Social Media Commons^™

Online Rights Defense Among Chinese Americans Against Racial Aggression In The U.S. During The Covid-19, Fangzhu Lu, Wenshan Jia

Communication Faculty Articles and Research

Purpose

This study investigates how Chinese American communities responded to heightened racial discrimination during the COVID-19 pandemic by utilizing social media platforms to safeguard their civil rights, articulate collective concerns, and mobilize resistance against racial aggression.

Methodology

Through qualitative case study analysis, the research examines the social media activities of six advocacy organizations, including three X accounts (WashTheHate, Chinese for Affirmative Action, Asian Americans Advancing Justice) and three Instagram accounts (Stop AAPI Hate, Stop Asian Hate, Advancing Justice: AAJC). The analysis focuses on the content strategies and communication mechanisms employed to counteract racial hostility.

Findings

The selected organizations used social …

Tiktok And The Brain: Neuropsychological Correlates Of Short-Form Video Consumption, Caty Enders

Psychology ETDs

Short-form video platforms like TikTok have quickly become the fastest growing segment of social media, thanks to powerful algorithms serving up personalized content driven by large quantities of user data. This study investigates the neuropsychological correlates of digital media use, with a particular focus on TikTok and smartphone screen time among young adults. Combining correlational analyses and an experimental design (n = 49; n = 44 included in final sample), we examined the relationship between digital media use and cognitive and emotional functioning across multiple domains. Objective measures of digital media consumption (daily average screen time and time on TikTok) …

Coverage, Traits, And Geographic Distribution Of Online Surgeon Reviews: Large-Scale Cross-Sectional Analysis, Michael Geng, Carlos Riveros, Yash B. Shah, Sanjana Ranganathan, Kai Fok, Renil Sinu Titus, Vatsala Mundra, Eusebio Luna Velasquez, Dharam Kaushik, Allan S. Detsky, Angela Jerath, Benjamin N. Breyer, Yusuke Tsugawa, Christopher J. D. Wallis, Raj Satkunasivam

Student Papers, Posters & Projects

BACKGROUND: The use of online physician rating platforms has significantly increased and has been shown to influence physician selection. There are limited data on the use of these platforms for rating surgeons.

OBJECTIVE: In this study, we sought to assess the geographic distribution of and patterns in rating scores of surgeons in the United States. Additionally, we examined rating volumes across different surgical specialties and the association between peer-nominated and patient-initiated ratings on online rating platforms in the United States.

METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional study by identifying 201,154 surgeons in the United States via the National Plan and Provider …

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 …

Socio-Spatial Patterns Of Suicide Mortality In The United States, Kushagra Tiwari, M. Amin Rahimian, Marie-Laure Charpignon, Philippe J. Giabbanelli, Praveen Kumar

VMASC Publications

Suicides cause more than 49,000 deaths per year in the United States, including 55% associated with the use of a firearm. Across states and counties in the US, suicide mortality exhibits substantial geographical and sociodemographic heterogeneity. However, the role of large-scale social networks in shaping this variation remains underexplored. To assess how both the risk of suicide mortality and the effect of firearm restriction policies propagate through inter-county social ties, we integrate data on county-level suicide mortality (2010–2022) and the Facebook Social Connectedness Index (SCI), a continuous measure of the strength of social ties between counties used to derive weighted …

Adolescent Girls’ Experiences Of Digital Dating Abuse Through Social Media: A Scoping Review, Kiara E. Rodriguez

Social Work Theses

Teen dating violence (TDV) is a prevalent adverse childhood experience with lasting psychological and behavioral consequences. As adolescents increasingly engage with social media, with 95% of teens aged 13-17 reporting using it, digital spaces have become a significant context in which dating abuse can occur. Digital dating abuse (DDA) refers to patterns of abusive behaviors that are directed toward a dating partner through digital technologies, including social media and mobile phones. Despite the growing role of social media in adolescent relationships, research on how adolescent girls experience DDA in these contexts remains limited. The central question for this scoping review …

From Screens To Stress: Public Health Implications Of Cancer Worry In A Digitally Connected World, Shreya Mathur, Ethan Burns, Michael Pokojovy, Tzu-Liang Bill Tseng, Sunil Mathur

Mathematics & Statistics Faculty Publications

Aims:

This study examines how digital information environments, genetic testing experiences, health behaviors, and psychological distress influence cancer-related worry among adults in the United States. It further considers the public health implications of elevated or reduced cancer worry for prevention and risk communication.

Methods:

Data were drawn from a nationally representative survey of 6,252 U.S. adults. Measures included reliance on social media for health decision-making, smoking status, history of genetic testing, and psychological distress. Multivariable analyses assessed associations between these factors and levels of cancer worry.

Results/Findings:

Reliance on social media for health decisions was associated with greater cancer worry, …

A Qualitative Analysis Of Youtube-Based Dietary Messaging On Type 2 Diabetes For South Asians, Sukhmani K. Dhaliwal

Honors Undergraduate Theses

While South Asians experience a disproportionately high risk of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM), culturally tailored dietary guidance remains limited within healthcare settings. As digital platforms increasingly serve as sources of health information, YouTube has grown as a prominent space for the publishing and consumption of dietary advice. This study examines how diet-related messaging about T2DM is communicated in YouTube videos directed at South Asian populations.

Using qualitative thematic analysis, 21 videos published between 2016 and 2025 by influencers with a wide reach were analyzed. Videos were selected based on relevance to South Asian audiences, focus on dietary management of …

Assessing Sustainable E-Cigarette Prevention Messaging In Public Health Communication, Addo Anim Adinkrah

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

This study examines the sustainability of e-cigarette or vaping prevention messaging on X (formerly Twitter) and the message-design strategies used by public health institutions to maintain message visibility over time. Using the McGuire Communication/Persuasion Model and Media Framing theoretical frameworks, the research employs a qualitative thematic analysis based on Braun and Clarke’s six-phase approach to analyze 506 tweets from official accounts affiliated with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The findings reveal that prevention messages are sustained through repeated core warnings and reinforcement of institutional authority rooted in scientific and …

Associations Between Social Media Usage, Physical Activity And Flourishing In Rural University Students, Anna Dysart, Minu Sara Thomas

Journal of Appalachian Health

Introduction: Most adolescents and young adults report significant use of social media.^1-3 However, there is limited research on the effect of social media use, specifically on physical activity and flourishing.

Purpose: This pilot research study examines the correlation between social media usage and the physical activity and flourishing levels of college students at a rural university in Appalachia.

Methods: The authors conducted a survey including the validated Secure Flourishing Index and Stanford Leisure-Time Activity Categorical Item, containing questions on social media use and demographics. Spearman’s rho was used for nonparametric correlations. Pearson’s correlation was used to determine the correlation …

Infectious Disease Crisis Communication After The Covid-19 Pandemic, Macy Lloyd

Capstone Experience: Master of Public Health

Since the COVID-19 pandemic, the United States has experienced a proliferation of mis- and disinformation, an increasing politicization of health and science, and growing distrust in government, science, and institutions. While these trends present challenges for normal public health communications, during a public health emergency, such as an infectious disease outbreak, these challenges are even more acute. To address challenges at the local level, health departments need plans, products, and tools that adapt health crisis communications to the current media environment and meet community members where they are across the trust continuum. To develop an infectious disease incident communication plan, …

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 …

Adolescent Online Leisure, Media Literacy, Online Victimization, And Multifaceted Well-Being During Covid-19: The Role Of Parental Support, Yunqi Wang

Dissertations and Doctoral Documents, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2023–

The rapid advancement of the internet and digital technology has provided opportunities for adolescents to conduct leisure activities online on a daily basis. However, research on adolescent technology use and mental health often highlights negative effects without carefully examining the specific mechanisms, which overlooks the complexity of effects of online behaviors on adolescent well-being and the importance of developing adolescents’ media literacy skills. Moreover, despite the crucial role of family dynamics in adolescent development, research on how parental support and involvement might affect adolescent technology use and well-being is still limited. The current study retrieved data from Programme for International …

The Ethical Dilemma Of Social Media, Janet H. Southerland

New Orleans Dental Association News

Social media has transformed dentistry, enhancing communication, education, and patient engagement. However, ethical challenges, including privacy concerns and misinformation, pose risks. This article explores the benefits and challenges of social media in dentistry, emphasizing the need for ethical guidelines to uphold professional standards while leveraging digital advancements for improved care and education.

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 …

Social Media As Health Educator: An Assessment Of The Understandability And Accuracy Of Tiktok Content About Contraception, Julianna Coleman, Maetal Haas-Kogan, Andrea Pelletier, Rachel Stoddard, Natasha Johnson, Julia Beatini, Nora Sun, Alex Keuroghlian, Deborah Bartz

Department of Family & Community Medicine Faculty Papers

BACKGROUND: Contraception knowledge and attitudes are largely formed from conversations within one's social network. More recently, this network has expanded to include social media. As the fastest growing social media platform, we aimed to assess popular contraception videos on TikTok for content understandability, actionability and accuracy.

METHODS: This is a secondary analysis of the most viewed, contraception-specific TikTok videos that were previously coded as containing educational messaging in a content-analysis study. We assessed videos for understandability (ability to explain a key message) and actionability (identify what they can do to act on that message) using the Patient Education Materials Assessment …

The Psychological Impacts Of Algorithmic And Ai-Driven Social Media On Teenagers: A Call To Action, Sunil Arora, Sahil Arora, John Hastings

Research & Publications

This study investigates the meta-issues surrounding social media, which, while theoretically designed to enhance social interactions and improve our social lives by facilitating the sharing of personal experiences and life events, often results in adverse psychological impacts. Our investigation reveals a paradoxical outcome: rather than fostering closer relationships and improving social lives, the algorithms and structures that underlie social media platforms inadvertently contribute to a profound psychological impact on individuals, influencing them in unforeseen ways. This phenomenon is particularly pronounced among teenagers, who are disproportionately affected by curated online personas, peer pressure to present a perfect digital image, and the …

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 …

Impacts Of Social Media Use On The Wellbeing Of Older Adults : Evidence From China During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Xuying Dong

Lingnan Theses (Doctoral degree)

Given the trend of increasing use of information and communication technologies among Chinese elder population, more attention should be drawn on the relationship between social media use and wellbeing of older adults. This research explores the social media use situation among older adults in mainland China as well as its influences on their wellbeing, and employs a mixed approach including quantitative questionnaire distributed via WeChat social media platform and qualitative interview among Chinese older adults who are over 60 years of age in Jingzhou, Hubei Province. Generally speaking, social media use can improve the wellbeing of Chinese older adults, more …

The Blessed Assembly: Irreplaceable Physical Co-Presence In Worship And Healthy Hybridity Reimagined After The Pandemic In The Digital Age, Yvette, Ying Wai Lau

Doctor of Pastoral Music Projects and Theses

Because of the unprecedented and unexpected force of the pandemic since 2020, most churches around the world have experienced some online worship during the lockdown of their cities or the mandated closure of the church buildings. For many people, online worship seems to be an equivalent, if not better, alternative for gathering together—a physical co-presence in worship—even after the pandemic has ended. As necessary and vital as online worship experiences have been for Christians during the pandemic, the witness of the church from Pentecost throughout Christian history indicates that gathered worship in physical spaces is irreplaceable for faith formation and …

Digital Phobia: An Inquiry For Mapping The Unseen Dimension Of New Digital Anxiety, The ‘Digiphobia’, Amarjit Kumar Singh ,Library Assistant, Md. Arshad Ali , Professional Assistant, Dr. Pankaj Mathur, Deputy Librarian,

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

Background: As technology continues to advance, individuals' interactions with digital platforms have become integral to daily life. Amidst this technological evolution, a novel concern emerges—Digital Phobia, hereafter referred to as “Digiphobia.” This phenomenon, although not previously explored in scholarly literature, necessitates an in-depth investigation due to its potential impact on individuals' well-being. Our research employs a two-step methodology to investigate its existence, implications, and manifestations.

Introduction: This research paper introduces and proposes the term "Digiphobia" as a comprehensive conceptualization of anxiety arising from interactions with digital spaces, applications, and environments. The proliferation of digital technologies has led to the emergence …

Identifying Youth Appeals In Alcohol Alternative Social Media Content Through Framing, Melina Oneal

West Chester University Master’s Theses

Proposed regulations for alcohol advertising prevent beverage companies from targeting people under the legal drinking age. However, similar regulations for alcohol alternative beverages are less explored, which could allow alcohol alternative products to create awareness for alcoholic beverages among youth. Alcohol alternatives beverages, including no-alcohol and low-alcohol products, are increasing in popularity and can function as compliments to alcoholic products to decrease the total alcohol volume consumed or as substitutes for alcoholic products. Framing theory can be operationalized through the Content Appealing to Youth Index, an index of content elements found in research literature to be appealing to youth, to …

How Individuals’ Opinions Influence Society’S Resistance To Epidemics: An Agent-Based Model Approach, Geonsik Yu, Michael J. Garee, Mario Ventresca, Yuehwern Yih

Faculty Publications

Background: Protecting public health from infectious diseases often relies on the cooperation of citizens, especially when self-care interventions are the only viable tools for disease mitigation. Accordingly, social aspects related to public opinion have been studied in the context of the recent COVID-19 pandemic. However, a comprehensive understanding of the effects of opinion-related factors on disease spread still requires further exploration. Methods: We propose an agent-based simulation framework incorporating opinion dynamics within an epidemic model based on the assumption that mass media channels play a leading role in opinion dynamics. The model simulates how opinions about preventive interventions change over …

Reducing Food Scarcity: The Benefits Of Urban Farming, S.A. Claudell, Emilio Mejia

Journal of Nonprofit Innovation

Urban farming can enhance the lives of communities and help reduce food scarcity. This paper presents a conceptual prototype of an efficient urban farming community that can be scaled for a single apartment building or an entire community across all global geoeconomics regions, including densely populated cities and rural, developing towns and communities. When deployed in coordination with smart crop choices, local farm support, and efficient transportation then the result isn’t just sustainability, but also increasing fresh produce accessibility, optimizing nutritional value, eliminating the use of ‘forever chemicals’, reducing transportation costs, and fostering global environmental benefits.

Imagine Doris, who is …

Breastfeeding In Public: A Review Of Literature And Service Learning Experience, Taylor Jehlik, Makenzie Carney

The Eleanor Mann School of Nursing Undergraduate Honors Theses

This article explores the perceptions and beliefs of first-time expectant mothers, their family members, and their social network about breastfeeding in public places. We used experience through Tiny Tusks and reviewed literature to get a better understanding of what social factors play a role in mothers' decisions to breastfeed in public.

Social Media And Mental Health: The Public Health Impact And Future Policy Directives, Renae A. Merrill

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The relationship between social media use among young people and the increasing concerns of mental health problems in the U.S. and globally is on systemic agendas. Furthermore, research on social media use and mental health indicate reasons to suspect a causal relationship, but more work needs to be done. Therefore, this three-article dissertation seeks to explore (1) associations between social media use, personality, and depression; (2) associations between social media emotional support, anxiety, and personality; and (3) the relationship between social media use and mental health using Deborah Stone’s causal stories framework. Findings from this study provide an improved understanding …

Medical Tourism & Communication, Alicia Mason

Faculty Submissions

Medical tourism (MT), sometimes referred to as health tourism or medical travel, involves both the treatment of illness and the facilitation of wellness, with travel. Medical tourism is a multifaceted and multiphase process involving many agents and actors that requires careful planning and execution. The coordinated process involves the biomedical, transportation, tourism, and leisure industries. From the communication perspective, the process can be viewed as a 5-stage model consisting of the: (a) orientation, (b) preparation, (c) experiential and treatment, (d) convalescence, and (e) reflection phases. Medical tourism is uniquely situated in a nexus of academic literature related to communication, business …

Learning From Death: Health Education Considerations For Medical Tourists, Caregiving Companions, And Medical Tourism Providers, Alicia Mason, Sakshi Bhati, Ran Jiang, Elizabeth Spencer

Faculty Submissions

Medical tourism is a process in which a consumer travels from one’s health jurisdiction to receive biomedical treatments or services, thus becoming a patient. This chapter explores how global media frame cases of patient death associated with the medical tourism (MT) process between 2009-2019. A qualitative content analysis of 50 patient mortality cases found that (1) a majority of media representations of medical tourism patient death are of middle-class, minority females between 25-55 years of age seeking cosmetic surgery internationally; (2) sudden death, grief, and bereavement counseling is noticeably absent from medical tourism providers (MTPs); and (3) the acknowledgement of …

Outbreak Communication: Exploring The Relationships Between Health Information Seeking Behaviors, Vested Interests, And Covid-19 Knowledge In U.S. Midwest Populations, Alicia Mason, Josh Compton, Elizabeth Spencer, Kaitlin Barnett

Faculty Submissions

On February 15, 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) Director, General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, stated at a Munich Security Conference, “We’re not just fighting an epidemic; we’re fighting an infodemic,” (Zarocostas, 2020, p. 676). The term ‘infodemic’ refers to the onslaught of both accurate and inaccurate health information surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic. The concept of an ‘infodemic’ was quickly integrated into mass media, popular culture (i.e., documentaries, podcasts), and eventually scholarly literature. In response to COVID-19, health communication scholars have centered on understanding specific messaging strategies such as the use of fear appeals (Stolow et al., 2020), nature of advertising …