Health Communication最新文献

This study examines the effectiveness of logic-focused messages that debunk correlation-causation fallacies in COVID-19 vaccine misinformation, testing two conditions-one with and one without a modus tollens argument-against a fact-focused strategy emphasizing medical study findings. A single-factor, between-subjects experiment with 377 participants showed that the logic-focused condition without a modus tollens argument was more effective than the fact-focused approach at reducing both the perceived credibility of misinformation and misperception through perceived argument quality. Correction-source credibility moderated the link between perceived argument quality and misperception reduction, such that lower trust in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) strengthened the effect. The study contributes to the elaboration likelihood model and heuristic-systematic model, showing that logic-focused corrections promote central processing via stronger perceived argument quality, while source trust influences the effectiveness of that processing. Practically, the findings highlight the value of logic-focused vaccine messaging, particularly for audiences with low CDC trust.

Women who have sex with women (WSW) often misperceive their risks of contracting or transmitting sexually transmitted infections. Reasons for why they are not engaging in safer sexual practices are diverse and complex. Emotional connection and trust have been found to be influential on this decision-making process, yet they are not often considered in studies that use the health belief model (HBM). Therefore, five online focus groups (N = 20) were conducted to better understand this health issue from a relational perspective and two themes emerged from the data: relational negotiations of risk and experiential quests. The themes inform our proposed theoretical extension, relational dynamics, that considers the intersection of both personal beliefs and partner influence on health decision-m3aking. Relational dynamics is defined as the interpersonal influences rooted in trust and emotional connection with sexual partners, to explain why WSW decide to engage, or not engage, in safer sexual practices. We argue that health beliefs among WSW are not shaped solely by individual-level cognitions as traditionally proposed by the HBM, but co-constructed socially and experientially. Our findings contribute to the theoretical development of the HBM and highlight the necessity of educating WSW on how to navigate their relationships as it pertains to their sexual health. Sexual health resources and messaging catered to WSW need to consider the role of a partner's influence.

Health-related social media use (HRSMU) has the potential to facilitate fruit and vegetable intake (FVI) and physical activity (PA). Based on self-efficacy theory and self-regulation theory within the Social Cognitive Theory (SCT) framework, this study examines whether health self-efficacy (HSE) and the use of health information technology (HIT) for self-regulation mediate the relationship between HRSMU and health behaviors among Chinese adults. Data were extracted from a national survey conducted in China between January and September 2023, involving 7018 adults. A moderated mediation model was employed to examine a sequential chain of mediation through HSE and HIT use for self-regulation. Results revealed that HRSMU was positively associated with FVI, both directly (b_p = .140, se = .010, p < .001) and indirectly (b_p = .001, se = .0002, 95% CI [.0005, .001]), with HSE and the use of HIT for self-regulation serving as sequential mediating mechanisms. Additionally, a moderating effect of gender was observed in the relationship between HSE and FVI (b_p = -.048 se = .018, p = .008), with men showing a stronger association than women. Although HRSMU is not related to PA directly, it is associated with PA indirectly through HSE and the use of HIT for self-regulation (b_p = .0003, se = .0001, 95% CI [.0002, .0004]). These findings highlight the association between HRSMU and health behaviors, as well as the need for gender-tailored interventions to strengthen cognitive factors during health behavior change.

In this study, we examine opioid-related treatment negotiations during primary care visits for chronic pain. We video-recorded 86 visits involving established patients on chronic opioids seeing primary care physicians; participants completed post-visit assessments. We used conversation analysis to identify patient requests (direct and indirect) for better pain control, create a taxonomy of eight "deflection" practices physicians used to respond before making opioid-related treatment recommendations (gathering information, evaluating pain, quelling, proposing alternative treatment options, empathizing, praising positive behavior change, warning about opioid risks, and discussing the pain contract), and identify seven visit-level physician communication styles (staller, quick-to-decide, positive affirmation, policer, no-stone-left-unturned, forward-focused, and heterogeneous). We used generalized linear mixed models to explore whether deflection frequency or visit style were associated with participant experience. Most patients (96%) used indirect requests to ask for better pain control. On average, physicians produced 67 deflections before articulating treatment recommendations. More total deflections were associated with worse patient and physician visit experience. Specific deflection practices and visit styles were associated with patient and physician visit experience. Physicians do substantial work before making opioid-related treatment recommendations. Attention to negotiation practices may help explain and ultimately identify strategies to reduce unease associated with opioid discussions.

Building on the social norms theory and the dynamic norms literature, the current study compared the effects of dynamic norms to static norms in the context of vaping cessation (i.e. quitting vaping). The study also examined the additive effect of adding injunctive norms to descriptive norms and tested the moderating effect of individuals' preconceived vaping norms on the relationship between normative messages and vaping-related responses. Young adults (N = 357) were randomly assigned to one of five conditions in a 2 (descriptive norms: dynamic norms, static norms) by 2 (injunctive norms: present, absent) + 1 control between-subjects online experiment. Results showed that dynamic norms were more credible and led to higher intentions to quit vaping, compared to static norms. The persuasive advantage of dynamic norms over static norms on message credibility was more salient when injunctive norms were absent. Moreover, the persuasive advantages of dynamic (vs. static) norms seemed to concentrate on participants with high preconceived vaping norms. Findings, limitations, and implications of the study are discussed.

Often, occupational and physiotherapeutic assessment consultations involve patients discussing their problems in activities of daily living (ADL) and therapists trying to find suitable solutions. These conversations can present challenges since patients frequently reject therapists' recommendations, which can jeopardize shared decision-making, bring interactional and relational tensions, and can mean patients can lose out on potential benefit. This study, in a palliative care setting, is aimed at improving our understanding of how therapists handle these communicative challenges. Based on audio/video-recordings of assessment consultations at an English hospice, we used conversation analysis to examine specialist therapists' recurrent practices for introducing recommendations and responding to patient resistance, and whether/how these enacted shared decision-making. We identified seven practices through which therapists introduced interventions, each did so cautiously, in ways that seemed to head-off or mitigate potential rejection. And we identified seven practices through which therapists responded to resistance, for example, by accepting it or moving on, or by working to sustain the potential intervention as a live matter and potentially beneficial in the future. While a subset of these practices seem restricted to the palliative care setting-namely, those which implicate future deterioration-we suggest that most are applicable across settings in which ADL recommendations are given. These findings fill a gap in practical guidance regarding ADL recommendations in this therapeutic environment, and more generally contribute to our understanding of resistance to advice and suggestions in clinical settings.

Clinicians are called to elicit patient values, goals, and preferences, particularly during surrogate decision making, when surrogates (often relatives or friends) make decisions on the patient's behalf. It is currently unknown which clinician questions work best to initiate a discussion with surrogates about the patient's values, goals, and preferences to guide treatment decision making. We audio recorded 27 clinician-surrogate conversations and used conversation analysis to determine how clinicians elicited patient values, goals, and preferences and how surrogates responded in naturally occurring treatment decision-making conversations. No clinician asked directly what the patient valued or what their goals were. Instead, clinicians asked multiple questions to invite the patient's voice into the conversation. When clinicians asked surrogates what the patient said or would say, surrogates responded by implicitly communicating the patient's values. When clinicians asked broad questions about who the patient was or what they enjoyed doing, surrogate responses rarely were values that were used to inform decision-making about a treatment. Conversely, when specific treatment decisions were asked about for what the patient would want or find acceptable, surrogates at times shared narratives and accounts that conveyed patient values. To incorporate the patient's voice into the conversation, it is likely useful for clinicians to ask multiple questions about what the patient has said, what they would say, and what the patient would find acceptable. In addition, connecting stated values to the treatment decision is essential to ensure that patients receive the care that they would choose for themselves.

As telehealth becomes increasingly central to cancer care, many patients still report low confidence navigating digital communication with providers. Grounded in self-determination theory, this study investigates how patient-centered communication (PCC) in clinical settings can foster patient activation, thereby enhancing patients' efficacy in using telehealth tools. Using a sample of 495 Chinese cancer patients with telehealth experience, we conducted path analysis to examine how six PCC functions relate to four progressive stages of patient activation (role importance, confidence, action, and endurance), and how these, in turn, predict telehealth efficacy. PCC functions such as shared decision-making and support for self-management significantly predicted higher levels of patient activation. Activation stages, particularly role importance and action, were associated with stronger telehealth efficacy. PCC effects on efficacy were fully mediated by activation stages, suggesting an internalization pathway where clinical communication transforms into patients' self-confidence and competence in telehealth contexts. By linking PCC to telehealth efficacy through motivation dynamics, this study advances both theoretical and practical understandings of telehealth care. To support confident use of telehealth among cancer patients, providers should adapt communication strategies that go beyond information delivery to build patients' autonomy and competence, especially among vulnerable populations with low digital confidence.

Promoting adherence to cancer screenings through effective communication campaigns is critical for the prevention and early detection of cancer, significantly enhancing patients' health outcomes. This systematic review aims to assess the effectiveness of tailored messaging interventions in promoting screenings for cervical, breast, and colorectal cancer. Randomized controlled trials conducted between January 2000 and August 2025, which personalized the intervention content based on at least one tailored psychological variable and measured screening intention or behavior as outcome variables, were included. Data were extracted from the PsycINFO, PubMed, and Scopus databases, resulting in the final identification of 42 studies that met the inclusion criteria. These studies were narratively synthesized and critically analyzed. Findings revealed a mixed but promising landscape: tailored interventions were consistently effective when compared to passive control groups (e.g. usual care), but showed more variable success against active, non-tailored message conditions. This superiority was more pronounced for female cancer screenings than for colorectal cancer screening. Successful interventions were consistently grounded in behavioral theories, and a key feature was the use of multiple communication formats, with the vast majority enhancing text with visual or audio components. This suggests that tailored messaging can positively influence cancer screening behaviors, but its value lies in strategic application. Therefore, a promising direction for future research is to explore the conditions under which different communication strategies are most effective. Future studies could develop and test stratified intervention models to investigate for which subgroups a resource-intensive tailored approach provides a clear advantage over simpler, more cost-effective strategies.

Due to well-being movements and the COVID-19 pandemic, the exclusive use of alternative health (AH) treatments has been increasing even for serious and life-threatening conditions. This phenomenon raises critical questions about why and how people avoid conventional medicine for serious illnesses, giving us a unique empirical context to investigate relative risk perceptions in health communication. While previous research has explored factors such as socio-demographic characteristics, health beliefs, and personal experiences, limited attention has been given to the role of health information exposure in an increasingly complex media exposure environment. This study addresses this gap by examining AH media as a key source of health information and its role in shaping medical decision-making through a survey of N = 1,020 individuals in Singapore, a country where AH is widely used. Drawing from the orientation-stimulus-reasoning-orientation-response model, we investigated 1) the mechanism in the relationship between AH media usage and willingness to use AH versus conventional treatments by probing the (serial) mediating roles of risk-benefit perceptions of AH versus conventional treatments and belief in AH-related misinformation, and 2) the moderating role of individuals' critical consuming literacy (CCL) on this relationship. Our findings revealed serial mediation pathways linking AH media use to increased willingness to use AH treatments but reduced willingness to use conventional treatments in serious illness contexts. CCL moderated the relationship between AH media usage and risk perceptions of both AH and conventional health treatments. Theoretical and practical implications for the communicative dynamics of medical decision-making under relative risk scenarios are discussed.