Understanding Online Conversation about COVID-19 Vaccine on Twitter: Data Mining Approach (Preprint)

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ekaterina Malova
Keyword(s):  
Online Social Networks ◽  
Information Seeking ◽  
Information Dissemination ◽  
Vaccine Development ◽  
Online Communication ◽  
Vaccine Safety ◽  
Interaction Patterns ◽  
Twitter Users ◽  
The Government ◽  
Online Conversation

BACKGROUND Timely vaccination against COVID-19 can prevent a large number of people from getting infected. However, given the disease novelty and fast vaccine development, some people are hesitant to vaccinate. Online social networks like Twitter produce huge amounts of public health information and impact peoples' vaccination decisions. Hence, it is important to understand the conversation around the COVID-19 vaccination through the lens of social media. OBJECTIVE The present study aimed to define the nature of a larger Twitter conversation around the COVID-19 vaccine and explored interaction patterns between Twitter users engaged in such a conversation. METHODS Data collection took place in November 2020 on the wave of the news about the COVID-19 vaccine breakthrough. In total, 9600 Twitter posts were analyzed using a combination of text and network analysis. RESULTS Results of this study show that mixed-emotions reactions and discussions about potential side effects and vaccine safety dominated the online conversation. Twitter was primarily used for two purposes: information dissemination and opinion expression. Overall, the communication network was sparse, non-reciprocal, decentralized, and highly modular. Four main network clusters highlighted different groups of conversation stakeholders. CONCLUSIONS This study provides important insights into public sentiments, information-seeking behaviors, and online communication patterns during a major COVID-19 crisis. Given the popularity of Twitter among different types of communities and its power for rapid information dissemination, it can be an effective tool for vaccination promotion. Thus, it should be actively used to promote safe and effective vaccination through major stakeholders in the government, science, and health sectors.

FEAR OF ADVERSE EFFECTS AND COVID-19 VACCINE HESITANCY; A REVIEW

2021 ◽  
pp. 77-78
Author(s):  
Anurag Chourasia
Keyword(s):  
Adverse Effects ◽  
Vaccine Development ◽  
Immunisation Programme ◽  
Vaccine Safety ◽  
The Body ◽  
Public Understanding ◽  
Vaccine Hesitancy ◽  
Complete Coverage ◽  
The Government ◽  
Promotion Campaigns

The success of an immunisation programme is dependent on public understanding about vaccination benets and risks. It is critical to have a lot of knowledge about vaccine safety. Traditional vaccine development can take years, but nding a vaccine to prevent Covid- 19 has evolved into a race between viruses and people, and the discovery of other comparable strains has made it even more difcult. Vaccines can help your immune system learn how to ght against diseases. They can protect us from some illnesses and assist us in living more fullling lives. People get vaccines for protection, but they have no idea what vaccines do to the body or how they work to boost immunity. People are not well informed about immunisation and its benets and adverse effects, which is why they are concerned about the Covid-19 vaccine. The government should provide complete coverage knowledge and information about not just the benets but also the side effects of vaccines prior to immunisation through awareness programmes, organising campaigns, and other means, as well as through the development of vaccine promotion campaigns in schools.

Feasibility of m-governance in agriculture: insights from a multimodal study in rural India

2016 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 434-456 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gunjan Tomer ◽  
Gaurav Singh Chauhan ◽  
Prabin Kumar Panigrahi
Keyword(s):  
Information Seeking ◽  
Information Dissemination ◽  
Social Dynamics ◽  
Rural India ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Governmental Organizations ◽  
Non Governmental Organizations ◽  
Implementation Purpose ◽  
The Government

Purpose The paper explores the importance of mobile technology to enable diffusion of agriculture-related knowledge among farmers in India. The purpose of the paper is to evaluate the current socio-economic factors and challenges that impact the feasibility of m-governance project. The authors intend to explore different behavioral aspects of farmers, specifically their information seeking behavior to understand their communication ecosystem. Design/methodology/approach The authors have used multiple methods to analyze the significance of m-governance in current social dynamics. To achieve in depth understanding of farmer’s attitudes and opinion, the authors have conducted semi-structured interviews with farmers. The authors have also applied experimental observations to evaluate the actual effectiveness of information dissemination and the social dynamics behind the process. The secondary/archival data was also collected from the government offices and non-governmental organizations. Findings Findings explore the pattern of mobile usage among the farmers which could lead to interesting implications for the design and implementation of future m-governance projects. The research has also drawn some interesting implication on the feasibility of m-governance project. Research limitations/implications Because the findings are co-related with the prevalent socio-cultural dynamics, testing the findings in different context might add value to the proposed theory and its implications. Originality/value Considering the need and significance of agriculture-based reforms in rural India, present study offers guidance in devising an efficient communication medium among farmers and government. The authors infer from our field observations that the communication platform is vital for successfully reaching farmers for their overall welfare. The present work is based on findings which are drawn from the ground reality which helps in explicating inferences which are useful for implementation purpose.

scholarly journals Support for a COVID-19 vaccine mandate in the face of safety concerns and political affiliations: An Australian study

Politics ◽  
2021 ◽  
pp. 026339572110090
Author(s):  
David T Smith ◽  
Katie Attwell ◽  
Uwana Evers
Keyword(s):  
Vaccine Development ◽  
The Political ◽  
Australian Study ◽  
Safety Concerns ◽  
Government Mandates ◽  
Childhood Vaccine ◽  
The Face ◽  
The Government ◽  
Levels Of Support

COVID-19 vaccine development has been widely awaited, but concerns around acceptance and political polarisation prevail. We sought to determine the willingness of Australians to take a (then prospective) COVID-19 vaccine, compared with their previously recorded opinions about other vaccines. We also sought to determine reasons for hesitancy, levels of support for possible government mandates, and the political basis of support. We surveyed 1200 Australians, including 898 participants in a panel previously asked in 2017 about vaccines and mandates. In all, 66% of respondents indicated they would take a coronavirus vaccine, less than the 88% who in 2017 agreed that vaccines are safe, effective, and necessary. Also, 70% of the respondents who indicated hesitancy were concerned about the safety of the vaccine if it was developed too quickly, and 73% of all respondents agreed that the government should require a coronavirus vaccine for work, travel, and study. This is lower than the 85% who agreed with the childhood vaccine mandate in 2017, but slightly higher than the number of respondents who indicated that they would definitely be willing to take the coronavirus vaccine themselves. Older respondents, higher income respondents, and respondents who vote for major parties were all significantly more likely to take a coronavirus vaccine and to support government requirements.

scholarly journals Faster than warp speed: early attention to COVD-19 by anti-vaccine groups on Facebook

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Seth C Kalichman ◽  
Lisa A Eaton ◽  
Valerie A Earnshaw ◽  
Natalie Brousseau
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Vaccine Development ◽  
Rapid Development ◽  
Development Program ◽  
Vaccine Safety ◽  
Vaccine Hesitancy ◽  
Conspiracy Theories ◽  
The Us ◽  
Us Government ◽  
Vaccine Information

Abstract Background The unprecedented rapid development of COVID-19 vaccines has faced SARS-CoV- (COVID-19) vaccine hesitancy, which is partially fueled by the misinformation and conspiracy theories propagated by anti-vaccine groups on social media. Research is needed to better understand the early COVID-19 anti-vaccine activities on social media. Methods This study chronicles the social media posts concerning COVID-19 and COVID-19 vaccines by leading anti-vaccine groups (Dr Tenpenny on Vaccines, the National Vaccine Information Center [NVIC] the Vaccination Information Network [VINE]) and Vaccine Machine in the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic (February–May 2020). Results Analysis of 2060 Facebook posts showed that anti-vaccine groups were discussing COVID-19 in the first week of February 2020 and were specifically discussing COVID-19 vaccines by mid-February 2020. COVID-19 posts by NVIC were more widely disseminated and showed greater influence than non-COVID-19 posts. Early COVID-19 posts concerned mistrust of vaccine safety and conspiracy theories. Conclusion Major anti-vaccine groups were sowing seeds of doubt on Facebook weeks before the US government launched its vaccine development program ‘Operation Warp Speed’. Early anti-vaccine misinformation campaigns outpaced public health messaging and hampered the rollout of COVID-19 vaccines.

scholarly journals Experience of establishing and coordinating a nationwide network for bidirectional intussusception surveillance in India: lessons for multisite research studies

BMJ Open ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (5) ◽  
pp. e046827
Author(s):  
Manoja Kumar Das
Keyword(s):  
Quality Assurance ◽  
Site Selection ◽  
Information Seeking ◽  
Selection Process ◽  
Tertiary Care ◽  
Vaccine Safety ◽  
Secondary Outcome ◽  
Prospective Surveillance ◽  
Surveillance Network ◽  
Nationally Representative

ObjectivesTo document and share the process of establishing the nationally representative multisite surveillance network for intussusception in India, coordination, data management and lessons learnt from the implementation.DesignThis study combined both retrospective and prospective surveillance approaches.Setting19 tertiary care institutions were selected in India considering the geographic representation and public and private mixParticipantsAll children under-2 years of age with intussusceptionPrimary and secondary outcome measuresThe experience of site selection, regulatory approvals, data collection, quality assurance and network coordination were documented.ResultsThe site selection process involved systematic and objective four steps including shortlisting of potential institutions, information seeking and telephonic interaction, site visits and site selection using objective criteria. Out of over 400 hospitals screened across India, 40 potential institutions were shortlisted and information was sought by questionnaire and interaction with investigators. Out of these, 25 institutes were visited and 19 sites were finally selected to participate in the study. The multistep selection process allowed filtering and identification of sites with adequate capacity and motivated investigators. The retrospective surveillance documented 1588 cases (range: 14–652 cases/site) and prospective surveillance recruited 621 cases (range: 5–191 cases/site). The multilayer quality assurance measures monitored and ensured protocol adherence, complete record retrieval and data completeness. The key challenges experienced included time taken for obtaining regulatory and ethical approvals, which delayed completion of the study. Ten sites continued with another multisite vaccine safety surveillance study.ConclusionThe experience and results of this systematic and objective site selection method in India are promising. The systematic multistep site selection and data quality assurance methods presented here are feasible and practical. The lessons from the establishment and coordination of this surveillance network can be useful in planning, selecting the sites and conducting multisite and surveillance studies in India and developing countries.

scholarly journals An Exploratory Study of COVID-19 Information on Twitter in the Greater Region

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 5
Author(s):  
Ninghan Chen ◽  
Zhiqiang Zhong ◽  
Jun Pang
Keyword(s):  
Machine Learning ◽  
Social Networks ◽  
Online Social Networks ◽  
Exploratory Study ◽  
Representation Learning ◽  
Data Driven ◽  
Learning Methods ◽  
Twitter Users ◽  
Over Time

The outbreak of the COVID-19 led to a burst of information in major online social networks (OSNs). Facing this constantly changing situation, OSNs have become an essential platform for people expressing opinions and seeking up-to-the-minute information. Thus, discussions on OSNs may become a reflection of reality. This paper aims to figure out how Twitter users in the Greater Region (GR) and related countries react differently over time through conducting a data-driven exploratory study of COVID-19 information using machine learning and representation learning methods. We find that tweet volume and COVID-19 cases in GR and related countries are correlated, but this correlation only exists in a particular period of the pandemic. Moreover, we plot the changing of topics in each country and region from 22 January 2020 to 5 June 2020, figuring out the main differences between GR and related countries.

Twitter users exhibited coping behaviours during the COVID-19 lockdown: an analysis of tweets using mixed methods

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ruchi Mittal ◽  
Wasim Ahmed ◽  
Amit Mittal ◽  
Ishan Aggarwal
Keyword(s):  
Data Analysis ◽  
The Body ◽  
Data Set ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Twitter Data ◽  
Long Run ◽  
The World ◽  
Twitter Users ◽  
The Government ◽  
Using Data

Purpose Using data from Twitter, the purpose of this paper is to assess the coping behaviour and reactions of social media users in response to the initial days of the COVID-19-related lockdown in different parts of the world. Design/methodology/approach This study follows the quasi-inductive approach which allows the development of pre-categories from other theories before the sampling and coding processes begin, for use in those processes. Data was extracted using relevant keywords from Twitter, and a sample was drawn from the Twitter data set to ensure the data is more manageable from a qualitative research standpoint and that meaningful interpretations can be drawn from the data analysis results. The data analysis is discussed in two parts: extraction and classification of data from Twitter using automated sentiment analysis; and qualitative data analysis of a smaller Twitter data sample. Findings This study found that during the lockdown the majority of users on Twitter shared positive opinions towards the lockdown. The results also found that people are keeping themselves engaged and entertained. Governments around the world have also gained support from Twitter users. This is despite the hardships being faced by citizens. The authors also found a number of users expressing negative sentiments. The results also found that several users on Twitter were fence-sitters and their opinions and emotions could swing either way depending on how the pandemic progresses and what action is taken by governments around the world. Research limitations/implications The authors add to the body of literature that has examined Twitter discussions around H1N1 using in-depth qualitative methods and conspiracy theories around COVID-19. In the long run, the government can help citizens develop routines that help the community adapt to a new dangerous environment – this has very effectively been shown in the context of wildfires in the context of disaster management. In the context of this research, the dominance of the positive themes within tweets is promising for policymakers and governments around the world. However, sentiments may wish to be monitored going forward as large-spikes in negative sentiment may highlight lockdown-fatigue. Social implications The psychology of humans during a pandemic can have a profound impact on how COVID-19 shapes up, and this shall also include how people behave with other people and with the larger environment. Lockdowns are the opposite of what societies strive to achieve, i.e. socializing. Originality/value This study is based on original Twitter data collected during the initial days of the COVID-19-induced lockdown. The topic of “lockdowns” and the “COVID-19” pandemic have not been studied together thus far. This study is highly topical.

scholarly journals ELECTION INFORMATION CAMPAIGN AND THE PERCEPTION OF CAMPAIGN PROPS IN THE BEGINNER ELECTION

2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Harisman Harisman ◽  
Guntur Freddy Prisanto ◽  
Niken Febrina Ernungtyas
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Information Seeking ◽  
Information Dissemination ◽  
Information Source ◽  
General Election ◽  
Data Collection Technique ◽  
Search For Information ◽  
First Time ◽  
Massive Information

The 2019 simultaneous general election formed discourse in society with massive information seeking, rapid information dissemination and discussions related to the general election. Before the election starts, every candidate has the opportunity to campaign. The campaign is an opportunity that is always given to pairs of presidential and legislative candidates. This study aims to describe the search for information about elections by first-time voters and their perceptions regarding campaign props. This study uses a qualitative approach using a case study strategy. The data collection technique used in-depth interviews with four first-time voters who live in Depok, West Java. Based on the results of coding and thematic analysis that has been carried out, there are four main themes that have emerged regarding the search for election information among first-time voters. The four main themes are political engagement, banners as campaign props, social media and information seeking. This study concludes that early voters use social media and campaign props as information source for the election decision.

scholarly journals Information Seeking and Information Sharing Behaviour in the Climate Change Community of Practice in the Pacific:  Implications for Models of Library Services in Scientific and Technical Libraries

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Peter Warren Murgatroyd
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Information Sharing ◽  
Community Of Practice ◽  
Information Seeking ◽  
Library Services ◽  
Access To Information ◽  
Government Sector ◽  
The Pacific ◽  
The Government ◽  
Climate Change Community

<p>Focusing on one ‘community of practice’ – climate change – this research examines the extent to which traditional concepts of library services in scientific and technical libraries (and consequently models of library development) in the Pacific region are aligned to the identified information needs and dominant modes of information seeking and information sharing behaviour of stakeholders. A quantitative survey research methodology was utilized to collect primary data from a census of the identified ‘community of practice’ in order to determine dominant behaviours, perceptions and attitudes amongst respondents towards information seeking and information sharing. The prominence of informal networks for communication and information exchange and the value still ascribed to face-to-face encounters and the development of personal relationships was a dominant theme as was the reliance on internet technologies to acquire and share information. Libraries, at both the regional and national level, were viewed as less useful than alternative pathways for both information seeking and information sharing. A detailed literature review of capacity building initiatives in libraries in the region over the preceding two decades confirms that capacity across the region remains low and the perception and status of libraries within the government sector in the region is poor. Acknowledging the rapid shifts in the information landscape towards electronic access to information and the proliferation of web 2.0 pathways for communication and information, it is argued that if capacity in library and information management in the region is to be strengthened there needs to be a re-evaluation of the role of the library not only in relation to the need for alignment with the goals and objectives of the host organisation but also in light of attitudes towards information and information seeking and information sharing behaviour. Consultations within the climate change community during 2011 have highlighted the clear need to improve access to information and data both nationally and regionally in the Pacific and the value of establishing a region-wide portal mechanism for collating and disseminating climate-related information. Within this context Pacific libraries within the government sector and at the regional level must redefine their role and the services that they offer if they are to be valued and seen as useful and relevant to stakeholders.</p>

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