Health Communication Commons^™

Rural Redemption: A Model To Help Understand The Perspectives Of Rural Americans Related To Vaccine Science, Lauri Baker, Ashley Mcleod-Morin, Chen-Xian Yang, Audrey E. H. King, Shelby Thomas, Kristina Boone

Journal of Applied Communications

Rural communities are vital to the foundation of American agriculture and are currently disproportionately affected by health and environmental challenges that will require broad scientific solutions. Cooperative Extension professionals and agricultural communicators are increasingly tasked with communicating about the science surrounding these topics and need effective tools for determining strategic communication tactics to influence personal behaviors. The purpose of this study was to understand the role of community-based social marketing (CBSM) concepts and trust in science on rural Americans’ intentions and attitudes toward the COVID-19 vaccine. A hypothesized model was developed that included concepts of CBSM, trust in science, intentions, …

A Framework Of Social Media Messages For Crisis And Risk Communication: A Study Of The Covid-19 Pandemic, Nic Depaula, Loni Hagen, Stiven Roytman, Deaundre Dyson, Dana Alnahass, Mihir Patel, Alex B. Hill

Urban Studies and Planning Faculty Research Publications

Social media are important channels for crisis and risk communication by government agencies. However, existing frameworks for studying these messages use loose and inconsistent terminology, making it difficult to build on this research and understand how message features impact message diffusion. In this study, we provide a framework based on textual and media dimensions of messages for improved analysis of social media crisis and risk communication. We apply the framework to a sample of Twitter posts from United States local, state and federal public health agencies during a year of the Covid-19 pandemic. Results show reasonable reliability levels for coding …

Examining Public Health Risk Communication Via Social Media By Provincial And Local Health Authorities In Ontario During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Marc Resendes

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Risk communication campaigns are essential during public health crises to inform the public about ways to mitigate, alleviate and manage potential risks. The purpose of this study was to describe risk communication on social media by Ontarian health authorities amid COVID-19, in addition to examining the strategies that guided their social media use. This was completed through (a) a narrative review of risk communication literature; (b) a qualitative content analysis of select health authority Twitter messaging following three major COVID-19 milestones; and (c) key informant interviews with those coordinating social media responses to COVID-19. Information giving and news updates were …

Appalachian Environmental Health Literacy: Building Knowledge And Skills To Protect Health, Anna G. Hoover, Annie Koempel, W. Jay Christian, Kimberly I. Tumlin, Kelly G. Pennell, Steven Evans, Malissa Mcalister, Lindell E. Ormsbee, Dawn Brewer

Journal of Appalachian Health

Environmental health literacy (EHL) is an emerging, multidisciplinary field that promotes understanding of how environmental exposures can affect human health. After discussing the regional relevance of environmental health knowledge and skills, this article describes three ongoing Appalachian projects that are focused on measuring and building EHL.

The Kentucky Cabinet For Health And Family Services’ Response To The Hepatitis A Virus Outbreak In Kentucky: An Idea Model Analysis, Rachel Leigh Cato

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The hepatitis A crisis in Kentucky is unprecedented compared to other states. With thousands of hospitalizations and over 60 deaths in the state of Kentucky alone, there is a need to evaluate the government’s response to the hepatitis A virus (HAV) epidemic. Therefore, the instructional risk communication messages that are being conveyed by the Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services (KCHFS) are instrumental in the education and action plans of Kentuckians who are at risk of contracting HAV.

This study utilizes the IDEA Model Thematic Analysis Codebook as a guide to analyze the KCHFS’ risk communication regarding the hepatitis …

Zika 2016: A 3-Phase Longitudinal Study Of The Media Impact On Public Attitudes And Behavioral Response Characteristics, Karly Kownslar

Electronic Theses & Dissertations

Using the Extended Parallel Processing Model (EPPM) as a theoretical framework, the present 3-phase longitudinal study examines the impact of media exposure to Zika information on public perception of the threat severity, personal susceptibility, and behavioral intentions toward the threat of Zika virus between May and November of 2016. A total of 826 participants took an online survey throughout three phases, roughly one month apart. Participants were recruited using Amazon Mechanical Turk and TurkPrime. Measured EPPM concepts include: perceived severity, susceptibility, self- efficacy, response-efficacy, third-person effects, combined with behavioral intentions. Participants also selected the sources from which they …

The Politics Of Hpv Vaccination Advocacy: Effects Of Source Expertise On Effectiveness Of A Pro-Vaccine Message, Roger Gans

Proceedings of the New York State Communication Association

The Politics of HPV Vaccination Advocacy:

Effects of Source Expertise on Effectiveness of a Pro-Vaccine Message

Persistent public resistance to an apparently safe, effective and life-saving public health practice such as HPV vaccination illustrates a significant issue in the communication of behavioral recommendations based on evidence-based scientific data and consensus views of scientific and medical experts. This study examines the influence of source expertise on pro-HPV-vaccine advocacy messaging effectiveness among audiences of differing political ideologies. The findings support prior research indicating greater resistance to HPV vaccination among political conservatives. Subjects who self-identified politically as Centrists and Conservatives were significantly less …

Public Reaction To Mandated Language For U.S. Drinking Water Quality Reports, Branden B. Johnson

RISK: Health, Safety & Environment (1990-2002)

The author discusses results of a survey evaluating the mandated language for United States drinking water quality reports.