Health Communication Commons^™

Interpretation Challenges In Healthcare Settings As Experienced By Refugees And Healthcare Providers In The United States, Lydia H. Samoff

The Eleanor Mann School of Nursing Undergraduate Honors Theses

Background: Language and interpretation barriers are significant challenges for refugees receiving healthcare in the United States. Both providers and refugee patients associate effective communication with a positive healthcare experience. Therefore, it is important to identify themes in interpretation barriers to promote productive communication between providers and refugee patients.

Purpose: To identify themes in literature surrounding interpretation challenges between refugees and healthcare workers in the United States and compare them to lived experience in a clinic in Northwest Arkansas.

Methods: Several databases were searched, including CINAHL, Medline, HealthSource, and Google Scholar, and articles were chosen with the inclusion criteria being research …

Rhetorics Of Vigilance: Refracting Discourses In Technologies Of Self-Managed Health & Wellness, Haley Swartz

All Dissertations

Rhetorics of Vigilance explores the limits of feminist health rhetorics by examining technologies that promote women’s self-managed health and wellness practices. By establishing a corpus of personal health technologies and associated texts including mobile health applications, pelvic floor training devices, and perimenopause information shared on social media, this dissertation analyzes how discourses refract––redirected and often distorted––to implicate women in persistent self-monitoring. Drawing from interdisciplinary scholarship on women’s health from feminist rhetorical studies, rhetorics of health and medicine, science and technology studies, and digital studies, I theorize rhetorics of vigilance as a framework through which women understand and interpret issues …

Toward The Application Of Natural Language Processing In Electronic Health Record Analysis For Taxonomy Development, Latoya Mcdonald

All Dissertations

Electronic health records (EHRs) are pivotal resources for nurse practice because they increase the timeliness and reliability of patient information at the point of care and support access by multiple healthcare providers and the individual patients themselves. However, it is widely recognized that data extraction from EHRs is challenging due to the variability in the language used in clinical care notes and the lack of standardized terminology across healthcare systems. The broad objective of this dissertation is to develop taxonomy-based classification models for nursing care by applying feature engineering approaches to EHRs that include nursing care of ostomy patients following …

Mapping Outdoor Alcohol Advertising Around Waterways In An Exploration Of Where And What The Advertisements Feature, Justine E. Leavy, Paula Hooper, Gina Trapp, Renee N. Carey, Gemma Crawford

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Background: In Western Australia (WA) social activities occur in aquatic environments where alcohol promotion and consumption may be prevalent creating an aquatic alcogenic environment. This poses a challenge for drowning prevention efforts. Restrictions on alcohol advertising placement near aquatic environments require an evidence-base of how prevalent alcohol outlet availability and promotion is in aquatic environments. We aimed to quantify the presence and content of outdoor alcohol advertising in metropolitan WA and map liquor outlet density and licensed venue proximity. Methods: An exploratory, cross-sectional, observational study investigated the geospatial characteristics of five WA coastal precincts. Digitised navigation maps were produced in …

Do Parents ‘Know Best’ When It Comes To Their Teenaged Children’S Experiences Of Sexual Content Online?, Harrison W. See, Kjartan Ólafsson, Brian O’Neill, Lelia Green, Carmen Jacques, Kelly Jaunzems

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

In 2010, the EU Kids Online project, and aligned AU Kids Online study, interviewed one parent and one child (9–16) from 25,542 families across 26 countries. Information gathered included parents’ awareness of their child’s experiences of sexual content online. This dataset has since been updated by recent ethnographic work in Australia and Ireland, capturing parents’ approaches to managing their children’s (11–17) digital engagement with sexual content. Parents identified risks and benefits in their children’s encounters with adult content online. This article concludes that parents do not judge the efficacy of their digital parenting around preventing their child from seeing restricted …

Motivations And Goals For Combatting Covid-19 Misinformation In Clinical Setting: A Case Study Of Nursing Students., Amarachi H. Okoronkwo

All Theses

The misinformation surrounding COVID-19 disrupted public health efforts to mitigate the virus. This study examined the motivations and goals of nursing students to combat COVID-19 misinformation within clinical settings. Medical professionals are best suited to combat health misinformation due to their expertise and lived experience, but they are not mandated but encouraged to address COVID-19 misinformation. Grounded in qualitative research methods and grounded theory, semi-structured interviews were conducted with nursing students who have had clinical practice after the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Findings reveal that the key motivations and goals for addressing misinformation include the need to educate patients, …

A Comparative Analysis Of Advertising Appeals In Anti- Smoking Advertisements (Print And Online Display Ads) From 1990s To 2020s In The U.K, Ayomide Adebare Mr, Jill Nash Dr

Journal of Applied Marketing Theory

This study provides a comparative analysis of advertising appeals in static anti-smoking advertisements in the U.K. from the 1990s to the 2020s, using quantitative content analysis. The research evaluates print and online display advertisements, focusing on the prevalence of rational (gain-framed and statistical) and emotional (fear and guilt) appeals. The study investigates shifts in appeal usage over time and the broader societal and regulatory influences driving these changes. Findings indicate a strategic shift in public health messaging, moving from fear-based appeals in the 1990s to increased reliance on gain-framed appeals by the 2020s. This study enhances academic understanding of how …

Brand Media And Health Perceptions: A Thematic Analysis Of Generational Differences, Julie Irene Diaz

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis explores the influence of brand identity and media on shaping evolving perceptions of health across generations. The three generations considered are Generation X, Millennials, and Generation Z. The initial hypothesis predicted the popular media and brands that each generation interacts with are most likely to influence their perception. Additionally, the health brands most popular with each generation would influence their overall health perception, based on the identity and values of the brand. A qualitative study was conducted using focus groups to gather data about health perceptions, brand identity, media influence, and holistic health. The findings suggest that individuals …

Shelving Stigma: A Grocery Store Client Choice Pantry Model - A Solution To Food Insecurity In Young Adults Of Marginalized Communities While Eradicating The Stigmatization Of Food Pantry Services, Anna C. Buckley

Honors Theses

An increasing number of young adults, age 18 to 35, are becoming food insecure across America, but disproportionately in urban and people of color communities. However, food pantries have remained a social stigma causing food insecure persons to avoid using a food pantry for hunger relief. Research has shown that the grocery store model for food pantries is most beneficial for staff, while also minimizing the stigma and increasing accessibility for pantry clientele. The purpose of this program proposal is to highlight the feasibility of implementation of a client choice grocery store pantry model at the NY Common Pantry (NYCP) …

Family-Centered Care In Pediatric Oncology, Olivia B. Hope, Jazminne Orozco Arteaga Otd, Otr/L

Spring 2025 OTD Capstone Symposium

Pediatric cancer is a medical condition defined by the development of cancerous cells in children and adolescents. Play is a child’s job; it creates a sense of belonging, fills their internal desire to participate in various environments, and allows them to develop sensory, motor, and cognitive skills. The PEOP model further structured this study by providing a comprehensive framework that considers the interactions between the child, their environment, and their occupational participation. This research project used a qualitative, exploratory design to understand how play-based interventions may enhance FCC in the pediatric oncology setting. Thematic analysis was utilized to create five …

What You See Is Not What You Get: Food Advertising Amidst The Global Overweight And Obesity Pandemic, Marija Ocokoljic

Journal of Marketing and Consumer Behaviour in Emerging Markets

The tandem issue of obesity and overweight is a serious global issue that has attained pandemic scale. Media, particularly advertising, plays an active role in shaping perceptions and behavioural patterns, influencing both how and what people eat. This paper analyses food advertising in Serbia in 2023 in the context of promoting dietary habits. Content analysis of commercials aired on a selection of television stations during the year showed the overwhelming prevalence of ads for food high in fat, sugar, and salt (HFSS), with confectionary products in lead positions. Commercial narratives centre on framing them as sources or catalysts for joyful, …

Facilitating The Use Of Sbar By Nursing Staff For Handoff Communication, Amarillis L. Tompkins

Student Scholarly Projects

Practice Problem: Clear communication during shift handoffs is crucial to minimize errors and ensure patient safety in intensive care. The current SBAR framework used in the MICU is constrained by limited documentation space, which led to communication inefficiencies and heightened risks for patient care.

PICOT: The PICOT question that guided this project was: In the NFSG VA MICU, will staff nurses (P) using a revised SBAR communication tool with a checklist (I), compared to the current outdated SBAR tool without a checklist (C), improve the accuracy and completeness of patient handoff communication (O) over eight weeks (T)?

Evidence: The project …

Evolving Dynamics In The Physician-Patient Relationship Shape Our Experiences In Healthcare, Megumi Ludlow

Student Research Symposium

The physician-patient relationship is crucial for quality healthcare, but it's influenced by key elements that can lead to healthcare disparities. This research focuses on:

• Trust: the foundation for patient engagement and treatment adherence.
• Power Dynamics: The balance (or imbalance) of authority between physician and patient.
• Biases: how unconscious assumptions about patients impact care decisions.

Findings From A Qualitative Analysis: Social Media Influencers Of Color As Trusted Messengers Of Hpv Vaccination Messages, Amelia Burke-Garcia, Erin Cutroneo, Dasha Afanaseva, Kayla Madden, Angela Sustaita-Ruiz, Preethi Selvan, Estefany Rivera Sanchez, Amy Leader

Department of Medical Oncology Faculty Papers

BACKGROUND: Despite HPV vaccination reducing the prevalence of cervical cancer by 90%, vaccination rates remain lower among communities of color due to vaccine hesitancy and mistrust in traditional public health messengers. The emergence of social media influencers, a newer kind of messenger, presents a unique opportunity to share immunization messages in new ways with a variety of communities. This paper reviews the qualitative findings from a study aimed at assessing influencers' perceptions of and approaches to sharing messaging about the HPV vaccine.

METHODS: Guided by several theories (Theory of Planned Behavior, Narrative Theory, and Opinion Leader Theory), the study team …

Information Literacy: How Students Search For & Verfiy Health-Related Information On Social Media, Isabel Sousa

Honors Projects in Communication and Language Studies

Today, younger generations utilize social media to access what they perceive to be reliable and accurate information, yet there are some concerns regarding validity and the ease of which students share information. This thesis evaluates how undergraduate students search for and verify information seen on popular social media platforms and analyzes the proficiency of their information literacy skills. The data collected will be used in determining which social media platforms are most frequently used and trusted by students, which types of sources are used in verification of this information if verified at all, and their perception of information literacy. The …

Estimation Of Therapeutic Threshold For Tuberculosis Using Adapted Nominal Group Technique And Clinical Vignettes In Clinical And Community Settings In Southern Africa, Alfred Kipyegon Keter, Alastair Van Heerden, Tom Decroo, Tom Boyles, Shannon Bosman, Thandanani Madonsela, Lindani Innocent Msimango, Lenika Naiken, Carlos Kiyan, Mashaete Kamele

Population Health, East Africa

Background: When confronted with diagnostic uncertainty and a decision on whether to start treatment or not, clinicians consider the potential harm and benefit of offering versus withholding treatment. Treatment can be offered if the probability of tuberculosis (TB) in the patient is above the “therapeutic threshold” (ThT): the probability of disease at which the expected utility of treating and not treating is the same. We estimated ThT for TB in clinical and community settings in Southern Africa using two methods: an adapted nominal group technique (aNGT), and decisions made based on clinical vignettes (CVs).

Methods: We enrolled health …

Exploring The Web And Language Accessibility Of Medical Tourism Providers’ Websites: Implications For Online Marketing And Patient Recruitment Practices, Alicia Mason, Elizabeth Spencer, Kristen Livingston, Treyton Meyers

Faculty Submissions

Background: Web accessibility as an attribute of the digital presence of organizations has been studied across domains and contexts. Our study aims to add to existing lines of research inquiry by examining the web and language accessibility of medical tourism provider (MTP) websites commonly used to market and promote international medical tourism treatments and services globally.

Objective: This study aims to (1) systematically analyze the web and language accessibility of MTP online health messages and (2) discuss challenges and implications for medical tourists’ user experiences when seeking health information online.

Method: We conducted an exploratory quantitative content analysis of web …

Giving Voice To Student Grief: Using Community-Based Participatory Research To Develop And Pilot A Translational Storytelling Intervention For Bereaved College Students, Cassidy Rae Taladay-Carter

Department of Communication Studies: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The purpose of this dissertation was to employ community-based participatory research (CBPR, Wallerstein et al., 2018) methods to attend to a pressing issue in the community. In partnership with one local grief center, we identified the need for enhanced grief support for current emerging adult undergraduate students in our area. Nearly 50% of U.S. emerging adults enrolled in four-year residential universities experience the death of an important figure (Cox et al., 2015; Cupit et al., 2021), at a time when they are developing important facets of their narrative identity. Without the coherence and meaning structures provided by narrative identity, students …

Ocd Online: Strategies To Build Engagement For Mental Health Content On Social Media, Casey Matthews

Senior Theses

Social media is a tool with the potential to shape health communication. This study seeks to apply models of social media engagement from brand communication studies to explore how social media practitioners can effectively build engagement for mental health messaging. The study takes root in the concepts of social media engagement behavior (SMEB) and active vs. passive engagement outlined in the work of Dolan et al. (2019) and Shahbaznezhad et al. (2022). The application of these concepts to health communication provides new insight into the effectiveness of various messaging strategies—with a focus on OCD, a disorder that faces high levels …

Understanding How Family Dynamics Affect Mental Health Communication In Inside Out: A Content Analysis, Kataryna Morton

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

This study examines the impact of open communication between family members on mental health and a child’s sense of belonging in the film Inside Out. Previous research has shown the impact of media on children’s socialization, which can influence stigma and make it less likely for vulnerable communication to occur. It is crucial for children to learn to communicate their emotions, and the media can play a key role in shaping these beliefs. Inside Out provides a positive example of mental health communication, which is specifically explored through Riley’s communication with her parents throughout the film. Using a content analysis, …

How Effective Are Fact-Checks In Pakistan And Who Engages With Them?, Waqas Ejaz, Sacha Altay, Muhammad Ittefaq

School of Communication Studies - Faculty Scholarship

For fact-checks to be effective, they must first and foremost reach their intended audience. Yet, little is known about what determines engagement with fact-checks and how to enhance their reach. We conducted a pre-registered online survey experiment in Pakistan (N participants = 302, N observations = 1208) investigating the effectiveness of fact-checking, and the determinants of engagement with fact-checks and misinformation. We found that fact-checking reduced misperceptions, especially among the most misinformed. Trust was an important moderator of the effectiveness of fact-checking and of engagement with both the fact-checks and misinformation. For instance, fact-checks were more effective among participants who …

Building Blocks For New Kinship Partnerships And Coalitions, Kathy L. Dial, Daniel J. Koltz, Janet Salo, Erin Beasley

GrandFamilies: The Contemporary Journal of Research, Practice and Policy

Building successful kinship partnerships and coalitions requires intentional effort to establish trust, align goals, and foster inclusivity. These collaborations are essential for addressing the unique and evolving needs of kinship families, who often face limited access to resources due to the informal nature of many caregiving arrangements. Effective partnerships prioritize clear missions, open communication, and active engagement with stakeholders, particularly those with lived experiences such as kinship caregivers. Research demonstrates that coordinated efforts among organizations enhance resource availability, improve advocacy capabilities, and strengthen service delivery. By integrating diversity, equity, and inclusion principles, coalitions can ensure that diverse perspectives shape solutions …

Podcasting Towards Togetherness: Utilizing Podcasts To Improve Departmental Camaraderie And Well-Being, Michael Petrauskis, Colleen Gutman, Rosemarie Fernandez

Journal of Wellness

Introduction: Physician burnout is on the rise, and this is of particular concern in emergency medicine. Burnout is associated with medical errors, adverse events, poor professionalism, and litigation. A sense of community can build engagement and mitigate workplace stressors on well-being. Emergency physicians may have trouble connecting due to the nature of shift-work and various practice settings. Communication technology, and particularly podcasting, has the potential to help overcome these barriers and positively impact relatedness and well-being.

Approach: We developed an inward-facing podcast, “The ER Break Room” within the Department of Emergency Medicine at the University of Florida. Through the …

Children's Views On Outdoor Advertising Of Unhealthy Food And Beverages Near Schools, Jacinta Francis, Elizabeth Ross, Claire Pulker, Sally Brinkman, Joelie Mandzufas, Karen Martin, Justine Howard, Gina Trapp

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Children are often exposed to unhealthy outdoor food advertisements during the school commute. This exposure can have negative public health consequences given childhood weight gain has been linked to the marketing of energy-dense and nutrient-poor foods. This study aimed to explore schoolchildren's lived experiences and attitudes towards outdoor advertising surrounding their schools. Seven focus groups with children aged 10–16 years (n = 47) attending schools located in areas with high densities of unhealthy outdoor advertising were conducted in Perth, Western Australia, between July and October 2023. Study participants were aware of outdoor advertising of unhealthy food and beverages near their …

Modern Digital Query Analytics Of Patient Education Materials On Acanthosis Nigricans: Systematic Search And Content Analysis, Kevin Johny Varghese, Som Singh, Emily Kamali, Fahad Qureshi, Aleena Jamal, Fawad Qureshi

SKMC Student Presentations and Publications

BACKGROUND: Online digital materials are integral to patient education and health care outcomes in dermatology. Acanthosis nigricans (AN) is a common condition, often associated with underlying diseases such as insulin resistance. Patients frequently search the internet for information related to this cutaneous finding. To our knowledge, the quality of online educational materials for AN has not been systematically examined.

OBJECTIVE: The primary objective of this study was to profile the readability and quality of the content of publicly available digital educational materials on AN and identify questions frequently asked by patients.

METHODS: This study analyzed publicly available internet sources to …

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 …

Examining Use Of Data Journalism In Newspaper Coverage Of Health In Kenya: A Case Of Nationwide Cervical Cancer Vaccination., Robert Breen Laban

Master of Arts in Digital Journalism

Kenyan newsrooms increasingly employ visuals to break down complex numbers and stories into lasting mental images to elicit action for impact. The objectives of this study were: to assess how newspaper journalists in Kenya applied data journalism in coverage of cervical cancer vaccination; to determine factors driving application of data in coverage of health in Kenya, focusing on cervical cancer (human papilloma virus -HPV) vaccination and to determine the gaps, challenges and opportunities in using visuals in complementing multimedia reporting in the digital era. The study was based on agenda setting and framing theories. The approaches were qualitative and quantitative, …

A Comparative Content Analysis Of The Standard, Nation And People Daily Newspapers In The Coverage Of Covid-19 Pandemic In Kenya, Sarah Kamande

Master of Arts in Digital Journalism

When the first cases of coronavirus infection emerged in Kenya, the focus of print media moved to cover COVID-19 pandemic stories. This study aimed to analyze how the print media framed the stories for the first 30 days since the discovery of patient zero. The study analyzed 3 dailies; The Standard, Nation and The People Daily. The study adopted the framing, priming and the agenda setting theories. This study employed a descriptive survey design using a quantitative research method. The population of the study was the 3 newspapers. Target population was The Standard ,The Nation and The People Daily newspapers. …

The Effects Of Family Communication Patterns On Young Adults’ Healthcare Encounters, Victoria Esquivel

Communication Theses - Archive

Family communication through childhood is shown to affect young adults’ health decision-making over time. This study examined young adults’ (18-28 years) perceptions of family communication patterns and their effects on avoidance of healthcare encounters, communication self-efficacy, ratings of healthcare quality and trust with healthcare providers, through the lens of Family Communication Patterns Theory. A cross-sectional survey was conducted at a large southern university (n=127). Results showed that young adults from families high in conversation orientation rating their healthcare encounters more positively. Implications are discussed with healthcare providers, educators, and family members in mind. Future research should examine these relationships qualitatively.

Assessing The Impact Of Environmental Health Risk Communication On Cancer Screening Intentions Among Private Well Owners In Rural Communities, Victoria A. Clower

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Background: Cancer is a leading cause of death in Georgia, with rising incidence in rural counties where many residents rely on unregulated private wells. These wells may contain contaminants such as radon, lead, nitrate, and arsenic, all linked to increased cancer risk. Limited research has explored how environmental exposure awareness influences cancer prevention behaviors such as screening. Guided by the Champion Health Belief Model, this study examined psychosocial and environmental predictors of screening intent among private well owners. Methods: Well Aware was an 11-week quasi-experimental study among 60 private well owners in southeast Georgia. Participants who attended educational listening sessions …