Health Communication Commons^™

Investigating The Practice And Capacity Of Paediatric Occupational Therapists To Promote The Physical Activity Levels Of Children In Western Australia, Sally Coombs

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Reorientation of the Australian health care system to meet the increasing burden of disease requires health workers to develop a focus on disease prevention and health promotion. In Western Australia (WA) a priority area for the promotion of health involves increasing the physical activity levels (PAL) of children in accordance with Australia’s Physical Activity and Sedentary Behaviour Guidelines. There is substantial support in the literature for paediatric occupational therapists, who assist children to participate in a range of meaningful occupations, to incorporate the promotion of children’s PAL into their service. However, there is a dearth of research world-wide regarding occupational …

Short Message Service (Sms) Appointment Reminder Project, Kathryn Wermers

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Practice Innovation Projects

The purpose of this quality improvement project was to decrease the appointment no-show rate at a mid-western primary care clinic by implementing short message service (SMS) appointment reminders. The project director analyzed the cost of the SMS appointment reminders and patient satisfaction with the intervention via telephone participant opinion surveys. The guiding theoretical framework was Nola Pender’s Health Promotion model (HPM). The subjects involved were the primary care patients who had access to cellular phones with SMS capability. The project assistant received verbal consent to send the SMS appointment reminder for a participant. Then the participant’s cellular phone number was …

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 …

Mandates Of Maternity At A Science Museum, From Should To Must, David H. Lee

Publications and Research

A pregnancy exhibit at a science museum is an opportunity to research how medical advice is communicated and interpreted. This paper is about the Beginning of Life area of an exhibition called The Amazing You at the Tampa Museum of Science and Industry, where exhibits are prescriptive as well as descriptive. Expectant women are urged to deliver full-term, normal birthweight babies, by behaving according to prescribed medical norms. This study provides ethnographic descriptions of the exhibits, as well as insights from museum visitors who were interviewed. The exhibits, which emphasize fetal rights and maternal duties, are interpreted and critiqued by …

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 …

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 …

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 …

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 …

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 …

Pictorical Warning Pada Kemasan Rokok: Komunikasi Persuasif Dalam Kampanye Kesehatan, Sherly Hindra Negoro

Informasi

Smoking has became the serious problem which always to be the classical dynamic of
health communication's field. Through health campaign by using pictorical warning in
cigarette packs, Indonesian Government has priority to reduce the number of smokers
in Indonesia. Pictorical warning in cigarette packs was regard as one of communication
strategic for implementing. Health campaign has outcome that could change the
health behavior for the persuadee. Visualization by using image becomes persuasive
communication tools cigarette packs as the communication media. EPPM model was
used to analysis this case. This paper was using literature study to understand this
problem.

Network Engagement Behaviors Of Three Online Diet And Exercise Programs, Hillary Stark, Abdulrahman Habib, Duha Al Smadi

Proceedings from the Document Academy

Online diet and exercise programs offer individuals many benefits not previously afforded, such as convenience and an increased network of like-minded individuals who share relevant information, while at the same time providing different levels of anonymity and engagement. While studies conducted of users engaging in groups on the popular social media platforms of Facebook and Twitter, when dieting have produced notable results, including the most frequent content shared between users, research has not yet been published regarding this topic, in relation to the social media site Instagram. There is also a lack of literature regarding the most engaging type of …

Let’S Tweet!: A Content Analysis Of Health Campaigns’ Usage Of Twitter, Chasiti Gaines

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Capstones

Twitter, a popular social networking platform, offers unique opportunities for sharing and disseminating health-related information to the public. Health campaigns frequently use Twitter to raise awareness and encourage a healthy lifestyle among users. The present study aims to investigate health campaigns’ use of Twitter for promoting strategic health messages and public engagement. Through a content analysis of a sample of national health campaigns’ (Let’s Move!, The Heart Truth, Breast Cancer Awareness & Truth) tweets, the research identifies interactive features and message functions across campaign profiles. This study found that most health campaigns use Twitter as a one-way communication tool. This …

Group Empowerment Capacity And Capability In Associate Degree Schools Of Nursing In The United States, Christy Lee Savell

Dissertations

The purpose of conducting this research was to determine the perception of group empowerment capacity (EC) and group empowerment capability (E) among faculty and administrators in associate degree nursing programs (ADN) in the United States (U.S.), whether there was a significant difference in the scores of EC and E between the two groups and if there was a significant relationship between the mediating variables and EC. The study was conducted online with administrators and faculty of ADN programs throughout the United States (U.S.). Information letters with questionnaire links were sent to all members of the Organization of Associate Degree Nurses …