Journal of Health Communication最新文献

This article explores the intricate dynamics of "misfluencers," a term we defined to describe opinion leaders who disseminate misinformation in health communication. The advent of artificial intelligence (AI) in communication technology has exponentially magnified the reach and influence of these misfluencers, thereby posing significant challenges. The phenomenon of infodemics, characterized by information voids, misinformation, and disinformation, is largely propelled by these misfluencers. Potential threats associated with AI, such as the generation of prejudiced models and the swift propagation of misinformation, have raised global concerns for health communication. In addition to this, the accessibility of these technologies to both opinion leaders and misfluencers implies that the dissemination of misinformation has a global impact. However, the evolution of "Health Communication AI" as a distinct field offers a promising solution. This innovative field amalgamates the credibility of influential opinion leaders with the power of AI to deliver timely and pertinent health information. This article provides an exploration of these challenges and potential solutions, offering valuable insights into the complex interplay between AI, misfluencers, and health communication.

Patient-facing materials in gender-affirming surgery are often written at a level higher than the NIH-recommended eighth grade reading level for patient education materials. In efforts to make patient resources more accessible, ChatGPT has successfully optimized linguistic content for patients seeking care in various medical fields. This study aims to evaluate and compare the ability of large language models (LLMs) to analyze readability and simplify online patient-facing resources for gender-affirming procedures. Google Incognito searches were performed on 15 terms relating to gender-affirming surgery. The first 20 text results were analyzed for reading level difficulty by an online readability calculator, Readability Scoring System v2.0 (RSS). Eight easily accessible LLMs were used to assess texts for readability and simplify texts to an eighth grade reading level, which were reevaluated by the RSS. Descriptive statistics, t-tests, and one-way ANOVA tests were used for statistical analyses. Online resources were written with a mean reading grade level of 12.66 ± 2.54. Google Gemini was most successful at simplifying texts (8.39 ± 1.49), followed by Anthropic Claude (9.53 ± 1.85) and ChatGPT 4 (10.19 ± 1.83). LLMs had a greater margin of error when assessing readability of feminizing and facial procedures and when simplifying genital procedures (p < .017) Online texts on gender-affirming procedures are written with a readability more challenging than is recommended for patient-facing resources. Certain LLMs were better at simplifying texts than others. Providers should use caution when using LLMs for patient education in gender-affirming care, as they are prone to variability and bias.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) 2023-2024 influenza vaccination campaign emphasized outreach to pregnant and parent audiences due to significant recent drops in influenza vaccination coverage. Pre-testing of campaign concepts in June 2023 included 15 moderator-led, virtual focus groups (9 groups of parents and 6 groups of pregnant women). The Wild to Mild concept was selected based on the findings of this testing, which suggested this concept could successfully reset public expectations around the benefits of influenza vaccination by emphasizing attenuation of illness. For this study, we conducted a thematic analysis of these formative research findings to explore the major themes, which informed the selection of the Wild to Mild campaign concept. Formative research findings provided insight into participants' knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs about influenza and influenza vaccination, as well as their willingness to speak to a healthcare provider about influenza vaccination or get vaccinated after seeing campaign assets. Unexpected findings also strengthened messaging around influenza vaccination to be more persuasive to parents of children and pregnant women.

Health-related information can often be overwhelming for consumers resulting in difficulty in interpretation and application. Historically, art and narratives have played key roles in communication within diverse populations however collectively have received little recognition as a means to enable health literacy. This study aims to investigate patient/caregiver narratives and visual art as a modality to improve knowledge translation and health literacy in the wider community. Nine recently discharged patients and 1 caregiver from a regional hospital were paired with 10 tertiary visual arts students for interview. Each narrative was transformed into visual art and exhibited at a community art gallery and to high school art students. Self-reported questionnaires generated data in subjective experience and learning outcomes. Health literacy was evaluated via voluntary gallery viewer and school student response surveys post-exhibition exposure. Exhibition surveys revealed 96.9% of gallery observers had learnt something new about illness or injury. High school students found the activity had improved (42%) or somewhat improved (38%) their understanding of illness and injury. Our findings suggest patient/caregiver narratives and visual art are equitable and effectual modalities for health service organizations to facilitate, affective and experiential learning, and improve health literacy within the community.

Since 2021, the United States has experienced a significant increase in H5N1 ("avian flu") infections, spreading from wild fowl to domestic poultry, dairy cattle, and some humans, primarily agricultural workers. This study examines urban-rural differences in willingness to receive an H5N1 vaccine and change dietary behavior based on potential CDC recommendations. A survey (Aug 5-15, 2024) sampled 5,000 urban and 5,000 rural participants via online panels and live operator calls. Key measures included willingness to vaccinate and change diet related to dairy or egg consumption in line with potential CDC recommendations, with residence classification as the main independent variable. Logistic regression assessed associations, controlling for demographics and health-related factors. Rural residents were more likely to have heard of bird flu but less likely to perceive it as a threat to humans generally or to themselves personally. After adjusting for sociodemographic characteristics, rural residents were less likely to be willing to change their diets due to potential CDC recommendations, but their vaccination intent relative to a potential H5N1 vaccine was on par with urban populations. Findings highlight the potential to modify behaviors in respect to consuming raw milk products and undercooked foods and accepting potential H5N1 vaccination may reflect institutional trust gaps and cultural dietary norms. Targeted public health messaging is needed to engage rural communities where the epicenters of the current outbreak are occurring.

Social media platforms, such as TikTok, offer an avenue by which users can post brief or extended videos about health topics, such as abortion. In a pair of studies, we examined TikTok videos about abortion and users' abortion-related beliefs. In Study 1, a content analysis of TikTok videos (N = 397) found that the beliefs most frequently conveyed include abortion being a right, being a choice for individuals rather than lawmakers, and being healthcare and abortion bans being dangerous for women and harming sexual assault victims. Additionally, several beliefs co-occurred in these videos, such as abortion being a right and abortion being an individual choice. In Study 2, a survey of adults across the United States (N = 578) found that greater use of TikTok was associated with greater endorsement of some of the most frequently conveyed beliefs from Study 1 as well as stronger connections among beliefs in a manner consistent with the co-occurring themes identified in Study 1. These findings offer some preliminary evidence that TikTok use impacts users' abortion-related beliefs.

This study examined the effects of opioid stigma marks (e.g. "dirty," "unclean") on stigma-related outcomes among a sample of Amazon Mechanical Turk workers (N = 371). Using a 2 (stigma mark: yes, no) by 3 (opioid type: prescription opioid, heroin, fentanyl) between subjects factorial experiment, results indicated that compared to those in the no mark conditions, participants in the mark conditions expressed greater desire for social distance from and behavioral regulation of people with opioid use disorders. Opioid stigma marks were also indirectly associated with more behavioral regulation, more stigma message sharing, and less support for opioid-related public health policies through stigma beliefs. Results advance theoretical understandings of the stigma message effects process and offer practical recommendations for public health communicators and journalists.

Many people, particularly from vulnerable groups, experienced decisional conflict regarding COVID-19 vaccination. To support informed decision-making, we developed and pilot-tested a decision support intervention consisting of a patient decision aid and non-directive decision coaching led by a trained health professional. We developed a training program to prepare healthcare professionals to implement the intervention. To assess the decisional needs of unvaccinated individuals, a literature review and a focus group with community health workers were conducted. The results informed the development of the intervention and the associated training for health professionals, which were then tested regarding their comprehensibility, feasibility, and acceptance. Fourteen health professionals completed a 540-minute training and participated in guided focus groups. The decision support intervention was subsequently tested with laypeople through guided interviews. Data were analyzed via qualitative content analysis. The training was feasible and well accepted, and the competencies to provide decision coaching were acquired. The decision coaching offer was tested in two real and seven simulated sessions. The patient decision aid, comprising an evidence-based COVID-19 information sheet and a decision guidance, was comprehensible and highly accepted by all participants. While the intervention proved feasible, access to vulnerable groups and their willingness to participate remained low.

This study evaluates the efficacy of Media Aware, a comprehensive sex education program with a media literacy education approach, for improving sexual health cognitions among 1139 U.S. community college students (ages 18-19) from 23 campuses. Students were randomized to condition (intervention or delayed-intervention control) and completed pretest and posttest questionnaires. Several main effects of the intervention were found at posttest, including reduced perceived realism of media messages, positive attitudes about risky sex, and descriptive normative beliefs about unprotected and risky sexual activity, and increased self-efficacy to use dental dams. Gender and pretest levels moderated some intervention effects. Women in the intervention group reported less identification with media messages compared to women in the control group. Students in the intervention group who reported lower pretest levels of self-efficacy to use dental dams and to refuse unprotected sex had higher posttest levels on those outcomes as compared with the control group. Students in the intervention group who reported higher pretest levels of normative beliefs about risky sexual activity had lower posttest levels on those outcomes as compared with the control group. Results suggest that Media Aware is a promising method to improve the sexual health of young adults attending community college.