Determinants of the Consumption of Health Information in the Media

Recent work in machine learning and natural language processing has studied the content of health related information in tweets and demonstrated the potential for extracting useful public health information from their aggregation. Social intelligence derived from health content has become of significant importance for various applications, including post-marketing drug surveillance, competitive intelligence, medicine reviews and to assess health-related opinions and sentiments. Further, the quantity of medical information in the media such as tweets on Twitter, Facebook or medical blogs is growing at an exponential rate. Medical data such as health records, drug data, etc. has become major candidates for Big Data analysis and thus exploring this content has become a necessity for organizations. However, the volume, velocity, variety, and quality of online health information present challenges, necessitating enhanced facilitation mechanisms for medical social computing. The objective of this chapter is to discuss the possibility of mining medical trends using Social Networks.

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Communicating a Health Risk/Crisis: Exploring the Experiences of Journalists Covering a Proximate Epidemic

Science Communication ◽

10.1177/1075547019878875 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 41 (6) ◽

pp. 707-731 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Esi E. Thompson

Keyword(s):

Public Health ◽

Health Risk ◽

Health Communication ◽

Production Process ◽

Health Information ◽

News Production ◽

Media Sociology ◽

News Content ◽

The Media

Media are an indispensable partner in health communication, but there is often concern about how the media cover health and science issues. These critiques tend to be based on analyses of news content that don’t consider the production process of the content. Using a media sociology framework, the article examines the news production process of the Ebola outbreak from the perspective of Ghanaian journalists. The study finds that existing and new routines influenced what the media produced. This study reiterates the call for public health to work closely with the media and to provide translated health information in multilingual low-literate societies.

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Associations Between Migration Background and Media and Information Behavior in Primary School Children

Experimental and Clinical Endocrinology & Diabetes ◽

10.1055/a-1114-5871 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Laura Dauben ◽

Katharina S. Weber ◽

Lisa Nießen ◽

Marlo Verket ◽

Olaf Spörkel ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Digital Media ◽

Health Information ◽

Economic Status ◽

Information Source ◽

Information Behavior ◽

Migration Background ◽

Primary School Children ◽

The Media ◽

Media Channels ◽

3Rd Grade

Abstract Background Children with migration background and from low socio-economic status are at higher risk for overweight. To determine appropriate media channels to possibly reach children with targeted health information, it has to be considered that the media and information behavior of children has changed during the last decades. Objective We examined the media and information behavior of children in low socio-economic districts, focusing on those with migration background. Methods Fourteen 3rd grade classes (n=250 children, 68.0% with migration background) completed a questionnaire regarding their media consumption, which was based on existing validated surveys. Results ≥ 50% of the children watched TV and around 40% used both mobile phones and computers/tablets/internet for ≥1 h/day. Books were the most popular analogue media (61.6% of children), whereas magazines/newspapers and radio (18.4 and 16.0% of children, respectively) were used less frequently. Furthermore, they regularly used internet, TV and their teachers (63.0, 48.8 and 44.8% of children, respectively) as information source. Especially children with compared to those without migration background less likely used the radio (P=0.0002) and their family as information source (P=0.0017). Conclusions Children attending 3rd grade class, especially with migration background, can be addressed through digital media rather than the radio. This may help to sustainably support children outside school with targeted health information.

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Artikel: Health Information Dissemination in the Information Age: Media, Messages and Roles

Communications ◽

10.1515/comm-1994-2-308 ◽

1994 ◽

Vol 19 (2-3) ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Rolf T. Wigand ◽

Hans-Dieter Klee

Keyword(s):

United States ◽

Health Information ◽

Eating Behavior ◽

United States Of America ◽

Information Dissemination ◽

The United States ◽

Free Enterprise ◽

The Public ◽

Media Messages ◽

The Media

SummaryUnderstanding the priorities and workings of the mass media are a prerequisite to gaining the attention of the media and, more importantly, the cooperation of those who control access to media space and time. In addition, one needs to understand information and news filtering and gate-keeping functions carried out by the media. It is also essential to understand the interplay between reporters and their news sources and the fact that both entities have their specific priorities and agenda. In the United States of America the media’s behavior may be viewed and understood, at least in part, as the journalistic performance and exercise in the principles of the First Amendment within the Constitution. Simultaneously though the media are part of the free enterprise system, implying that they are a business whose primary motivation is to maximize profits and minimally to survive as an organization. The media, however, are not in the business of health care, medicine or public health. This contribution characterizes the health information setting in the United States of America. Relevant research has demonstrated that in the process of gaining health information by the consumer, food producers can be highly successful in influencing food-purchasing behavior and thus may have an influence on health and eating behavior. Among the issues addressed here are scientific alarmism, information confusion, disinformation, misinformation and the often resultant paradoxical behavior exhibited by the public. The knowledge gap-hypothesis is explored with regard to its appropriateness in this setting. Researchers found that short, unequivocal and positive media messages - so-called magic bullets - addressing single and relatively simple behaviors can be highly effective and that whatever advice is given should be uncomplicated and negative elements associated with the message should be avoided.It is important for scientists, medical experts and nutritionists, the media and food producers to realize that they all play a vital role in achieving broad-scale health behavior. They need to cooperate and work together to produce a set of clear, consistent, focused and positive messages based on current scientific knowledge and trends. Only then can such recommendations be communicated, understood and acted upon by the public. It is especially important to educate and inform children properly about the appropriate judgement and analysis of advertised messages pertaining to health and eating behavior questions.

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Consumption of Health Information in the Media: A Replication Study with some Contrary Results

Communications ◽

10.1515/comm.2001.26.3.267 ◽

2001 ◽

Vol 26 (3) ◽

Author(s):

Gerrit van der Rijt

Keyword(s):

Health Information ◽

Replication Study ◽

The Media

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Consumers’ Understanding of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans: Insights into the Future

Health Education & Behavior ◽

10.1177/109019810202900111 ◽

2002 ◽

Vol 29 (1) ◽

pp. 124-135 ◽

Cited By ~ 19

Author(s):

Debra Palmer Keenan ◽

Rayane AbuSabha ◽

Natalie G. Robinson

Keyword(s):

Health Information ◽

Dietary Fat ◽

Dietary Guidelines ◽

Twin Cities ◽

Health Educators ◽

Dietary Guidelines For Americans ◽

The Media ◽

Total Fat ◽

Nutrition Messages ◽

Behavior Health

The purpose of this study was to examine consumers’ knowledge and understanding of the 1995 Dietary Guidelines for Americans and the sources from where consumers obtain their health information. A telephone survey was administered to 400 adults in the Twin Cities area in Minnesota. The number of guideline recommendations recalled per person was, on average, less than 2.5 of a total of 13 recommendations. Participants had difficulties interpreting the guidelines. Knowledge of the dietary fat guideline was especially poor. Only 17% of survey participants correctly stated the amount of total fat they should have in their diet. The total number of media sources used to obtain health information was the variable that best explained the variance in knowledge of the Dietary Guidelines recommendations. To effectively change dietary behavior, health educators must work effectively with the media to develop behavior-focused nutrition messages that are meaningful and clear to consumers.

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What are the Roles and Responsibilities of the Media in Disseminating Health Information?

Mass Communication ◽

10.1201/b13122-13 ◽

2011 ◽

pp. 197-213

Author(s):

Gary Schwitzer ◽

Ganapati Mudur ◽

David Henry ◽

Amanda Wilson ◽

Merrill Goozner ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Health Information ◽

Roles And Responsibilities ◽

The Media

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National Nutrition Communication Campaign in Indonesia: a cross-sectional study of factors associated with exposure

Archives of Public Health ◽

10.1186/s13690-021-00697-y ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 79 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Leiema Hunt ◽

Abigail Norton ◽

Chantel Daines ◽

Evie Friedbaum ◽

Danica Topham ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Social Media ◽

Mass Media ◽

Health Information ◽

Electronic Device ◽

Media Campaign ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Factors Associated ◽

Communication Campaign ◽

The Media ◽

Nutrition Communication

Abstract Background Reducing childhood stunting continues to be a priority in Indonesia. In 2015, the National Nutrition Communication Campaign (NNCC) implemented mass media and interpersonal communication (IPC) interventions to disseminate stunting-related information. Whereas other studies of the NNCC’s impact on attitudes and behaviors are currently underway, the purpose of this study was to better understand the factors associated with exposure to the media and IPC components of the NNCC. Methods A cross-sectional survey was conducted following the NNCC media and IPC campaigns in rural Indonesia. The final study sample included 1734 mothers. Survey data was collected from each participant by trained interviewers using an electronic tablet. Responses relating to demographic and socioeconomic factors, use of social media and WhatsApp, and electronic device ownership were analyzed. Logistic regression analyses, using SAS version 9.4, were conducted to evaluate the relationship between technology-related items and exposure to both the media and the IPC interventions. Results Owning an internet device (OR = 1.643, CI = 1.237–2.183, p < 0.001), accessing social media (OR = 1.81, CI = 1.32–2.49, p < 0.001), using a device to access health information (OR = 2.068, CI = 1.469–2.911, p < 0.0001), and accessing WhatsApp (OR = 1.663, CI = 1.175–2.355, p < 0.05) were positively related to exposure to NNCC messages meant to change behavior to decrease stunting. In separate analyses, owning an internet device (OR = 0.609, CI = 0.459–0.81, p < 0.001) accessing social media (OR = 0.626, CI = 0.459–0.854, p < 0.05), using a device to access health information (OR = 0.528, CI = 0.377–0.740, p < 0.001), and accessing WhatsApp (OR = 0.688, CI = 0.489–0.968, p < 0.05) were negatively related to IPC exposure. Mothers with access to internet-accessible devices were more likely to be exposed to the media campaign component to decrease stunting while mothers without access to internet-accessible devices were more likely to be exposed through IPC. Conclusions Mothers who owned devices that could access the internet were more likely to have been exposed to the media campaign component to decrease stunting by behavior change but were less likely to participate in IPC activities. The opposite was true for mothers who did not have access to internet-accessible devices. These findings may be used to inform future community health efforts in rural Indonesia and similar regions that may be considering the use of both mass media and interpersonal interventions to influence health behaviors in order to decrease stunting.

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