Influential Source Of Information Research Articles

Changes in Sources of Information about the Risks and Benefits of Cannabis in a National Cohort of US Adults from 2017 - 2021.

As more states legalize cannabis in the US, marketing from the cannabis industry and news coverage of cannabis have increased. Sources of information on cannabis can influence beliefs about risks and benefits. Yet, little is known about how the use and influence of specific sources of information have changed over time. We conducted a longitudinal study of 5053 US adults between 2017 and 2021. Participants were asked about sources of information on cannabis risks and benefits and which sources were most influential using a web-based survey at three different time points (2017, 2020, 2021). We evaluated changes in the use/influence of multiple sources of information from 2017 to 2021 and examined interactions with age, cannabis use and state cannabis legal status. The largest increases in sources of information on cannabis benefits and risks were in use of health professionals (+5.5% for benefits and +17.4% for risks). The largest declines were in use of traditional media (TV, radio, newspapers) (-12.3% and -11.4%). Use of cannabis advertisements and dispensaries/other industry sources also significantly increased. Health professionals were the most influential source of information in all three waves regardless of age, cannabis use or state legal status. Participants sought information from different sources, and increasingly relied on health professionals as a primary source, highlighting the need to train healthcare providers about cannabis risks and benefits. While fewer people used traditional media, use of industry sources increased, underscoring the need for accurate cannabis information sources.

Identifying COVID-19 Fake News on Social Networks Using Deep Learning: You will not know what happens next!

Fake News has long been an influential source of information on social media, misleading people and causing unpredictable consequences, especially in the COVID-19 era when the spread of Fake News has been amplified. There is a need to develop a platform that can detect Fake News on social platforms. With the development of Natural Language Processing (NLP) and Deep Learning, the detection of misleading information is becoming a reality. In this paper, we propose a feasible optimization scheme that combines and optimizes NLP and Deep Learning to improve the accuracy of Fake News detection. Our model achieves a hit rate of up to 95.3% compared to state-of-the-art techniques. In the proposed system, a GUI-based interface is also designed and developed to facilitate news detection.

Social media and health care: a cross-sectional analysis of X (Twitter) posts using the NodeXL platform

Introduction. The landscape of healthcare and medical education is rapidly evolving, driven by the popularity of social media platforms like Facebook, WeChat, and X (Twitter). These platforms have transformed healthcare communication, enabling trainees, medical students, and practitioners to enhance learning and clinical practice. Educators leverage social media to simplify complex medical concepts, fostering continuous learning and professional development. Despite their benefits, social media, notably X (Twitter), boasting over 186 million active users, are susceptible to misinformation, underscoring the importance of verifying data accuracy and identifying influential medical sources. This study aims to identify the most influential sources of health information through X (Twitter) analysis using the NodeXL tool. Methods. Employing a cross-sectional design, this study utilized the NodeXL platform for social media analysis. NodeXL facilitated the identification of prevalent topics in public health discussions on X (Twitter). Influencers, users, and prominent healthcare providers were categorized to assess the credibility of their information. Data collection extended up to March 1, 2024. Results. Analysis revealed that the #hospital hashtag garnered the highest number of tweets among popular healthcare hashtags (6,438 tweets, with 84% being unique). Conversely, #medicalcare and #medicine had the lowest citation counts (58 and 116 respectively). @MahaHealthIE emerged as the most famous account using the #healthservices hashtag. Notable influencers with the #hospital hashtag included YouTube, Narendra Modi, and Al Jazeera English. @GreenSwelfares led in using the #medicalcare hashtag, while YouTube and the World Health Organization (@WHO) were prominent among accounts using #medicine. Conclusion. This study underscores the significance of monitoring social media and tracking key influencers periodically. However, the study's limitation lies in its snapshot nature, failing to capture the dynamic shifts in influencer popularity trends over time.

TikTok content on measles-rubella vaccine in Jordan: A cross-sectional study highlighting the spread of vaccine misinformation.

Social media platforms, including TikTok, have become influential sources of health information. However, they also present as potential sources for the spread of vaccine misinformation. The aim of this study was to assess the quality of measles-rubella (MR) vaccine-related contents on TikTok in Jordan and to analyze factors associated with vaccine misinformation. A systematic search for MR vaccine-related TikTok contents in Jordan was conducted using pre-defined keywords and a specified time range. Content metrics (likes, comments, shares, and saves) were collected while the content quality of health information was evaluated using a modified version of the DISCERN, a validated instrument by two expert raters. The average modified DISCERN score ranged from 1, denoting poor content, to 5, indicating excellent content. A total of 50 videos from 34 unique content creators formed the final study sample. The majority of MR vaccine-related content was created by lay individuals (61.8%), followed by TV/news websites/journalists (23.5%), and healthcare professionals (HCPs) (14.7%). The Cohen κ per modified DISCERN item was in the range of 0.579-0.808, p<0.001), indicating good to excellent agreement. The overall average modified DISCERN score was 2±1.2, while it was only 1.3±0.52 for lay individuals' content, which indicated poor content quality. For the normalized per number of followers for each source, content by lay individuals had a significantly higher number of likes, saves, and shares with p=0.009, 0.012, and 0.004, respectively. Vaccine misinformation was detected in 58.8% of the videos as follows: lay individuals (85.7%), TV/news websites/journalists (25.0%), and HCPs content had none (p<0.001). Normalized per the number of followers for each source, videos flagged as having MR vaccine misinformation reached a higher number of likes, saves, and shares (p=0.012, 0.016, and 0.003, respectively). In conclusion, substantial dissemination of TikTok MR vaccine-related misinformation in Jordan was detected. Rigorous fact-checking is warranted by the platform to address misinformation on TikTok, which is vital to improve trust in MR vaccination and ultimately protect public health.

Factors affecting motivation for receiving a booster dose of the COVID-19 vaccine among Japanese university students and staff: a cross-sectional questionnaire survey

Understanding the factors that influence people’s decisions regarding vaccination is essential to promote vaccination. We aimed to clarify the motivations for receiving booster vaccines. We conducted a paper-based questionnaire distributed during January–February 2022 involving students and faculty staff who received the first COVID-19 vaccination at the mass vaccination program during June–September 2021 at Keio University. A total of 1725 participants were enrolled, and all completed the survey. Among these, 64.9% reported a significant adverse event (AEs) affecting daily life after the second vaccine. “Fear of severe COVID-19 illness” (72.6%) was the most common reason for getting vaccinated, followed by “concern of infecting others” (68.4%) and “fear of COVID-19 infection itself” (68.3%). Television emerged as the most influential source of information (80%), followed by university information (50.2%) and social networking sites (42.8%). Multivariate analysis revealed “fear of severe COVID-19 illness”, “fear of COVID-19 infection itself”, and “trust in the efficacy and safety of the vaccines in general” were significantly correlated with willingness to receive paid vaccinations. The severity of AEs and source of information were not related to participants’ willingness to receive booster vaccinations. Participants with positive reasons for vaccination were more likely to accept a third dose.

Academic radiology department subspeciality organization & fellowship offerings: A hodgepodge

IntroductionAs opportunities for radiologists to subspecialize have increased, many avenues to organize Radiology department subspecialties exist. This study seeks to determine how academic U.S. Radiology departments structure themselves with respect to subspecialty divisions/sections, as there are no current standards for how Radiology departments are subdivided. Additionally, the extent of Radiology fellowships offered are assessed. The websites of academic U.S. Radiology departments, a highly influential source of information, were analyzed to perform this study. Materials & methodsRadiology department websites of all allopathic U.S. medical schools (n = 148) were assessed for the following: presence/absence of Radiology department subdivisions, division/section labels, number of divisions/sections, division/section titles, presence/absence of Radiology fellowships, number of fellowships, and fellowships titles. Results114/148 (77 %) medical schools had Radiology department websites. According to their respective websites, 66/114 (58 %) academic Radiology departments had subspecialty divisions/sections, whereas 48/114 (42 %) had no divisions/sections listed. Of the departments that had divisions/sections, the median number of divisions/sections per department was nine, and ranged from two to 14. Fellowships were offered at 82/114 (72 %) academic Radiology departments that had websites, and the median number was six, ranging from one to 13. ConclusionThere is marked heterogeneity of departmental organization across Radiology departments nationwide, likely due to the lack of current standards for how Radiology departments are subdivided into divisions/sections. Of the 77 % of medical schools that have Radiology department websites, only 58 % of departments listed divisions/sections, and 72 % posted fellowship offerings.

Sociocultural Pressures, Internalization, and Body Esteem in Congenitally Blind, Late-Blind, and Sighted Men and Women

Introduction: Visual experience has a substantial effect on how individuals construct a template of their own bodies in space. Whether the absence of total or partial visual exposure in individuals of both genders allows the buffering of harmful effects has yet to be tested. This study examined the role of vision among congenitally blind and later blind subjects for the expression of body esteem and sociocultural attitudes toward appearance. Methods: Participants comprised 101 subjects, 53 sighted and 48 visually impaired men and women. For the purpose of the study, we took into consideration congenitally blind, late blind, and typically sighted individuals. The Sociocultural Attitudes toward Appearance Questionnaire-3 (SATAQ-3) and the Body-Esteem Scale Questionnaire (BESQ) were used as measures. Results: Although congenitally blind, late blind, and typically sighted individuals showed similar awareness of media content and beauty ideals, typically sighted women displayed higher pressure to conform and had higher levels of social comparison. Congenitally blind women placed less emphasis on mass media as an influential aspect of their body perception and showed reduced internalization of beauty ideals and higher levels of body esteem. Moreover, men with visual impairments considered siblings and family to be the most influential information sources for their own body perception, while showing reduced levels of athlete internalization. Discussion: In this research, it was identified that the absence of sight influences an individual's body image beyond its physical, metric representation. Susceptibility to detrimental messages linked to sociocultural standards of attractiveness is interiorized by individuals with and without visual impairments, regardless of their gender. Implications for Practitioners: Further studies on body esteem and sociocultural pressures could enable practitioners to better understand how to support individuals with visual impairments in coping with an unhealthy social environment and with feelings of unhappiness related to their appearance.

Evaluation of Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices towards Vaccination among Patients with Spina Bifida in Ukraine

Patients with spina bifida (SB) face an increased risk of infection due to frequent exposure to medical procedures and visits to healthcare centers, including rehabilitation centers. Infection can lead to complications in kidneys and urinary bladder, disrupt rehabilitation efforts, and reduce the quality of life. Purpose - to assess the knowledge, attitudes, and practices related to vaccination among patients with SB and identify the reasons for the low vaccination rates in this group of children. Materials and methods. An anonymous online survey was conducted among 56 parents of patients with SB. The questionnaire evaluates the knowledge (10 questions), attitudes and practices (4 questions) towards vaccination among parents of patients with SB in Ukraine. The results were analyzed using standard procedures with Statistica StatSoft 6.0 software package. Continuous variables were expressed as a mean and standard deviation (SD). The comparison of frequency parameters was performed using the Chi-square test. The differences between the parameters were statistically significant at p&lt;0.05. Results. Overall, parents demonstrated good knowledge about the role of vaccines in preventing serious diseases (61.7% gave correct answers), and the percentage of correct answers did not significantly differ between vaccinated, partially vaccinated, or unvaccinated groups of children. However, only 12.5% of SB patients were fully vaccinated and 51.8% were completely unvaccinated. Among the unvaccinated, the majority (55.2%) indicated non-recommendation by specialist doctors (neurosurgeon, neurologist, etc.) as the main reason. Primary care physicians were less likely to not recommend vaccination. Delayed vaccination was primarily due to fear of adverse reactions (40%). Despite low vaccination rates, parents generally had a positive attitude towards vaccination (only 5.4% against). Doctors remained the most influential source of information (63.4%). Conclusions. A study suggests a need to enhance knowledge among healthcare professionals, increase public awareness, and provide education within patient groups to improve immunization coverage and protect SB children from preventable infectious diseases. No conflict of interests was declared by the authors.

Investigating Performance of Self-Medication in Multan During the COVID-19 Pandemic

This study examines the frequency and determining factors that impact using self-medication among academic professionals in Multan during the COVID-19 epidemic. Self-medication, which refers to the use of over-the-counter medications without the supervision of a medical expert, has gained significant attention during the pandemic due to limited access to healthcare facilities and heightened health anxieties. Employing a case study methodology, data was gathered from academic workers in Multan via questionnaires and interviews to investigate the extent of self-medication and ascertain the variables that contribute to it. The findings provide insight into the prevalence of self-administered treatment practices, frequently utilized drugs, motivations for self-medication, and influential sources of information guiding these choices. Potential predictors of self-medication behavior include factors such as the perceived intensity of symptoms, accessibility of pharmaceuticals, past experiences, and socioeconomic position. The implications of these findings for public health policies, healthcare delivery systems, and health education initiatives are examined, focusing on the significance of tackling the underlying reasons behind self-medication to guarantee secure and efficient healthcare practices during health crises such as the COVID-19 epidemic.

Patient perspectives on topical minoxidil for hair loss: a survey-based study from the University of Michigan Alopecia Clinic.

Topical minoxidil is a widely used therapy for alopecia. Its availability over the counter in the United States makes it easily accessible. Various factors impact whether an individual decides to pursue treatment and/or continue long-term use. Our study aimed to investigate patient awareness, opinions, and hesitations regarding topical minoxidil use for hair loss treatment. The study also aimed to identify information sources influencing these viewpoints. A survey was administered to new patients seeking evaluation for alopecia aged 18 and above at the University of Michigan Alopecia Clinic. Data collection occurred between August 2022 and August 2023. Demographics, patient-reported hair loss diagnosis, history of minoxidil use, opinions on minoxidil, influential information sources, and concerns about minoxidil were collected. A total of 47 surveys were completed, primarily by females (78.7%) ages 18-40years (44.7%). Respondents were aware of minoxidil (97.9%), with 63.8% reporting they had heard of minoxidil, but had not used it. Medical professionals were the most influential information source (34%), followed by close contacts (17%), internet searches (10.6%), and television (10.6%). Overall, positive opinions on minoxidil were expressed by 51.1%, negative opinions by 31.9%, and neutral opinions by 17%. Most common concerns included the need for continuous use (46.8%), required regular application (31.9%), skepticism about hair regrowth (29.8%), and expense (25.5%). Addressing personalized concerns and tailoring communication based on hair loss type and information sources may lead to more informed decisions and improved adherence. Gauging the opinions of this population provides valuable insights, aiding dermatologists in patient education and counseling strategies.

GBCA: Graph Convolution Network and BERT combined with Co-Attention for fake news detection

Social media has evolved into a widely influential information source in contemporary society. However, the widespread use of social media also enables the rapid spread of fake news, which can pose a significant threat to national and social stability. Current fake news detection methods primarily rely on graph neural network, which analyze the dissemination patterns of news articles. Nevertheless, these approaches frequently overlook the semantic characteristics of the news content itself. To address this problem, we propose a novel Graph Convolution Network and BERT combined with Co-Attention (GBCA) model. Initially, we conduct training for a graph classification task on the propagation structure of fake news. Subsequently, we employ the BERT model to extract semantic features in fake news. Finally, we utilize co-attention mechanism to integrate the two dimensions of propagation structure and semantic features, which enhances the effectiveness of fake news detection. Our model outperforms baseline methods in terms of accuracy and training time, as demonstrated by experiments on three public benchmark datasets.

Body Mass Management Practices of Olympic Weightlifting Athletes.

This study explored the body mass (BM) management practices among competitive male and female Olympic weightlifting athletes, hypothesizing that athletes compete in lighter weight categories than their habitual training weight (i.e.,making weight). Utilizing a validated, anonymous survey, data were collected from 149 Olympic weightlifting athletes (>18years; female = 94). The survey comprised five sections: demographics, training/competition history, weight history, source of influence, and BM management practices. The prevalence, magnitude, and methods employed for BM management were analyzed with subgroup analysis using one-way analysis of variance. Post hoc testing including Spearman's rho and chi-square analysis was completed when a significant effect was found. Three quarters (76%) of athletes acknowledged using chronic weight loss and/or acute weight loss strategies to make weight. Usual BM loss (2%-3%) in the week before competition was within recommended guidelines. Gradual dieting, fluid restriction, and low food weight, high-calorie options were the most commonly used BM management strategies. Female athletes were more likely to use gradual dieting (p = .043; r = .104) and were less likely to increase their exercise (p = .046; r = -.105) and utilize fasting (p = .038; r = .05) compared with their male counterparts. Women further identified dietitians/nutritionists (p = .006; r = .022) as a highly influential source of information. This research offers new insights into the BM management practices of Olympic weightlifting athletes, identifying that the majority of athletes compete at a BM lighter than their habitual training weight, achieved using a range of chronic weight loss and acute weight loss strategies.

Domestic leisure tourism destination choice and who do we trust-the case of Bulgaria

Destination marketing and branding are key factors that considerably influence the destination choices for both domestic and international visitors. Understanding the dynamics of how tourists select which destination to visit is crucial for destination planners, tourism organizations, and businesses. This is particularly so in the context of domestic tourism, in which it is imperative to study the factors that influence consumer choices and more specifically, the factors that influence domestic destination choices. This paper explores the influence of different information sources when choosing a destination in the context of the domestic tourism market in Bulgaria. The study is based on the data collected from a national representative survey (N = 1,003) which utilizes a two-staged random sample stratified by districts and the residence place type. The findings suggest that the most influential information source for destination choice for domestic visitors is the opinions/suggestions of friends and relatives. This is the case for all age groups, regardless of their gender, marital status, number of children, education levels, income, or place of residence. The findings of the study provide valuable insights into the existent literature on domestic tourism and destination marketing. Although particularly focused on the unique dynamics of domestic tourism in Bulgaria, the findings of the study can be useful to tourism stakeholders at destinations with a developed domestic market, particularly in Central and Eastern Europe.

ULUSAL HABER WEB SİTELERİNDE KİŞİLİK BOZUKLUKLARININ DAMGALAMA AÇISINDAN İNCELENMESİ

Societies consider the media as an important source of information on psychological disorders. Evaluated from this perspective, the content of news in the media may contribute to an increase in stigmatization. This study aims to examine the news related to personality disorders on the most traffic-receiving news websites in Turkey in terms of stigmatization. The content analysis method was employed in this research. Relevant news between January 1, 2019, and January 1, 2023, were included and evaluated. The news was segregated by researchers into four main themes: informative, crime-related, culture/art/events, and entertainment) based on similarities in content. In terms of stigmatization, the news content was assessed under headings such as murder, violence, threat/harassment, and others (deception, fraud, self-harm). The news content scanned in four media outlets between 2019 and 2023 was classified as negative or neutral. 54.26% of the news was negative, while 45.74% was neutral. According to the data, 54.26% of the news was negative, while 45.74% was neutral. The utilization of murder was observed in 20.00% of news articles with negative content, while violence was present in 25.71% of such articles. Among the negatively toned news, 20.00% was associated with murder, 25.71% with violence, 18.57% with threat/harassment, and 35.72% with other forms of stigmatization (deception, fraud, self-harm). In 60.00% of the news, the person’s photograph was included, while 54.29% included the person's name. These statistics suggest that these topics were employed to stigmatize certain individuals or groups. Photographic representations of individuals were employed in 60.00% of the news articles, while the mention of individuals’ names was seen in 54.29% of the news articles. Considering the scope of the issue and the stigmatizing content in the media, these results support the need for strong national and international alliances against stigma to coordinate the linguistic content in the news.

Health and social care experience and research perception of different ethnic minority populations in the East Midlands, United Kingdom (REPRESENT study).

Ethnic minority populations experience significant health and social care disparities; despite experiencing a greater burden of diseases, these groups are underrepresented in health and social care research. Consequently, related research can be less applicable to these population groups. The REPRESENT study aims to explore the health and social care experiences of ethnic minorities and other minoritised populations, their research interests and appropriate research practices. Focus groups and semistructured interviews were conducted between May and September 2022 with members of a number of ethnic minority communities in England. Data were audio recorded, transcribedand thematically coded using NVivo 12. Rigour was determined through extensive sampling, iterative data collection and analysis. Fifty-two ethnic minority members were engaged in group interviews and one-to-one interviews. Participants included representatives of the following groups: African Caribbean, Eastern European, Gypsy Travellers, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Intersexand Asexual+, Refugee/Asylum Seekers, Somali and South Asian communities. Interviews were also conducted with ethnic minority healthcare providers and researchers. Three overarching categories were identified: health information, medical service experiences, health and social care concerns and health research. Health and social care services challenges were mostly attributed to discrimination, delayed services, poor cultural relevanceand language and cultural barriers. The most influential information sources were local community organisations and word-of-mouth. The main health and social care concerns were chronic long-term health conditions, mental health, maternal healthand child development. Recommendations for research involved understanding the motivations for participation, improving communication and empowering communities. Top research priorities were long-term health conditions, health promotion and education, early care interventions and understanding community needs. Discrimination and bias in health and social care provision have severe implications for worsening ethnic health inequalities. Healthcare commissioning authorities and policymakers can leverage the preference of ethnic minority groups for pharmacy services and community organisations to improve access to care. Improving research interest and engagement requires understanding individual community needs, community sensitivity, research relevanceand cultural appropriateness. Members of ethnic minority Patient and Public Involvement and Engagementgroup and Community Advisory Boardsupported the REPRESENT study design, conceptualisation and report development.

Factionalism and schisms: Analyzing network structure and characteristics of online opinion leaders in an international religious crisis

AbstractThis study addresses gaps in the crisis communication literature by examining the role and influence of online opinion leaders in an overlooked type of crisis—organizational factionalism and schisms. This study examined network attributes and characteristics of online opinion leaders during an international religious crisis by conducting a social network analysis of 27,710 posts on Twitter concerning the impending schism within the United Methodist Church. By bridging research on religious crises, organizational factions and schisms, and online opinion leadership in the public relations literature, our results advance theorizing in crisis communication, particularly for Situational Crisis Communication Theory (SCCT). Results reveal online opinion leaders are influential entities and sources of information regarding the crisis, and are not homogeneous in their opinions, thus reflecting the ideological diversity present within factionalism crises. This study confirms and advances previous research by arguing that traditional methods of categorizing crises according to SCCT should not be solely relied on for factionalism and organizational schisms.

Popular contraception videos on TikTok: An assessment of content topics

ObjectivesThis study aimed to explore the contraception content topics on the highly popular social media platform TikTok to understand this influential information source patients may bring into birth control counseling visits. Study designUtilizing a snapshot method, we collected the 100 most popular TikTok English-language videos for each of the eight contraception-specific search terms. We abstracted video content topics addressed and creator attributes. Two independent abstractors coded each video with high agreement, with a third coder adjudicating discrepancies. ResultsThe final data set included 700 unique videos, with a total of 1.18 billion views, 131 million likes, 1.5 million comments, and 4.1 million shares. In these videos, the most common topics addressed were patient experience (n = 365, 52.1%) and logistics of use (n = 351, 50.1%). Health care professionals created only 19.3% of videos (n = 135), but these videos accounted for a larger portion of the total video views (41.3%). Health care professionals largely made educational videos (92.6%) compared to 22.5% of videos coded as educational videos when made by perceived non–health care professionals. A small number of prolific video creators developed the majority of videos made by health care professionals, with 91 (67.4%) made by six TikTok creators. ConclusionsTikTok contains highly accessible contraception content, which garners high viewership, especially when created by health care providers. Clinicians should be aware of TikTok’s potential to influence patients prior to contraceptive counseling visits and recognize this platform as a public health instrument to disseminate contraceptive information to a key demographic. ImplicationsFew previous studies have examined the presence and popularity of contraception content topics on TikTok; little is known about the health content on this highly popular platform. Providers should be aware of the contraceptive topics on TikTok for understanding both patient perceptions and the potential for health education through this media.

The Relationship Between Risk Communication and Willingness to Receive Booster Doses of COVID-19 Vaccines

Background: Identifying factors associated with willingness to receive a booster dose of COVID-19 vaccines and risk communication are essential to control the pandemic. Objectives: The study aimed to evaluate the relationship between risk communication and willingness to receive booster doses of COVID-19 vaccines. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted on 746 over 18 years old adults in Kermanshah, Iran, on October 2022 using random cluster sampling from 396,000 members of the general population who had not received a COVID-19 booster dose. Required data were collected using an online questionnaire from people who met the study requirements and analyzed via SPSS software version 22. Results: A total of 746 participants were between the ages of 40 and 59, 374.0% had a history of underlying disease, and 61.9% received two doses of the Sinopharm vaccine. About 36.3% were willing to accept booster dosages, and men, older adults, and those with underlying diseases were more likely to receive booster vaccinations. The most influential sources of information were social networks and television. There was a positive and significant correlation between risk communication and willingness to receive booster vaccine doses (P &gt; 0.05). The average risk communication scores were higher among those more likely to receive a booster dose. Conclusions: Health policymakers should pay more attention to risk communication in designing multi-component interventions and producing appropriate and authentic content in social networks to increase the general population’s acceptance of vaccine booster doses.

Evaluating Diversity Promotion on Integrated Plastic Surgery Residency Program Websites and Instagram Accounts.

Medical students applying to residency, including those from underrepresented groups, strongly value cultural fit and program diversity. Program websites and social media are thus an influential information source for prospective applicants and recruitment tool for residencies. We evaluated whether and how integrated plastic surgery residency program websites and social media display commitments to diversity online. We evaluated program websites for 8 predetermined diversity elements, (1) nondiscrimination and (2) diversity statements, (3) community resources, (4) faculty and (5) resident biographies, (6) faculty and (7) resident photographs, and (8) resident resources, and assessed Instagram accounts for diversity-related images, captions, and hashtags. Our analysis used Mann-Whitney U, chi-squared, and t tests; significance level was P < 0.05. We reviewed 82 program websites with a mean of 3.4 ± 1.4 diversity elements. Resident (n = 76, 92.7%) and faculty photographs (n = 65, 79.3%) and resident biographies (n = 43, 52.4%) were the most common. Seventy programs (85.4%) had Instagram accounts, the majority of which (n = 41, 58.6%) shared content related to diversity in race, ethnicity, gender, and/or sexual orientation. Programs located in smaller cities were more likely to have ≥4 website diversity elements (P = 0.014) and mention diversity on Instagram (P = 0.0037). Programs with women chairs/chiefs were more likely to mention diversity on Instagram (P = 0.007). In the age of virtual recruitment, program websites and social media should provide sufficient information, described in our diversity element checklist, to help prospective applicants determine fit from a diversity perspective. Residents, who often contribute to program social media, and women chairs/chiefs may be critical to driving diversity promotion.

AWARENESS REGARDING DIFFERENT FAMILY PLANNING METHODS AMONG MARRIED WOMEN OF REPRODUCTIVE AGE GROUP IN URBAN SLUMS OF BERHAMPUR, ODISHA: A CROSS SECTIONAL STUDY

Background: Family planning services have the potential to improve the quality of the lives of people and their economic welfare. Objectives: To determine knowledge and practice of contraception and to find out the association between contraceptive practices and different variables. Methods: A cross-sectional, community-based study was conducted among 300 married women of 15–49 year age group of urban slums of Berhampur, Odisha, using a pretested and predesigned schedule. Results: Majority of women (93%) were aware of different types of FP methods but only 79.7% of females had known where the services are available. Health worker females (77.3%) act as the most influential source of information about contraceptive practices followed by the ASHA (71.6%). The contraceptive prevalence rate was 78.7%. Out of 236 Current users, temporary methods were being adopted by 65.3% and permanent methods by 34.7% respectively. Among the temporary method users, 24.1% of women used oral contraceptive pills, IUCD and injectables were being used by 6.4% each and condoms were being used by the partners of 28.4% of women as a means of contraception. Acceptance of family planning methods was significantly associated with variables such as increasing age, nuclear family, and level of literacy. Conclusion: The prevalence of contraceptive use was high among the study population, but the use of a modern and safe method of contraception was low. Continuous IEC activities by the service providers such as ASHAs, AWWs, and HWFs with support from the supervisor matters for better adherence to contraceptive methods.