Public Media Campaigns Research Articles

Wind of Change: Overcoming Misinformation in New Jersey's Clean Energy Transition

As the climate crisis advances, the need to transition from the fossil fuel economy to renewable sources of energy is becoming increasingly urgent. Thanks to climate leadership from the Murphy administration, New Jersey is poised to grow its renewable energy projects in an aggressive attempt to reach 100% clean energy by 2035. However, the state is currently facing pushback from local anti-offshore wind groups, such as Protect Our Coast, which actively disseminate false information about offshore wind (OSW) development and attempt to thwart NJ climate action. To address the growing threat of misinformation, New Jersey should build upon its existing climate education campaign and expand it to entire local communities. Allocating resources towards a dedicated public media campaign can effectively educate citizens and help dispel misinformation surrounding renewable energy initiatives, fostering greater support and understanding among New Jersey residents.

Personalised colorectal cancer screening strategies: Information needs of the target population

Prior faecal Hemoglobin (f-Hb) concentrations of a negative fecal immunochemical test (FIT) can be used for risk stratification in colorectal cancer (CRC) screening. Individuals with higher f-Hb concentrations may benefit from a shorter screening interval (1 year), whereas individuals with undetectable f-Hb concentrations could benefit from a longer screening interval (3 year). Individuals’ views on personalised CRC screening and information needed to make a well-informed decision is unknown. We conducted three semi-structured focus groups among individuals eligible for CRC screening (i.e. men and women aged 55 to 75) in the Netherlands. Thematic analysis was used to analyse participants’ information need on personalised CRC screening strategies. Fourteen individuals took part. The majority were positive about CRC screening and indicated that they would participate in personalised CRC screening. The rationale for a longer interval among those at lowest risk was, however, unclear for many. The preferred information on individual risk was variable: ranging from full information to only information on the personalised strategy without mentioning the risk. It was not possible to address everyone’s need with a single approach. Additional communications, e.g. public media campaigns, billboards, videos on social media, were also suggested as necessary. This study showed that preferences on receiving information on individual CRC risk varied substantially and no consensus was reached. Introducing a personalised screening programme will require careful communication, particularly around the rationale for the strategy, and a layered approach to deliver information.

Public media campaign and energy conservation: A natural experiment in Singapore

Singapore uses public media campaigns to motivate public housing residents to conserve energy as part of its strategies to achieve sustainable energy goals. Using the energy conservation campaign conducted in selected housing estates in Singapore in January 2016, we ran a natural experiment to evaluate the effectiveness of the public campaign in nudging residents to save energy. Using a difference-in-differences (DID) design, we find an average saving of 0.4% in electricity consumption by residents in public housing blocks within 1.0-km (km) of the campaign (treatment) zones compared to those outside 1.0 km. The interventions persisted through the post-intervention period. Using the cost-benefit analysis, we estimate approximately S$350,000 in welfare gains from this intervention program.

Life unites us: A novel approach to addressing opioid use disorder stigma

Introduction: Opioid use disorder (OUD) is a critical health issue in the USA. Pennsylvania has the third highest number of drug overdose deaths per year, with the COVID-19 pandemic worsening these trends. Stigmatising beliefs towards OUD are associated with negative health outcomes, and there is a need for a larger evidence base on OUD stigma reduction strategies. This study reports on the creation and implementation of Life Unites Us, a digital media campaign which uses a collective impact framework to address OUD stigma reduction across Pennsylvania. Method: Life Unites Us consists of various components, including a general public media campaign which uses education and contact-based strategies; engagement with stakeholders and advocates in community-based organisations across the state; and a data sharing website to inform the public of previously unavailable OUD stigma statistics. Each campaign component contributes to the overall collective impact framework. Results: Digital metrics showed 755 followers across the Life Unites Us social media pages, and 2,826 total website users with an average of 565 users per month. The campaign has partnered with 60 community based organisations, 921 individuals receive the monthly email and 11 influencers have posted 23 times and achieved over 13,000 engagements and a reach of 661,000. The campaign hosted 5 webinars with 520 attendees and an overall 64.1% attendance rate. Conclusion: This study fills a gap in the need for evidence-based digital interventions to address OUD-related stigma. The positive process metrics from the first 6 months suggest that this model may be an important addition to research on approaches to reduce OUD stigma.

Public Media Campaign and Energy Conservation: A Natural Experiment in Singapore

Public Media Campaign and Energy Conservation: A Natural Experiment in Singapore

The Harmful Consequences of Vaping

The vaping of nicotine products has overwhelmingly gained national attention as the new public health crisis. The use of electronic nicotine delivery systems and products such as electronic cigarettes, JUUL, pods, or vaporizers is now a worldwide multibillion dollar industry. Despite the notable gains decreasing harmful smoking behaviors of traditional cigarettes among youth, these public health initiatives have been significantly nullified by the indiscriminate exposure of these highly addictive products by nicotine manufacturers to the adolescent population. Although touted as a safer alternative to traditional tobacco smoking and an effective cessation method to quit traditional cigarette smoking, there are no definitive data, to date, substantiating that this is true. Currently, adolescents are the predominant population using electronic nicotine delivery systems and at the greatest risk to the negative effects of nicotine exposure (U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, 2016). The purpose of this article is to identify the health impact and potential dangers related to the vaping epidemic that conflict with teens' risk beliefs that vaping is harmless. To protect American youth, a comprehensive approach for harm reduction to this deadly problem is imperative, including product warnings and regulation, public media campaigns, economic and social strategies, and policy initiatives.

When Violence Happens

After the brutal beating of a woman in a McDonald’s restaurant in the eastern Chinese city of Zhaoyuan, the situation quickly went from a tragedy and homicide investigation to the renewing of a nationwide assault on unregulated religious practice. The Church of Almighty God, a banned Christian heterodox movement, was quickly blamed. What followed was a scene all too familiar to religious practice in China: widespread crackdowns on practitioners and a public media campaign against the group. In this way, the “McDonald’s murder” serves as a fitting case study for what happens when religious violence occurs in the midst of an atheist regime adamantly opposed to religious practice. This paper retraces the steps taken by the Chinese Communist Party in the days, months, and years following the murder, revealing an organized and carefully executed strategy to further its ultimate agenda of a secular, centralized society.

Encouraging Vietnamese Household Recycling Behavior: Insights and Implications

This research aims to provide new insights into various determinants affecting household recycling. By focusing on Vietnam, this research also extends knowledge about sustainable behavior in emerging markets, which are the major culprits in terms of greenhouse gas emissions. Hypotheses were developed as a result of the critical review of relevant studies in the fields of marketing, psychology, and economics, and then tested using a quantitative survey data. Structured questionnaires were administered to Vietnamese respondents which yielded 486 usable responses. Multivariate statistics reveal that all the determinants influenced their recycling behavior except for moral norms. Attitude towards the importance of recycling exerted the strongest influence, followed by subjective norms and warm glow respectively. On the other hand, attitude towards the inconvenience of recycling significantly reduced recycling behavior. The research findings have important implications for strategies aimed at promoting recycling behavior. Communication and education programs should emphasize how household recycling contributes to environmental protection, as well as stress intrinsic rewards when recycling. Public media campaigns should feature opinion leaders and attractive communicators, who can effectively apply social pressure to perform recycling behavior. Organizations should also make every effort to make recycling more convenient.

Skin Cancer Warnings and the Need for New Preventive Campaigns: A Pilot Study.

Introduction Although skin cancer is one of the most preventable forms of cancer, it is the most common cancer in the world and its incidence is increasing. Nearly 5 million people in the U.S. are treated each year for skin cancer at an estimated annual cost of $8.1 billion. Melanoma is the most deadly skin cancer, responsible for more than 9,000 deaths each year. Given the treatment costs, potential deadly consequences, and well-known causal relationship between ultraviolet light and skin cancer, it is unclear why many people ignore warnings and do not protect themselves from the sun. More research is needed to better understand what people know about skin cancer and why they do or do not engage in sun protective behaviors, so that more-persuasive message campaigns can be developed. Broad-based public media campaigns have a role in the fight against skin cancer, but there is also a need for more-targeted campaigns aimed at vulnerable groups that spend a considerable amount of time outdoors, such as outdoor workers and sun bathers. Targeted campaigns necessitate understanding the perceptions of the target audience and identifying possible channels that could be used to reach them. In this pilot study, skin cancer patients at a U.S. Veterans Administration Hospital were interviewed, to gather baseline information that could be used in future skin cancer educational campaigns aimed at current and former military personnel.

The Potential Role of Social Media Platforms in Community Awareness of Antibiotic Use in the Gulf Cooperation Council States: Luxury or Necessity?

The increasing emergence and spread of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a serious public health issue. Increasing the awareness of the general public about appropriate antibiotic use is a key factor for combating this issue. Several public media campaigns worldwide have been launched; however, such campaigns can be costly and the outcomes are variable and difficult to assess. Social media platforms, including Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube, are now frequently utilized to address health-related issues. In many geographical locations, such as the countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) States (Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, and Bahrain), these platforms are becoming increasingly popular. The socioeconomic status of the GCC states and their reliable communication and networking infrastructure has allowed the penetration and scalability of these platforms in the region. This might explain why the Saudi Ministry of Health is using social media platforms alongside various other media platforms in a large-scale public awareness campaign to educate at-risk communities about the recently emerged Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV). This paper discusses the potential for using social media tools as cost-efficient and mass education platforms to raise awareness of appropriate antibiotic use in the general public and in the medical communities of the Arabian Peninsula.

Development of one generic call centre for unplanned health needs. A qualitative study

Introduction: A range of different telephone based services exists to serve the public with some sort of unplanned health needs (acute need). These are organized as call centres and offer services like medical emergency, response to automatic warning aids and more social services. However, even if it is valuable with many different services, it is not likely that the public know of all these services and furthermore they are resource demanding to operate. In Central Norway a group of municipalities together with a city have decided to develop one generic call centre with one phone number to offer better services and solve more enquirers by phone. The aim of this study was to study health professionals and leaders' attitudes towards one generic call centre and what they saw as the challenges and opportunities to make it work. Methods: This was a qualitative study with observations of meetings and qualitative group and individual interviews with 17 employees (seven leaders) who have been involved in the development process and who worked in the affected services; primary care medical emergency service, support for people who have automatic warning aids and an emergency service for people with abuse or mental health problems. The generic call center is to open in autumn 2015 and the data have been collected from autumn 2013. Results: It was readily observed that the views on the generic call centre were dependent on which services the informants came from. Those from medical emergency were clearly more skeptical, especially due having to move from their current location in a hospital and not having direct patient contact as the generic call centre would be located separate from the emergency room. Several expressed a fear that the area to cover for each operator would be too extensive in a generic call centre and that few people would want to work there. This difference was also evident in whether or not they thought the generic call centre would lead to solve more enquirers by phone (e.g. less visits to the emergency room), with those working in medical emergency saying most strongly that this was not likely to happen as the patients which 15th International Conference on Integrated Care, Edinburgh, UK, March 25-27, 2015 1 International Journal of Integrated Care – Volume 15, 27 May – URN:NBN:NL:UI:10-1-117108– http://www.ijic.org/ was to see the doctor. To increase the likelihood of less need for direct face to face contacts, a public media campaign was suggested and that the technical system improved to make it easier to get through on telephone. The informants had different views on and experiences with the use of support systems and varied in their view on the usefulness of such systems. Some had experienced that such system overtriaged (indicated that more patients needed to see a doctor) while other said it was an important tool for quality assurance and safe practice. The informants had different views on what type of competencies that were needed especially regarding formal education. They agreed on the need for all operators to have good communication skills, being able to multitask, to handle the support systems and being able to keep calm in stressful situations. Discussions: During the process, those involved have become more positive towards the establishment of one generic call centre. This was especially observed after executive decisions concerning the more concrete aspects of the generic call centre were taken. Conclusions: Getting a workable generic call centres was seen as challenging. To populate a generic call centre with personnel from different services one has to take into account the difference in culture. Lessons learned: (from the point of view of research development) Having a researcher following the process has proven useful due to the findings being feed back into the process highlighting the areas with most tension. Limitations: This study concerns the earl phase of the process. Different results can be expected closer to and after the opening of the generic call centre. Suggestions for future research: More knowledge is needed on the professional skills needed to work in a generic call centre.

Working With Grocers to Reduce Dietary Sodium

The purpose of this article is to describe implementation of and lessons learned from the Broome County Sodium Reduction in Communities grocery store initiative. This pilot project was conducted in collaboration with a regional supermarket chain and endeavored to develop population-based strategies for reducing sodium intake. Key interventions included marketing strategies, taste test demonstrations, and a public media campaign. Project staff worked closely with corporate registered dietitian nutritionists, a nutrition specialist, and an advertising agency in its development and implementation. A social marketing approach was used to educate consumers about the hidden sources of dietary sodium, to raise awareness of the adverse health effects of excess sodium intake, to encourage consumers to read food labels, and to urge them to purchase food items lower in sodium. The lessons learned from this experience may be of assistance to other communities that seek to implement similar sodium-reduction strategies in the grocery store environment.

Short-Lived Success: Assessment of an Intervention to Improve Pregnancy Weight Gain in Colorado

Inadequate weight gain in pregnancy is a major contributor to low birth weight in Colorado, where the low birth weight rate is among the highest in the nation. In 2004, the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment implemented a population-based intervention in 9 counties, including provider training and a public media campaign, to encourage pregnant women to gain an adequate amount of weight in pregnancy as defined by the 1990 Institute of Medicine guidelines. Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System survey data were used to track weight gain in pregnancy in 1997 through 2004 (baseline), 2005 (post-intervention), and 2006 and 2007 (after the intervention had concluded). During the period immediately after the implementation of the intervention, the percentage of women delivering in the 9 study counties who gained an inadequate amount of weight during pregnancy dropped from 18.4 at baseline to 12.8 in 2005. However, this progress was reversed in 2006, when the percentage of women with inadequate weight gain rose to 19.7. Training providers to educate women about the importance of adequate weight gain in pregnancy, in conjunction with a social marketing campaign, appears to be a promising approach to addressing a major contributor to low birth weight. However, a time-limited intervention is likely to have temporary results.

The anti-terrorist advertising campaigns in the Middle East

The anti-terror public media campaigns started in Iraq around 2004 and was called ‘Terror has no Religion’ in order to combat the threats of sectarianism and Al-Qaeda. After the withdrawal of the US forces from the country in late 2010, the campaign stopped, but a new and similar one emerged that is called ‘Say no to Terror’ whose advertisements mostly targeted the Saudi public. Several Pan-Arab regional channels like Al-Arabiya and Middle East Broadcasting Center (MBC) were part of airing its advertisements. This study focuses on the ‘Terror has no Religion’ and ‘Say no to Terror’ campaigns by critically examining their websites and videos to understand the nature of messages sent to the public. Further, the study examines the effectiveness of the two campaigns with special emphasis on ‘Say no to Terror’ by analyzing comments posted on YouTube and discussing the counter campaign. Over 350 videos were found containing counter arguments to ‘Say no to Terror’ campaign, and about 60% of YouTube commentators viewed the campaign negatively, expressing suspicion about its real intentions. The paper concludes that the success of such public service advertisements is doubtful due to the format of the message as well as cultural and political reasons that are linked to the region.

Human immunodeficiency virus/Acquired immune deficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS): Knowledge, attitudes of university students of the State of Azad Kashmir (Pakistan)

Epidemic of human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immune deficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) is a significant threat to humankind. This threat is more alarming to developing countries, where poverty and illiteracy may contribute towards higher risk for HIV transmission. To preclude the further feast of HIV, it is very important that people should have a good knowledge of HIV disease. The aim of this study was to examine the level of awareness and attitudes to HIV/AIDS among students at the University of Azad Jammu and Kashmir. A descriptive cross sectional survey was conducted over population samples of 467 students. Significance of data trend was measured by Chi-square test. Our findings showed that 97.9% of the students had heard about HIV/AIDS, 94% respondents considered HIV/AIDS as a fatal disease. About 81.6% of the respondents considered HIV/AIDS as a communicable disease, 84.6% of the respondents agreed that HIV/AIDS can be prevented. 66% of students said that there is no vaccine for HIV. Results of this study show that there is a mediocre level of knowledgeable awareness among the university students in Azad Kashmir. In order to increase the level of awareness to satisfactory level, it is recommended that HIV education should be part of curriculum among all levels of education. Mass media or public media campaigns can not only raise the knowledge in students but also in general public. Key words: Human immunodeficiency virus/Acquired immune deficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS), Azad Kashmir, communicable disease, cross sectional study

Public attitudes toward depression and help-seeking in four European countries baseline survey prior to the OSPI-Europe intervention

BackgroundStigmatizing attitudes toward depression and toward help-seeking are important barriers for people with mental health problems to obtain adequate professional help. This study aimed to examine: (1) population attitudes toward depression and toward seeking professional help in four European countries; (2) the relation between depression stigma and attitudes toward help-seeking; (3) the relation between both attitudes and socio-demographic characteristics; and (4) differences in attitudes across countries. MethodsA representative general population survey (n=4011) was conducted in Germany, Hungary, Ireland, and Portugal, assessing attitudes toward depression and toward help-seeking, and a number of socio-demographic variables. ResultsRespondents showed a moderate degree of personal stigma toward depression and a strikingly higher degree of perceived stigma. Although a substantial majority showed openness to seek professional help, only half of the people perceived professional help as valuable. More negative attitudes were found in Hungary and were associated with male gender, older age, lower educational level and living alone. Also, personal stigma was related to less openness to and less perceived value of professional treatment. LimitationsThe survey was cross-sectional, so no causal inferences could be drawn. ConclusionsPersonal and perceived stigma toward depression deserves public health attention, since they impact upon the intention of people with depression to seek professional help. Public media campaigns should focus on the credibility of the mental health care sector, and target males, older people, and those with a lower educational level and living alone. The content of each campaign should be adapted to the cultural norms of the country for which it is intended.

Risk factors for COPD: What do NPs know?

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) has been identified as the fourth leading cause of death. The primary purpose of this article is to discuss risk factors for COPD and identify at-risk populations. A secondary purpose is to report the findings of a recent survey of nurse practitioners (NPs) in Colorado regarding their knowledge about the risk factors for COPD. Data sources A list of registered NPs in the State of Colorado was obtained from the State Board of Nursing. Surveys were sent to 2916 NPs to assess their knowledge about risk factors for COPD. Although the response rate was less than 10%, this survey highlighted that there were gaps in knowledge especially for pediatric, women's health, and geriatric NPs. NPs are on the front lines in assisting with the prevention, early diagnosis, and management of this complex disease. Formal NP educational programs (regardless of focus) should highlight that through recognition of risk factors, NPs can play a significant role in primary and secondary preventive measures that may decrease the impact of COPD. Public media campaigns to educate the public about risk factors may encourage the individual patients to address these risk factors with the primary care provider.

The impact of governmental antismoking policy on socioeconomic disparities in cigarette smoking in South Korea

With enactment of the 1995 Health Promotion Act, the Korean government has developed numerous antismoking policies, including smoke-free buildings and zones, a public media campaign, and tobacco taxation. The present study examined whether governmental antismoking policy during the past decade was associated with reduced socioeconomic differentials in cigarette smoking in South Korea. Data from 99,980 men and 105,193 women aged 25-64 years were analyzed from four rounds of Social Statistical Surveys of Korea between 1995 and 2006. Socioeconomic position (SEP) indicators were education, occupational class, employment status, and household income. Age-adjusted prevalence of smoking was calculated. Prevalence ratios and the relative index of inequality (RII) were estimated using log-binomial regression analysis. Absolute socioeconomic differentials in age-adjusted prevalence of smoking increased between 1995 and 2006. Increases were found in both men and women. Prevalence ratios and RIIs also showed widening relative inequalities in smoking in all four SEP indicators in men. For women, increases in RIIs for education and income were statistically significant. The magnitude of change in prevalence ratios and RIIs by SEP indicators between 1999 and 2003 was statistically significant, whereas the difference between 2003 and 2006 was not. Despite reducing overall cigarette smoking rates in males, the governmental antismoking policies of South Korea did not reduce socioeconomic inequalities in smoking in both genders. However, the recent tobacco taxation policy is likely to dampen the ever-increasing trends in smoking inequalities. More progressive antismoking policies to reduce socioeconomic inequalities in smoking are warranted in South Korea.

Can ‘‘Men’’ Stop Rape?

The study analyzes the ‘‘My Strength is Not for Hurting’’ rape prevention public media campaign through the lens of feminist visual culture studies, arguing that the campaign sends contradictory and confusing messages to boys and men about rape and sexual assault. It also touches on the implications of the campaign’s appropriation of a commercial advertising aesthetic; the tendency to objectify women and silence their voices; and complications resulting from efforts to include racial and sexual diversity.

Illnesses and Injuries Related to Total Release Foggers—Eight States, 2001-2006

Total release foggers (TRFs), sometimes called "bug bombs," are pesticide products designed to fill an area with insecticide and often are used in homes and workplaces to kill cockroaches, fleas, and flying insects. Most TRFs contain pyrethroid, pyrethrin, or both as active ingredients. TRFs also contain flammable aerosol propellants that can cause fires or explosions. The magnitude and range of acute health problems associated with TRF usage has not been described previously. This report summarizes illnesses and injuries that were associated with exposures to TRFs during 2001--2006 in eight states (California, Florida, Louisiana, Michigan, New York, Oregon, Texas, and Washington) and were investigated by the California Department of Pesticide Regulation (CDPR) and state health departments participating in the SENSOR-Pesticides program. During 2001-2006, a total of 466 TRF-related illnesses or injuries were identified. These illnesses or injuries often resulted from inability or failure to vacate before the TRF discharged, reentry into the treated space too soon after the TRF was discharged, excessive use of TRFs for the space being treated, and failure to notify others nearby. The findings indicate that TRFs pose a risk for acute, usually temporary health effects among users and bystanders. To reduce the risk for TRF-related health effects, integrated pest management control strategies that prevent pests' access to food, water, and shelter need to be promoted and adopted. In addition, awareness of the hazards and proper use of TRFs need to be better communicated on TRF labels and in public media campaigns.