Health Risk Messages Research Articles

Instructional Health-Risk Communication: A Content Analysis of Vaping-Associated Lung Injury Outbreak Coverage in U.S. College Newspapers

ABSTRACT This study examined instructional health-risk communication involving the outbreak of e-cigarette or vaping product use-associated lung injury (EVALI). Using the IDEA model, we investigated how U.S. college newspapers communicated health risk messages during the vaping outbreak. Our analysis of 331 news articles showed that college newspapers placed greater emphasis on explanation of the EVALI outbreak than internalization and action messages. The findings also revealed that news sources played a significant role in communicating instructional health risk messages. Specifically, news stories that included expert sources were more likely to communicate CDC-recommended action messages. The findings have significant implications for designing instructional health-risk communication and anti-smoking interventions tailored to specific populations.

Experiences of geophagy during pregnancy among African migrant women in London: Implications for public health interventions

This study explored African migrant women's clay ingestion experiences during pregnancy against a backdrop of health risks warnings in order, to inform public health interventions by the UK Food Standards Agency and Public Health England, now known as the UK Health Security Agency. An interpretative phenomenological approach (IPA) was utilized, and data were collected with a total of 30 participants through individual in-depth interviews and one focus group discussion. Findings showed clay ingestion is a fluid and widely accepted cultural practice among African communities with most participants having been socialized into ingestion during childhood, through family influences and current social networks in their adulthood. Vomiting, nausea, spitting, appetite challenges, and cravings were cited as the main reasons for clay ingestion during pregnancy. With strong claims regarding its effectiveness, clay was ingested every day by most participants, and at times in large quantities despite the potential health risks. This calls for innovative and culturally sensitive public health interventions starting with the inclusion of clay ingestion health risk messages in maternal health nutrition information within antenatal settings. This can be done as part of multilevel interventions informed by life course approaches, which also consider community health messages and an enabling regulatory policy framework focusing on clay sold for human ingestion.

COVID-19 crisis communication in Sepedi: the quality of translation by the Limpopo Department of Health

There is a paucity of literature on the importance of translating health risk messages into South Africa’s indigenous languages as a tool for crisis prevention and management. This article focuses on the quality of translations of COVID-19 information from English into Sepedi by the Limpopo Department of Health. Sepedi translations that are already available in the public domain are selected by means of the purposive sampling technique. House’s translation quality assessment (TQA) model is applied to evaluate the quality and accuracy of the translations as part of the strategic crisis response. Based on House’s model, errors in the translations are identified and classified as either ‘dimensional mismatches’ or ‘non-dimensional mismatches’. It is found that, in pursuit of covert translation, the target text from the Limpopo Department of Health does not retain the equivalent function of the source text. It is also observed that House’s model of TQA is applicable and useful in the field of translation of communications of health information. Furthermore, current studies in effective health communication miss the importance of translation during a crisis. Thus, this article bridges this gap by investigating the role of translation during the COVID-19 pandemic in South Africa. The article suggests that future research could investigate the experience of translators during the pandemic.

Determination of cannabinoids content in light cannabis inflorescences sold in France.

In the last 2 years, the number of shops selling CBD-rich THC-deprived cannabis flowers (CrTd) has increased considerably in France as in many European countries. The objective of this study was to determine the actual composition of the samples sold in these stores and to discuss regulatory consequences that may affect users. Samples were provided from shops in the region Provence-Alpes Cote d'Azur (PACA), France. Pictures of the samples were taken before they were weighed then crushed. Twenty milligrams were diluted in 10ml heptane ethyl acetate (7:1; v:v) for analysis by liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). The method was validated according to SWGTOX guidelines for the quantification of cannabidiol (CBD), delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabinol (CBN). Thirty-nine samples obtained between November 2021 and January 2022 in the PACA region were analyzed in this study. Mean content was 0.32% (0.03%-0.77%; STDV = 0.17%; n = 39) for THC, 2.23% (0.01%-5.97%; STDV = 1.29%; n = 39) for CBD and 0.01% (0.004%-0.025%; STDV = 0.01%; n = 19) for CBN. THC content over the threshold defined by the European legislation (>0.3%) was found in 18 of the 39 samples analyzed together with a CBD content <1% in nine samples (23%). None of the products analyzed had health risk messages on the packaging. The consumption of these products may lead to the presence of THC in biological fluids, which can be detected by screening. Users may then find themselves in breach of the law particularly when driving. Consumers should therefore be informed both about the actual composition of these products and about the legal and health risks they run.

WRISK voices: A mixed-methods study of women's experiences of pregnancy-related public health advice and risk messages in the UK

BackgroundWomen receive many public health messages relating to pregnancy which are intended to improve outcomes for babies and mothers. However, negotiating the risk landscape and maternity care system can feel confusing and disempowering. Relationships between women and their healthcare providers are paramount, but they can be adversely affected by issues of trust and autonomy. MethodsWe used a nested study design including an online survey and qualitative interviews to gain an understanding of women's experiences of risk messages during pregnancy. We purposively sampled survey participants to ensure the interview population included women whose voices are seldom heard and are disproportionately impacted by poor risk communication. ResultsA total of 7,009 women responded to the survey, and 34 women participated in interviews. Participants received public health and risk messages from a range of sources. Data showed that women wanted a balance between a “better safe than sorry” approach and evidence-based information and advice. Women reported a discrepancy between the topics they received a lot of information on and areas in which they felt they needed more advice. Many participants said they were given conflicting advice, and the way information was delivered sometimes challenged their autonomy. We identified that younger women (<20 years old) and women with higher BMIs experienced stigmatisation in their maternity care. ConclusionsOur research shows the importance of risk communication that respects women's autonomy and trusts them to make decisions about their own pregnancy. We identified a need for a layered approach to risk communication. Whilst some women are happy to adopt precautionary behaviour without discussion, others will want a thorough examination of the evidence-base. Our findings suggest that more individualised care, continuity, and less judgement and stigmatisation from HCPs will improve experiences for women and may lead to better engagement with services.

Effects of self-affirmation on university students’ processing of health risk messages related to sedentary behavior

Objective Examine effects of self-affirmation on university students’ processing of health risk messages related to sedentary behavior. Participants Eighty-eight students from a Canadian university (females = 53; males = 35; M age = 21.74, SD = 5.36) participated during the 2018–2019 academic year. Methods Participants were randomized to a self-affirmation (n = 43) or control group (n = 45), watched a video conveying sedentary behavior risk messages, and completed measures of acceptance, derogation, risk perceptions, negative affect, and intentions. A one-way between-groups multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) examined effects of condition on the combined set of outcome variables. Results Self-affirmation had no observable effect on any outcome variables. Conclusion Self-affirmation did not appear to impact students’ reactions to sedentary behavior risk messages. Given the lack of a manipulation check, however, this finding must be interpreted with caution. The Trigger and Channel framework offers a useful account of factors that influence self-affirmation effects. Implications and future research directions are discussed.

PERSEPSI TENTANG RISIKO BREAKTHROUGH INFECTION COVID-19 DALAM LINGKUNGAN HEALTH RISK MESSAGES

The Covid-19 vaccination rate continues to increase, it is important to pay attention to the possibility of a breakthrough infection, which is a viral infection that occurs after a person has been vaccinated. This is a case that is expected to occur in some of those who have received the vaccine, as no vaccine for any disease is 100 percent effective. During the time of living in this period of the Covid-19 pandemic, people are always exposed to information about the dangers or threats of exposure to the virus, known as health risk messages. This study was conducted to explain how a number of individual characteristics in the health risk message information environment correlate to their attitudes towards the risk of exposing Covid-19. This online survey of people who have received the Covid-19 vaccine found that several variables related to lifestyle and disease history were correlated to perceptions of the risk of exposure to Covid-19. It also confirms that there is a positive correlation between awareness of the amount of risk an individual has and perceptions of the risk of exposing Covid-19.

Changing pace: Using implementation intentions to enhance social distancing behavior during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Since the first case of COVID-19 in the U.S. on January 20, 2020, the disease caused by the new strain of coronavirus has spread exponentially across the country. While the spread of this disease can be significantly slowed if people practice "social distancing," it is difficult to break old habits and acquire new behaviors at the needed speed. The purpose of this study is to challenge how health risk messages are currently communicated (specifically by considering how the Center of Disease Control (CDC) communicates its recommendations for social distancing) and suggest an alternative way. We tested and applied the use of a robust behavioral intervention known as "if-then" plans (plans that spell out in advance how one wants to achieve a goal they have previously set) to encourage the acquisition of a new behavior (e.g., social distancing) during this time of crisis. Using a longitudinal mixed design (within-/between-subjects study) daily diary study, we hypothesized and observed (via multilevel modeling) that those randomized into the experimental group (those who created and practiced if-then plans) demonstrated increased social distancing over time, whereas engagement in social distancing did not change in the control condition (those who observed the CDC guidelines). These results were sustained in a 3-week follow-up examination for those who were strongly committed to the goal to social distance. Such evidence suggests that risk communication messaging that includes if-then plans is an effective way of acquiring new behaviors. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).

Health warning messages on cigarette packs: how young smokers process it.

SummaryOne of the major smoking prevention strategies has been to educate the public and increase people’s awareness, using health-warning messages. However, many young people continue smoking without paying attention to health risk messages on cigarette packets in Iran. Hence, this study was conducted to examine the processing route of anti-smoking messages and influencing cognitive factors based on the Elaboration Likelihood Model. This cross-sectional study was correlational in nature. The non-probability sample consisted of 387 tobacco smokers in the age range of 18 to 30 years old. The study was conducted between July and November of 2018 in Tabriz, Iran. A researcher-designed questionnaire was used for the purpose of data collection. No causal inferences were drawn due to the non-experimental nature of the investigation. It was found that tobacco smokers often processed the health warning messages through the central route. Perceived severity, smoking abstinence self-efficacy, and psychological dependence were predictors of message processing through the central route. The results supported the conceptual model of cognitional predictors of the processing route. To design and execute effective health warning messages to quit smoking, it is recommended to consider cognitive factors as a means to enhance critical thinking about the content of the health-warning message.

Comparing self-affirmation manipulations to reduce alcohol consumption in university students

Objective: Self-affirmation theory proposes that defensive processing prevents people from accepting health-risk messages, which may explain university students’ dismissal of risk-information about binge drinking. SA-interventions may encourage non-biased processing of such information through impacting on interpersonal feelings and self-esteem. This study compared two self-affirmation manipulations on interpersonal feelings, self-esteem, message processing, message acceptance and subsequent alcohol consumption. Participants: UK university students (N = 454). Methods: Participants were randomly allocated to one of three conditions (Self-affirmation Implementation Intention, Kindness Questionnaire, Control) before reading health-risk information about binge drinking. This was followed by measures of interpersonal feelings, self-esteem, message processing, acceptance and behavioral intentions. Alcohol consumption was assessed one week later. Results: The self-affirmation manipulations had non-significant effects on all outcome variables. Conclusion: Consistent with previous research, the results indicate that self-affirmation interventions are not effective for reducing alcohol consumption in university students.

Fear-arousing persuasive communication and behaviour change: COVID-19 in Kenya

With the absence of immunological, pharmacological or any other known medical interventions, the change in norms, behaviour and attitude of the public remains the only possible way that may be considered for prevention and suppression of COVID-19. This disease, which has morphed into a global pandemic, has mobilized outrageous outpouring action worldwide. Despite international and local media attention coupled with overwhelming new facts replete with misinformation and disinformation on COVID-19 from many channels; including interpersonal and social media, efforts to scale up control measures have yielded mixed results. The government and Kenyan media have reported several cases in which the public and leaders flouted these measures thus putting themselves at risk of contracting or spreading the virus. The overarching question is: does fear-arousing communication really matter in behaviour change particularly during a global pandemic of the magnitude of COVID-19? This qualitative study therefore examined the effects of COVID-19 messages on health behaviour change among residents living in the Municipality of Busia, one of the towns that have recorded the highest incidences of confirmed COVID-19 cases as informed by the Extended Parallel Process and Health Belief behavioural change models. Focus group discussions and in-depth interviews were carried out to establish threat and coping appraisal as a result of COVID-19 messages received from different sources. The study employed a risk behaviour diagnosis assessment that focused on two components of health risk messages, that is, threat and recommended response that addresses efficacy issues. This study found out that despite universal knowledge of COVID-19 and prevention methods, perceived threat especially perceived vulnerability to the virus was low due to misinformation, disinformation and disjointed communication.

On the Influence of Message/Audience Specifics and Message Appeal Type on Message Empowerment: The Austrian Case of COVID-19 Health Risk Messages

ABSTRACT A pandemic is a unique form of health crisis that requires intensive communicative efforts. In order to achieve positive health outcomes, messages need to be carefully designed. In this context, both message specifics and audience specifics receive consideration. This research tries to scrutinize (1) which message appeal (emotional vs. informative) is perceived more favorable by the Austrian public, (2) which message appeal (emotional vs. informative) leads to a higher degree of message empowerment, and (3) the degree to which message empowerment can be enhanced by (a) message specifics and (b) a combination of message and audience specifics. A quantitative survey with 337 Austrians revealed that the emotional appeal message led to a higher degree of message empowerment than the informative appeal message. Moreover, only message specifics were found to enhance message empowerment. Implications for message design are derived, before limitations and directions for future research are addressed.

Qualitative analysis of visual risk communication on twitter during the Covid-19 pandemic

BackgroundThe Covid-19 pandemic is characterized by uncertainty and constant change, forcing governments and health authorities to ramp up risk communication efforts. Consequently, visuality and social media platforms like Twitter have come to play a vital role in disseminating prevention messages widely. Yet to date, only little is known about what characterizes visual risk communication during the Covid-19 pandemic. To address this gap in the literature, this study’s objective was to determine how visual risk communication was used on Twitter to promote the World Health Organisations (WHO) recommended preventative behaviours and how this communication changed over time.MethodsWe sourced Twitter’s 500 most retweeted Covid-19 messages for each month from January–October 2020 using Crowdbreaks. For inclusion, tweets had to have visuals, be in English, come from verified accounts, and contain one of the keywords ‘covid19’, ‘coronavirus’, ‘corona’, or ‘covid’. Following a retrospective approach, we then performed a qualitative content analysis of the 616 tweets meeting inclusion criteria.ResultsOur results show communication dynamics changed over the course of the pandemic. At the start, most retweeted preventative messages came from the media and health and government institutions, but overall, personal accounts with many followers (51.3%) predominated, and their tweets had the highest spread (10.0%, i.e., retweet count divided by followers). Messages used mostly photographs and images were found to be rich with information. 78.1% of Tweets contained 1–2 preventative messages, whereby ‘stay home’ and ‘wear a mask’ frequented most. Although more tweets used health loss framing, health gain messages spread more.ConclusionOur findings can inform the didactics of future crisis communication. The results underscore the value of engaging individuals, particularly influencers, as advocates to spread health risk messages and promote solidarity. Further, our findings on the visual characteristic of the most retweeted tweets highlight factors that health and government organisations should consider when creating visual health messages for Twitter. However, that more tweets used the emotive medium of photographs often combined with health loss framing raises concerns about persuasive tactics. More research is needed to understand the implications of framing and its impact on public perceptions and behaviours.

Alcohol Consumption and Perceptions of Health Risks During COVID-19: A Qualitative Study of Middle-Aged Women in South Australia.

Australian women's alcohol consumption has increased in frequency during COVID-19. Research suggests this is to cope with stress resulting from the pandemic and COVID-19 countermeasures that require social distancing. This is a critical public health concern because increased alcohol consumption, even for a short period, increases the myriad longer-term health risks associated with cumulative exposure to alcohol. This paper provides unique qualitative evidence of how health risk perceptions are re-focused toward the shorter-term during the pandemic, through analysis of interviews with 40 middle-aged Australian women (aged 45–64) representing a range of self-perceived drinking status' (“occasional”/“light”/“moderate”/“heavy”) before and then during the pandemic (n = 80 interviews). Our analysis captures women's risk horizons drifting away from the uncertain longer-term during COVID-19, toward the immediate need to “get through” the pandemic. We show how COVID-19 has increased the perceived value of consuming alcohol among women, particularly when weighed up against the social and emotional “costs” of reducing consumption. Our findings have implications for the delivery of alcohol-related health risk messages designed for middle-aged women both during, and into the recovery phases of the pandemic, who already consume more alcohol and experience more alcohol-related health risk than women in other age groups.

Challenges and Opportunities for Communicating Lead Exposure Risks in Idaho’s Silver Valley

Lead-contaminated soil and dust remain a primary hazard for mining-impacted regions around the world. Exposure to lead is linked to a range of negative health consequences like developmental delays in children. Residents and visitors in mining-impacted regions can practice health protective behaviors such as handwashing and avoidance of possibly contaminated areas to limit exposure. Health districts face the challenge of informing people about these recommended protective behaviors. The objective of this case is to describe the risk communication strategies employed by a health district and to evaluate residents’ perceptions of the risk of lead exposure in a mining-impacted region of northern Idaho. The case examination draws from risk communication literature, the experiences of the health district, and a community survey. The survey results suggest that appropriately tailoring health risk messages based on elevating recipients’ risk perceptions and efficacy levels may help to encourage protective behaviors. Because lead hazards pose dynamic risks in mining-impacted communities, it is also important to periodically update health risk messages through two-way information exchanges between experts and nonexperts. Lessons learned from this case can be applied to improve health through risk communication in other communities where lead hazards pose threats to human health.

Self-affirmation enhances the intention to improve physical inactivity through health risk messages

Self-affirmation enhances the intention to improve physical inactivity through health risk messages

Perceived Risk and Intentions to Practice Health Protective Behaviors in a Mining-Impacted Region.

Effective risk communication strategies are critical to reducing lead exposure in mining-impacted communities. Understanding the strength of the associations between perceived risk and individuals’ behavioral intentions to protect their health is important for developing these strategies. We conducted a survey within three communities of northern Idaho, USA (n = 306) in or near a Superfund Megasite with legacy mining contamination. Survey data were used to test a theoretical model based on the Health Belief Model. Respondents had higher intentions to practice health protective behaviors when they perceived the risk of lead contamination as severe and recognized the benefits of practicing health protective behaviors. Women reported higher behavioral intentions than men, but age and mining affiliation were not significantly associated with behavioral intentions. Although managing lead hazards in communities impacted by mining is challenging due to widely distributed contamination, effective health risk messages, paired with remediation, are powerful tools to protect the health and safety of residents.

Information Seeking Behaviors and Intentions in Response to Environmental Health Risk Messages: A Test of A Reduced Risk Information Seeking Model

ABSTRACT This study tests the effects of environmental health risk messages on perceived risk, information needs and decisions to seek information, testing a reduced risk information seeking and processing model (R-RISP). Participants (N = 1,823) were randomized to one of three risk conditions (arsenic, bisphenol A [BPA] or volatile organic compounds [VOCs]) and one of the three message conditions (high threat, low threat or no message); participants in the high and low threat message conditions were also randomly assigned to a seeking cue to action condition (with or without seeking cue). Overall, the results support the R-RISP model, demonstrating the importance of current knowledge perceptions and informational subjective norms in information acquisition decisions. In addition, the results also provide initial evidence that environmental health risk messages can prompt information seeking and increase intentions to seek information in the future. Avenues for future research are discussed.

Sharing health risk messages on social media: Effects of fear appeal message and image promotion

This study examined how fear appeal and individuals’ image promotion consideration drive users’ intention to share fear appeal messages on social networking sites (SNS). A mixed factorial experiment [2 (high vs. low threat) ´ 2 (high vs. low efficacy) ´ 2 (topic)] was conducted online with a sample of 214 participants recruited from United States. Process regression analysis results indicated that (1) high threat message elicited significant higher intention to share fear appeal messages on SNS; (2) fear arousal significantly enhanced intention to share risk messages directly; (3) high efficacy message resulted in higher intention to share fear appeal messages on SNS through the moderated mediated effect of information processing and intention to follow the health advice; and (4) individual’s intention to promote image on SNS was positively related to intention to share. Theoretical and practical implications for health risk communication on SNS are discussed.

Sharing health risk messages on social media: Effects of fear appeal message and image promotion

This study examined how fear appeal and individuals’ image promotion consideration drive users’ intention to share fear appeal messages on social networking sites (SNS). A mixed factorial experiment [2 (high vs. low threat) ´ 2 (high vs. low efficacy) ´ 2 (topic)] was conducted online with a sample of 214 participants recruited from United States. Process regression analysis results indicated that (1) high threat message elicited significant higher intention to share fear appeal messages on SNS; (2) fear arousal significantly enhanced intention to share risk messages directly; (3) high efficacy message resulted in higher intention to share fear appeal messages on SNS through the moderated mediated effect of information processing and intention to follow the health advice; and (4) individual’s intention to promote image on SNS was positively related to intention to share. Theoretical and practical implications for health risk communication on SNS are discussed.