Vaccine nationalism and internationalism: perspectives of COVID-19 vaccine trial participants in the United Kingdom

BackgroundVaccine nationalism has become a key topic of discussion during the development, testing, and rollout of COVID-19 vaccines. Media attention has highlighted the ways that global, coordinated access to vaccines has been limited during the pandemic. It has also exposed how some countries have secured vaccine supply, through bilateral purchase agreements and the way pharmaceutical companies have priced, negotiated, and delivered these supplies. Much of the focus of this debate has been on the vaccine supply ‘winners’ and ‘losers’, but the voices of public opinion have been more limited.MethodsWe explore the concepts of vaccine nationalism and internationalism from the perspective of vaccine trial participants, using an empirical perspectives study that involved interviews with phase I/II COVID-19 vaccine trial participants in Oxford, UK. We surveyed and interviewed participants between September and October 2020 about their views, motivations and experiences in taking part in the trial.ResultsFirst, we show how trial participants describe national and international ideas about vaccination as intertwined and challenge claims that these positions are mutually exclusive or oppositional. Second, we analyse these viewpoints further to show that vaccine nationalism is closely connected with national pride and metaphors of a country’s scientific achievements. Participants held a global outlook and were highly supportive of the prioritisation of vaccines by global need, but many were also pessimistic that such a solution could be possible.ConclusionTrial participants constitute an informed public group, with situated public expertise that the global community could draw on as an expert opinion. We argue that vaccine nationalism is strongly attached to national character and, therefore, it is more difficult for ownership of a vaccine to be though of as international.

E-GOVERNMENT ORGANIZATIONAL GOVERNANCE, POLICY COMMUNICATION AND DIGITALIZATION OF LAND OWNERSHIP IDENTITY (NETNOGRAPHIC STUDY ON THE ISSUANCE OF ELECTRONIC LAND CERTIFICATES)

The purpose of the research is to obtain an empirical picture of the factors that cause difficulties in implementing public policies based on identity digitalization in e-certificates. The research is based on e-government theory, identity digitization, and policy communication. Netnography research methods were used in a constructive/interpretive paradigm. Data collection was carried out through the ATR Public Group on Facebook on February 24, 2021, March 6 & 8, 2021. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis and netnography models in five steps: defining research questions, selecting and identifying communities, collecting data, analyzing, and reporting. Data verification is supported by theoretical triangulation to obtain better credibility. The research findings cover three aspects. First, the public believes that agrarian reform is considered incomplete. This opinion is characterized by a variety of unresolved land issues. Second, electronic land certificates, which are the entrance to digital identity-based e-government governance, are very risky. Third, the crucial aspect is that the government is considered unskilled in choosing the model of communication channels for the public. Consequently, there are pros and cons to the e-certificate policy, which resulted in the state’s failure to execute the electronic land certificate rule. The novelty of this research is in applying netnography design that is relatively new in qualitative research and focuses on the virtual community study. Netnography has a strong and prospective contemporary relevance, especially in the world impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic. This research recommends the state to carefully consider the public’s response when issuing information technology-based regulations.

SOCIAL TRUST AS A FACTOR OF PERCEPTION OF CORRUPTION(AS RESULTS OF A SOCIOLOGICAL SURVEY IN THE ALTAI KRAI)

The article presents the data of a sociological study conducted among the population of the Altai Territory (n = 1200). The purpose of this work is to determine the relationship between the population's perception of corruption and the level of social trust. Within the framework of this article, the characteristics of the level of generalized, interpersonal, particular and institutional trust were given. Perceptions of corruption were examined at the social, group and individual levels. An analysis was also made of the degree to which the population feels that they are protected from corruption. The analysis revealed statistically significant differences in the perception of corruption depending on the socio-demographic characteristics of the population (gender, income, education, social status). As a result of the classification carried out using the decision tree method, it was revealed what role generalized, interpersonal, particular and institutional trust plays in conjunction with the socio-demographic characteristics of the population and the feeling of their protection from corruption in the structure of positive / negative perception of corruption by the population in the public, group and individual level.

The Online Life: the version of Moscow students

The authors consider the issues of the attitude of students to the measures of the Moscow Government against the COVID-19 at the peak of the pandemic, reveal changes in social values, moral and communicative priorities in conditions of mass restrictions when study, work, leisure, and human contacts of Muscovites, or rather when all the life has smoothly flown online. Hence, everyone found himself in a new reality, when fatigue comes not from an excess of communication, but from an excess of its fictitious quasi-forms, or the absence of communication in real. A new type of media space is emerging, a kind of metamedia space that overlaps all media communications of the dock-like world, leaving no room for public, group and personal connections in usual form.

MEDICAL PRFESSIONALISM: COMPARING VIEWS OF PUBLIC AND DOCTORS

Objective: To compare the views of public and doctors about importance of attributes of medical professionalism. Study Design: cross-sectional comparative study. Place and Duration of Study: Study was carried out at Fauji Foundation Hospital Rawalpindi from Oct 2019 to Mar 2020. Methodology: Study included 115 public participants and 115 doctors. Their perceptions about the importance of different attributes of medical professionalism were recorded on a structured questionnaire by rating on a 5-point Likert scale of importance. Independent samples t-test was used to compare the mean scores of the public group to the mean scores of the doctors for every attribute. Results: View of public and doctors were very similar. “Honesty and integrity, sound judgment and decision making, responsible behavior, confidentiality, professional development, abiding professional rules, and being reliable” were ranked among the top ten important attributes by both groups. On the other extreme “maintaining a high standard of living” was ranked at the bottom of list by both groups. Significant differences in views of public and doctors were found regarding attributes of social justice among doctors (4.4 vs 4.09, p=0.012) and among patients (4.43 vs 4.09, p=0.05) and autonomy (4.42 vs 4.2; p=0.042). Conclusion: The opinions of public and doctors on what constitutes medical professionalism are similar with integrity and honesty being the most important attribute and to maintain a high standard of living being the least important attribute.

A Multi-dimensional Online Survey of Experts, Patients and the Public on Early Detected Scoliosis in Fetus Caused by Spinal Hemivertebra

In recent years, with the increasing number of women in advanced maternal age and standardized protocol of prenatal examination in China, more fetuses have been detected with scoliosis caused by hemivertebra (HV). The objective of this study was to obtain the responses of different populations on early detected scoliosis in fetuses caused by spinal hemivertebra through a multi-dimensional survey. A self-administered anonymous web and social media-based multi-dimensional online survey were conducted. Four short questionnaires concerning fetuses with scoliosis secondary to hemivertebra were sent to spine/orthopedic surgeons, obstetricians/ultrasonologists, scoliosis patients, and the non-medical general public separately. Survey items mainly included whether continue the pregnancy, the responses of different populations, whether they have knowledge of HV and what they wanted to know most about HV among the general public group, etc. All the questions were single choice questions, and additional responses could be added if needed. A total of 5586 respondents including 647 spine surgeons, 227 orthopaedic surgeons, 350 obstetricians, 54 ultrasonologists, 246 scoliosis patients and 4062 general public participated in the survey. 41.89% spine surgeons, 25.99% orthopedic surgeons, 6.57% obstetricians, 17.48% scoliosis patients and 19.23% general public chose to continue pregnancy and seek treatment after birth. 4.02% spine surgeons, 7.49% orthopedic surgeons, 3.71% obstetricians, 26.83% scoliosis patients and 14.28% non-medical general public suggested or chose to terminate the pregnancy. 54.10% spine surgeons, 66.52% orthopedic surgeons suggested explain the pros and cons to the parents and let them make their own choices.

The Advocacy of Facebook Public Group “Info Cegatan Jogja“ to Prevent Gangsterism Action “Klitih“ in Yogyakarta, Indonesia

“Info Cegatan Jogja” is a popular public group on Facebook in informing social issues around Yogyakarta city, Indonesia. The information of netizens who get the most comments and responses is the gangsterism action known as “Klitih” in Yogyakarta. The term Klitih has been a street violence phenomenon that deeply disturbs the life of social, economic, education, and tourism in Yogyakarta. This study describes the role of the Facebook group “Info Cegatan Jogja” in advocating for the prevention of Klitih gangsterism in Yogyakarta. The analytical technique used was the mix method approach in the form of discourse analysis to capture the news dynamics and netizen responses to the phenomenon. The results of this study found that Facebook public group “Info Cegatan Jogja” can mobilize civilian awareness to participate and communicate intensively to encourage law enforcement officials to take firm action against their actions. The Facebook group “Info Cegatan Jogja” has become an important channel for community solidarity education in facing street violence “Klitih” in Yogyakarta.

Brand Communication during an Unprecedented Time

All of us are stuck in dilemmas due to this unprecedented period. With people even brands are grappling to secure their routine, employees, customers and profits. Hence, the objective of the study is to focus on how brands need to communicate during pandemics. Both internally (employees/managers /BOD/etc) and externally (customers/ suppliers/ public group/etc). The methodology used is survey, which was target to Indian consumers only. Backed up with secondary data.

Surgery for herniated lumbar disc in private vs public hospitals: A pragmatic comparative effectiveness study

Background There is limited evidence on the comparative performance of private and public healthcare. Our aim was to compare outcomes following surgery for lumbar disc herniation (LDH) in private versus public hospitals. Methods Data were obtained from the Norwegian registry for spine surgery. Primary outcome was change in Oswestry disability index (ODI) 1 year after surgery. Secondary endpoints were quality of life (EuroQol EQ-5D), back and leg pain, complications, and duration of surgery and hospital stays. Results Among 5221 patients, 1728 in the private group and 3493 in the public group, 3624 (69.4%) completed 1-year follow-up. In the private group, mean improvement in ODI was 28.8 points vs 32.3 points in the public group (mean difference − 3.5, 95% CI − 5.0 to − 1.9; P for equivalence < 0.001). Equivalence was confirmed in a propensity-matched cohort and following mixed linear model analyses. There were differences in mean change between the groups for EQ-5D (mean difference − 0.05, 95% CI − 0.08 to − 0.02; P = 0.002) and back pain (mean difference − 0.2, 95% CI − 0.2, − 0.4 to − 0.004; P = 0.046), but after propensity matching, the groups did not differ. No difference was found between the two groups for leg pain. Complication rates was lower in the private group (4.5% vs 7.2%; P < 0.001), but after propensity matching, there was no difference. Patients operated in private clinics had shorter duration of surgery (48.4 vs 61.8 min) and hospital stay (0.7 vs 2.2 days). Conclusion At 1 year, the effectiveness of surgery for LDH was equivalent in private and public hospitals.