Vaccine Hesitancy in Parents: Role of Social Networks, Social Media, and Parental Autonomy

2021 ◽  
Vol 36 (2) ◽  
pp. 94-102
Author(s):  
Yuliya Shneyderman ◽  
Jody Vogelzang ◽  
Amar Kanekar

Introduction. Vaccine hesitancy in parents is a composite of multiple dimensions such as confidence, complacency, and convenience. A large proportion of parents can be deemed vaccine hesitant, meaning that their vaccine behaviors can range from delaying vaccines, skipping select vaccines, to refusal of all vaccinations. Furthermore, parental vaccine uptake rates and patterns can reflect their decisions based on the balance of parental autonomy versus protecting population health. The current manuscript uses Social Network Theory to explain some of the external influences on parental autonomy. Social networks, both private and public, play a role in vaccine decision making through providing information and support for parents in their choices. This influence, in turn, is mediated by parents’ health literacy and local vaccination policy. Discussion. Social media is an important type of public network that has an outsized influence on vaccine hesitancy. The rhetoric used on anti-vaccine websites often denigrates scientific evidence while at the same time endorsing poor-quality evidence that supports the anti-vaccine point of view. The websites continually propose new hypotheses of how vaccines can cause harm when studies refute their previous assertions, censor critics, and attack people with opposing viewpoints. The contentious nature of vaccine hesitancy based on beliefs, opinions, and attitudes needs a solution much deeper than simply providing factual knowledge or pointing people to reliable websites. Recommendations. Public health practitioners and researchers should try segmenting audiences, targeting private and public social networks, and then testing which persuasive strategies towards vaccinations appeal to different community groups.

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tau Ming Liew ◽  
Cia Sin Lee

BACKGROUND Although COVID-19 vaccines have recently become available, efforts in global mass vaccination can be hampered by the widespread issue of vaccine hesitancy. OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to use social media data to capture close-to-real-time public perspectives and sentiments regarding COVID-19 vaccines, with the intention to understand the key issues that have captured public attention, as well as the barriers and facilitators to successful COVID-19 vaccination. METHODS Twitter was searched for tweets related to “COVID-19” and “vaccine” over an 11-week period after November 18, 2020, following a press release regarding the first effective vaccine. An unsupervised machine learning approach (ie, structural topic modeling) was used to identify topics from tweets, with each topic further grouped into themes using manually conducted thematic analysis as well as guided by the theoretical framework of the COM-B (capability, opportunity, and motivation components of behavior) model. Sentiment analysis of the tweets was also performed using the rule-based machine learning model VADER (Valence Aware Dictionary and Sentiment Reasoner). RESULTS Tweets related to COVID-19 vaccines were posted by individuals around the world (N=672,133). Six overarching themes were identified: (1) emotional reactions related to COVID-19 vaccines (19.3%), (2) public concerns related to COVID-19 vaccines (19.6%), (3) discussions about news items related to COVID-19 vaccines (13.3%), (4) public health communications about COVID-19 vaccines (10.3%), (5) discussions about approaches to COVID-19 vaccination drives (17.1%), and (6) discussions about the distribution of COVID-19 vaccines (20.3%). Tweets with negative sentiments largely fell within the themes of emotional reactions and public concerns related to COVID-19 vaccines. Tweets related to facilitators of vaccination showed temporal variations over time, while tweets related to barriers remained largely constant throughout the study period. CONCLUSIONS The findings from this study may facilitate the formulation of comprehensive strategies to improve COVID-19 vaccine uptake; they highlight the key processes that require attention in the planning of COVID-19 vaccination and provide feedback on evolving barriers and facilitators in ongoing vaccination drives to allow for further policy tweaks. The findings also illustrate three key roles of social media in COVID-19 vaccination, as follows: surveillance and monitoring, a communication platform, and evaluation of government responses.


Author(s):  
Rosa Valls-Carol ◽  
Garazi Álvarez-Guerrero ◽  
Garazi López de Aguileta ◽  
Álvaro Alonso ◽  
Marta Soler-Gallart

Citizens are increasingly turning to social media to open up debates on issues of utmost importance, such as health or education. When analyzing citizens’ social media interactions on COVID-19, research has underlined the importance of sharing and spreading information based on scientific evidence rather than on fake news. However, whether and how citizens’ interactions in the field of education, particularly in mathematics, are based on scientific evidence remains underexplored. To contribute to filling this gap, this article presents an analysis of citizen debates in social networks about didactic resources for mathematics. Through social media analytics, 136,964 posts were extracted from Reddit, Instagram, Twitter and Facebook, of which 1755 were analyzed. Results show that out of the 213 posts of citizen debates on didactic resources for mathematics, only two contained scientific evidence and eight claimed to contain scientific evidence. These findings highlight the importance of promoting actions to encourage citizen debates around didactic resources for mathematics based on scientific evidence.


Author(s):  
Eduardo Fernández Rodríguez ◽  
José Miguel Gutiérrez Pequeño

Resumen:Este trabajo examina los procesos de socialización de jóvenes de la educación secundaria obligatoria en las redes sociales virtuales, a través de una doble estrategia de investigación social cualitativa que combina la metodología de los grupos de discusión con el uso de la etnografía virtual. Se desarrollan principalmente tres líneas de análisis. En la primera, se analizan los principales elementos que definen la incorporación de la juventud al ámbito de las tecnologías digitales. Un segundo marco de interpretación nos lleva a considerar el papel que juegan los social media en la construcción identitaria de los jóvenes y cuáles son las oportunidades y principales problemáticas asociadas a su gestión de la vida íntima, privada y pública. La tercera cuestión profundizará acerca de las diferencias en los usos, apropiación e incorporación de los jóvenes interconectados en función de determinadas categorías sociales como sexo, dieta mediática, capital político o trayectoria escolar, que funcionarían como mediadores sociales en su experiencia virtual. Finalmente, se elaboran una serie de conclusiones en las que se apuesta por asumir que los jóvenes hiperconectados viven de forma compleja su experiencia de socialización y construcción identitaria en la Red, afirmando no obstante que las redes sociales pueden ser una oportunidad para la construcción del lazo social y el desarrollo de sociedades democráticas.Abstract:This study examined the socialization processes of secondary students (compulsory secondary education) in virtual social networks, using a dual strategy of qualitative social research that combined the methodology of focus groups with the use of virtual ethnography. Three main lines of analysis were developed, the first of which was used to analyzethe main elements defining the incorporation of youth into the sphere of digital technologies. The second interpretive framework looked at the role of social media in youth’s construction of identity, and at the opportunities and main problems associated with their management of their intimate, private, and public lives. The third line of analysis looked in greater detail at the differences in use, appropriation, and incorporation of interconnected youth, based on social categories such as gender, media diet, political capital, or educational path, that would act as social mediators in their virtual experience. Lastly, a number of conclusions were drawn emphasizing that young hyperconnected individuals live their experience of socialization and identity construction on the Network in a complex way, noting, nonetheless, that social networks can be an opportunity for the construction of social ties and development of democratic societies.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dominik Wawrzuta ◽  
Mariusz Jaworski ◽  
Joanna Gotlib ◽  
Mariusz Panczyk

BACKGROUND Despite the existence of an effective vaccine, measles still threatens the health and lives of many Europeans. Notably, during the COVID-19 pandemic, measles vaccine uptake declined; as a result, after the pandemic, European countries will have to increase vaccination rates to restore the extent of vaccination coverage among the population. Because information obtained from social media are one of the main causes of vaccine hesitancy, knowledge of the nature of information pertaining to measles that is shared on social media may help create educational campaigns. OBJECTIVE In this study, we aim to define the characteristics of European news about measles shared on social media platforms (ie, Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest) from 2017 to 2019. METHODS We downloaded and translated (into English) 10,305 articles on measles published in European Union countries. Using latent Dirichlet allocation, we identified main topics and estimated the sentiments expressed in these articles. Furthermore, we used linear regression to determine factors related to the number of times a given article was shared on social media. RESULTS We found that, in most European social media posts, measles is only discussed in the context of local European events. Articles containing educational information and describing world outbreaks appeared less frequently. The most common emotions identified from the study’s news data set were fear and trust. Yet, it was found that readers were more likely to share information on educational topics and the situation in Germany, Ukraine, Italy, and Samoa. A high amount of anger, joy, and sadness expressed within the text was also associated with a higher number of shares. CONCLUSIONS We identified which features of news articles were related to increased social media shares. We found that social media users prefer sharing educational news to sharing informational news. Appropriate emotional content can also increase the willingness of social media users to share an article. Effective media content that promotes measles vaccinations should contain educational or scientific information, as well as specific emotions (such as anger, joy, or sadness). Articles with this type of content may offer the best chance of disseminating vital messages to a broad social media audience.


2019 ◽  
Vol 29 (Supplement_4) ◽  
Author(s):  
D R Gorman ◽  
K Bielecki ◽  
L Willocks ◽  
K Pollock ◽  
J Munshaw ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Poland has the lowest EU vaccine confidence scores. The Polish are the largest migrant group in Scotland (91,000) with a high decline rate of nasal influenza vaccination. A new Polish language information leaflet in the 2018 school influenza programme saw consent form return increase but uptake remained low. We compare vaccination attitudes of accepting and declining parents. Methods A questionnaire to 365 Polish parents after vaccination asked about the leaflet, vaccination, time in UK and included WHO Vaccine Hesitancy statements. Accepting and declining parents were compared. Results 128 (37%) responded - 42% of vaccinating and 39% declining parents. 90% were long term UK resident, 72% speak Polish at home. Previous experience had most influence in vaccination decision-making, with social media and personal contacts in Poland and Scotland also key. Decliners were more likely to cite social media than accepters. Concerns about new vaccines, side effects and ’currently uncommon conditions’ are high in the Polish community and decliners hold more negative and scientifically ’incorrect’ opinions. Parents know that Polish and UK immunisation schedules differ for influenza, a condition thought less serious in Poland than UK. Conclusions Polish norms strongly influence this migrant group. Differences in how Polish migrants who accept or decline the vaccination respond to vaccine hesitancy statements plus knowing that Polish media and the Polish community shape their views can be used by health authorities to target health messages. It is important to be aware of immunisation status and vaccination beliefs of mobile migrant groups, such as the Polish, to prevent spread of vaccine preventable diseases in Europe. Linking vaccine hesitancy statement responses and behaviour can highlight national characteristics and particular concerns of vaccine hesitant parents. This information could be used to improve vaccine uptake rates among different ethnic minorities. Key messages Polish migrant children have low nasal influenza vaccine uptake. Vaccine hesitancy statements show decliners are particularly likely to distrust new vaccines and worry about vaccine side effects. Migrants access Polish social media and information and retain vaccination beliefs and norms post migration. Knowing this allows targeting of information campaigns to increase uptake.


2019 ◽  
Vol 41 (2) ◽  
pp. 391-418
Author(s):  
Daphne D. Hachmang ◽  
Renée van Os ◽  
Mustafa Akpinar ◽  
Els van der Pool

Abstract Webcare via public and private social media. A corpus study on the effect of Conversational Human Voice in the PT sectorThis study investigates the use of Conversational Human Voice (CHV) by a Dutch Public Transport (PT) operator in reactive webcare conversations with travelers on private and public social media channels and the effect of this use on the traveler’s sentiment during the conversation. In this study, CHV is unraveled into eight aspects. 244 conversations were analyzed, selected from the PT-operator’s public and private social media channels. Messages sent by the PT companies were coded for CHV; messages of travelers were coded for sentiment. The aspects organization responds as an individual and informal language were used the most often by the PT operator. Use of CHV is similar on private social networks and public social networks, with the exception of organization responds as an individual (used more on private social networks) and language to compensate the lack of non-verbal communication (used more on public social networks). Furthermore, results show that the use of sympathy has a positive effect on the traveler’s sentiment.


2020 ◽  
pp. 5-17
Author(s):  
Maria Teresa Cuomo ◽  
Francesca Ceruti ◽  
Alice Mazzucchelli ◽  
Alex Giordano ◽  
Debora Tortora

The actual omnichannel customer uses indifferently both online and offline channels to express himself through consumption, which increasingly blends personal, cultural and social dimensions. In this perspective social media and social networks are able to assist e-retailers in their effort of creating a total e-customer experience, especially in the tourism industry, trying to satisfy their clients from the relational and commercial point of view. By means of an empirical analysis where managers were interviewed on the topic and its degree of application in the firms, the paper underlines how from the managerial point of view, that represents a new prospect on the topic, the expected shift from e-commerce to social commerce paradigm, facilitating the selling and buying of products and services by using various internet features, is nowadays not completely understood and realized.


Author(s):  
Sanjay Chhataru Gupta

Popularity of the social media and the amount of importance given by an individual to social media has significantly increased in last few years. As more and more people become part of the social networks like Twitter, Facebook, information which flows through the social network, can potentially give us good understanding about what is happening around in our locality, state, nation or even in the world. The conceptual motive behind the project is to develop a system which analyses about a topic searched on Twitter. It is designed to assist Information Analysts in understanding and exploring complex events as they unfold in the world. The system tracks changes in emotions over events, signalling possible flashpoints or abatement. For each trending topic, the system also shows a sentiment graph showing how positive and negative sentiments are trending as the topic is getting trended.


2020 ◽  
Vol 19 (12) ◽  
pp. 2225-2252
Author(s):  
E.V. Popov ◽  
V.L. Simonova ◽  
O.V. Komarova ◽  
S.S. Kaigorodova

Subject. The emergence of new ways of interaction between sellers and buyers, the formation of new sales channels and product promotion based on the use of digital economy tools is at the heart of improving the business processes. Social networks became a tool for development; their rapid growth necessitates theoretical understanding and identification of potential application in enterprise's business process digitalization. Objectives. We explore the role of social media in the digitalization of business processes, systematize the impact of social networks on business processes of enterprises in the digital economy. Methods. The theoretical and methodological analysis of social networks as a tool for digitalization of company's business processes rests on the content analysis of domestic and foreign scientific studies, comparison, generalization and systematization. Results. We highlight the key effects of the impact of social networks on the business processes of the company; show that the digitalization of business processes should be considered in the context of a value-based approach, aimed at creating a value through the algorithmization of company operations. We determine that social networks are one of the most important tools for digitalization of company's business processes, as they have a high organizational and management potential. We also systematize the effects of social media on company's business processes. Conclusions. We present theoretical provisions of the impact of social networks on business processes of enterprises, which will enable to model and organize ideas about the development of digital ecosystems and the formation of business models.


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