with respect to its norms, cultures, economic and disease burden. Our findings may guide how policy makers can engage with the public through effective health communication and consider regulations that are aligned with the public’s views and capacities in changing their behavior for future pandemic preparedness.

Understanding preferences for receiving health communications and information about clinical trials: a cross-sectional study among US adults

Objective Effective health communication is critical for understanding and acting on health information. This cross-sectional study explored participants’ understanding of their health condition, their preferences for receiving health communications, and their interest in receiving clinical trial results across several therapeutic areas. Methods The study recruited participants via social media, email newsletters, and advocacy organizations. An online screener captured demographic information (health conditions, age, race/ethnicity, gender, and education). Eligible participants were emailed an online survey assessing preferred sources and formats for receiving health information, interest in learning about topics related to the results of clinical trials, and health literacy levels. Results In total, 449 participants (median age, 35 years [range, 18–76]; White, 53%; higher education, 65%; mean (range) health literacy score, 1.9 [0.4–3.0]) from 45 US states completed the survey representing 12 disease indications (bipolar, blood and solid tumor cancers, irritable bowel syndrome, inflammatory bowel disease, major depressive disorder, migraine, Parkinson’s, psoriasis/atopic dermatitis, retinal vein occlusion/macular degeneration, rheumatoid arthritis, and spasticity). Healthcare providers were the preferred source of health information (59%), followed by Internet searches (11%). Least preferred sources were social media (5%), friends/family (3%), and email newsletters (2%). Participants preferred multiple formats and ranked reading materials online as most preferred (33%), along with videos (28%) and infographics (27%). Printed materials (14%) and audio podcasts (9%) were the least preferred formats. A majority of the participants reported that the health information they found was hard to understand (57%) and confusing (62%). Most participants (85%) were somewhat/very interested in learning about clinical trial results, with the highest interest in short summaries of safety (78%) and efficacy (74%) results. Conclusion Effective health communication may be achieved via multiple formats shared directly by healthcare providers.

Understanding health education needs of pregnant women in China during public health emergencies: a qualitative study amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.

Public health emergencies impose unique challenges on pregnant women, affecting their physiological, psychological, and social wellbeing. This study, focusing on the context of the corona virus disease in 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic in China, aims to comprehensively explore the experiences of pregnant women amidst diverse public health crises. Herein, we investigate the health education needs of pregnant Chinese women in regard to public health emergencies to provide a scientific foundation for the development of targeted health education strategies. The study described in this article aims to explore the health education needs of pregnant Chinese women in the context of public health emergencies specifying the types of emergencies of pandemics and to provide a scientific basis for targeted health education interventions. Thirteen pregnant women were purposively selected, and the rationale for this sample size lies in the qualitative nature of the study, seeking in-depth insights rather than generalizability. Data collection involved semi-structured interviews, and the Colaizzi, which is a structured qualitative technique used to extract, interpret, and organize significant statements from participant descriptions into themes, providing a comprehensive understanding of their lived experiences. The analysis yielded six prominent themes encompassing the following areas: I. Personal protection and vaccine safety; II. Knowledge of maternal health; III. Knowledge of fetal health; IV. Knowledge of childbirth; V. Knowledge of postpartum recovery; and VI. Knowledge sources of health education for pregnant women and their expectations of healthcare providers. Theme I was analyzed with two sub-themes (needs for personal protection knowledge, vaccine safety knowledge needs); Theme II was analyzed with three sub-themes (nutrition and diet, exercise and rest, sexual life); Theme III was analyzed with three sub-themes (medications and hazardous substances, pregnancy check-ups, and fetal movement monitoring); Theme IV was analyzed with three sub-themes (family accompaniment, analgesia in childbirth, and choice of mode of delivery); Theme V was analyzed with one sub-theme (knowledge of postnatal recovery); Theme VI was analyzed with one sub-theme (expectations of Healthcare providers). Sub-themes within each main theme were identified, offering a nuanced understanding of the multifaceted challenges faced by pregnant women during public health emergencies. The interrelation between sub-themes and main themes contributes to a holistic portrayal of their experiences. The study emphasizes the need for healthcare professionals to tailor health education for pregnant women during emergencies, highlighting the role of the Internet in improving information dissemination. It recommends actionable strategies for effective health communication, ensuring these women receive comprehensive support through digital platforms for better health outcomes during public health crises.

Impact of COVID-19 on essential healthcare services at the primary healthcare level in Armenia: a qualitative study

BackgroundThe COVID-19 pandemic has presented significant global healthcare challenges, particularly impacting the continuity of essential health services in low- and middle-income countries. This study investigates the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the utilization and provision of essential health services in Armenia.MethodsWe employed a conventional qualitative study design, conducting semi-structured in-depth interviews (n = 17) within public and private primary healthcare (PHC) facilities in Armenia in 2021. Our study participants encompassed physicians providing specialty services in PHC facilities (e.g. endocrinologists, gynecologists/obstetricians, and pediatricians), regular visitors to PHC facilities (e.g. adults with chronic diseases, parents of children), and policymakers. Thematic analysis was conducted, yielding five emergent categories: mobilization and organization of PHC services during COVID-19; PHC visits during COVID-19; worsening of chronic conditions due to the decline in PHC visits; problems with routine childhood vaccinations; and patient-provider communication challenges.ResultsThe number of in-person visits to PHC facilities declined due to adaptations in service delivery, imposed lockdown measures, and the public’s fear of visiting healthcare facilities. Maternal and child health services continued with no major disruptions. PHC providers deliberately limited the number of maternal and child visits to essential antenatal care, newborn screenings, and routine childhood immunizations. Still, children experienced some delays in vaccination administration. The pandemic resulted in a notable reduction in follow-up visits and monitoring of patients with chronic conditions, thereby exacerbating their chronic conditions. Phone calls were the primary method of patient-provider communication during the pandemic.ConclusionsThe COVID-19 pandemic has had a profound impact on the delivery and utilization of essential healthcare services at PHC facilities, especially for those with chronic conditions who needed continuous care. Unified national-level guidance and technical capacity are needed to direct the provision of essential services at the PHC level, promote effective health communication, and implement digital platforms for the uninterrupted provision of essential care during public health emergencies.

Advocating for population health: The role of public health practitioners in the age of artificial intelligence.

Over the past decade, artificial intelligence (AI) has begun to transform Canadian organizations, driven by the promise of improved efficiency, better decision-making, and enhanced client experience. While AI holds great opportunities, there are also near-term impacts on the determinants of health and population health equity that are already emerging. If adoption is unregulated, there is a substantial risk that health inequities could be exacerbated through intended or unintended biases embedded in AI systems. New economic opportunities could be disproportionately leveraged by already privileged workers and owners of AI systems, reinforcing prevailing power dynamics. AI could also detrimentally affect population well-being by replacing human interactions rather than fostering social connectedness. Furthermore, AI-powered health misinformation could undermine effective public health communication. To respond to these challenges, public health must assess and report on the health equity impacts of AI, inform implementation to reduce health inequities, and facilitate intersectoral partnerships to foster development of policies and regulatory frameworks to mitigate risks. This commentary highlights AI's near-term risks for population health to inform a public health response.

Health communication and shared decision-making between nurses and older adults in community setting: An integrative review.

To explore the role of health communication in Shared Decision-Making (SDM) between nursing staff and older people in the community setting. Society and healthcare services are marked by an exponentially ageing population, leading to a significant proportion of patients being older adults with highly demanding care needs. Scientific literature supports shared decision-making as a process that engages patients in their care. However, the increasing use of technology and the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic have influenced how nurses communicate with older patients. Therefore, it is crucial to understand how to develop health communication to reach effective, shared decision-making processes. Whittemore and Knafl's integrative review method, the literature search comprised five databases: PubMed, CINALH, Web of Science, Scopus and PsycINFO. The 12 included studies were synthesised into three study patterns: (1) nurse-older patient health communication relationship, (2) older patients' perspectives and (3) nontherapeutic communication in end-of-life care. This review underscored the crucial role of effective health communication in shaping SDM dynamics between nursing staff and older people in the community setting. Key elements included transparent information exchange, establishing trust and maintaining communication channels with informal caregiving networks. SDM actions were aligned with preserving older people's autonomy, but communication challenges persisted, particularly in end-of-life situations. Advanced care planning was recommended to address these shortcomings and improve communication among older people, healthcare professionals and families. Implementing educational measures based on verbal and nonverbal health communication in nursing training could be beneficial. Nursing research could continue to develop and refine specific communication strategies adapted to the social determinants of health for diverse clinical situations regarding older adults in the community setting. The authors have adhered to relevant EQUATOR guidelines through the PRISMA 2020 checklist. No Patient or Public Contribution.

Assessing intradisciplinary pharmacy communication related to transitions of care

BackgroundPharmacists play an important role in transitions of care, where successful communication is vital. The primary objective of this study was to assess the extent of intradisciplinary communication between pharmacists during patient transitions of care. Secondary objectives were to evaluate pharmacist communication practices and to explore the potential barriers and facilitators to effective health communications. MethodsA twenty item online survey was administered by email to all pharmacists practicing within a multisite regional healthcare system in central and northeastern Pennsylvania. Statistical analysis consisted of descriptive statistics for multiple choice, select all that apply, and Likert-type questions. Themes were summarized for open ended questions. ResultsA total of 132 (32%) pharmacists responded to the survey of which 90 responses were included in the analysis. The majority of pharmacists felt either extremely comfortable (53.3%) or somewhat comfortable (33.3%) reaching out to another pharmacist within the same health system. However, most contacted other pharmacy disciplines within the health system ≤25% of their work week. The ability to reach the pharmacist was the most important factor to pharmacist comfort (extremely important n = 56, somewhat important n = 27). Not knowing who to contact was the biggest barrier (44.8%). The electronic messaging systems Microsoft Teams (almost always n = 33, often n = 25) and TigerText (almost always n = 17, often n = 23) were the forms of communication utilized most often. ConclusionsPharmacists feel comfortable communicating with pharmacists across different entities within the health system, however, intradisciplinary communication related to transitions of care activities is limited. Improving awareness of system-wide pharmacist directories (34.2%) and distribution of pharmacist schedules (18.4%) were identified as tools that may improve communication.

From Style to Wellness: How Fashion Influencers Are Affecting Healthy Behaviors in Saudi Arabia.

Background Social media influencers, particularly those in the fashion domain, have become prominent sources of health-related information, influencing the health behaviors of their followers, especially within the unique socio-cultural context of Saudi Arabia. This study aims to examine the relationship between following fashion influencers on social media and the adoption of healthy behaviors among Saudi residents. Methods A descriptive cross-sectional study with an analytic component was conducted from August 25, 2023, to December 15, 2023, among Saudi residents aged 18 years and older who actively follow fashion influencers. Data were collected via a structured, validated questionnaire distributed through various social media platforms. Data analysis was performed byemploying descriptive statistics, Pearson's chi-square test, and logistic regression analyses to identify predictors of negative health behavior outcomes. Results The study included 466 participants, revealing that despite insignificant differences in age and gender, postgraduate education was associated with negative outcomes (p = 0.016). Notably, 8.7% of individuals with negative outcomes held postgraduate degrees, compared to 2.9% in the non-negative group. Participants with negative outcomes more frequently followed influencers offering health tips (p = 0.01) and advocating a healthy lifestyle (p < 0.001). Logistic regression identified individuals who followed influencers with fewer than 10K followers had significantly higher odds of negative outcomes (OR = 3.6, 95% CI: 1.4-8.9, p = 0.006). Conclusion Following fashion influencers on social media can influence health behaviors among Saudis, with both positive and negative outcomes. Critical evaluation of influencer content is crucial to avoid potential adverse effects. Further research is also needed to explore the dynamics of influencer impact on health outcomes and to develop strategies for effective health communication in the digital age.

Quickly Assess the Acceptability Sentiment of White Paracetamol Intake Using KNN-SMOTE Based On Receptive Deciding

Quickly Assess the Acceptability Sentiment of White Paracetamol Intake Using KNN-SMOTE Based On Receptive Deciding

Contributions to Research and Practice Made by the National Cancer Institute’s Health Communication and Informatics Research Branch

ABSTRACT The Health Communication and Informatics Research Branch at the U.S. National Cancer Institute was founded in 1999 in response to increasing evidence demonstrating a link between effective health communication and improved cancer-related outcomes and in recognition of the rapid and dramatic technological changes that were transforming health communication at the turn of the 21st century. For the past 25 years, the Health Communication and Informatics Research Branch has been conducting and supporting research at the forefront of emerging cancer communication trends and technologies, making numerous contributions to health communication science, public health, and cancer control practice. In this essay, we provide a brief history of the branch and the context that led to its establishment, discuss contributions made by the branch to health communication research and practice through key projects and initiatives, and conclude by highlighting health communication and informatics research priorities that offer opportunities for significant impact going forward in light of the challenges posed by the current communication environment.

“Influencing the influencers:” a field experimental approach to promoting effective mental health communication on TikTok

A substantial body of social scientific research considers the negative mental health consequences of social media use on TikTok. Fewer, however, consider the potentially positive impact that mental health content creators (“influencers”) on TikTok can have to improve health outcomes; including the degree to which the platform exposes users to evidence-based mental health communication. Our novel, influencer-led approach remedies this shortcoming by attempting to change TikTok creator content-producing behavior via a large, within-subject field experiment (N = 105 creators with a reach of over 16.9 million viewers; N = 3465 unique videos). Our randomly-assigned field intervention exposed influencers on the platform to either (a) asynchronous digital (.pdf) toolkits, or (b) both toolkits and synchronous virtual training sessions that aimed to promote effective evidence-based mental health communication (relative to a control condition, exposed to neither intervention). We find that creators treated with our asynchronous toolkits—and, in some cases, those also attending synchronous training sessions—were significantly more likely to (i) feature evidence-based mental health content in their videos and (ii) generate video content related to mental health issues. Moderation analyses further reveal that these effects are not limited to only those creators with followings under 2 million users. Importantly, we also document large system-level effects of exposure to our interventions; such that TikTok videos featuring evidence-based content received over half a million additional views in the post-intervention period in the study’s treatment groups, while treatment group mental health content (in general) received over three million additional views. We conclude by discussing how simple, cost-effective, and influencer-led interventions like ours can be deployed at scale to influence mental health content on TikTok.

Text analysis of billboards and infographic graphics advertising COVID-19 on promoting preventive behaviors and taking vaccination against the coronavirus pandemic and investigating the opinions of the Iranian adult population

BackgroundAdvertising is one of the most important solutions that health centers and medical services around the world use to try to encourage public opinion to create a positive attitude towards preventive measures and vaccination. This study has been done with the aim of text analysis of billboards and infographics related to promoting preventive behaviors and vaccination against the coronavirus pandemic and providing solutions and models for preventive information and advertising in the field of health.MethodsThe study method in this research is a combination of qualitative and content analysis. Data collection was done in a targeted manner. The sample size includes 33 advertising billboards and infographics. Data collection has been done through searching the sites and websites of health networks and medical education centers in Iran, taking pictures of infographics and billboards in public places, and also receiving archive files of pictures from the public relations of health networks and medical services. The data was collected from February 19, 2020 to December 30, 2022 (the time frame of the pandemic and public vaccination program in Iran). The data was analyzed based on the three-dimensional discourse analysis theory of Fairclough. Then, an online survey about promoting preventive behaviors and vaccination against the coronavirus pandemic in the format of billboards and infographics was designed in SurveyMonkey and its link was provided to the audience through virtual networks and other platforms. The age group of people was selected from 18 to 70 years. Considering that the number of participants should be representative of the entire community under investigation, therefore, based on Cochran’s formula, the sample size was equal to 350 people. Finally, users’ opinions were analyzed using descriptive statistics. The assessment of validity involved experts in infection control and linguistics. The reliability of the measurement, determined through the Cronbach’s alpha internal consistency coefficient, yielded a coefficient of 0.968.ResultsThe results show that among the four linguistic components of words, syntax, coherence and text structure; “live metaphors”, “pronoun “we”, “collocation and reference”, and “attitude markers” have the most impact on the audience. The frequency percentage of the data shows that these language elements have tremendous power in attracting the audience to perform preventive behaviors. The results show that the language reflects the culture, opinions and needs of people in the society. Also, the results show that encouraging people to perform preventive behaviors should be through the integration of medical information with motivational linguistic factors in order to attract the audience more.ConclusionsIt can be concluded that the use of the appropriate pattern of medical advertising discourse and correct communication strategies, will help public participation in the field of epidemic control. The language of effective health education and health communication during an epidemic must be related to the ways of thinking and speaking of ordinary people. Also, words with metaphorical and ironic meanings have a high potential to influence the health performance of people in society and increase public awareness of health communication. Therefore, using them to create a new value system with the aim of controlling and overcoming the consequences of the epidemic is very effective.

Digital Gamification Tools to Enhance Vaccine Uptake: Scoping Review.

Gamification has been used successfully to promote various desired health behaviors. Previous studies have used gamification to achieve desired health behaviors or facilitate their learning about health. In this scoping review, we aimed to describe digital gamified tools that have been implemented or evaluated across various populations to encourage vaccination, as well as any reported effects of identified tools. We searched Medline, Embase, CINAHL, the Web of Science Core Collection, the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Academic Search Premier, PsycInfo, Global Health, and ERIC for peer-reviewed papers describing digital gamified tools with or without evaluations. We also conducted web searches with Google to identify digital gamified tools lacking associated publications. We consulted 12 experts in the field of gamification and health behavior to identify any papers or tools we might have missed. We extracted data about the target population of the tools, the interventions themselves (eg, type of digital gamified tool platform, type of disease/vaccine, type and design of study), and any effects of evaluated tools, and we synthesized data narratively. Of 1402 records, we included 28 (2%) peer-reviewed papers and 10 digital gamified tools lacking associated publications. The experts added 1 digital gamified tool that met the inclusion criteria. Our final data set therefore included 28 peer-reviewed papers and 11 digital gamified tools. Of the 28 peer-reviewed papers, 7 (25%) explained the development of the tool, 16 (57%) described evaluation, and 2 (7%) reported both development and evaluation of the tool. The 28 peer-reviewed papers reported on 25 different tools. Of these 25 digital gamified tools, 11 (44%) were web-based tools, 8 (32%) mobile (native mobile or mobile-enabled web) apps, and 6 (24%) virtual reality tools. Overall, tools that were evaluated showed increases in knowledge and intentions to receive vaccines, mixed effects on attitudes, and positive effects on beliefs. We did not observe discernible advantages of one type of digital gamified tool (web based, mobile, virtual reality) over the others. However, a few studies were randomized controlled trials, and publication bias may have led to such positive effects having a higher likelihood of appearing in the peer-reviewed literature. Digital gamified tools appear to have potential for improving vaccine uptake by fostering positive beliefs and increasing vaccine-related knowledge and intentions. Encouraging comparative studies of different features or different types of digital gamified tools could advance the field by identifying features or types of tools that yield more positive effects across populations and contexts. Further work in this area should seek to inform the implementation of gamification for vaccine acceptance and promote effective health communication, thus yielding meaningful health and social impacts.

Health Communication Strategy in Changing Community Nutrition Behavior and Reducing Stunting Cases in South Konawe Regency, Southeast Sulawesi

This study aims to analyze the communication capacity of public health cadres in designing and implementing effective health communication campaigns and their impact on changing the nutritional behavior of rural communities and helping to reduce the number of stunting cases in Indonesia. This study uses a qualitative and case study approach focusing on health communication strategies implemented by community health cadres in South Konawe Regency, Southeast Sulawesi Province. Data collection used an in-depth interview method with public health cadres, which included evaluating their understanding of health communication, the use of social media in delivering health messages, and their ability to adapt nutrition messages to the local cultural context. Research findings show that most health cadres do not understand effective health communication. The use of social media in delivering health messages is still not optimal, and there are challenges in understanding and integrating local cultural contexts in nutrition counseling. The implications of this study suggest that enhancing the capacity of community health cadres in South Konawe Regency is imperative, particularly in proficient health communication through social media platforms and understanding the nuances of local cultural contexts. It is anticipated that implementing strategies aimed at augmenting the training and skill development of health cadres would significantly contribute to endeavors to mitigate the prevalence of stunting cases in rural Indonesian regions.