scholarly journals Stigma toward Wuhan people during the COVID-19 epidemic: an exploratory study based on social media

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Yazheng Di ◽  
Ang Li ◽  
He Li ◽  
Peijing Wu ◽  
Simin Yang ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Stigma associated with infectious diseases is common and causes various negative effects on stigmatized people. With Wuhan as the center of the COVID-19 outbreak in China, its people were likely to be the target of stigmatization. To evaluate the severity of stigmatization toward Wuhan people and provide necessary information for stigma mitigation, this study aimed to identify the stigmatizing attitudes toward Wuhan people and trace their changes as COVID-19 progresses in China by analyzing related posts on social media. Methods We collected 19,780 Weibo posts containing the keyword ‘Wuhan people’ and performed a content analysis to identify stigmatizing attitudes in the posts. Then, we divided our observation time into three periods and performed repeated-measures ANOVA to compare the differences in attitudes during the three periods. Results The results showed that stigma was mild, with 2.46% of related posts being stigmatizing. The percentages of stigmatizing posts differed significantly during the three periods. The percentages of ‘Infectious’ posts and ‘Stupid’ posts were significantly different for the three periods. The percentage of ‘Irresponsible’ posts was not significantly different for the three periods. After government interventions, stigma did not decrease significantly, and stigma with the ‘Infectious’ attitude even increased. It was not until the government interventions took effect that stigma significantly reduced. Conclusions This study found that stigma toward Wuhan people included diverse attitudes and changed at different periods. After government interventions but before they took effect, stigma with the ‘Infectious’ attitude increased. After government interventions took effect, general stigma and stigmas with ‘Infectious’ and ‘Stupid’ attitudes decreased. This study constituted an important endeavor to understand the stigma toward Wuhan people in China during the COVID-19 epidemic. Implications for stigma reduction and improvement of the public’s perception during different periods of epidemic control are discussed.

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yazheng Di ◽  
Ang Li ◽  
He Li ◽  
Peijing Wu ◽  
Simin Yang ◽  
...  

Abstract Background: Stigma associated with infectious diseases is common and causes various negative effects on stigmatized people. With Wuhan as the center of the COVID-19 outbreak in China, its people have become an object of stigmatization. To provide necessary information for stigma mitigation, this study aims to identify the stigmatizing attitudes towards Wuhan people and trace their changes as the COVID-19 progressed in China by analyzing related posts on social media.Methods: We collected a total of 19,780 Weibo posts containing the keyword ‘Wuhan people’ and performed a content analysis to identify stigmatizing attitudes in the posts. Then we divided our observation time into three periods and performed Repeated Measures ANOVA to compare the differences in attitudes in three periods. Results: Results show that stigma was mild with 2.46% of related posts being stigmatizing. The percentages of stigmatizing posts differed significantly in 3 periods (F (2,66) = 5.60, p <.01, η2= 0.15). The percentages of ‘Infectious’ posts (F (2,66) = 3.69, p <.05, η2 = 0.10) and ‘Stupid’ posts (F (2,66) = 3.65, p <.05, η2 = 0.10) are significantly different in 3 periods. The percentages of ‘Irresponsible’ posts is not significant different in 3 periods (F (2,66) = 0.63, p =.53, η2 = 0.02). After government interventions, stigma didn’t reduce significantly, and stigma with ‘Infectious’ attitude even increased. It was until the government interventions took effect that stigma significantly reduced. Conclusions: This study found that stigma towards Wuhan people included diverse attitudes and changed at different periods. After government interventions but before they took effect, stigma with ‘Infectious’ attitude increased. After government interventions took effect, general stigma, and stigma with ‘Infectious’ and ‘Stupid’ attitudes decreased. This study constitutes an important endeavor to understand the stigma towards Wuhan people in China during the COVID-19 epidemic. Implications for stigma reduction and improvement of the public’s perception in different periods of epidemic control are discussed.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yazheng Di ◽  
Ang Li ◽  
He Li ◽  
Peijing Wu ◽  
Simin Yang ◽  
...  

Background: Stigma associated with infectious diseases is common and causes various negative effects on stigmatized people. With Wuhan as the center of the COVID-19 outbreak in China, its people have become an object of stigmatization. To provide necessary information for stigma mitigation, this study aims to identify the stigmatizing attitudes towards Wuhan people and trace their changes as the COVID-19 progressed in China by analyzing related posts on social media.Methods: We collected a total of 19,780 Weibo posts containing the keyword ‘Wuhan people’ and performed a content analysis to identify stigmatizing attitudes in the posts. Then we divided our observation time into three periods and performed Repeated Measures ANOVA to compare the differences in attitudes in three periods. Results: Results show that stigma was mild with 2.46% of related posts being stigmatizing. The percentages of stigmatizing posts differed significantly in 3 periods (F (2,66) = 5.60, p &lt;.01, η2= 0.15). The percentages of ‘Infectious’ posts (F (2,66) = 3.69, p &lt;.05, η2 = 0.10) and ‘Stupid’ posts (F (2,66) = 3.65, p &lt;.05, η2 = 0.10) are significantly different in 3 periods. The percentages of ‘Irresponsible’ posts is not significant different in 3 periods (F (2,66) = 0.63, p =.53, η2 = 0.02). After government interventions, stigma didn’t reduce significantly, and stigma with ‘Infectious’ attitude even increased. It was until the government interventions took effect that stigma significantly reduced. Conclusions: This study found that stigma towards Wuhan people included diverse attitudes and changed at different periods. After government interventions but before they took effect, stigma with ‘Infectious’ attitude increased. After government interventions took effect, general stigma, and stigma with ‘Infectious’ and ‘Stupid’ attitudes decreased. This study constitutes an important endeavor to understand the stigma towards Wuhan people in China during the COVID-19 epidemic. Implications for stigma reduction and improvement of the public’s perception in different periods of epidemic control are discussed.


2021 ◽  
pp. 070674372110186
Author(s):  
Kenneth Po-Lun Fung ◽  
Jenny Jing-Wen Liu ◽  
Josephine Pui-Hing Wong

Objective: Although there is evidence of effective stigma reduction by various psychological and educational interventions, the mechanisms of change remain unclear. In this article, we examine hypothesized processes that might have mediated reductions in stigma observed among Asian men who had received in mental health promotion interventions in Greater Toronto Area, Canada. Method: Our sample consisted of 495 Asian men, who received either acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT; n = 133), contact-based empowerment education (CEE; n = 149), combination of ACT and CEE ( n = 152), or psychoeducation ( n = 61). Group differences on intervention outcomes, including stigmatizing attitudes (Community Attitudes toward the Mentally Ill), internalized stigma (Internalized Stigma of Mental Illness), valued living (Valued Living Questionnaire), and attitudes to engage in social change (Social Justice Scale) were hypothesized to be due to the impact of the different interventions and mediated by changes in specific underlying psychological processes. These process-related changes were modelled using measures of mindfulness (Freiburg Mindfulness Inventory), psychological flexibility (Acceptance and Action Questionnaire version II), and empowerment (Empowerment Scale [ES]). Their pre- and post changes were analyzed with repeated measures analysis of variance, and mediational analyses were performed. Results: Findings from mediational analyses suggest that empowerment (ES) mediated a significant portion of the effects observed in reduction in stigmatizing attitudes and internalized stigma across intervention groups ( t = 3.67 to 3.78 for CEE groups, and t = 4.32 to 4.56 for ACT groups). For the ACT groups, reduction in internalized stigma might also have been partly mediated by psychological flexibility, an intervention-specific psychological process. Conclusions: Results from the current study suggest that different stigma reduction interventions may be mediated by increased empowerment as a common mechanism of change, while intervention-specific mechanism of change, improved psychological flexibility through ACT, may also contribute to improvement in internalized stigma.


Methodology ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 23-38 ◽  
Author(s):  
Manuel C. Voelkle ◽  
Patrick E. McKnight

The use of latent curve models (LCMs) has increased almost exponentially during the last decade. Oftentimes, researchers regard LCM as a “new” method to analyze change with little attention paid to the fact that the technique was originally introduced as an “alternative to standard repeated measures ANOVA and first-order auto-regressive methods” (Meredith & Tisak, 1990, p. 107). In the first part of the paper, this close relationship is reviewed, and it is demonstrated how “traditional” methods, such as the repeated measures ANOVA, and MANOVA, can be formulated as LCMs. Given that latent curve modeling is essentially a large-sample technique, compared to “traditional” finite-sample approaches, the second part of the paper addresses the question to what degree the more flexible LCMs can actually replace some of the older tests by means of a Monte-Carlo simulation. In addition, a structural equation modeling alternative to Mauchly’s (1940) test of sphericity is explored. Although “traditional” methods may be expressed as special cases of more general LCMs, we found the equivalence holds only asymptotically. For practical purposes, however, no approach always outperformed the other alternatives in terms of power and type I error, so the best method to be used depends on the situation. We provide detailed recommendations of when to use which method.


2016 ◽  
Vol 28 (3) ◽  
pp. 123-135 ◽  
Author(s):  
Raffael Heiss ◽  
Jörg Matthes

Abstract. This study investigated the effects of politicians’ nonparticipatory and participatory Facebook posts on young people’s political efficacy – a key determinant of political participation. We employed an experimental design, using a sample of N = 125 high school students (15–20 years). Participants either saw a Facebook profile with no posts (control condition), nonparticipatory posts, or participatory posts. While nonparticipatory posts did not affect participants’ political efficacy, participatory posts exerted distinct effects. For those high in trait evaluations of the politician presented in the stimulus material or low in political cynicism, we found significant positive effects on external and collective efficacy. By contrast, for those low in trait evaluations or high in cynicism, we found significant negative effects on external and collective efficacy. We did not find any effects on internal efficacy. The importance of content-specific factors and individual predispositions in assessing the influence of social media use on participation is discussed.


2020 ◽  
Vol 15 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Alih Aji Nugroho

The world is entering a new phase of the digital era, including Indonesia. The unification of the real world and cyberspace is a sign, where the conditions of both can influence each other (Hyung Jun, 2018). The patterns of behavior and public relations in the virtual universe gave rise to new social interactions called the Digital Society. One part of Global Megatrends has also influenced public policy in Indonesia in recent years. Critical mass previously carried out conventionally is now a virtual movement. War of hashtags, petitions, and digital community comments are new tools and strategies for influencing policy. This paper attempts to analyze the extent of digital society's influence on public policy in Indonesia. As well as what public policy models are needed. Methodology used in this analysis is qualitative descriptive. Data collection through literature studies by critical mass digital recognition in Indonesia and trying to find a relationship between political participation through social media and democracy. By processing the pro and contra views regarding the selection of social media as a level of participation, this paper finds that there are overlapping interests that have the potential to distort the articulation of freedom of opinion and participation. - which is characteristic of a democratic state. The result is the rapid development of digital society which greatly influences the public policy process. Digital society imagines being able to participate formally in influencing policy in Indonesia. The democracy that developed in the digital society is cyberdemocracy. Public space in the digital world must be guaranteed security and its impact on the policies that will be determined. The recommendation given to the government is that a cyber data analyst is needed to oversee the issues that are developing in the digital world. Regulations related to the security of digital public spaces must be maximized. The government maximizes cooperation with related stakeholders.Keywords: Digital Society; Democracy; Public policy; Political Participation


2018 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 1
Author(s):  
Ferry Fadzlul Rahman

Abortion is a social phenomenon that is increasingly alarming. The concern is not without reason, because so far the behavior of abortion many negative effects both for themselves the perpetrators and the wider community. With the passing of the Government Regulation No. 61 Year 2014 on Reproductive Health still raises the pros and cons in the middle of the community. The approach used to address the problem that the above problems are normative juridical approach. Based on the results of the study need to decriminalize abortion in Government Regulation No. 61 Year 2014 on Reproductive Health which has the goal of creating the legal basis for abortion and the experts who helped him as an indication of a medical emergency or pregnancy due to rape, and factors inhibiting the decriminalization of abortion is legal factors themselves, law enforcement officials factors, factors facilities or infrastructure, community factors, and cultural factors. Suggestion that the author should the government needs to review the Government Regulation No. 61 Year 2014 on Reproductive Health in particular Article 31 and Article 34 within the limited evidence of rape victims in just 40 days because of the time limit is not relative to the law enforcement agencies to prove it, as well as regarding the evidentiary aspects of pregnancy due to rape victims in order to avoid an impression of legitimizing the act of abortion in any form. Keywords: Abortion, , Reproductive Health


2016 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. 80
Author(s):  
Ferry Fadzul Rahman

Abortion is a social phenomenon that is increasingly alarming. The concern is not without reason, because so far the behavior of abortion many negative effects both for themselves the perpetrators and the wider community. With the passing of the Government Regulation No. 61 Year 2014 on Reproductive Health still raises the pros and cons in the middle of the community. The approach used to address the problem that the above problems are normative juridical approach. Based on the results of the study need to decriminalize abortion in Government Regulation No. 61 Year 2014 on Reproductive Health which has the goal of creating the legal basis for abortion and the experts who helped him as an indication of a medical emergency or pregnancy due to rape, and factors inhibiting the decriminalization of abortion is legal factors themselves, law enforcement officials factors, factors facilities or infrastructure, community factors, and cultural factors. Suggestion that the author should the government needs to review the Government Regulation No. 61 Year 2014 on Reproductive Health in particular Article 31 and Article 34 within the limited evidence of rape victims in just 40 days because of the time limit is not relative to the law enforcement agencies to prove it, as well as regarding the evidentiary aspects of pregnancy due to rape victims in order to avoid an impression of legitimizing the act of abortion in any form.


Mousaion ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 37 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Tshepho Lydia Mosweu

Social media as a communication tool has enabled governments around the world to interact with citizens for customer service, access to information and to direct community involvement needs. The trends around the world show recognition by governments that social media content may constitute records and should be managed accordingly. The literature shows that governments and organisations in other countries, particularly in Europe, have social media policies and strategies to guide the management of social media content, but there is less evidence among African countries. Thus the purpose of this paper is to examine the extent of usage of social media by the Botswana government in order to determine the necessity for the governance of liquid communication. Liquid communication here refers to the type of communication that goes easily back and forth between participants involved through social media. The ARMA principle of availability requires that where there is information governance, an organisation shall maintain its information assets in a manner that ensures their timely, efficient and accurate retrieval. The study adopted a qualitative case study approach where data were collected through documentary reviews and interviews among purposively selected employees of the Botswana government. This study revealed that the Botswana government has been actively using social media platforms to interact with its citizens since 2011 for increased access, usage and awareness of services offered by the government. Nonetheless, the study revealed that the government had no official documentation on the use of social media, and policies and strategies that dealt with the governance of liquid communication. This study recommends the governance of liquid communication to ensure timely, efficient and accurate retrieval when needed for business purposes.


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