Information Outreach Research Articles

Information access and COVID-19 vaccination hesitancy among foreign-born persons in Sweden – a focus group interview-study

BackgroundIn most countries, lower rates of COVID-19 vaccination have been observed in foreign-born individuals, yet little is known about the underlying reasons, especially as reported by these individuals themselves. This exploratory interview study investigated lack of information access and hesitancy towards taking the COVID-19 vaccine among foreign-born individuals in Sweden.MethodsWe used purposive sampling to recruit foreign-born adults who expressed being hesitant towards getting vaccinated, as well as health guides and doulas who were assigned to spread COVID-19 related information in immigrant-dense urban areas. Data were collected using semi-structured focus group interviews, which were transcribed verbatim and analysed according to systematic text condensation.ResultsThree focus group interviews were conducted with altogether eleven participants. One group consisted of health guides/doulas, while the participants in the other groups were gainfully employed in other jobs, or full-time students, or housewives. Four main themes emerged: (1) Language barriers and sociocultural differences, (2) Consequences of not using official Swedish information, (3) Decision-making on COVID-19 vaccination, and (4) Suggestions to improve information dissemination. The lack of information in other languages than Swedish and lack of effective information channels resulted in that most participants barely used information from official Swedish health care and public health institutions. Instead, they relied on social media, social contacts and international media, through which contradictive and negative information about the vaccine was spread. The decision to get vaccinated or not became a process fraught with insecurities about the effectiveness and side effects of the vaccine, which was balanced against wishing to be protected and to contribute to the battle against COVID-19. The participants suggested that information dissemination could be improved by producing a multilingual information outreach and to increase the use of transmission through social interaction with trusted persons and platforms.ConclusionsAn inadequately adapted information strategy prevented some members of the society from making fact-based decisions about getting vaccinated. Several suggestions for improving dissemination were brought forth that can be tested in future communication strategies.

Harnessing the Power of Scientists and Livestreaming: Health Information Outreach in a Medical Library

ABSTRACTOver the last two decades, medical libraries have shifted from being careful suppliers of health information for consumers and patients to taking on prominent roles in outreach initiatives. The emerging livestreaming technology provides opportunities for medical libraries to disseminate health information and facilitate dialogues between health professionals and the public. This article presents a case study of Fudan University Medical Library's innovative approach to health information outreach through livestreaming. By leveraging the expertise of health professionals and embracing the livestreaming technologies, the library successfully engaged a broad audience, surpassing the limitations of traditional outreach methods. Based on the case, the article discusses the transformative potential of livestreaming in reshaping health information outreach and promoting health.

Engaging New Yorkers in Discussion Around Segregated Health Care: The Health Equity and Access to Care (HEAC) Project

The Health Equity and Access to Care (HEAC) project was a community-engaged research project that involved focus groups (n=35) and key informant interviews (n=9) designed to examine healthcare segregation in New York City (NYC). The project utilized a multi-faceted community-engaged approach that involved stakeholders from four different sectors (municipal institutions, civil society groups, academic/research and business entities) to recruit a diverse, broad-based sample of New Yorkers who accessed care within a year of participating in the study. We employed a phased information dissemination and outreach strategy allowing for a wide range of ways that community members from different groups could contribute to the project, through both recruitment and participation. In this report we demonstrate our broad conceptualization of “community” and the specific means for implementing a community-engaged project on health equity to ensure participation by a diverse sample. We describe successes and challenges confronted in generating a sample of participants who could contribute insights and experiences related to access to care in a segregated healthcare system.

Information Sharing and Outreach as Social Capital in Groundwater Governance

Successful governance of groundwater is process, people, and policy implementation working in tandem. While its success may be measured in desired outcomes, sustaining those outcomes depends on the interaction of these three elements. This paper reports the results of interviews conducted with local groundwater district Directors and district Managers in the state of Texas who make policy decisions and implement those policies, respectively. New paradigms of groundwater governance see public engagement as social capital that results in more effective groundwater management outcomes. The focus of this paper is to test this paradigm by presenting groundwater management and public engagement from the perspective of the professionals and practitioners in groundwater management. I conduct thirteen interviews with groundwater Managers and Directors in Texas. Three themes emerge from a qualitative analysis of these interviews. First, sharing Information and expertise with the public is seen as a public service by groundwater Managers that augments their professional roles. Second, this sharing is an informal, two-way exchange with those who have local experience and knowledge. The two-way exchange is built on social networks that form social capital, lowering the transaction cost of implementing policy by Managers. Third, factors beyond the control of Managers can also affect transaction costs of groundwater management. The transaction costs of groundwater management include coordinating user activity and managing the conflict or tensions that arise over groundwater supply and demand. This paper contributes to the literature on the importance of social capital to groundwater management. Results of the study illustrate the importance of user, well-owner, and stakeholder group engagement to effective and efficient groundwater management and policy outcomes.

Hashtagging for Inclusion: Complex Identities in Singaporean Gay Men’s Social Representation on Instagram

Beyond indexing content and creating networks, hashtags can also convey social meanings. From the perspective of social representation, this article investigates how gay men in Singapore use various hashtags to represent their complex identities and create a shared meaning of being gay in Singapore. Through a textual analysis of identity-related posts generated by gay Instagram users in Singapore, we identified two patterns of using gay-related hashtags: habitual and contextual. Both patterns rely on and demonstrate the identity complexity of gay users. The patterns suggest the users’ identity management online while engendering different forms of social representation for Singaporean gay men. By using non-gay hashtags and juxtaposing them with gay ones, the users could disseminate outreach information, establish social connections, and improve the digital inclusion of their group. We also found unusual exclusions of gay hashtags, suggesting the potential conflict between gayness and some traditional values/roles in Singapore.

Kesadaran Hukum Dalam Pemenuhan Hak Disabilitas Perspektif Hukum Keluarga

Legal awareness in disabled families shows a fifty-fifty point, where someone with a disability has the courage to try to get married and fulfill their rights and obligations as a husband, especially the right to support their family. Although not all blind families know and understand the details of marriage law such as marriage conditions, rights and obligations of husband and wife, child gifts, as contained in applicable family law principles. Efforts to work coupled with skills and job opportunities have grown significantly, in Indonesia in 2022, there will be 720,748 disabled workers, an increase from 277,018 people in 2021. On the other hand, awareness of disability law in the public sphere is still lacking, where it is still limited. access to facilities and infrastructure at Special Schools and Community Learning Activity Centers at the village level which motivates increasing insight and skills with disabilities as an improvement in living standards, whereas in the realm of legal apparatus, judiciary and correctional institutions, there is minimal implementation of the fulfillment of disability rights, such as supporting facilities for sign language interpreters and the use of Braille, disabled-friendly building facilities and legal information outreach to people with disabilities.

Operation of Czechoslovak Military Intelligence in Austria. Part 2 (Origin of the Legal Mixed “Průsek” Residency and its Activity in 1976–1989)

The second part of the study builds on the previous first part by focusing on the period of the second half of the 1970s. During this period, the “Průsek” Residency, which was a mixed residency type, started operating in the area of interest. The paper analyses the early days of its activities, which were marked by problems in recruitment and information outreach. It highlights the difficulties in building an agency network and penetrating the identified main and auxiliary objects of interest.

Shifting partisan public opinion towards Community Choice Aggregation through outreach and awareness.

Community Choice Aggregation (CCA) is a rapidly expanding electricity supply model in the United States. By enabling local governments to obtain electricity for their residents, CCAs have the potential to increase the use of renewable energy while lowering costs. Recent studies have focused on how CCAs will impact renewable energy markets, since at least five more states are currently considering CCA-enabling legislation. However, little research has been done on partisan attitudes towards CCAs or how to shift public opinion to support the continued expansion of CCAs. We use a nationally representative survey experiment of 1,862 respondents to evaluate outreach and awareness campaigns by nonprofit and government organizations seeking to expand CCAs. We find that most Americans are currently unfamiliar with CCAs, but exposing them to educational outreach information increases their support for CCAs at the state, local, and personal levels. Furthermore, this information is equally effective at increasing support among both Democrats and Republicans, despite partisan polarization on renewable energy. However, this information did not significantly affect respondents' price sensitivity with regard to CCAs. Our results suggest that outreach and awareness campaigns can be effective at increasing support for CCA among both Democrats and Republicans.

Applying Misinformation Interventions to Library Instruction and Outreach

This narrative review examines what misinformation interventions—both before misconception (prebunking), and after misconception (debunking)—are effective, and how they can be applied to library information literacy instruction and outreach. To conduct this review, the researcher conducted carefully considered searches in several library science, education, psychology, and communication databases. The review revealed that there is considerable potential for librarians to combat misinformation using the interventions explored in the literature, both in their instruction and in their outreach/programming efforts. Some ideas for how this could be accomplished are explored.

Survey Study of a Hospital-Based Bereavement Program During COVID-19: Insights to Improve Support of the Bereaved.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted that bereavement care is under-recognized with few hospitals offering universal bereavement services. Methods: One hundred sixty-nine bereaved individuals, whose loved ones died at our hospital during 2021 and 2022, completed a survey about their experience with the bereavement program. Results: Of respondents who recalled receiving bereavement outreach, 79% rated speaking to a team member soon after the death as having a positive impact on their bereavement, and 75% rated receiving a condolence call or note from the team positively. Feedback also identified opportunities for improvements in care: (1) importance of compassionate communication and connection with family members after a death; (2) more flexible hospital visitation policies; and (3) additional support for families during the end-of-life (EOL) period. Conclusions: The findings demonstrated that a hospital-based bereavement program can positively impact an individual's bereavement experience with a formal letter of condolence, psychoeducation information, and direct outreach from team members soon after death, being positively evaluated.

Improving Cardiovascular Follow-Up after Diagnosis of a Hypertensive Disorder of Pregnancy using the Electronic Health Record.

Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death among women. Sex-specific risk factors for cardiovascular disease include history of a hypertensive disorder of pregnancy. After diagnosis of a hypertensive disorder of pregnancy, professional societies recommend follow-up with a primary care provider for preventative care. There are gaps in patient and health care provider knowledge of the association between a hypertensive disorder of pregnancy and cardiovascular disease. That gap has a negative effect on patients receiving recommended follow-up. An electronic registry was created to identify those who gave birth in our health system and had a diagnosis of hypertensive disorder of pregnancy. From this, information outreach was sent electronically to the patient and their primary care provider. Communication in the outreach included education on the association between hypertensive disorders of pregnancy and cardiovascular disease, the importance of follow-up, cardiopreventative strategies, and biochemical assessment. Medical records were audited at approximately 6 months postpartum to determine if patients completed a visit with their primary care provider to discuss cardiovascular risks. Between May 2021 and June 2022, 15% ( n = 1,131) of patients who gave birth in our health system had a diagnosis of hypertensive disorder of pregnancy. Ninety percent of those patients who received outreach communication viewed the letter. At baseline, 16% of patients during postpartum with a hypertensive disorder of pregnancy saw their primary care provider to discuss cardiopreventative strategies. After implementation of our program, 26% of those with a hypertensive disorder of pregnancy saw their primary care provider for follow-up and discussed cardiopreventative strategies. Nurses should ensure that women during postpartum and their primary care providers are educated about the association of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy and long-term cardiovascular risk. The electronic health record may be an optimal way to ensure education is provided and follow-up scheduled.

Penerapan Algoritma Apriori Untuk Rekomendasi Produk Bagi Pelanggan Toko Online Berbasis Website

Today, almost all activities in various sectors of life have been transformed into digital systems to support various related activities. Consideration of the efficiency of dissemination of information outreach and data management that can be recorded properly is the main reason for switching to a digital system. In the economic sector, global business developments are rife with the use of digital devices in marketing various products to increase marketability. Based on this, this research was conducted to apply the Apriori algorithm association data mining to provide product recommendations for online shop customers. The CodeIgniter framework and the waterfall method are used to build a website-based information system. Sampling data was obtained from transaction data at the Rizvenastore store which was used for the database using MySql. The application of the a priori algorithm can form association rules as a reference in-store product promotions and decision support in providing product recommendations to customers based on predetermined minimum support and confidence values. From testing the system using the black box method, the results obtained for all activities on all actors can run as expected.

Social Media Twitter @BGRM Indonesia as a Medium of Information Communication and Outreach

This study aims to analyze how social media, Twitter @BRGM Indonesia, is used as a communication medium for disseminating information and outreach and environmental campaigns related to peatland restoration and mangrove rehabilitation. This study uses a qualitative research approach with data analysis using the Nvivo 12 Plus software. This type of research data uses secondary data obtained and collected from @BRGM Indonesia’s twitter activity from March 2019 to October 2021, while supporting data is obtained from literature and social media. The research findings show that social media Twitter @BRGM Indonesia in its tweets is dominated by information related to peat restoration rather than mangrove rehabilitation. The findings reinforce that the previous BRGM was a BRG that focused on restoring peat after the great fires in 2015, and was considered to have completed its task in 2020, then added workload to rehabilitate mangroves. But the use of @BRGM Indonesia’s social media Twitter, still needs to be more effective, and the interaction only focuses on government agencies. At the same time, the information contained in the tweets mentioned does not match the contents.Keywords: Social media, environmental campaigns, peat restoration, mangrove rehabilitation, BRGM ABSTRAKPenelitian ini bertujuan untuk menganalisis bagaimana media sosial Twitter @BRGM Indonesia digunakan sebagai media komunikasi untuk menyebarluaskan informasi dan sosialisasi serta kampanye lingkungan terkait restorasi gambut dan rehabilitasi mangrove. Penelitian ini menggunakan pendekatan penelitian kualitatif dengan analisis data menggunakan software Nvivo 12 Plus. Jenis data penelitian ini menggunakan data sekunder yang diperoleh dan dikumpulkan dari aktivitas twitter @BRGM Indonesia pada bulan Maret 2019 hingga Oktober 2021, sedangkan data pendukung diperoleh dari literatur dan media sosial. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa media sosial Twitter @BRGM Indonesia dalam cuitannya didominasi oleh informasi terkait restorasi gambut daripada rehabilitasi mangrove. Temuan itu memperkuat bahwa BRGM sebelumnya adalah BRG yang fokus memulihkan gambut pasca kebakaran hebat pada 2015, dan dianggap selesai tugasnya pada 2020, lalu menambah beban kerja untuk merehabilitasi mangrove. Namun penggunaan media sosial Twitter @BRGM Indonesia, masih perlu lebih efektif, dan interaksinya hanya terfokus pada instansi pemerintah. Sementara itu, informasi yang terkandung dalam tweet yang dibubuhi mention tidak sesuai dengan isinya.Kata Kunci: Media sosial, kampanye lingkungan, restorasi gambut, rehabilitasi mangrove, BRGM

Knowledge, Attitudes and Practice Regarding Breast Cancer among Parakou University Female Students in 2021

Background: Breast cancer is a life-threatening pathology affecting women across the world. Evidence suggests deficiency of knowledge and numerous sociodemographic factors contribute to delayed medical attention seeking behavior whether initial symptoms of breast cancer go undetected. Objective: This study aimed to assess knowledge, attitudes and practices regarding breast cancer among Parakou University female students in 2021. Method: This was a cross-sectional study with descriptive and analytical purposes, carried out on the campus of the University of Parakou, from June 14 to July 2, 2021. Data collection was performed through an individual online questionnaire, designed with KoBoCollect version 1.29.3. Data analysis was implemented with EPI INFO VERSION 7.1.3.3 software. Result: A total of 200 students meeting the inclusion criteria participated in this study. Among them, 20.5% had never heard about breast cancer. Non practice of breast cancer screening (breast self-examination) prevalence was 80%. Factors favoring non practice of breast cancer screening were: ethnicity, religion, not adhering to screening ideas, not committing to educating family and friends about screening. Factors promoting breast cancer screening practice were: having ever heard about breast cancer, being able to point to breast cancer symptoms, having adequate knowledge of breast cancer screening methods, having a good knowledge of the late-stage screening drawbacks. Conclusion: Some young women with high school level are still unaware of breast cancer and do not practice screening. Policymakers should consider more effective information outreach.

POLICY IMPLICATIONS ON CLINICAL PRACTICE: AN EXPLORATION

Abstract Clinical practice is direct and indirect work with and for patients to improve their wellbeing. Typically, clinical practice is specific to the discipline and institutional body in which providers work. Additionally, caring for older adults requires a review of the biological, psychological, and social aspects of their health to address their needs and diseases. Therefore, policy has significant albeit gradual effects on clinical practice. Health policies and legislation change clinical guidelines, options, and barriers. Federal and state-level policies influence clinical practice factors such as billing, provider knowledge, student training, treatment access, and availability of interventions. Understanding the needs of both patients and providers is imperative to creating clinical practices in line with policy. The collaboration between researchers, providers, and policymakers promotes inclusive and equitable recommendations for health care practices. Yet, often health policy at the federal level is a formidable dynamic that requires expertise and cooperation for all stakeholders that is often not readily accessible. A critical component of this work is reaching providers and patients where they are most often located with information dissemination and outreach efforts. As a GSA policy intern, I explored policy initiatives that directly and indirectly influenced clinical practice across disciplines from the Department of Health of Human Services, National Institute of Aging at NIH, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, and other agencies and reviewed methods that promoted health equity in health care. We need better policy to improve our clinical practice to increase treatment options, expand access, and tailor delivery for our patients.

The Role of Black Pastors in Disseminating COVID-19 Vaccination Information to Black Communities in South Carolina.

COVID-19 vaccination rates have increased since distribution began in December 2020. However, in some states, such as South Carolina, getting people to take the vaccine has been challenging; as of spring 2022, slightly less than 60% of the total population is fully vaccinated. Vaccine hesitancy among Black Americans may be explained by several factors, including lack of confidence in the medical establishment and vaccines in particular. Faith-based leaders, such as pastors, can make a difference. This study explores the communication strategies that pastors in predominantly Black churches use to increase COVID-19 vaccination rates among churchgoers and the surrounding community. We conducted semi-structured interviews with 10 pastors in South Carolina. The main themes that emerged are: (1) using various communication channels to ensure access; (2) representing a trusted source of information; (3) offering a role model for vaccination—leading by example; and (4) strengthening the commitment to health. As the need for COVID-19 vaccination continues, including booster vaccines, pastors can provide accurate information and community outreach to promote the health of Black communities.

A 10-year follow-up survey of US academic libraries highlights the COVID-19 experience and greater interest in health information outreach.

BackgroundAs follow‐up to their previous survey on health information outreach (HIO) in 2010, the authors became interested in the evolving nature of HIO activities at academic libraries within the past decade.ObjectivesThe aim of this study was to understand how HIO activities at academic libraries have evolved since 2010, especially considering the current COVID‐19 pandemic.MethodsAn online survey, designed to collect quantitative data on general HIO activities and qualitative data specifically on COVID‐19 information outreach, was distributed to over 1700 librarians at US general academic and academic health science libraries.ResultsTwo hundred and fifty‐five respondents completed the survey. Quantitative findings generally paralleled the 2010 results, except in a few areas. Most notably, a greater percentage of librarians in 2020 were participating in HIO (44%) than in 2010 (37%). Qualitative findings revealed that librarians are leveraging traditional information services and implementing innovative partnerships to promote reputable health information resources on COVID‐19.DiscussionEvidence suggests that further engagement and campus partnerships can enhance libraries' supportive roles as trustworthy purveyors of quality health information.ConclusionUS academic librarians are increasingly engaging in HIO to support the health information needs of campus communities and should consider aligning outreach activities with national health goals.

Coordinated inauthentic behavior and information spreading on Twitter

We explore the effects of coordinated users (i.e., users characterized by an unexpected, suspicious, or exceptional similarity) in information spreading on Twitter by quantifying the efficacy of their tactics in deceiving feed algorithms to maximize information outreach. In particular, we investigate the behavior of coordinated accounts within a large set of retweet-based information cascades identifying key differences between coordinated and non-coordinated accounts in terms of position within the cascade, action delay and outreach. On average, coordinated accounts occupy higher positions of the information cascade (i.e., closer to the root), spread messages faster and involve a slightly higher number of users. When considering cascade metrics such as size, number of edges and height, we observe clear differences among information cascades that are associated to a systematically larger proportion of coordinated accounts, as confirmed by comparisons with statistical null models. To further characterize the activity of coordinated accounts we introduce two new measures capturing their infectivity within the information cascade (i.e., their ability to involve other users) and their interaction with non-coordinated accounts. Finally, we find that the interaction pattern between the two classes of users follows a saturation-like process. A larger-scale targeting of non-coordinated users does not require a larger amount of coordinated accounts after a threshold value ~50%, after which involving more coordinated accounts within a cascade yields a null marginal effect. Our results contribute to shed light on the role of coordinated accounts and their effect on information diffusion.

Interplay of Message Frame and Reference Point on Recycled Water Acceptance in Green Community: Evidence from an Eye-Tracking Experiment

Public rejection of recycled water hinders the application of recycled water use projects in green communities. An effective information outreach strategy could help to overcome this obstacle. This study used message frames and reference points as control variables to design experimental materials and conduct eye-movement experiments to determine the effect of different information promotion strategies. The results of the study show that: (1) compared with the loss frame, the gain-framed messages are more effective; (2) self-referencing messages are more suitable for recycled water use promotion than other-referencing messages; (3) message frame (gain vs. loss) and reference point (self vs. others) have an interactive effect on the public’s information cognitive behavior; (4) the average duration of fixations for advertising message plays an intermediary role in the path of message frame and reference point jointly influencing the public acceptance. This study provides managerial implications for determining information dissemination strategies for applying recycled water-use projects in green communities.

How Advanced Technological Approaches Are Reshaping Sustainable Social Media Crisis Management and Communication: A Systematic Review

The end goal of technological advancement used in crisis response and recovery is to prevent, reduce or mitigate the impact of a crisis, thereby enhancing sustainable recovery. Advanced technological approaches such as social media, machine learning (ML), social network analysis (SNA), and big data are vital to a sustainable crisis management decisions and communication. This study selects 28 articles via a systematic process that focuses on ML, SNA, and related technological tools to understand how these tools are shaping crisis management and decision making. The analysis shows the significance of these tools in advancing sustainable crisis management to support decision making, information management, communication, collaboration and cooperation, location-based services, community resilience, situational awareness, and social position. Moreover, the findings noted that managing diverse outreach information and communication is increasingly essential. In addition, the study indicates why big data and language, cross-platform support, and dataset lacking are emerging concerns for sustainable crisis management. Finally, the study contributes to how advanced technological solutions effectively affect crisis response, communication, decision making, and overall crisis management.