Health Communication Commons^™

Nourishing Births: A Program Evaluation Proposal For Community-Based Nutrition Education, Food Access, And Garden Engagement Among Black Birthing People, Naa Deedei-Vera Hammond

Master's Projects and Capstones

Black birthing people in the United States continue to experience unequal maternal health outcomes, shaped in part by racism and barriers to nutritious food, culturally relevant health education, and supportive community spaces. While prenatal nutrition education and food assistance programs can provide important resources, information alone cannot address the challenges many people face when trying to access healthy and affordable food during pregnancy. The Nourishing Births Initiative is a proposed community-based maternal health program designed to respond to these needs by bringing together prenatal nutrition education, help connecting to food resources, community gardening, and peer support for Black birthing people …

E-Health Literacy And Cyberchondria Severity Among Adolescent High School Students: A Cross-Sectional Study, Seyda Çavmak, Adem Bilgin

Makara Journal of Health Research

Background: Amid rapid digitalization and the growing use of artificial intelligence-based search engines, adolescents increasingly seek health information online. This study examined the relationship between high school students' e-health literacy and their cyberchondria tendencies.

Methods: This quantitative, cross-sectional study included 683 students from public high schools in Mersin, Türkiye. Data were collected using a Demographic Information Form, the e-Health Literacy Scale (eHEALS), and the Cyberchondria Severity Scale Short Form (CSS-12). Descriptive statistics, comparative tests, and Pearson correlation were applied (p < 0.05).

Results: Students' e-health literacy and cyberchondria severity were moderate. Significant positive correlations emerged between e-health literacy …

Hubungan Paparan Informasi Anemia Dan Tablet Tambah Darah (Ttd) Melalui Media Digital Dengan Kebiasaan Konsumsi Makanan Ibu Hamil Berdasarkan Food Frequency Questionnaire (Ffq), Muthiah Salsabilah, Bernadette Oktavia Jelita, Thariq Zafar Surapati, Alya Khairunnissa, Primasti Nuryandari Putri, Ratu Ayu Dewi Sartika

Perilaku dan Promosi Kesehatan : Indonesian Journal of Health Promotion and Behavior

Background: Proper nutrition is important for the mother and baby. The media is an important source of information for every pregnant woman, but the information might be inaccurate.

Aim: This study aims to examine the association between exposure to digital media information on anemia and iron-folic acid (IFA) supplementation and the food consumption habits of pregnant women as measured by the Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ) at Puskesmas Kecamatan Beji, Depok City in 2024.

Method: This study utilized a cross-sectional design involving secondary data analysis of the 2024 antenatal care (ANC) survey conducted at Beji Primary Health Center, Depok City. Purposive …

Determinants Of Corporal Punishment And Severe Physical Punishment In Egypt: A Mixed-Methods Analysis For Child Protection Policy, Marwa Moustafa Nassef

Theses and Dissertations

Corporal punishment (CP) and severe physical punishment (SPP) remain a major public health, child rights, and child protection policy concern. In Egypt, despite legislative reforms, survey-weighted analysis of the 2021 Egypt Family Health Survey (EFHS) 2021 (CAPMAS, 2022) reveals prevalence rates of 60.5% for CP and 27.4% for SPP among children aged 1–14 (author’s calculations using EFHS-2021, n=7623), yet evidence distinguishing the determinants of routine corporal punishment from escalation to severe physical punishment remains limited in low- and middle-income contexts. Guided by Bronfenbrenner’s ecological framework, this mixed-methods study identifies key drivers of CP and its escalation to SPP among Egyptian …

Barriers And Facilitators Of Childhood Immunization: A Mixed Methods Assessment Of Health Care And Community Health Professionals’ Observations, Jenny Dong

Theses/Capstones/Creative Projects

Childhood immunization has led to significant decreases in the burden of infectious disease morbidity and mortality. Despite these contributions, U.S. childhood vaccination rates have been declining in recent years, and updates to the federal immunization schedule have removed recommendations for several childhood vaccinations. Amid such an uncertain public health landscape, understanding how environmental conditions affect childhood immunization behaviors is crucial for ensuring that children receive the vital protections vaccines offer. Thus, the purpose of this study is to examine the barriers and facilitators of childhood immunization observed by Nebraska health care professionals (HCPs). This study utilized an online questionnaire and …

An Impact Assessment Of The Effectiveness Of Utilizing Informal Health Communication Interventions To Spread Health Recommendations And Change Public Perception, Lina Mohamed Ezzat Ahmed Abdel Mawgoud

Theses and Dissertations

Brain health is an increasingly urgent but critically under-addressed public health priority in Egypt and the wider MENA region. Despite its centrality to aging, productivity, and overall quality of life, public understanding of brain health remains limited, and stigma continues to shape responses to dementia and cognitive decline. This study evaluates the effectiveness of informal, culturally adapted health communication as a tool to shift perception, increase awareness, and promote behavior change among non-medically trained adults in Egypt.

Grounded in global evidence on cognitive reserve, neuroplasticity, and the life-course approach to brain health, the intervention translated expert-informed brain health recommendations into …

Viral Misunderstandings: Reddit Posts And The Covid-19 Infodemic, Julia C. Knutson

Scripps Senior Theses

Information epidemics or “infodemics” became the center of misinformation conversations, due to a global increase in information spread surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic. While many academic scholars and institutions, such as the World Health Organization (WHO) attribute the cause of infodemics to anti-science attitudes and the public’s lack of scientific literacy, scholars in Science, Technology, and Society argue that analyzing misinformation within these isolated bounds limits our understanding of its underlying social and historical contexts. Using the COVID-19 pandemic as a case study for misinformation analysis reveals a gap in our current understanding of how people who resonate with or spread …

A Social Media Campaign And Web-Based Survey About Prostate Cancer Genetics: Mixed Methods Study, Amy Leader, Stacy Loeb, Preethi Selvan, Ashley Hunter, Rebecca Hartman, Scott Keith, Veda Giri

Department of Medical Oncology Faculty Papers

BACKGROUND: Germline genetic variants are important for prostate cancer (PCa) management and hereditary cancer risk assessment, but testing is underused. Furthermore, patients are often unaware of the genetic connections to PCa. Social media is increasingly serving as a source of awareness for health information and a method to gather data from a large population.

OBJECTIVE: There were three objectives: to (1) create and test social media messages related to PCa genetics and genetic testing, (2) determine which social media message was most engaging, and (3) assess knowledge of and attitudes toward PCa genetic testing through an online survey using the …

Parental Expectations Of Pediatric Care For Children, Brenan T. Cash, Jacquelyn D. Wiersma-Mosley, Donia Timby, Laura Herold

Discovery, The Student Journal of Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences

Access to childhood pediatrics is a major factor for a full and healthy childhood for all children from adolescence to adulthood. However, the physical health aspect has been the main focus of most primary care clinics, and there is little focus on mental health. Mental health issues, which involve anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress, are more prominent than they have ever been, as up to 30% of children have experienced mental health issues that involve post-traumatic stress disorder, especially during the pandemic years. This study employed a non-experimental, quantitative analysis utilizing online closed-ended survey questions. Caretakers were offered an anonymous, …

Enhancing Cataract Surgery Outcomes: Optimal Use Of Pre- And Post-Operative Eye Drops, Keith Skolnick M.D., Anu Valiaveedu

Mako: NSU Undergraduate Student Journal

Many preoperative and postoperative cataract patients struggle with comprehending the use of prescription medication as directed. Language barriers and low health literacy levels are major factors contributing to improper use of prescriptions. To increase patients comprehension, the Fort Lauderdale Eye Institute employed an educational intervention consisting of a live presentation and an instructional video. Results found that 44% of patients were hesitant to ask questions to clinical staff, 32% felt overwhelmed, and nearly 70% lacked confidence in using their prescribed eye drops. Following the intervention, 91% of patients reported increased confidence in their medications, and most indicated that the video …

A Feasibility Study To Mitigate Arsenic Exposure In Well Water In Oregon, Christine Lucas-Woodruff, Veronic L. Irvin, Laura Nielsen, Meghan Megowan, Lilly Anderson, Julia Pavlosek, Molly Kile

Journal of Extension

Approximately 13 million households in the United States rely on private wells for their drinking water. It is the homeowner’s responsibility to manage the quality of water in their private wells. There are many toxic contaminants that can be present private wells that can negatively impact health. Extension Agents are well positioned to assist homeowners in understanding how to manage toxics in private wells. This study demonstrated the feasibility that motivational education provided by an Extension Agent’ trained in motivational interviewing techniques is able to help homeowners with private wells mitigate their exposure to arsenic by adopting appropriate water treatment.

Eco-Emotions And Climate Activism In Adolescents, Julianna Sahoo

Master's Projects and Capstones

Background. Youth are especially vulnerable to climate change, both physically and psychologically. Combatting climate change will require a coordinated, global effort. Understanding the motivations and emotions behind climate activism is essential to coordinate efforts to combat climate change.

Methods. This research uses survey data collected from first and second year undergraduates (n=521) at a private, urban university in California in the Fall of 2022. Youth were surveyed on emotions related to climate change, activism, compassion, eco-anxiety, and well-being.

Results. Experiencing positive emotions had a stronger relationship with environmental activism compared to negative emotions.

Conclusion. Results suggest climate change communications should …

Public Understanding Of And Engagement With Community Health Workers And Promotores De Salud: Findings From Two National Surveys, Elizabeth A. Rohan, Julie S. Townsend, Andrea Torres, Hope L. Thompson, Dawn M. Holman, Avid Reza, Felicia Solomon Tharpe, Erin Caple, Ashley Wennerstrom

School of Public Health Faculty Publications

INTRODUCTION: Community health workers (CHWs) can improve health by helping people navigate health care services and systems and connecting them to community services that address nonmedical factors such as food insecurity, housing, and transportation. While CHWs have long been part of the US public health system, there are no data, to our knowledge, on the public's familiarity and interactions with CHWs. METHODS: We analyzed data from the 2022 Porter Novelli FallStyles and Estilos surveys, online market research surveys of the general public delivered in English (FallStyles) or primarily Spanish (Estilos). Each survey asked the same 4 questions on familiarity and …

Black Men And Health Literacy: Strategies For Improvement In A Digital Age Through The Adaptation Of A Chronic Disease Self-Management Program, Evelina Weidman Sterling, Laura Stevens, Vanessa Robinson-Dooley, Tyler Collette

Faculty Articles

Health literacy is a critical determinant of health outcomes, yet it is often overlooked, particularly among marginalized groups. This paper explores the significance of health literacy, with a particular focus on low-income African American and Black (AA/B) men, a population that faces unique challenges due to intersecting factors such as race, gender, socioeconomic status, and educational disparities. We examine how these factors contribute to health literacy gaps, highlighting adverse effects on health outcomes for AA/B men compared to the general population. Additionally, we stress the growing importance of digital literacy in an increasingly technology-driven world. Not actively addressing digital health …

Healthy Moms/Healthy Babies Of Mississippi Initial Provider Engagement And Student Feedback Loop Project, Corban Jackson Mph, Jillian Harper-Peavy Lmsw, Imh-E, Starica Harper, Vernesia Wilson Phd, Mph

Journal of Public Health in the Deep South

Background Between 2017 and 2022, 83% of maternal deaths in Mississippi were preventable. Unfortunately, there is a persistent shortage of OB-GYNs in Mississippi, feeding the rise of maternal care deserts and the lapse in collaboration between providers and state maternal health organizations. Purpose Healthy Moms/Healthy Babies of Mississippi, a care management program for high-risk mothers and infants, has partnered with the Mississippi Alliance for Innovation on Maternal Health initiative (AIM) to improve maternal health outcomes through building healthcare networks with existing providers. Methods 33 medical students from the University of Mississippi Medical Center School of Medicine and William Carey University …

Development Of Preventive Dental Guidelines In The Primary Healthcare Setting In Egypt: A Delphi Method, Basant Mehriz

Theses and Dissertations

This study addresses the critical need for standardized preventive dental care guidelines within Egypt's primary healthcare system amid the rising burden of oral diseases. Through a systematic two-phase methodology combining a comprehensive literature review and a Delphi consensus-building process engaging 35 dental professionals, the research established priorities for contextually appropriate preventive measures. The consensus framework revealed strong support for clinical interventions (mean of 83% agreement), particularly fluoride-based prevention; community initiatives (mean of 83%), especially school-based programs; policy measures (mean of 77%) such as workforce and educational development, though with variable support for taxation and social determinants approaches. Statistical analysis demonstrated …

It Is Not Clear How Well Physical Activity Promotion Materials Are Understood: Findings From A Rapid Literature Review, Jafra D. Thomas, Jasmine C. Wong, Regina F. Hockert, Yi Sheng Wu, Winston Kennedy

Topics in Exercise Science and Kinesiology

Topics in Exercise Science and Kinesiology Volume 6: Issue 1, Article 6, 2025. Efforts to promote physical activity and other health-related behaviors are more effective when resource materials are understood by a wide and diverse audience. Before our lab’s previous investigations (Thomas et al., 2024), only one study seemed to use the cloze procedure to directly test the comprehension (i.e., readability) of physical activity promotion material (Cardinal & Seidler, 1995). Thus, this rapid literature review sought to (a) determine the extent the cloze procedure has been used to study physical activity promotion material comprehension in lay adults and (b) collate …

Assessing The Impact Of The Covid-19 Pandemic On Health Literacy In Patients Presenting To A Student-Run Free Clinic, Sabah Iqbal, Kirsten Carlberg, Krisha S. Patel, Ashlyn Mcclelland, Sarah Marotta, Rebecca Moore

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Background

Health literacy as defined by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), refers to an individual’s ability to find, understand, and use health information and services1. This definition has evolved with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic and increasing emphasis on preventative healthcare. We aimed to observe the impact of the pandemic on the health literacy of patients in a free community clinic run by medical students.

Hypothesis

This study aims to assess the effect of various demographic and socioeconomic factors and the COVID-19 pandemic on health literacy levels estimated by the NVS assessment in the patient population …

Promoting Safe Firearm Storage Through Media-Based Interventions, Abigail Bordelon

Health, Human Performance and Recreation Undergraduate Honors Theses

Given the ongoing phenomenon of unintentional pediatric firearm deaths, this project seeks to examine how the mainstream media reports on these events and how media frames could be altered to better promote public health prevention efforts.

Resilience And Reality: Exploring The Lived Experiences Of People Living With Hiv In Texas During The Covid-19 Pandemic – A Qualitative Study., Ahmed F. Alanazi

Social Work Dissertations - Archive

This study investigated the lived experiences of individuals living with HIV (PLWH) in the Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) area of Texas during the COVID-19 pandemic, using an Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) framework. The research examined the intersection of health, social dynamics, and psychological resilience among PLWH, who faced compounded vulnerabilities due to systemic inequities and the dual public health crises of HIV and COVID-19. Through semi-structured interviews with ten participants from diverse backgrounds, the study captured the profound impacts of disrupted healthcare systems, heightened stigma, and social isolation on this marginalized population. The findings reveal that the pandemic exacerbated existing inequities …

Small Town Voices And Stories: Rural Older Populations And Health Narratives, Wyatt K. Zumbahlen

Masters Theses

Stories play a vital role in our humanity; they help us understand the world around us. As we age, our experiences, along with those of the people around us, shape our perceptions of health and influence our healthcare choices. For older adults, narratives become an essential resource in making healthcare decisions. In rural communities like Coles County, Illinois, these stories are especially important for older adults who are navigating the limited care and services available in the area. This reliance on narratives impacts their willingness to seek care, highlighting the need to recognize the power of stories in empowering older …

Minds, Made Up Or Malleable? Covert Commands At The Eclipse Of Vaccine Communications, David H. Lee

Publications and Research

Abstract: Although millions have died from SARS-CoV-2 illness, COVID vaccines are credited with stemming the tide. Vaccinations and boosters significantly decrease the incidence of severe illness and death (even if they don’t usually prevent COVID-19 infection). Despite the success of global vaccination efforts, frequent reports of vaccine hesitance and refusal suggest that public health communications need improvement.

The chapter begins by acknowledging adverse events associated with COVID vaccination, including rare cases of anaphylaxis, GBS, and myocarditis. An inoculation-theoretic rationale is offered for this admission of vaccine risks: just as immune defenses mount when organisms are exposed to pathogens, so too …

Vaccines And Publics: A Variety Of Engagement Experiences, David H. Lee

Publications and Research

This chapter is about some of the sites and scenes where members of the public are exposed to (and engage in) vaccination discourse. To preview, after a brief introduction, we begin with messaging models of communication, followed by the move from messaging to engagement. Next, case examples of public engagement with vaccines are introduced, from pandemic influenza preparedness in the U.S., to polio eradication initiatives in India, and then to COVID-19 public engagement events in England. Settings of public engagement are noted, including online, in churches and museums. Then, there’s a section about communication and public participation, seen as either …

Obesity: Influencing Behavioral Consumption Through Meal Kit Distribution, Alejandro Hernandez

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Founded in 2002, Everyone’s Harvest is a grassroots nonprofit dedicated to providing access to healthy, affordable fruits and vegetables through certified farmers markets and community food programs. Its key initiatives—Fresh Rx, Market Match, Edible Education and Farms Together —focus on alleviating nutrition insecurity and combating diet-related health conditions by providing vulnerable populations the resources to purchase, or receive, fresh produce and gain nutritional knowledge. This study explores a new intervention: the distribution of farmers' market meal kits as a complementary strategy to the current Edible Education program. These meal kits, which feature seasonally available produce and pre-measured ingredients, aim to …

Primary Prevention And Motivational Interviewing: Patterns In Athletic Training, Mark C. West, Justin P. Young, Matthew J. Rivera, Kenneth E. Games

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

Background: The BOC practice analysis defines the first domain as Risk Reduction, Wellness and Health Literacy including, “Promoting healthy lifestyle behaviors with effective education and communication.” There is limited evidence on primary prevention measures athletic trainers (ATs) use to address health-related behaviors. Motivational interviewing is an evidence-based patient-centered style of communication used to help patients modify detrimental health behaviors to improve health outcomes. The purpose of this study was to explore knowledge and practice patterns of primary prevention and motivational interviewing in athletic training. Methods: We used a cross-sectional, web-based survey (Qualtrics, Provo, UT). The survey contained demographic questions, …

The Role Of Indonesian Doctors As Content Creators In Fighting Health Hoaxes, Myths, And Stigma On Social Media, Lydia Okva Anjelia, Deddy Mulyana, Jenny Ratna Suminar

JURNAL KOMUNIKASI INDONESIA

Amidst the proliferation of disinformation and misinformation related to health on social media, the public must ensure that the sources of information are trustworthy. This research aims to explain the role of doctors in the fight against health hoaxes, myths, and stigma spread through social media. The study adopts qualitative research with a phenomenological approach to understand doctors' experiences and perceptions regarding their efforts to address health hoaxes, myths, and stigma on social media. Fifteen doctors as content creators in Jakarta and Bandung were selected as informants using purposive sampling. The data was collected through interviews, observation participation, and documentation …

Staff Perspectives Of Deaf And Hard Of Hearing College Students’ Alcohol Use, Christine L. Gannon, Theresa H. Gibble, Retta Evans

Journal of Social, Behavioral, and Health Sciences

A predominant health issue at colleges and universities is alcohol use. This is also true for deaf and hard of hearing college students. Key stakeholders who observe and witness this alcohol dynamic are staff. Researchers used a semi-structured qualitative guide to interview Gallaudet University staff (N = 26) to learn about their perspectives on and experiences with student alcohol use. Through thematic analysis, they identified several dominant themes that were then grouped into the three levels of the social-ecological model. First, they identified intrapersonal factors, including fear of missing out and coping strategies. Second, they identified interpersonal factors such …

Exploring Healthcare Chatbot Information Presentation: Applying Hierarchical Bayesian Regression And Inductive Thematic Analysis In A Mixed Methods Study, Samuel Nelson Koscelny

All Theses

High blood pressure, also known as hypertension, significantly increases the risk of heart disease and stroke, which are leading causes of death in the United States. While contributing to over 691,000 deaths in 2021 alone in the United States (U.S.), it also imposes immense economic burden on the healthcare system, costing approximately $131 billion annually. One way to address this issue is for increased self-care behaviors and medication adherence, both of which require sufficient health literacy. Despite the importance of health literacy, 90% of U.S. adults struggle with health-related subjects. Overcoming the issues associated with health literacy requires addressing the …

Framing The Path To Fitness: Age Differences In Response To Framed Exercise Messages, Iliya Sherif, David B. Taullahu, Alyssa R. Minton, Joseph A. Mikels

DePaul Discoveries

Physical activity is one of the most protective health behaviors one can engage in, yet 75% of active adults in the US, meaning those who exercise regularly, fall short of the recommended levels of physical activity, with an even greater percentage of older adults living inactive lives, meaning they exercise minimally and engage in prolonged sedentary behavior (CDC, 2019). The goal of the current study was to explore different types of message framing targeted at encouraging older and younger adults to exercise. We recruited older adults (n = 184; Mage = 69.45 years, age range: 65- 80 years) and younger …

Evaluation Of Community Healthcare Workers Of Faith-Based Workers In Northern Omaha, Ashley Piwkiewicz

Capstone Experience: Master of Public Health

The University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC) developed a training and certificate program for Community Health Workers (CHWs) in faith-based organizations in Northern Omaha. Each recruited trainee developed an experimental program they implemented in their faith-based community. This research study aims to explore and analyze the implementation of these programs in the community, the effects that these programs have on the community, and the extent to which the goals of the CHWs' implemented programs were met.

To achieve this, data was collected through a 41-question survey administered via REDCap to 12 CHW trainees. Descriptive statistics of this data were analyzed …