Health Communication Interventions Research Articles

A study to evaluate WASH interventions and risk factors of diarrhoea among children under five years, Anloga district, Ghana: A research protocol.

Good Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) practices, introduction of Rotavirus vaccination, zinc supplementation and improved nutrition have contributed significantly to the reduction of diarrhoea morbidity and mortality globally by 50%. In spite of these gains, diarrhoea still remains a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in children under-five. Causes of diarrhoea are multifaceted with many factors such as seasonality, behaviour, pathogenicity, epidemiology, etc. However, assessments on the causes of diarrhoea have generally been tackled in silos over the years focusing only on particular causes. In this study, we describe an integrated approach (evaluating WASH interventions implantation processes, assessing epidemiolocal risk factors, and identifying pathogens causing diarrhoea) for assessing determinants of diarrhoea. The study has ethical approval from the Ghana Health Service Ethical Review Committee (GHSERC:020/07/22). It will employ three approaches; a process evaluation and a case-control study and laboratory analysis of diarrhoea samples. The process evaluation will assess the detailed procedures taken by the Anloga district to implement WASH interventions. A desk review and qualitative interviews with WASH stakeholders purposively sampled will be done. The evaluation will provide insight into bottlenecks in the implementation processes. Transcribed interviews will be analysed thematically and data triangulated with reviews. A 1:1 unmatched case-control study with 206 cases and 206 controls to determine risk factors associated with diarrhoea in children under-five will also be done. Odds ratios at 5.0% significance level would be calculated. Stool samples of cases will be taken and tested for diarrhoea pathogens using Standard ELISA and TAQMAN Array Card laboratory procedures. It is expected that this framework proposed would become one of the robust approaches for assessing public health community interventions for diseases. Through the process evaluation, epidemiological case-control study and pathogen identification, we would be able to identify the gaps in the current diarrhoea assessments, come up with tailored recommendations considering the existing risk and assumptions and involve the relevant stakeholders in reducing the diarrhoea burden in a coastal setting in Ghana.

Perceptions of Health Misinformation on Social Media: Cross-Sectional Survey Study.

Health misinformation on social media can negatively affect knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors, undermining clinical care and public health efforts. Therefore, it is vital to better understand the public's experience with health misinformation on social media. The goal of this analysis was to examine perceptions of the social media information environment and identify associations between health misinformation perceptions and health communication behaviors among US adults. Analyses used data from the 2022 Health Information National Trends Survey (N=6252). Weighted unadjusted proportions described respondents' perceptions of the amount of false or misleading health information on social media ("perceived misinformation amount") and how difficult it is to discern true from false information on social media ("perceived discernment difficulty"). Weighted multivariable logistic regressions examined (1) associations of sociodemographic characteristics and subjective literacy measures with misinformation perceptions and (2) relationships between misinformation perceptions and health communication behaviors (ie, sharing personal or general health information on social media and using social media information in health decisions or in discussions with health care providers). Over one-third of social media users (35.61%) perceived high levels of health misinformation, and approximately two-thirds (66.56%) reported high perceived discernment difficulty. Odds of perceiving high amounts of misinformation were lower among non-Hispanic Black/African American (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 0.407, 95% CI 0.282-0.587) and Hispanic (aOR 0.610, 95% CI 0.449-0.831) individuals compared to White individuals. Those with lower subjective health literacy were less likely to report high perceived misinformation amount (aOR 0.602, 95% CI 0.374-0.970), whereas those with lower subjective digital literacy were more likely to report high perceived misinformation amount (aOR 1.775, 95% CI 1.400-2.251). Compared to White individuals, Hispanic individuals had lower odds of reporting high discernment difficulty (aOR 0.620, 95% CI 0.462-0.831). Those with lower subjective digital literacy (aOR 1.873, 95% CI 1.478-2.374) or numeracy (aOR 1.465, 95% CI 1.047-2.049) were more likely to report high discernment difficulty. High perceived misinformation amount was associated with lower odds of sharing general health information on social media (aOR 0.742, 95% CI 0.568-0.968), using social media information to make health decisions (aOR 0.273, 95% CI 0.156-0.479), and using social media information in discussions with health care providers (aOR 0.460, 95% CI 0.323-0.655). High perceived discernment difficulty was associated with higher odds of using social media information in health decisions (aOR 1.724, 95% CI 1.208-2.460) and health care provider discussions (aOR 1.389, 95% CI 1.035-1.864). Perceptions of high health misinformation prevalence and discernment difficulty are widespread among social media users, and each has unique associations with sociodemographic characteristics, literacy, and health communication behaviors. These insights can help inform future health communication interventions.

A review of strategies and levels of community engagement in strengths-based and needs-based health communication interventions.

Community engagement is key in health communication interventions that seek to incorporate community voices in their planning and implementation. Understanding what approaches and strategies are currently being used can help tailor programs in different social and cultural contexts. This review explores needs-based and strengths-based approaches and consensus and conflict strategies in community-based global health communications programs. Our objective is to examine the current state of the field, outline lessons learned, and identify gaps in existing programming to help guide future interventions. PubMed and Web of Science were searched for articles published between 2010 and 2023. Studies were included if they described a community-based health communication intervention and an ongoing or completed implementation. Interventions were coded then categorized according to their level of community engagement and as single, hybrid, or complex, depending upon the number of approaches and strategies used. The search yielded 678 results and 42 were included in the final review and analysis. A vast majority 34 (81.0%) interventions utilized a needs-based approach and 24 (57.1%) utilized a strengths-based approach. Consensus as a strategy was utilized in 38 (90.5%) of the manuscripts and 9 (21.4%) implemented a conflict strategy. Interventions that combined approaches and strategies were more likely to leverage a higher level of community engagement. These results showcase the complicated nature of global health communication program planning and implementation. There is a lack of interventions that use conflict as a strategy to empower communities to act on their own behalf, even when at odds with existing power structures. Complex interventions that include all approaches and strategies demonstrate the potential for global health communication interventions to be at the cutting edge of public health practice.

Recapturing Communicative Erasure: Black Women Farmers’ Lived Experience, Political Voice and Cultural Knowledge as Critical Health Communication Praxis

ABSTRACT In this paper, we conduct a case study analysis of the National Women in Agriculture Association (NWIAA), an international, Black women-led farm assistance organization founded in 2008 and based in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Drawing on the Culture-Centered Approach (CCA) and grounded in interviews and observational fieldwork, we center the perspectives of NWIAA chapter leaders (n = 16) to examine how they describe motivations for farming, challenge power inequities, engage with intersectional barriers, and develop locally situated solutions across agricultural and community health contexts. The analysis argues that Black women farmer’s historical lived experiences, political voice, and shared deep-rooted agricultural knowledge provide an innovative and emancipatory praxis for rethinking health communication intervention approaches that address food system-generated disparities. This study contributes important takeaways for health communication practitioners, policymakers, and advocates addressing food inequities. It extends the CCA as a first step in developing community-driven, context-specific food insecurity health communication interventions within marginalized communities across the United States and beyond.

Father’s Playbook: From Health Communication Research to Prenatal Health Intervention

ABSTRACT Research has demonstrated benefits of paternal involvement during the prenatal stage: increased prenatal visits, better adherence to postpartum best practices, and improved communication between partners. In the United States, where maternal morbidity remains higher than other advanced economies, the need for varied interventions aimed at improving the wellbeing of the entire family unit should remain a top priority. In an arena that is understandably dominated by interventions aimed at expectant mothers, scholars also advocate for including men in prenatal health care to reduce maternal morbidity and mortality. In practice, however, they are often excluded. Evidence suggests paternal prenatal health interventions can result in better outcomes for the entire family, and researchers developed Father’s Playbook – a free bilingual evidence-based app for expectant fathers – in support of that goal. This article examines the creation of and lessons learned from this health communication intervention which represents a case study of implementation science in the field of health communication. This article documents how the project moved from early formative research to app development and now ongoing promotion of a state-funded health communication and public health intervention utilizing a variety of research approaches. Researchers believe this intervention can serve as a blueprint for other public health and health communication practitioners.

Developing a narrative communication intervention in the context of HPV vaccination

ObjectiveWe outline the development of a narrative intervention guided by the Common-Sense Model of Self-Regulation (CSM) to promote Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination in a diverse college population. MethodsWe adapted the Obesity-Related Behavioral Intervention Trials (ORBIT) model to guide the development, evaluation, and refinement of a CSM-guided narrative video. First, content experts developed a video script containing information on HPV, HPV vaccines, and HPV-related cancers. The script and video contents were evaluated and refined, in succession, utilizing the think-aloud method, open-ended questions, and a brief survey during one-on-one interviews with university students. ResultsScript and video content analyses led to significant revisions that enhanced quality, informativeness, and relevance to the participants. We highlight the critical issues that were revealed and revised in the iterative process ConclusionsWe developed and refined a CSM guided narrative video for diverse university students. This framework serves as a guide for developing health communication interventions for other populations and health behaviors. InnovationThis project is the first to apply the ORBIT framework to HPV vaccination and describe a process to develop, evaluate, and refine comparable CSM guided narrative interventions that are tailored to specific audiences.

The Pursuit of Positive Impacts: Translating Longitudinal Cancer Studies into Successful Health Communication Interventions

ABSTRACT Over a decade ago, in the 100th issue of Health Communication (Volume 25, issues 6–7); 2010), 30 “impact” articles addressed how our collective research findings had been translated to make a positive difference for persons across diverse communities. It is laudable to develop projects helping others to enhance their awareness about healthy living, refine practical communication skills to promote behavioral change, and rely on findings to enact important practices and policies giving priority to how well and long we live in contemporary society. As a preview, however, an article entitled “Why is it so difficult to talk about impact?” raised a series of inherent challenges faced whenever we conduct our research to advance basic knowledge by pursuing meaningful translation opportunities. These efforts are constrained in various ways: A lack of motivation, ability, and training to envision and implement protocols beneficial for the public good; the need to procure adequate resources (e.g., time and money) for sustaining longitudinal investigations; dealing with misconceptions that “applied” communication research has less value than “basic” studies; and creating and managing cross-disciplinary collaborations necessary to achieve project goals. When designing interventions to change others’ lives in meaningful ways, attention must also be given to balancing community outreach while avoiding unnecessary self-promotion and imposition of social scientific priorities.

Effectiveness of a tailored communication intervention to improve physical activity in hypertensive patients: a twelve-month randomized controlled trial

BackgroundCardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are a leading cause of morbidity and mortality globally. Arterial hypertension is one of the main cardiovascular risk factors. Despite this, individuals with hypertension often fail to follow medical advice to counteract cardiovascular risks. A physically active lifestyle is one of the most challenging behaviors to adopt. This study aimed to preliminarily investigate the effectiveness of a tailored print message intervention to increase physical activity in patients with arterial hypertension.MethodsA sample of 188 patients with hypertension (mean age = 63 years; SD = 10.9; 50% men) participated in a theory-based tailored health communication intervention. Participants were randomly assigned to three parallel groups: (1) the tailored group, which received tailored health brochures; (2) the non-tailored group, which received non-tailored health brochures; or (3) the usual care group, which received no informative print materials. The longitudinal physical activity trajectories (baseline, 6- and 12-month follow-ups) were examined using repeated measures ANOVA and growth curve models.ResultsAt the baseline, 38.8% of patients achieved the target physical activity. This percentage rose to 43.0% at 6-month follow-up and 46.0% at 12-month follow-up. The descriptive statistics divided in function of the experimental group suggested differences in the longitudinal trend of the mean physical activity depending on the experimental group. However, statistical significance using repeated measures ANOVA did not support this observation. The analysis of the growth curves suggested that the tailored group showed a progressive increase in physical activity over twelve months (the model that best described the longitudinal trajectory was a linear growth model). The non-tailored group showed an increase in physical activity six months after the beginning of the intervention, followed by a decrease (free time score model). The usual care group did not change over time (no-growth model).ConclusionsFindings suggest the effectiveness of the tailored intervention proposed. However, further investigations and empirical confirmations are required.Trial registrationISRCTN13415993 (https://doi.org/10.1186/ISRCTN13415993). Registration date: 08/04/2019.

Effectiveness of a health communication intervention on health literacy in the first year following kidney transplantation – A randomized controlled study

ObjectiveThis study aimed to evaluate the effect of a new health communication intervention focusing on knowledge management skills on health literacy and medication adherence during the first year following kidney transplantation. MethodsWe randomized 195 patients during 2020–2021, to either intervention- or control group. Questionnaires were completed at baseline and at 12 months post-transplantation with a 12-month response rate of 84%. Health literacy was measured by the multidimensional Health Literacy Questionnaire (HLQ) instrument. Medication adherence was measured by the self-reported questionnaire (BAASIS©). ResultsResults showed that the intervention group had a significant increase in 2 HLQ domains compared to the control group capturing the “ability to appraise health information” Domain 5, (p-value = 0.002) and the “ability to navigate the healthcare system” Domain 7, (p-value <0.04). The effect sizes of SRM were 0.49 (Domain 5) and 0.33 (Domain 7). Medication adherence was comparable in the groups at any measure points. ConclusionsThis study contributes to important knowledge about how a health communication intervention focusing on knowledge translation using motivational interviewing techniques positively strengthens health literacy in kidney transplant recipients. Practical implicationsCurrent patient education practice may benefit from focusing on knowledge translation in combination with motivational interview technique.

Rapid systematic review of interventions to improve antenatal screening rates for syphilis, hepatitis B, and HIV in low- and middle-income countries.

Infectious diseases including syphilis, HIV, and hepatitis B are major contributors to maternal and neonatal morbidity and mortality worldwide, especially in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). The World Health Organization has prioritized elimination of vertical transmission of these three diseases. To rapidly assess the impact of interventions designed to improve antenatal screening rates for syphilis, HIV, and hepatitis B in LMICs and to identify areas for future implementation research. A comprehensive search was conducted across PubMed, Embase, and EconLit, targeting articles published between January 1, 2013, and June 27, 2023. We included quantitative interventional studies in English, involving pregnant adults (15 years or older) from LMICs. Exclusions were studies based in high-income countries, qualitative studies, or those investigating accuracy of diagnostic methods. From an initial 5549 potential studies, 27 were finalized for review after various screening stages. Data extraction covered aspects such as study design, intervention details, and outcomes. Findings were qualitatively synthesized within a systems thinking framework. The interventions assessed varied in terms of geographic locations, health care system levels, and modalities. The review highlighted the effectiveness of interventions such as community health interventions, service quality improvements, and financial incentives. The study underscores the potential of specific interventions in enhancing antenatal screening rates in LMICs. However, there is a discernible research gap concerning hepatitis B. The findings emphasize the importance of capacity building and health systems strengthening in public health interventions.

Public Health Implications for Effective Community Interventions Based on Hospital Patient Data Analysis Using Deep Learning Technology in Indonesia

Public health is an important aspect of community activities, making research on health necessary because it is a crucial field in maintaining and improving the quality of life in society as a whole. Research on public health allows for a deeper understanding of the health problems faced by a population, including disease prevalence, risk factors, and other determinants of health. This work aims to explore the potential of hospital patient data analysis as a valuable tool for understanding community implications and deriving insights for effective community health interventions. The study recognises the significance of harnessing the vast amount of data generated within hospital settings to inform population-level health strategies. The methodology employed in this study involves the collection and analysis of deidentified patient data from a representative sample of a hospital in Indonesia. Various data analysis techniques, such as statistical modelling, data mining, and machine learning algorithms, are utilised to identify patterns, trends, and associations within the data. A program written in Python is used to analyse patient data in a hospital for five years, from 2018 to 2022. These findings are then interpreted within the context of public health implications, considering factors such as disease prevalence, socioeconomic determinants, and healthcare utilisation patterns. The results of the data analysis provide valuable insights into the public health implications of hospital patient data. The research also covers predictions for the patient data to the hospital based on disease, age, and geographical residence. The research prediction shows that, in the year 2023, the number of patients will not be considerably affected by the infection, but in March to April 2024 the number will increase significantly up to 10,000 patients due to the trend in the previous year at the end of 2022. These recommendations encompass targeted prevention strategies, improved healthcare delivery models, and community engagement initiatives. The research emphasises the importance of collaboration between healthcare providers, policymakers, and community stakeholders in implementing and evaluating these interventions.

Assessing Community Health Interventions in Reducing Infant and Child Mortality in the Southeastern Benin

Assessing Community Health Interventions in Reducing Infant and Child Mortality in the Southeastern Benin

Health-related needs of survivors of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy: implications for health communication interventions

ABSTRACT Background: Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP) are key contributors to maternal morbidity, mortality, and future risk of cardiovascular disease. This exploratory study aimed to unearth the health-related needs of women with a reported history of HDP by inquiring about preferences for care. Method: Deductive, qualitative analysis was conducted of HDP survivors’ retrospective ‘wishes’ about the care received. Results: In analyzing 244 open-ended, online survey responses, we identified a taxonomy of health-related needs arising across the trajectory of HDP: clinical information, needs requiring clinical knowledge, such as information about the etiology or prognosis of HDP; medical, needs associated with HDP intervention and management; logistical, needs regarding practical information, such as how to contact a provider or obtain the correct medical device; emotional, needs involving a desire for support or validation; and communication, needs for improved explanations and recognition of HDP. Conclusions: A taxonomy of diverse health-related needs may assist clinicians in approaching HDP patients more holistically. Additionally, opportunities exist for health communication research to inform standard approaches to HDP-related communication flowing from provider to patient.

Bolstering the willingness to uptake covid-19 vaccination through multidisciplinary health communication intervention: a cue for reaching herd immunity in Nigeria

Background: The prevailing unwillingness to accept COVID-19 vaccination among the eligible population has been a serious setback in Nigeria’s bid to reach herd immunity against the pandemic.Objective: We assessed the impact of a multidisciplinary health communication intervention (MHCI) on willingness to accept COVID-19 vaccination among eligible unvaccinated community dwellers (EUCD) in Nsukka Urban, Enugu State, Nigeria.Methods: Through a quasi-experiment that adopted a pre-test, post-test, non-control group design, we studied a total of 85 eligibleunvaccinated adults. A researcher-designed "Willingness to Accept COVID-19 Vaccination Questionnaire" was the instrument used for data collection. The data gathered was analysed by means of Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 23.0. Specifically, descriptive and inferential statistics were used to test the formulated research questions and the hypothesis at 0.05 level of significance.Results: We found that the mean scores of willingness to accept COVID-19 vaccination increased significantly after the treatment.There was no significant interaction effect of gender, level of education, and age on the mean of willingness to accept COVID-19 vaccination scores of EUCD after MHCI.Conclusion: The study established that MHCI is impactful in bolstering the willingness to accept COVID-19 vaccination. The Nigerian government should adopt and implement this intervention in schools, communities, and other institutions in order to attain herd immunity in Nigeria.

NEIGHBORHOOD CHARACTERISTICS AND SLEEP PROBLEMS: MEDIATING ROLES OF HEALTH BEHAVIORS AND MENTAL HEALTH

Abstract Existing studies have well-documented the relationship between the neighborhood environment and health among older adults. Yet very few have focused on how the neighborhood environment predicts late-life sleep quality. Using longitudinal data (Rounds 7-9) from the National Health and Aging Trends Study, this study examined the cross-sectional and longitudinal associations between neighborhood characteristics (physical disorder and social cohesion) and sleep problems among Americans aged 65 or older, as well as whether health behaviors and mental health mediated these associations. The analytical sample included 4,029 adults aged 65 or older. Logistic regressions with a lagged dependent variable were adopted to test longitudinal associations. Longitudinal mediation analyses were also used to examine the mediation effects of health behaviors and mental health. The results suggested that neighborhood physical disorder was a significant predictor of sleep problems cross-sectionally, whereas social cohesion was both cross-sectionally and longitudinally associated with sleep problems. Moreover, mediation analysis revealed that health behaviors and mental health significantly mediated the longitudinal relationship between social cohesion and sleep problems, though the strength of the indirect effect diminished over time. These findings suggest that neighborhood physical disorder and social cohesion are significant predictors of late-life sleep problems among older Americans. The study also highlighted older adults’ resilience and adaptability to adverse neighborhood environments and the long-term health benefits of social cohesion in late-life sleep quality. Therefore, community health interventions that facilitate older adults’ physical and social activity, along with mental health programs, may help community-dwelling older adults improve their sleep quality.

Residential Structural Racism and Prevalence of Chronic Health Conditions

Studies elucidating determinants of residential neighborhood-level health inequities are needed. To quantify associations of structural racism indicators with neighborhood prevalence of chronic kidney disease (CKD), diabetes, and hypertension. This cross-sectional study used public data (2012-2018) and deidentified electronic health records (2017-2018) to describe the burden of structural racism and the prevalence of CKD, diabetes, and hypertension in 150 residential neighborhoods in Durham County, North Carolina, from US census block groups and quantified their associations using bayesian models accounting for spatial correlations and residents' age. Data were analyzed from January 2021 to May 2023. Global (neighborhood percentage of White residents, economic-racial segregation, and area deprivation) and discrete (neighborhood child care centers, bus stops, tree cover, reported violent crime, impervious areas, evictions, election participation, income, poverty, education, unemployment, health insurance coverage, and police shootings) indicators of structural racism. Outcomes of interest were neighborhood prevalence of CKD, diabetes, and hypertension. A total of 150 neighborhoods with a median (IQR) of 1708 (1109-2489) residents; median (IQR) of 2% (0%-6%) Asian residents, 30% (16%-56%) Black residents, 10% (4%-20%) Hispanic or Latino residents, 0% (0%-1%) Indigenous residents, and 44% (18%-70%) White residents; and median (IQR) residential income of $54 531 ($37 729.25-$78 895.25) were included in analyses. In models evaluating global indicators, greater burden of structural racism was associated with greater prevalence of CKD, diabetes, and hypertension (eg, per 1-SD decrease in neighborhood White population percentage: CKD prevalence ratio [PR], 1.27; 95% highest density interval [HDI], 1.18-1.35; diabetes PR, 1.43; 95% HDI, 1.37-1.52; hypertension PR, 1.19; 95% HDI, 1.14-1.25). Similarly in models evaluating discrete indicators, greater burden of structural racism was associated with greater neighborhood prevalence of CKD, diabetes, and hypertension (eg, per 1-SD increase in reported violent crime: CKD PR, 1.15; 95% HDI, 1.07-1.23; diabetes PR, 1.20; 95% HDI, 1.13-1.28; hypertension PR, 1.08; 95% HDI, 1.02-1.14). This cross-sectional study found several global and discrete structural racism indicators associated with increased prevalence of health conditions in residential neighborhoods. Although inferences from this cross-sectional and ecological study warrant caution, they may help guide the development of future community health interventions.

Development and refinement of a communication guide to help young adults in Texas reconnect and reduce loneliness

ObjectiveLoneliness among young people is a contemporary public health crisis exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. The present research examined the development of a modest yet meaningful health communication intervention resource that would become an asset in a larger health campaign: a communication guide aimed at helping young people reach out and reconnect with others. MethodsStudy One established the need for a loneliness intervention in Texas with survey data (N = 795). A communication guide was developed based on research and theory. Study Two employed focus group interviews with potential audience members (N = 31) to critically assess and inform revisions to the communication guide. ResultsStudy One results indicated that a substantial proportion of young adult Texans felt as though their social connection had decreased and their loneliness had increased since the onset of the pandemic. Themes in focus group responses from Study Two suggested several strengths of the communication guide and some opportunities for revision. ConclusionA communication guide with tips for reconnecting could be a valuable tool to empower young people and promote social connection. InnovationThis study involved the development and refinement of a new communication resource that was informed by a priority audience of a major health communication campaign.

How do self-exempt beliefs affect intentions to quit smoking? An exploration of the mediating role of threat appraisal and coping appraisal

IntroductionNumerous smokers are cognizant of the detrimental effects associated with this habit yet exhibit a persistent reluctance to cease their tobacco consumption. Self-exempt beliefs serve as an obstacle to the cessation of this addictive behavior. This research explored the impact of self-exempt beliefs on the readiness to quit smoking based on the Protection Motivation Theory (PMT) model and the mediating roles of threat appraisal and coping appraisal.MethodsSelf-exempt beliefs, PMT constructs, and the intention to quit smoking constituted the theoretical model. The questionnaires were collected from 488 Chinese adult male smokers based on snowball sampling. Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) was used to examine the underlying factor structure of the pre-designed self-exempt beliefs scale. The reliability, validity, path coefficients, and explanatory power of the model were calculated using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM).Results and discussionThe results showed that : (1) three common factors (skeptic beliefs, bulletproof beliefs, and “worth it” beliefs) with a total of 11 items were retained after EFA; (2) skeptic beliefs and “worth it” beliefs had a significantly negative effect on both threat appraisal and coping appraisal, while bulletproof beliefs did not; (3) bulletproof beliefs had a significantly positive direct impact on intention to quit, “worth it” beliefs had a significantly negative direct impact on intention, while skeptic beliefs had no significantly direct impact on intention; (4) threat appraisal and coping appraisal positively and significantly predicted cessation intention; and (5) threat appraisal and coping appraisal, as two main cognitive processes, acted as full mediations between skeptic beliefs and the intention to quit, as complementary partial mediations between “worth it” beliefs and the intention, and as non-mediation between bulletproof beliefs and the intention. Our findings suggest that efforts to undermine or “prevent” these self-exempt beliefs, particularly “worth it” and skeptic beliefs, may be an effective tactic for health communication interventions for quitting smoking.

Bon Sante (Good Health): Factors Influencing PrEP Use Among Haitians/Haitian Americans.

The HIV/AIDS epidemic has disproportionately affected Black individuals in the USA, and this health disparity has increased over time. Despite the effectiveness of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) as a prevention tool for HIV, there are disparities in its use, and uptake of this intervention remains low among racial and ethnic minorities, including Haitians/Haitian Americans. In this study, factors influencing PrEP use among Haitians/Haitian Americans in Miami, FL, are explored to provide necessary data to address disparities. The research team collaborated with local organizations to recruit 30 individuals (Haitians/Haitian Americans) between February 4 and October 1, 2021, and conducted semi-structured interviews. All interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed, and NVivo® was used to analyze the transcripts for emergent themes. The study sample comprised 30 adults of Haitian descent in Miami, FL (50% female, approximately 67% with a high school education or more, mean age = 43.7 ± 13 years, and 74.2% born in Haiti). Four primary themes emerged from the analysis: (1) limited PrEP awareness, (2) underutilization of PrEP, (3) inadequate discussion of HIV prevention strategies, and (4) PrEP delivery encompassing barriers and facilitators for PrEP delivery and promotion strategies. This study indicated that there is a critical need to increase Haitians/Haitian Americans' knowledge regarding PrEP. Health communication interventions tailored specifically for Haitians/Haitian Americans that target stigma, attitudes toward HIV, and risk perception may be significant in increasing PrEP in this population.

Awareness, attitudes, and beliefs about palliative care: Results from a representative survey of the Italian-speaking Swiss population.

To understand the knowledge and awareness of palliative care in the Italian-speaking Swiss general population, describing main misconceptions or false beliefs and their relationship with attitudes towards palliative care. Cross-sectional representative population survey (N = 313). We observed a high awareness of «palliative care,» although it is mainly associated with pain management and the very last days of life. While false beliefs are relatively rare, there is low awareness of goals, targets, and services offered by palliative care. Overall the Italian-speaking Swiss population has a good predisposition towards palliative care, but negative attitudes are more common among those who lack knowledge. More than one-third of respondents are interested in receiving more information about palliative care, especially from their healthcare providers or through dedicated information points. Health communication interventions to promote palliative care are needed because there is still significant unclarity about the goals of palliative care, which negatively affects its acceptance. This study instructs on how to intervene specifically in the Italian-speaking part of Switzerland, including what to communicate and how. Further, our findings can inspire similar studies in other Swiss regions or countries that can optimize recognition, knowledge, and understanding and contribute to filling gaps in populations' health service demand and utilization.