scholarly journals Online information on face masks in Italian and English websites: deficiencies and responsibilities of search engines

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shaily Meta ◽  
Daria Ghezzi ◽  
Alessia Catalani ◽  
Tania Vanzolini ◽  
Pietro Ghezzi
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Mental Health ◽  
Search Engines ◽  
Information Quality ◽  
Quality Criteria ◽  
Face Mask ◽  
Online Information ◽  
Public Health Agencies ◽  
Health Agencies ◽  
The Usa

AbstractCountries have major differences in the acceptance of face mask use for the prevention of COVID-19. We analyzed 450 webpages returned by searching the string “are face masks dangerous” in Italy, the UK and the USA using three search engines (Bing, Duckduckgo and Google). The majority (64-79%) were pages from news outlets, with few (2-6%) pages from government and public health agencies. Webpages with a positive stance on masks were more frequent in English (50%) than in Italian (36%), and those with a negative stance were more frequent in Italian (28% vs. 19% in English). Google returned the highest number of mask-positive pages and Duckduckgo the lowest. Google also returned the lowest number of pages mentioning conspiracy theories and Duckduckgo the highest. Webpages in Italian scored lower than those in English in transparency (reporting authors, their credentials and backing the information with references). When issues about the use of face masks were analyzed, mask effectiveness was the most discussed followed by hypercapnia (accumulation of carbon dioxide), contraindication in respiratory disease, and hypoxia, with issues related to their contraindications in mental health conditions and disability mentioned by very few pages. This study suggests that: 1) public health agencies should increase their web presence in providing correct information on face masks; 2) search engines should improve the information quality criteria in their ranking; 3) the public should be more informed on issues related to the use of masks and disabilities, mental health and stigma arising for those people who cannot wear masks.

scholarly journals Online information on face masks: analysis of websites in Italian and English returned by different search engines

BMJ Open ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (7) ◽  
pp. e046364
Author(s):  
Shaily Mehta ◽  
Daria Ghezzi ◽  
Alessia Catalani ◽  
Tania Vanzolini ◽  
Pietro Ghezzi
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Mental Health ◽  
Search Engines ◽  
Information Quality ◽  
Quality Criteria ◽  
Face Mask ◽  
Online Information ◽  
Public Health Agencies ◽  
Health Agencies ◽  
The Usa

ObjectiveCountries have major differences in the acceptance of face mask use for the prevention of COVID-19. This work aims at studying the information online in different countries in terms of information quality and content.DesignContent analysis.MethodWe analysed 450 webpages returned by searching the string ‘are face masks dangerous’ in Italy, the UK and the USA using three search engines (Bing, Duckduckgo and Google) in August 2020. The type of website and the stance about masks were assessed by two raters for each language and inter-rater agreement reported as Cohen’s kappa. The text of the webpages was collected from the web using WebBootCaT and analysed using a corpus analysis software to identify issues mentioned.ResultsMost pages were news outlets, and few (2%–6%) from public health agencies. Webpages with a negative stance on masks were more frequent in Italian (28%) than English (19%). Google returned the highest number of mask-positive pages and Duckduckgo the lowest. Google also returned the lowest number of pages mentioning conspiracy theories and Duckduckgo the highest. Webpages in Italian scored lower than those in English in transparency (reporting authors, their credentials and backing the information with references). When issues about the use of face masks were analysed, mask effectiveness was the most discussed followed by hypercapnia (accumulation of carbon dioxide), contraindication in respiratory disease and hypoxia, with issues related to their contraindications in mental health conditions and disability mentioned by very few pages.ConclusionsThis study suggests that: (1) public health agencies should increase their web presence in providing correct information on face masks; (2) search engines should improve the information quality criteria in their ranking; (3) the public should be more informed on issues related to the use of masks and disabilities, mental health and stigma arising for those people who cannot wear masks.

scholarly journals Non-woven materials for cloth-based face mask inserts: Relationship between material properties and sub-micron aerosol filtration

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Leigh Crilley ◽  
Brian Malile ◽  
Andrea Angelucci ◽  
Cora Young ◽  
Trevor C. VandenBoer ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Material Properties ◽  
Face Mask ◽  
Respiratory Viruses ◽  
Public Health Agencies ◽  
Aerosol Filtration ◽  
Health Agencies ◽  
Current Guidance

Current guidance by leading public health agencies recommends wearing a 3-layer cloth-based face mask with a middle non-woven material insert to reduce the transmission of infectious respiratory viruses like SARS-CoV-2....

scholarly journals Description of the Use of the Incident Command System Among Public Health Agencies Responding to COVID-19

2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (5) ◽  
pp. 874-881
Author(s):  
Sarah Elizabeth Scales ◽  
◽  
Roxanna Fouladi ◽  
Jennifer A. Horney
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Emergency Preparedness ◽  
Disaster Response ◽  
Public Health Emergency ◽  
Online Information ◽  
Public Health Response ◽  
Public Health Agencies ◽  
Incident Command ◽  
Accessible Information ◽  
Health Agencies

The utilization of Incident Command Systems (ICS) and Emergency Operations Centers (EOCs) in public health emergency and disaster response are cornerstones of the capabilities prescribed for Public Health Emergency Preparedness (PHEP). To assess the use of ICS and EOCs by public health agencies during the COVID-19 response, we conducted a content analysis of online materials available from 62 health departments funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for PHEP. Bivariate associations between evidence of ICS utilization in COVID response were assessed using relative risk regression. Risk ratios (RR) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) were reported. 58% (36 of 62) of PHEP grantees had accessible information regarding the use of ICS in COVID-19 public health response. PHEP grantees with online information about PHEP, Hospital Preparedness Program linkages, public health seats at state or jurisdictional EOCs, exercises, and ICS generally were more likely to have COVID-specific ICS information. COVID-19 has placed significant strain on the operational response capacity of public health agencies. Given that this is the most significant event in which PHEP Capabilities have been tested, both in terms of geographic spread and duration, assessment of both preparedness and response capacities is critical for recognizing strengths and addressing shortcomings to improve PHEP operations in future incidents.

The Perils of Partnership

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jonathan H. Marks
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Multinational Corporations ◽  
Separation Of Powers ◽  
Public Health Research ◽  
Noncommunicable Diseases ◽  
New Paradigm ◽  
Public Health Agencies ◽  
Ethical Implications ◽  
Health Agencies ◽  
Public Bodies

Collaboration with industry has become the paradigm in public health. Governments commonly develop close relationships with companies that are creating or exacerbating the very problems public health agencies are trying to solve. Nowhere is this more evident than in partnerships with food and soda companies to address obesity and diet-related noncommunicable diseases. The author argues that public-private partnerships and multistakeholder initiatives create webs of influence that undermine the integrity of public health agencies; distort public health research and policy; and reinforce the framing of public health problems and their solutions in ways that are least threatening to the commercial interests of corporate “partners.” We should expect multinational corporations to develop strategies of influence. But public bodies need to develop counter-strategies to insulate themselves from corporate influence in all its forms. The author reviews the ways in which we regulate public-public interactions (separation of powers) and private-private interactions (antitrust and competition laws), and argues for an analogous set of norms to govern public-private interactions. The book also offers a novel framework that is designed to help public bodies identify the systemic ethical implications of their existing or proposed relationships with industry actors. The book makes a compelling case that, in public health, the paradigm public-private interaction should be at arm’s length: separation, not collaboration. The author calls for a new paradigm to protect and promote public health while avoiding the ethical perils of partnership with industry.

scholarly journals International Perspectives on COVID-19 Communication Ecologies: Public Health Agencies’ Online Communication in Italy, Sweden, and the United States

2021 ◽  
pp. 000276422199283
Author(s):  
Serena Tagliacozzo ◽  
Frederike Albrecht ◽  
N. Emel Ganapati
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
United States ◽  
Social Groups ◽  
Online Communication ◽  
The United States ◽  
Negative Consequences ◽  
Public Health Agencies ◽  
Communication Ecology ◽  
Health Agencies ◽  
National Public Health

Communicating during a crisis can be challenging for public agencies as their communication ecology becomes increasingly complex while the need for fast and reliable public communication remains high. Using the lens of communication ecology, this study examines the online communication of national public health agencies during the COVID-19 pandemic in Italy, Sweden, and the United States. Based on content analysis of Twitter data ( n = 856) and agency press releases ( n = 95), this article investigates two main questions: (1) How, and to what extent, did national public health agencies coordinate their online communication with other agencies and organizations? (2) How was online communication from the agencies diversified in terms of targeting specific organizations and social groups? Our findings indicate that public health agencies relied heavily on internal scientific expertise and predominately coordinated their communication efforts with national government agencies. Furthermore, our analysis reveals that agencies in each country differed in how they diversify information; however, all agencies provided tailored information to at least some organizations and social groups. Across the three countries, information tailored for several vulnerable groups (e.g., pregnant women, people with disabilities, immigrants, and homeless populations) was largely absent, which may contribute to negative consequences for these groups.

scholarly journals A tale of two parts of Switzerland: regional differences in the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on parents

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Michelle Seiler ◽  
Georg Staubli ◽  
Julia Hoeffe ◽  
Gianluca Gualco ◽  
Sergio Manzano ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Regional Differences ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Pediatric Emergency ◽  
The South ◽  
Public Health Agencies ◽  
The North ◽  
Regional Strategies ◽  
Health Agencies ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Background We aimed to document the impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic on regions within a European country. Methods Parents arriving at two pediatric emergency departments (EDs) in North of Switzerland and two in South of Switzerland completed an online survey during the first peak of the pandemic (April–June 2020). They were asked to rate their concern about their children or themselves having COVID-19. Results A total of 662 respondents completed the survey. Parents in the South were significantly more exposed to someone tested positive for COVID-19 than in the North (13.9 and 4.7%, respectively; P <  0.001). Parents in the South were much more concerned than in the North that they (mean 4.61 and 3.32, respectively; P <  0.001) or their child (mean 4.79 and 3.17, respectively; P <  0.001) had COVID-19. Parents reported their children wore facemasks significantly more often in the South than in the North (71.5 and 23.5%, respectively; P <  0.001). Conclusion The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in significant regional differences among families arriving at EDs in Switzerland. Public health agencies should consider regional strategies, rather than country-wide guidelines, in future pandemics and for vaccination against COVID-19 for children.

scholarly journals Preparedness and response of a tertiary hospital to the COVID-19 pandemic in Nigeria: challenges, opportunities and lessons

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Darlington E Obaseki ◽  
Iriagbonse I Osaigbovo ◽  
Esohe O Ogboghodo ◽  
Omokhoa Adeleye ◽  
Obehi A Akoria ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Personal Protective Equipment ◽  
Tertiary Hospital ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Protective Equipment ◽  
Scientific Journals ◽  
Healthcare Facilities ◽  
Public Health Agencies ◽  
Health Agencies ◽  
Individual Healthcare

Abstract Africa was the last continent to be affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Much of the discourse on Africa's response captured in scientific journals revolves around nations, public health agencies and organizations, but little is documented about how individual healthcare facilities have fared. This article reports the challenges faced in a tertiary hospital in Nigeria, including space constraints, diagnostic challenges, shortages in personal protective equipment and health worker infections. The opportunities and strengths that aided the response are also highlighted. The lessons learned will be useful to similar facilities. More information about health facility response at various levels is needed to comprehensively assess Africa's response to the pandemic.

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