Health-related Communication Research Articles

Health-Related Communication of Social Media Influencers: A Scoping Review

ABSTRACT Social media influencers (SMIs) are an essential part of today’s digital media landscape and have the ability to significantly impact the health-related attitudes and behavior of their audiences. Despite an increasing number of studies, research has produced mixed results, and a comprehensive overview of the main findings is lacking. Therefore, the goal of this scoping review was to comprehensively map the literature focusing on SMIs and their health-related communication. Specifically, we analyzed the most frequently studied health topics and social media platforms, the methodological characteristics of the studies, as well as the communication techniques employed by SMIs, and the potential positive and negative effects of their communication on their audience. Additionally, we examined the major research gaps in this area. Altogether, we analyzed n = 116 empirical papers. The results reveal a wide range of different outcomes influenced by SMIs, including both positive and negative changes in health-related attitudes and behavioral intentions among their followers. Furthermore, our findings highlight the need for future research to prioritize experimental and longitudinal studies, investigate actual behavioral outcomes resulting from influencer content exposure, and closely examine the potential negative effects of SMIs’ health-related communication. More attention needs to be paid to health-related misinformation disseminated by SMIs. Lastly, this study identified several highly relevant health topics and social media platforms that should be the focus of future research.

Healthcare professional students’ skills in sexual health communication and history taking: inter-rater reliability of standardized patients and faculty ratings in dar es Salaam, tanzania- a cross-sectional study

BackgroundLow- and middle-income countries face a disproportionate impact of sexual health problems compared to high-income countries. To address this situation proper interpersonal communication skills are essential for clinician to gather necessary information during medical history-taking related to sexual health. This study aimed to evaluate the interrater reliability of ratings on sexual health-related interpersonal communication and medical history-taking between SPs and trained HCP faculty for health care professional students.MethodsWe conducted a cross-sectional comparative study to evaluate the interrater reliability of ratings for sexual health-related interpersonal communication and medical history-taking. The data were collected from medical and nursing students at Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences, who interviewed 12 Standardized Patients (SPs) presenting with sexual health issues. The video-recorded interviews rated by SPs, were compared to the one rated by 5 trained Health Care Professional (HCP) faculty members. Inter-rater reliability was evaluated using percent agreement (PA) and kappa statistics (κ).ResultsA total of 412 students (mean age 24) were enrolled in the study to conduct interviews with two SPs presenting with sexual health concerns. For interpersonal communication (IC), the overall median agreement between raters was slight (κ2 0.0095; PA 48.9%) while the overall median agreement for medical sexual history-taking was deemed fair (κ2 0.139; PA 75.02%).ConclusionThe use of SPs for training and evaluating medical and nursing students in Tanzania is feasible only if they undergo proper training and have sufficient time for practice sessions, along with providing feedback to the students.

Shop Talk: A Qualitative Study to Understand Peer Health-related Communication Among Black Men at the Barbershop.

While successful health promotion efforts among Black men have been implemented at barbershops, the focus has largely been on outcomes as opposed to the processes by which outcomes are produced. An understanding of processes can be leveraged in the design and implementation of future efforts to improve the health of Black men. The objectives of the present study were to: (i) understand peer-derived sources of health-related support at the barbershop and (ii) understand the role of the barbershop in promoting health among Black men. Seven focus groups were conducted at barbershops used predominately by Black men. Each focus group lasted between 45 and 60 min. Using a thematic approach, each focus group was independently coded by two coders using a codebook derived from an inductive and deductive approach. The results were confirmed with members of the community advisory board. Three themes emerged: (i) dynamic and candid exchange of health-related support at the barbershop; (ii) tailored forms of health-related and judgment-free communication that provide encouragement and increase motivation; and (iii) characteristics of a supportive environment at the barbershop that facilitate health-related communication. The findings of the present study offer a potential pathway for public health efforts seeking to improve health among Black men. Those interested in designing and implementing these efforts can create tailored programs for Black men by recognizing and leveraging the unique dynamics of health-related conversations at the barbershop.

Media coverage of COVID-19 vaccination-associated cerebral venous sinus thrombosis was followed by a surge in emergency presentations due to headache – observations from a university hospital in Germany

Nocebo effects describe all negative outcomes for well-being brought about by negative health-related expectations. Media coverage of drug side effects can fuel nocebo effects and lead to increased symptom reports. This retrospective observational analysis of emergency reports at the neurological emergency room at University Hospital Essen, Germany, examines whether media communication about a cumulation of very rare cases of cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVST) after COVID-19 vaccination with the AstraZeneca compound (ChAdOx-1 nCoV-19) was followed by an increase in weekly presentation rates of patients with the main complaint of headache, a symptom commonly occurring as a vaccination reaction but also communicated as a warning symptom for CVST. The rate of headache presentations increased by 171.7% during the five weeks after the first announcement of CVSTs in Germany on 11 March 2021, compared to the five weeks immediately prior. Furthermore, more young women sought consultation for headache, reflecting the communicated at-risk profile for CVST. The increased rate of headache presenters contributed to a 32.1% rise in total neurological emergency cases, causing an increased strain on the emergency facility after the side effect risk was publicized. We discuss a causal role of negative side effect expectations after vaccination with AstraZeneca as a driver for this increase. While transparent communication about benefits and potential side effects is crucial for vaccination acceptance, increased vigilance toward nocebo effects in health-related media communication is needed due to its potential harm to the individual and society, especially when emergency medical resources are stretched thin.

PELATIHAN KOMUNIKASI EFEKTIF PADA KARYAWAN RSU ANNA MEDIKA

PELATIHAN KOMUNIKASI EFEKTIF PADA KARYAWAN RSU ANNA MEDIKA

Technology Readiness And Technology Acceptance: Exploring Healthcare Professionals' Intention To Use Telemedicine In Malaysia

Malaysia is among the countries that have undergone significant transformations as part of integrating health information into its healthcare system. Healthcare professionals' tasks and responsibilities have changed due to the digitalization of the industry. Telemedicine is an interactive technology-driven platform designed to facilitate medical interactions between two healthcare entities, healthcare providers, healthcare professionals, and patients. This interaction occurs remotely, overcoming geographical barriers. Through technology, telemedicine combines the accessibility, affordability, and convenience of health-related information and communication. The knowledge, competence, attitudes, and working environment of experts in the health organization are only a few variables that affect how well new technology works. There has not been much study done recently using TRAM to look at the choices made by medical practitioners regarding telemedicine. In order to gain a more profound understanding of the factors influencing the adoption of telemedicine among healthcare professionals in Malaysia, this research seeks to examine their readiness and acceptance of adopting technology. The study will delve into the correlation between Technology Readiness (TR) and the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), with the inclusion of Perceived Digital Competence (PDC) as an additional variable. Moreover, the study will investigate the potential moderating role of demographic factors, including age, gender, and education, in these relationships. The theoretical significance of this research allows the researchers to bridge existing gaps in the literature, offering a more profound insight into the characteristics displayed by healthcare professionals and their inclinations toward adopting telemedicine. In the current pandemic and fiercely competitive business environment, the study's practical significance may help healthcare professionals better understand their lived experiences with digital health competence and increase their intention to use telemedicine to provide limitless and borderless teleconsultations.

Acceptability and feasibility of virtual reality to promote health literacy in primary care from the health professional’s view: A qualitative study

ObjectiveThe development of health literacy is important in the management of chronic pain and virtual reality may be an effective medium for its development. This study aims to understand the usability and acceptability of a virtual reality-based pain education system for the facilitation of health literacy. MethodsSemi-structured interviews were conducted with health professionals who had used a VR-based pain education system within their clinical practice, to explore perceptions of feasibility. Data collection and analyses were informed by the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology and the Integrated Model of Health Literacy. ResultsFrom 10 participants, the VR-based system was considered feasible in providing immersive experiential learning which addressed patient understanding and health-related communication. ConclusionVR appears to be perceived as an acceptable and feasible technology to support the development of health literacy in people with chronic pain. Its largest perceived benefit was its capacity to provide an immersive and entertaining alternative to conventional methods of pain education. Practice implicationsVirtual reality is considered as a feasible method of facilitating patient understanding and health-related communication related to chronic pain. Feasibility of such a tool relies clinically on time available, social expectations of VR, and the role of immersive and experiential learning within the management of chronic pain.

From digital voices to vaccine choices: increasing female vaccine acceptance in Sudan through social listening.

The early COVID-19 vaccine rollout in Sudan experienced a gender disparity in vaccine uptake, with women accounting for less than 40% of vaccinations after four months of vaccine access. Initial analysis revealed that demand generation approaches were not sufficiently tailored to address the challenges and concerns of women. Using real-time social media monitoring, also known as social listening, to understand this inequity, we used an analytical tool called "Talkwalker" to track public sentiment and engagement regarding vaccination on social media platforms. The data captured subsequently informed a gender-responsive messaging campaign on social media that directly addressed specific concerns of Sudanese women. Within one week of the campaign's onset in September 2021, we observed a 144% increase in women's COVID-19 related social media engagement. Subsequent campaigns further enhanced women's engagement from 31% to between 35%-47%. Two subsequent campaigns in January and February/March 2022 were complemented with in-person activities, such as group meetings with community members and home visits by health promoters. Women's vaccination rates increased by 9% while the first two campaigns were live. System constraints hindered data linkages for the third campaign. These findings demonstrate the value of integrating real-time feedback with large-scale social media campaigns and the potential of linking online and offline strategies to further refine interventions, particularly in a conflict-prone and low-income country context. Our experience reinforces the notion that "one size does not fit all" when it comes to health-related communication. Responses should be tailored, contextualized, and person-centered, particularly in addressing concerns unique to women.

Cultural Aspects of Health care for Ethiopian Jewish Immigrants in Israel: A Literature Review.

The unique health-related traditions, perceptions, and communication patterns of Ethiopian immigrants are challenging to Israeli healthcare providers who are trained in western medicine. The aim of this review was to conduct a survey of traditions, beliefs, and symptom reporting by Ethiopian immigrants and culturally oriented interventions to improve the care of Ethiopian immigrants. We used the keywords "Ethiopian immigrants Israel" and "Ethiopian Jews." Of 418 articles initially retrieved, 35 satisfied the inclusion and exclusion criteria. We described health-related traditions and their possible complications. Possession syndrome was frequently misdiagnosed as a neurological or psychiatric disorder. The medical staff was unfamiliar with these health and illness beliefs, somatization patterns, and the communication style of Ethiopian immigrants. There were successful interventions that involved liaisons from the Ethiopian community and community-based educational activities. Medical professionals working with African immigrants worldwide can use the Israeli experience to develop effective, culturally oriented interventions to optimize the health care for these immigrants.

The Global Study of COVID News: Scope, Findings, and Implications of Quantitative Content Analyses of the COVID-19 News Coverage in the First Two Years of the Pandemic

ABSTRACT Researchers and practitioners have unanimously acknowledged the impact of legacy media coverage of past pandemics as well as COVID-19 and its importance for health-related risk communication. Therefore, this study provides scholars and health communication practitioners with a deeper understanding of the patterns, main themes, and limitations of media reporting and peer-reviewed research in the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic in different national media environments. Because the objective is to evaluate patterns, this paper focuses on early quantitative and automated content analyses for theoretical contribution, geographic diversity, methodological rigor, and inclusion of risk and crisis communication theory. It also assesses whether authors deduced implications, for both theory and practice of health-related risk and crisis communication. We conducted a content analysis of 66 studies in peer-reviewed journals from the beginning of the pandemic until April 2022. The findings demonstrate that early quantitative analyses of the news coverage of COVID-19 are often not theory-driven, apply heterogeneous forms of framing analysis, and lack references to risk and crisis communication theory. Consequently, only few implications for health communication practice during pandemics were drawn. However, there is evidence of improvement in geographic scope compared to previous research. The discussion addresses the importance of developing a consistent approach to framing analyses of risk and crisis media coverage and the importance of well-designed cross-cultural research in a global pandemic.

Health-related communication in everyday life: Communication partners, channels, and patterns

Abstract Although health matters are commonly discussed in various social contexts, health-related interpersonal communication still remains a black box in health communication research. Bringing together research from the fields of health communication and interpersonal communication, we therefore examine how people communicate about health and illness in their everyday lives. Based on Channel Complementary Theory and the concept of communication repertoires, we focus on a) the communication partners, b) the communication channels, and c) the communication patterns relevant to health-related interpersonal communication. We conducted a qualitative study with 22 semi-structured online interviews combined with ego-centered network maps. Findings show that a) what is discussed with whom depends on the intimacy of the relationship, topic sensitivity, and partners’ personal characteristics, b) face-to-face communication is the preferred way of communicating, and c) (a-)symmetry of roles, (in)formality, and intimacy of the relationship influence communication.

Using discursive approaches to examine the utility and functions of language in public health and health promotion: highlighting social constructions of e-cigarettes

ABSTRACT This article uses discursive approaches to examine the utility and functions of language in public health, focusing on social constructions of e-cigarettes. Due to the ambiguity surrounding the use of e-cigarettes, understanding may be negotiated collaboratively through co-construction in talk. Ten participants, three men and seven women aged 26–47 years, took part in two focus groups in Manchester, UK, where they discussed e-cigarettes. Data were analysed using blended discourse analysis, with a view to identifying dominant repertoires used by speakers. Participants drew from two discursive frameworks to communicate perceptions of e-cigarettes: (1) uncertainty and risk and (2) the social acceptability and stigma spectrum. The ambiguity surrounding e-cigarettes was reflected in the linguistic devices used in talk. This article demonstrates the value of drawing on discourse analysis to better understand the impact of health-related communication by providing insight into how existing messages are interpreted, co-constructed, and assigned meaning through shared interactions.

The experiences of siblings of children with chronic illness of health-related communication directed at them: a systematic review protocol and thematic synthesis of qualitative studies

The psychological, social and financial impact that chronic illness can have on a family and in particular the siblings of children with chronic illness (SCWCI) is well documented. Siblings are at risk of a variety of psychosocial and physical problems such as suffering from anxiety, experiencing headaches, appetite loss. However, the experiences with health-related communication of SCWCI is not well known. This may leave them with suboptimal information. The aim of this systematic review described in this protocol is to understand SCWCI experience of targeted health-related communication; detailing the communication strategies utilised, how helpful the information was and what they wish would be different. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-analysis for Protocols (PRISMA-P) checklist will be used to frame this protocol. Registration: PROSPERO (393998, 03 February 2023).

Patients' choices regarding online access to laboratory, radiology and pathology test results on a hospital patient portal.

The disclosure of online test results (i.e., laboratory, radiology and pathology results) on patient portals can vary from immediate disclosure (in real-time) via a delay of up to 28 days to non-disclosure. Although a few studies explored patient opinions regarding test results release, we have no insight into actual patients' preferences. To address this, we allowed patients to register their choices on a hospital patient portal. Our research question was: When do patients want their test results to be disclosed on the patient portal and what are the reasons for these choices? We used a mixed methods sequential explanatory design that included 1) patient choices on preferred time delay to test result disclosure on the patient portal for different medical specialties (N = 4592) and 2) semi-structured interviews with patients who changed their mind on their initial choice (N = 7). For laboratory (blood and urine) results, 3530 (76.9%) patients chose a delay of 1 day and 912 (19.9%) patients chose a delay of 7 days. For radiology and pathology results 4352 (94.8%) patients chose a delay of 7 days. 43 patients changed their mind about when they wanted to receive their results. By interviewing seven patients (16%) from this group we learned that some participants did not remember why they made changes. Four participants wanted a shorter delay to achieve transparency in health-related information and communication; to have time to process bad results; for reassurance; to prepare for a medical consultation; monitoring and acting on deviating results to prevent worsening of their disease; and to share results with their general practitioner. Three participants extended their chosen delay to avoid the disappointment about the content and anxiety of receiving incomprehensible information. Our study indicates that most patients prefer transparency in health-related information and want their test results to be disclosed as soon as possible.

Stage distinctive communication networks of the online breast cancer community

In this study, we reveal the distinctive communication network structures and contents of online breast cancer community posts in accordance with different cancer stages. Using data collected from community.breastcancer.org, a major online breast cancer community (28,139 original posts and 663,748 replies), we traced the communication network structures and contents of replies associated with its severity. By combining network and quantitative content analyses, we deciphered the functions and utilities of health-related online communication. We found an inverse relationship between offline epidemiological prevalence and online communication activation. Despite the relatively small percentage of breast cancer patients, it was found that the more severe the condition of breast cancer, the more active online communication was. We further found that as pathological severity advances, communication networks move from informational exchange to emotional support. The capture of online social networks based on the cancer stage can help unpack the distinctive communication patterns found across different cancer severities. Our results provide insights into a possible online communication intervention design tailored to symptom severity.

Understanding older adults' intention to use patient-accessible electronic health records: Based on the affordance lens.

Given the aging population and the rapid development of the digital society, concerns about promoting older adults' health skills are increasing. Patient-accessible electronic health records (PAEHRs) are implemented globally for aging health safeguards. The demand for using health-related information communication technologies (ICTs) among older adults and the factors that promote their usage intention of PAEHRs need to be studied. Drawing upon affordance theory, we constructed a research model that integrates four affordance types, aggregation, interactivity, collaboration, and communication, to identify the effects of affordances and attachment to platforms and doctors that contribute to older adults' usage intention on PAEHRs. Online survey data from 498 older adults (above 60 years) were collected and analyzed using partial least square-structural equation modeling. Our findings demonstrated how PAEHR's affordances facilitate older adults' attachment to platforms and doctors. We found that aggregation (γ = 0.417, P < 0.001) and interactivity (γ = 0.397, P < 0.001) can positively influence older adults' attachment to the PAEHR platform, and collaboration (γ = 0.407, P < 0.001) affordance can positively influence older adults' attachment to doctors on the PAEHR platform. Furthermore, seniors' attachment to the platform (γ = 0.598, P < 0.001) and attachment to the doctor (γ = 0.156, P < 0.01) can both positively influence their usage intention, and attachment to the platform had a positive relationship with attachment to doctors (γ = 0.230, P < 0.001) on the PAEHR. This study enriched the understanding of elders' attachment to doctors on PAEHRs and contributed to the literature on health-related ICT usage targets of older adults. Our findings also shed light on inspiring operators of health-related ICTs to formulate appropriate strategies for aging-friendly design to guide older adults to adopt health-related ICTs in their everyday health information practices.

Health-related misinformation and public governance of COVID-19 in South Africa

PurposeThe purpose of this paper was to examine health-related misinformation proliferation during COVID-19 pandemic and its implications on public governance in South Africa.Design/methodology/approachBecause of COVID-19 related restrictions, this study conducted a systematic review. The researchers searched several search engines which include PubMed, Web of Science and Scopus to identify relevant studies. A total of 252 peer reviewed research papers were identified. These research papers were furthered filtered, and a total of 44 relevant papers were eventually selectedFindingsThere is a relationship between the spread of health-related misinformation and public governance. Government coordination and institutional coherence across the different spheres of governance is affected when there are multiple sources of information that are unverified and uncoordinated.Research limitations/implicationsThis study was limited to a systematic review because of COVID-19 restrictions, and therefore, actual data could not be collected. Moreover, this study was limited to health-related communication, and therefore, its findings can only be generalized to the health sector.Practical implicationsFuture research in this subject should consider actual data collection from the departments of health and communications to gain an in-depth understanding of misinformation and its implications on public governance from their perspective as frontline departments as far as government communication is concerned.Social implicationsMisinformation is an impediment to any fight against a public health emergency. Institutions which regulate communications technology and monitor misinformation should work harder in enforcing the law to deter information peddlers from their practice. This calls for reviewing existing regulation so that online spaces are safer for communicating health-related information.Originality/valueEffective health communication remains a priority for the South African Government during COVID-19. However, with health-related misinformation on the increase, it is imperative to mitigate the spread to ensure it does not impede effective public governance. Government departments in South Africa are yet to develop policies that mitigate the spread of misinformation, and this paper may assist them in doing so.

Older adults' exposure to and posting of health-related messages on Facebook by chronic health condition status.

Older adults may be particularly interested in health-related content on Facebook, especially those who have chronic health conditions. The purpose of this study was to compare older adult Facebook users with and without a chronic health condition on their frequency of posting and exposure to health-related content. Participants, recruited via Qualtrics, were regular Facebook users aged 50 + years. Participants were asked separately if they had seen, posted, and shared: Health-related information; about others'/their own health behaviors (e.g., exercise); and about others'/their own medical condition. Six logistic regression models, controlling for demographics and Facebook login frequency, were run to assess whether viewing and/or posting health-related messages differed by chronic health condition status. Respondents (N = 697; 77.9% female) were on average 61.2 (SD = 7.9) years old and (n = 625; 89.7%) were White. One-half reported a chronic health condition (n = 351; 50.4%). In adjusted models, those with a chronic health condition had a higher likelihood of seeing posts containing health information (OR = 1.41; 95% CI: 1.04, 1.93) and about others' medical conditions (OR = 1.67; 95% CI: 1.22, 2.27) at least once a month compared to those with no chronic health conditions. People with and without chronic health conditions did not differ in terms of how often they see others' post about health behaviors. Those with a chronic health condition had a higher likelihood of posting or sharing health information (OR = 1.67; 95% CI: 1.22, 2.27), posting about their own health behaviors (OR = 1.55; 95% CI: 1.00, 2.44; p = 0.048), and about their health condition (OR = 1.96; 95% CI: 1.17, 3.27) at least once a month. Most older adults on Facebook are exposed to and post multiple forms of health-related content. Therefore, Facebook may be an appropriate channel for conducting health-related communication targeting older adults.

Awareness of and interaction with physician rating websites: A cross-sectional study in Austria.

To date, the digital assessment of service experiences represents a decisive process step of a feedback culture in numerous economic areas. In view of this digitalization of service assessments, the importance of Physician Rating Websites (PRWs) has also increased steadily in recent years. Even though these websites could be perceived as a powerful communication tool for the exchange of health specific information, the knowledge about whether and how different population segments use these portals has been limited so far. For this reason, our aim was to investigate the level of awareness regarding PRWs among the study population and to discover how users interact with this specific type of online portals. We performed an online survey including 558 participants. To ensure the attention and integrity of participants, attention checks were included in the questionnaire. Study participants who did not exceed the mentioned security levels were excluded from the study. Statistical analyses were carried out, using IBM SPSS Statistics 27. To illustrate the relationship between demographic variables and dependent variables, two tailed chi square tests were performed. Comparison of means and t-testing was used to investigate the relationship between psychographic variables and the dependent variables. In addition to that, the awareness levels regarding different rating portals were evaluated using descriptive methods. Our results suggest that the general awareness regarding PRWs is relatively high (75.6%, 423/558), especially among female (x21 = 9.880, P = .002), middle-aged (x29 = 26.810, P = .002), more highly educated (x24 = 19.038, P = .001), urban (x21 = 6.274, P = .012), digitally literate (t203 = 2.63, P = .009) individuals and particularly among respondents with a higher eHealth literacy (t203 = 2.37, P = .019). Even though more than three quarters of the respondents know that PRWs exist, compared to other rating platforms, they are only in the lower midfield. The upper ranks are taken by websites on which restaurant visits (98.9%, 552/558), hotel stays (97.7%, 545/558) or movies (95.5%, 533/558) can be rated. The most popular PRWs in Austria include Docfinder.at (31.3%, 175/558; 77.8%, 434/558) followed by the evaluation tools provided by Google.at (8.24%, 46/558; 70.3%, 392/558) and Herold.at (1.61%, 9/558; 44.8%, 250/558). In Austria, PRWs seem to be characterized by a high degree of interaction (89.2%, 498/558) with a wide variety of different types of interactions. While many respondents use PRWs to retrieve general information (83.2%, 464/558), there are significantly fewer who read physicians' reviews (60.9%, 340/558) and use this portal to select a physician (60.6%, 338/558). Respondents who have already rated a doctor themselves belong to the smallest group accounting for just 14.7% (82/558). Significant effects regarding the interaction with PRWs exist between different genders, ages, education levels, marital statuses, occupations and areas of living. In addition to that, respondents with better feelings towards the internet, greater digital literacy as well as a higher eHealth literacy were also characterized with a higher interaction rate regarding PRWs. According to the high level of awareness of and interaction with PRWs within our study population, PRWs appear to be a successful medium for health-related communication. Especially for female, middle-aged, more highly educated, urban and more technology savvy population segments, PRWs seem to represent an effective tool to support the health-specific decision-making process.

Links of we-talk to caregiver social network systems and health.

Caring for a child, particularly one with a rare disease, presents a challenging set of stressors that can impact entire family networks. Given this shared impact, caregivers can engage in communal coping to address the caregiving process, defined as the perception of caregiving as shared and collaborative behaviors to address it. In this study, we examined one common measure of communal coping-first person plural pronouns or "we-talk"-in caregivers of either (a) children with rare or undiagnosed diseases or (b) typically developing children. We sought to examine how we-talk is linked to (a) caregiver health and well-being and (b) social network involvement in caregiving. Caregivers (n = 311) participated in (a) survey questionnaires (b) a network enumeration interview and (c) a semistructured interview of caregiving. Results indicated we-talk was unrelated to stress or self-rated health, but was linked to more benefit-finding; greater individual-focused language (I-talk) was also linked to worse self-rated health. Additionally, we-talk was unrelated to malfeasant behavior (e.g., overly critical), but was linked to less nonfeasant behavior (e.g., underinvolvement), more uplift behavior (e.g., helping with caregiving), and more health-related communication with network members. Further, these findings did not differ across caregiving context. This work highlights the role of communal coping for caregivers managing general parenting stress as well as the stress associated with caring for a child with complex medical needs. Future research should continue to examine how interpersonal coping processes operate within social networks to impact health and well-being for all involved. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).