Health Communication Commons^™

Understanding Increasing College Anxiety: The Need For Anxiety Awareness Campaigns, Taylor Mosher

Journalism

The following study investigates national trends toward increasing anxiety among the college student demographic with particular attention paid to the ways in which public awareness campaigns may be implemented as a method for reducing stigma, increasing awareness of anxiety conditions, and connecting students to critical resources.

In order to improve understanding surrounding student anxiety, the following research was conducted in two parts. First, secondary national research was conducted analyzing relevant literature surrounding anxiety trends among college students, the response of universities across the nation, and potential methods by which to relieve student anxiety. Following the conclusion of this research, primary …

Parental Messages About Substance Use In Early Adolescence: Extending A Model Of Drug-Talk Styles, Jonathan Pettigrew, Michelle Miller-Day, Young Ju Shin, Janice L. Krieger, Michael L. Hecht, John W. Graham

Communication Faculty Articles and Research

This study extends a typology of parent-offspring drug talk styles to early adolescents and investigates associations with adolescent substance use. Data come from a self-report survey associated with a school-based, 7th grade drug prevention curriculum. Mixed-methods were used to collect data across four measurement occasions spanning 30 months. Findings highlight frequencies of various drug-talk styles over time (i.e., situated direct, ongoing direct, situated indirect, ongoing indirect, never talked), messages adolescents hear from parents, and comparisons of alcohol, cigarette, and marijuana use by drug talk style. This study advances understanding of parent-adolescent communication about substances and holds practical implications for drug …

Perspectives Of Healthcare Practitioners: An Exploration Of Interprofessional Communication Using Electronic Medical Records, Shoshana H. Bardach, Kevin Real, David R. Bardach

Graduate Center for Gerontology Faculty Publications

Contemporary state-of-the-art healthcare facilities are incorporating technology into their building design to improve communication and patient care. However, technological innovations may also have unintended consequences. This study seeks to better understand how technology influences interprofessional communication within a hospital setting based in the United States. Nine focus groups were conducted including a range of healthcare professions. The focus groups explored practitioners’ experiences working on two floors of a newly designed hospital and included questions about the ways in which technology shaped communication with other healthcare professionals. All focus groups were recorded, transcribed, and coded to identify themes. Participant responses focused …

Child-Mediated Health Communication: A Conceptual Framework For Increasing Stroke Literacy In Hard To Reach Populations, Olajide Williams, Ellyn Leighton-Herrmann, Mindy F. Hecht, Alexandra Desorbo, William Gerin, Monique Hedmann, Rachel Shelton, Benjamin Tolchin, James Noble

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

Effectively engaging economically-disadvantaged ethnic minority communities for promoting health has proved to be challenging for a variety of reasons, including factors related to healthcare access, literacy, inadequate or ineffective cultural appropriateness of materials, and the relatively low priority for health due to competing demands related to economic hardship. We have developed a framework of Child-Mediated Health Communication (CMHC), which focuses on children as channels for carrying out health promotion interventions to parents and other caregivers. CMHC is an innovative, alternative strategy for engaging this underserved population, where traditional methods of health promotion have not been successful. We discuss the theoretical …

Examining Risk Perceptions And Efficacy For Healthy Weight Management Among Appalachian College-Aged Students: A Test And Extension Of The Risk-Perception-Attitude Framework, Victoria Ann Ledford

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Obesity disproportionately affects Appalachia and poses a great risk to young adults who already enact poor health behaviors. Research indicates perceptions of risk and efficacy beliefs related to obesity-preventative behaviors are motivating for positive health-related behavioral change. Moreover, literature reveals that social and emotional risks of obesity may be just as motivating as physical risks. The Risk Perception Attitude (RPA) framework posits that efficacy moderates the effect of perceived risk on associated behavioral outcomes. However, neither the RPA nor other literature addresses the role of stigma in this relationship, though obesity stigma has been linked to a variety of negative …

Social Media And Sexual Behavior Among Adolescents: Is There A Link?, Megan Landry, Monique M. Turner, Amita N. Vyas, Susan Wood

Prevention and Community Health Faculty Publications

Background: Adolescent sexual risk taking and its consequences remain a global public health concern. Empirical evidence on the impact that social media has on sexual health behaviors among youth is sparse.

Objective: The study aimed to examine the relationship between social media and the change in sexual risk over time and whether parental monitoring moderates this relationship.

Methods: This study comprised a sample of 555 Latino youth aged 13-19 years from Maryland, United States completing baseline and follow-up surveys. Mixed-effects linear regression was used to examine the relationship between social media and the change in sexual risk over time and …

Evaluation Of The Volunteer Doula Program At Brookings Health System, Jenn Anderson, Rebecca A. Kuehl

Communication Studies Publications

The 12-month research project included interviews and focus groups with key stakeholders, as well as an evaluation of promotional materials. An interdisciplinary team of researchers from South Dakota State University (SDSU) partnered with OB and PR/Marketing staff at Brookings Health System (BHS) to evaluate the volunteer doula program. The team collaboratively recruited participants and developed interview questions for key stakeholders, including: OB nurses and doctors, volunteer doulas, expectant parents, and mothers. Promotional materials were also evaluated by a persuasion expert. Our findings are drawn from interviews with 15 BHS staff, 9 doulas,

Shhhuicide Stories: A Crip Critical Analysis Of Attempt Survivors' Narrations Of Suicidality, Emily Krebs

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Estimations suggest that one person in the United States tries to take their own life every 38 seconds (Yeager & Roberts, 2015, p. 38), making suicide the 10th leading cause of death in the nation (AFSP, 2016). Despite the prevalence of this issue, communication surrounding suicidality remains scarce - as do concrete understandings of what causes the desire to die in the first place. Dominant understandings link suicidality to chemical/neurobiological issues in the brain (mental illnesses), but these claims have not yet been scientifically proven (Hjelmeland, Dieserud, Dyregrov, Knizek, & Leenaars, 2012) and, as this study suggests, biomedical aspects of …

Health Communication Curriculum, Communication Studies

Curriculum Programs

The Health Communication major prepares students to communicate and promote positive health behaviors in professional health care settings and in health advocacy.

Our students learn to design, evaluate, and implement health communication programs in a variety of professional settings. We take an interdisciplinary approach by emphasizing the intersection of strategic communication and health promotion as the foundation for educating individuals and creating healthier communities.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services sees health communication as fundamental to all health–related occupations. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, 20 of the 30 fastest growing occupations are related to healthcare …

Adult Health Literacy, Kathleen Elliott, Moriah Gendelman, Qundeel Khattak, Nisha Quasba, Victoria Trapani, Gaby Witte

ISCOPES Posters and Presentations

No abstract provided.

Senior Wellness: Gracefully Aging Across Generations, Sarah Abuali, Angela Bourassa, Patricia Erickson, Nikki Kupferman, Jay Lloyd-Montgomery, Srividya Murthy, Aditi Reddy, Samira Tella, Kevin Trac, Taylor Walter

ISCOPES Posters and Presentations

No abstract provided.

Nurse Perceived Barriers To Effective Nurse-Client Communication, Sara J. Brandenburg

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Successful client care depends on effective nurse-client communication. It is essential in meeting clients' needs, providing quality care, and maximizing positive client outcomes. The intent of this thesis was to explore nurse perceived barriers to effective nurse-client communication. A literature review was conducted and nine articles were identified as addressing nurse perceived barriers to communication. Four major barriers were identified: nurse comfort and knowledge, environment, time, and culture and language. Research on interventions to address nurses' perceptions of barriers to effective nurse-client communication may provide a better understanding of communication barriers and address issues created by ineffective communication with clients.

Understanding And Promoting Parent-Child Sexual Health Communication, Shannon Phelps

Theses and Dissertations--Education Sciences

Parent-child sexual health communication (PCSHC) can have a positive impact on adolescents’ sexual health choices, outcomes, and capabilities for communicating with others about sexual health. Many parents are hesitant and feel unprepared for and uncomfortable with communicating about sexual health with their children. Other parental factors as well as child factors can impact the quality, frequency, coverage, and effectiveness of PCSHC. Some adolescent sexual health outcomes have improved, however, teen birth rates in the United States are elevated compared to other developed countries and half of all sexually transmitted infection (STI) diagnoses are made to adolescents and emerging adults. This …

Motivational Strategies For Improving Healthy Eating Habits: A Thematic Analysis Of A Myplate Twitter Campaign, Md Jamal Uddin

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

This study examined the #MyPlateMyWins Twitter campaign from ChooseMyPlate.gov to understand the motivational strategies used to influence people to change their eating habits. Although studies have explored healthy diet promotion in a variety of contexts, researchers have been slower to explore how Twitter is used in this regard. Applying Uses and Gratification (U&G) theory and using a thematic analysis, this paper found three major strategies used by the campaign: Starting with small changes in health behavior; being a healthy eating role model for kids; and, remaining physically active. These findings should be helpful for organizations or individuals to design effective …

Integrating Behavioral Trigger Messages Into A Mhealth System Design For Chronic Disease Management, Scott Sittig

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

Recent changes in health information technology have dramatically altered the face, delivery, and management of healthcare particularly as it relates to mHealth. With increases in smart phone ownership, mHealth potentially has the ability to provide far-reaching transformation of chronic disease management particularly when aligned with behavioral change theories and persuasive technology. MHealth applications have an advantage over computers and various print communications as the consumer can engage with the application at any time and at any location. The Interactive Health Communication Application (IHCA) states that by combining support mechanisms such as behavior change theories into electronic devices as a method …

Blending Qualitative, Quantitative, And Rhetorical Methods To Engage Citizens In Public Deliberation To Improve Workplace Breastfeeding Support, Jenn Anderson, Rebecca A. Kuehl, Sara A. Mehltretter Drury

Communication Studies Publications

To improve breastfeeding support in local businesses in Brookings, SD, researchers from South Dakota State University partnered with Brookings Health System, the Brookings Area Chamber of Commerce, local breastfeeding advocates, and an expert public deliberation moderator to conduct community-based participatory research leading to a public deliberation event. The collaborative team took a mixed-methods approach, using qualitative, quantitative, and rhetorical methods to collect and analyze data across two phases of the project: formative research (Phase I) and implementation (Phase II). During Phase I, the team conducted focus groups and marketed the project. Results from Phase I shaped the conversations at the …

Adherence And Uncertainty Management: A Test Of The Theory Of Motivated Information Management, Ryan Thiel

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

This study examined the main predictors of adherence to a health regimen by patients clinically diagnosed with a heart condition. The theory of motivated information management was used to illuminate salient variables including uncertainty, emotion(s), outcome expectancies, and efficacy assessments. A total of 76 participants completed an online survey, asking about variables related to the theory of motivated information management, adherence, and quality of communication between patient and physician. All together, 90.8% of patients reported properly adhering to their health regimen. The results further indicated that participants had overall low levels of uncertainty regarding their health regimen, and reported positive …

Managing Multiple Goals In Opioid Prescription Communication: Perspectives From Trauma Physicians, Elizabeth T. Adams

Theses and Dissertations--Communication

Prescription opioids and heroin account for more than half of all drug overdose fatalities, claiming an estimated 91 American lives every day (Rudd, Seth, David, & Scholl, 2016). The ongoing opioid epidemic represents a tremendous burden to the national economy and healthcare system (Rudd, Aleshire, Zibbell, & Gladden, 2016). In 2016, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy proposed action to train prescribers on the proper dispensing of opioids, which are indispensable pharmacologic resources for treating acute pain resulting from trauma or surgery. This study examines the prescribing practices of …

Using Social Cognitive Theory To Understand Child And Adolescent Psychiatrists’ Discussions Of Substance Abuse With Their Patients, Kevin A. Wombacher

Theses and Dissertations--Communication

This study investigates factors that influence the conversations that child and adolescent psychiatrists have with their patients about substance use. The goal of the study is to gain a better understanding of salient psychological and communication constructs in this context using social cognitive theory as a guide. The study consisted of a national online survey of child and adolescent psychiatrists (n = 170) focused on understanding factors that affect self-efficacy and communication competence related to discussing substance use with adolescent patients. Results show that communication apprehension has a strong negative association with perceptions of self-efficacy. Results also show that …

A Beacon Of Hope: Inoculating Against Relapse, Allison F. Thieneman

Theses and Dissertations--Communication

Inoculation is a robust theory applied to a variety of health behaviors. Social marketing is designed to change behavior by applying marketing tactics in the context of social change. This study combines inoculation theory with social marketing in the context of substance abuse disorders to promote long-term recovery. This is a pilot project that specifically focuses on the Beacon House, a residential recovery treatment center in Louisville, Kentucky. With the growing drug problem in America, it is necessary to implement effective recovery strategies in treatment programs. The social marketing plan focuses on the target audience to outline potential barriers, motivators, …

Black Women’S Perspectives On Breast Cancer Detection Messaging, Denise M. Damron

Theses and Dissertations--Communication

A qualitative approach was used to explore the influence of mass media campaigns on Black women’s perceptions of breast cancer. The primary purpose of this study was to address the high breast cancer mortality rate among young Black women, thus informing strategies to increase awareness of risk and encourage prevention activities. Black women have higher incidence rates before age 45 and are more likely to die from breast cancer at every age. Although the breast cancer mortality variance has been linked to socioeconomic status, studies have shown that differences in cancer knowledge and beliefs persist even when educational and socioeconomic …

Creative And Novel Approaches To Empathy, Edward Neukrug

Counseling & Human Services Faculty Publications

[Introduction] Near the end of Carl Rogers' life, he wrote a scathing article noting that his conceptualization of empathy had little to do with the popularized notion of empathy that had become known as "reflection of feelings." He may have been particularly angry because there were some apocryphal stories circulating about Rogers' work with clients. One of them goes something like this:

Rogers is seeing a client in his office on the 10th floor of a building. The client tells Rogers that he is really depressed, and Rogers says, "Sounds like you're really depressed." The client goes on to say …

Imatter: Teaching About Puberty, Gender, And Fairness, Nicole Haberland, Debbie Rogow

Poverty, Gender, and Youth

The Population Council created iMatter as an integrated approach to teach younger adolescents about gender, puberty, and fairness. The iMatter Curriculum includes: an 8-session curriculum and puberty booklets ("Theo and Leo Learn about Puberty" explains male puberty; "Lia and Nia Learn about Puberty" explains female puberty).

Scroll down to access the puberty booklets in English and Spanish.

A Systematic Review Of Weight-Related Communication Trainings For Physicians: What Do We Know And How Can We Inform Future Development Of Training Programs?, Jean M. Reading, Morgan Snell, Jessica G. Larose

Graduate Research Posters

It is reported that physicians lack training to address weight-related concerns with patients. To overcome this, training programs have been implemented in medical settings to prepare physicians to have conversations with patients. However, it is unclear the degree of consistency among existing training programs and factors associated with better outcomes. The objective of this study was to systematically review the existing literature in this area to determine differences in content, outcomes, and implementation of existing studies that test weight-related communication training programs for physicians.

A systematic literature review of online databases including PubMed, PsycINFO, and Proquest was conducted with the …

Language Concordance: Overcoming Language Barriers, Pamela Flavin-Lee

Physician Assistant Scholarly Project Posters

• Language discordance is a growing problem facing health care today. Communication barriers can be cultural or language based and are commonly cited as a major contributor to poor patient compliance and health outcomes.

• This research project seeks to identify promising developments aimed at overcoming language discordance through analysis of different translation implementation methods and correlating these with health outcomes.

Designing Effective Messages To Promote Future Zika Vaccine Uptake, Jeanine Guidry

Theses and Dissertations

The Zika virus is associated with the devastating birth defect microcephaly, and while a vaccine was not yet available in early-2017, several were under development. It is imperative to identify effective communication strategies to promote uptake of a new vaccine, particularly among women of reproductive age. Moreover, though the Zika outbreak has received much social media attention, little is known about these conversations on Instagram. The purpose of this dissertation, therefore, was to understand current Zika-focused communication on Instagram and to inform effective communication strategies to promote future Zika vaccine uptake intent.

The study aims were: (1) explore Zika conversations …

Exercise Is Medicine: The Exercise Habits And Attitudes Towards Exercise Counseling Of Medical Practitioners, Zoë Roberts

Masters Theses

The purpose of this research was to examine the exercise habits of practicing physicians, physician assistants (PA), and nurse practitioners (NP) in Illinois to better understand their attitudes towards counseling their patients on exercise, and to analyze the frequency that these health care providers incorporate exercise counseling into their practices. Current data has revealed the exercise habits of physicians and how it has influenced the physicians' exercise counseling behaviors. But PAs and NPs have not been included in research collectively as a medical team on the topic using exercise counseling and prescription for patient care and treatment. The research was …

Knowledge And Behavioral Patterns Of Youth Ice Hockey Parents Regarding Sport Concussion: A Pilot Study, Jeff G. Konin, Delaney Horsley

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

Purpose: There is an abundance of available concussion education programs for parents of youth ice hockey players. Parents play a vital role in recognizing signs and symptoms of a concussion sustained by a child, and therefore their knowledge and retention of such information is deemed to be very important. The purpose of the pilot survey is identify the general knowledge parents of youth ice hockey players possess regarding concussion. Methods: A survey of a sample of convenience was utilized. Forty-five parents (40 to 49 years of age) of youth ice hockey players were asked to complete a one-page survey to …

The Effect Of Perceived System Risks On His Misuse Intention: The Role Of System Resilience Under The Context Of Disasters, Dheyaaldin Alsalman, Insu Park

Research & Publications

Although, the usage of healthcare information systems (HIS) has provided many potential benefits such as enhancing the availability, accessibility and readability of information, healthcare information security has become a growing public concern. Most of the studies have shown the importance of sanctions, information security policy, and information awareness programs in reducing IS misuse behavior, but individuals may still tend to engage in inappropriate behaviors, especially under the context of disasters. The vulnerabilities and risks associated with the HIS could be very extreme under disasters, which may cause employees to misuse their HIS for the sake of delivery of health services …

Health Social Network Websites: Design Features And Users’ Participation, Mohammad A. Al-Ramahi, Insu Park

Research & Publications

Patients are increasingly utilizing health Social Network Sites (SNSs) to share useful health information and support with peers. The long-term viability of health SNSs depends critically on voluntary contributions by their members, which in turn relies on members’ participation. Literature examined the drivers of users’ participation in online communities and suggested that social identity plays important roles in determining virtual community members’ participation and contribution to the community. However, little known regarding healthcare SNSs design features that facilitate users’ social identity. With such knowledge, it could determine the most effective design features that motivate higher levels of participation, which in …