Use of Live Community Events on Facebook to Share Health and Clinical Research Information With a Minnesota Statewide Community: Exploratory Study.

BACKGROUND: Community engagement can make a substantial difference in health outcomes and strengthen the capacity to deal with disruptive public health events such as the COVID-19 pandemic. Social media platforms such as Facebook are a promising avenue to reach the broader public and enhance access to clinical and translational science, and require further evaluation from the scientific community. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to describe the use of live community events to enhance communication about clinical and health research through a Facebook platform case study (Minnesota [MN] Research Link) with a Minnesota statewide community. We examined variables associated with video engagement including video length and type of posting. METHODS: From June 2019 to February 2021, MN Research Link streamed 38 live community events on its public Facebook page, MN Research Link. Live community events highlighted different investigators' clinical and health research in the areas of mental health, health and wellness, chronic diseases, and immunology/infectious diseases. Facebook analytics were used to determine the number of views, total minutes viewed, engagement metrics, and audience retention. An engagement rate was calculated by the total number of interactions (likes, shares, and comments) divided by the total length of the live event by the type of live community event. RESULTS: The 38 live community events averaged 23 minutes and 1 second in duration. The total time viewed for all 38 videos was 10 hours, 44 minutes, and 40 seconds. Viewers' watch time averaged 23 seconds of content per video. After adjusting for video length, promotional videos and research presentations had the highest engagement and retention rates. Events that included audience participation did not have higher retention rates compared to events without audience participation. CONCLUSIONS: The use of live community events showed adequate levels of engagement from participants. A view time of 23 seconds on average per video suggests that short informational videos engage viewers of clinical and translational science content. Live community events on Facebook can be an effective method of advancing health promotion and clinical and translational science content; however, certain types of events have more impact on engagement than others.

"Can I hit that?" Vaping knowledge, attitudes and practices of college students.

Objective: Vaping rates among college students have been increasing significantly in recent years, due in large part to the diffusion of pod vaping devices (i.e., JUUL, Suorin) on American college campuses. In this study, we explore the ecological system of knowledge, attitudes, and practices in regards to this trend. Participants: Participants were 26 undergraduate students at the University of Minnesota. Method: Following a KAP (knowledge, attitudes, practices) approach, 8 focus groups were conducted in April/ May 2019. Results: Knowledge themes include awareness of the addictiveness of the devices and uncertainty regarding the health risks. Attitudinal themes include a dual perspective, wherein social use is acceptable, but everyday use is stigmatized. Practice themes included three evident stages: social connection, wherein the devices were used to achieve social advantage with peers; addiction, characterized by solitary, habitual use; and detachment, sometimes marked by a dramatic, public action filmed for social media. Conclusions: As we consider intervention points on college campuses, an understanding of knowledge, attitude, and practice themes can guide our approach. Recommendations for college vaping campaigns are discussed.

Science Cafés and Local Dissemination: Fulfilling the Responsibilities of Community-Engaged Research.

This report describes a Science Café innovation, using an interpreter to translate remarks and engage three underserved Minnesota communities. It also illustrates how translational research can emphasize community benefit by combining longer-term knowledge production goals with shorter-term goals such as developing materials that are responsive to community health literacy needs.

Feasibility of a virtual Facebook community platform for engagement on health research.

INTRODUCTION: Community engagement is important for advancing Clinical and Translational Science (CTS), but face-to-face engagement has limited reach and scale. We examined the feasibility of a novel virtual Facebook community platform for public engagement on health research statewide in Minnesota. METHODS: The Facebook platform, MN Research Link, was evaluated from June 19, 2019 to June 30, 2020. Facebook advertisements and boosts were used to recruit followers. Content, based on prior formative work, included health research information and interactive postings (e.g., live interviews with researchers). Standard metrics obtained from Facebook analytics included participation (followers), content reach (views), and engagement (likes, shares, comments, clicks). RESULTS: During the 12-month period, we acquired 1406 followers (31% rural residents), with a retention of followers of 99.7%. Mean number of views per month was 9379.83 (Mdn = 2791, range 724-41,510). Engagement metrics indicated a mean of 535.2 likes, shares, comments, and/or clicks per month (Mdn = 296.5, range 55-1535). The page continued to acquire new followers, but a slight decrease in engagement was observed in the final months after state COVID-19 mitigation strategies were implemented. CONCLUSION: As the complexity of CTS continues to grow, along with social distancing measures resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, the availability of virtual digital platforms to reach and engage community stakeholders in conversations about health and research has increasing importance. Preliminary findings from this program evaluation indicate that a Facebook community platform is feasible to engage Minnesota residents in conversations around health and research topics. Future work will evaluate its potential for reach, scale, and sustainability.

12 Tips for Engaging Medical Students in Health Communications.

This article was migrated. The article was marked as recommended. The proliferation of misinformation during the COVID-19 pandemic provides a clear example of the harms that can occur when medical professionals do not engage with the public regarding health topics. To address this need for accessible, accurate medical information, we taught medical students a COVID-19-specific curriculum tailored to sharing this information with the lay public via social media. Through active learning, students developed their understanding of disease-specific pathophysiology, prevention techniques, treatments, and public health interventions while practicing new skills in public communication as health professionals. After two cohorts completed the course, students' high-quality medical information about COVID-19 reached >100,000 viewers. To further broaden the impact, we shared the course curriculum through the Association of American Medical College (AAMC) iCollaborative. This curriculum provides a model for future engagement of medical students in health communication with lay audiences.

Can opioid vigilance and patient-centered care coexist? A qualitative study of communicative tensions encountered by surgical trainees.

OBJECTIVE: The American health care system's adoption of the patient-centered care (PCC) model has transformed how medical pro-viders communicate with patients about prescription pain medication. Concomitantly, the nation's opioid epidemic has necessitated a proactive response from the medical profession, requiring providers who frequently dispense opioids for acute pain to exercise vigi-lance in monitoring and limiting outpatient prescriptions. This qualitative study explores how surgical trainees balance PCC directives, including shared decision making, exchanging information with patients, and relationship maintenance, with opioid prescribing vigi-lance. DESIGN: Investigators conducted interviews with 17 surgical residents and fellows (trainees) who routinely prescribe opioids at an ac-ademic medical center. RESULTS: A qualitative descriptive analysis produced four codes, which were reduced to themes depicting problematic intersections between PCC imperatives and opioid vigilance during post-operative opioid-prescribing communication: (a) sharing the deci-sion-making process contended with exerting medical authority, (b) reciprocating information contended with negotiating opioid prescribing terms with patients, (c) maintaining symbiotic relationships contended with prescribing ethics, and (d) achieving patient satisfaction contended with safeguarding opioid medications. CONCLUSION: Surgical training programs must supply trainees with post-surgical prescribing guidelines and communication skills training. Training should emphasize how PCC directives may work in tandem with-not in opposition to-opioid vigilance.

Trauma Trainees' Multiple Competing Goals in Opioid Prescription Communication.

Prescription opioids and heroin account for more than half of all drug overdose fatalities, costing an estimated 115 American lives every day. The ongoing opioid epidemic devastates communities and represents a tremendous burden to the national economy and health care system. In 2016, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy proposed action to train prescribers on the proper dispensing of opioids, which are indispensable pharmacologic resources for treating acute pain resulting from a traumatic injury or surgery. Trauma surgeons who prescribe opioids for severe pain embark on patient consultations with multiple and conflicting goals respective to their roles as a healers of the suffering, regulators of illicit substances, members of a greater medical system working to contain an opioid epidemic, and moral beings with a distinct set of preferences, experiences, social norms, and practice philosophies. Semistructured interviews with 17 trauma and surgical residents and fellows at a southeastern academic medical center in the United States generated descriptive data regarding prescribing practices and patient communication. Guided by the multiple goals framework, the current research presents three prominent themes depicting the problematic convergence of identity, task, and relational goals during opioid-prescribing conversations between trauma trainees and their patients.

Identifying Communication Barriers to Colorectal Cancer Screening Adherence among Appalachian Kentuckians.

Utilizing data from 40 in-depth interviews, this article identifies both barriers and facilitators to colorectal screening guideline adherence among Appalachian Kentucky adults recruited through a community-based research network. Key findings identify (a) varying levels of knowledge about screening guidelines, (b) reticence to engage in screening processes, and (c) nuanced communication with healthcare providers and family members regarding screening adherence. What participants knew about the screening process was often derived from personal stories or recalled stories from family members about their screening experiences. Reticence to engage in screening processes reflected reports of cumbersome preparation, privacy issues, embarrassment, medical mistrust, fear of receiving a cancer diagnosis, and lack of symptoms. Participants cited many ways to enhance patient-centered communication, and the findings from this study have implications for health communication message design and communication strategies for healthcare practices in Appalachian Kentucky clinics.

Lay Epistemology of Breast Cancer Screening Guidelines Among Appalachian Women.

Recent changes to the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force guidelines for breast cancer screening have contributed to increased patient uncertainty regarding the timing and appropriateness of screening behaviors. To gain insight into the lay epistemology of women regarding breast cancer screening practices, we conducted in-depth, face-to-face interviews with 24 adult women living in a medically underserved Appalachian region. We found that women were unaware of breast cancer screening guidelines (i.e., start age, frequency, stop age). Qualitative analysis revealed two lay epistemological narratives establishing (a) uncertain knowledge and ambiguity about breast cancer screening guidelines but certain knowledge of other women's experiences with breast cancer diagnoses, and (b) feelings of knowing one's own body best and seeing the value in "overscreening" to save even one life. Our findings have theoretical and practical implications for scholars and practitioners seeking to improve knowledge or behavior regarding adherence to breast cancer screening recommendations.

Using communication to manage uncertainty about cervical cancer screening guideline adherence among Appalachian women.

Changes to the United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommendations for cervical cancer preventive services have led to patient confusion, especially in medically underserved populations. We investigated how patient uncertainty concerning cervical cancer screening guidelines is appraised and managed through communication with healthcare providers by conducting in-depth, face-to-face interviews with 24 adult women between the ages of 24 and 65 (m = 41, SD = 14) living in Appalachia Kentucky. In general, participants expressed a high degree of uncertainty about the updated cervical cancer screening guidelines and appraised this uncertainty as both a danger and an opportunity. Communication with healthcare providers served both to exacerbate and to mitigate patient uncertainty. The study identifies how health care providers may use the change in USPSTF guidelines as a 'teachable moment' to productively counsel patients on the importance of timely screening, the typical progression of certain types of high-risk HPV infection to cervical cancer, and the importance of follow-up care.

Identifying Sociocultural Barriers to Mammography Adherence Among Appalachian Kentucky Women.

Despite lower breast cancer incidence rates, Appalachian women evidence lower frequency of screening mammography and higher mortality risk for breast cancer compared to non-Appalachian women in Kentucky, and in the United States, overall. Utilizing data from 27 in-depth interviews from women in seven Appalachian Kentucky counties, this study examines how Appalachian women explain sociocultural barriers and facilitators to timely screening mammography, and explores their common narratives about their mammography experiences. The women describe how pain and embarrassment, less personal and less professional mammography experiences, cancer fears, and poor provider communication pose barriers to timely and appropriate mammography schedule adherence and follow-up care. The study also identifies how improving communication strategies in the mammography encounter may improve mammography experiences and adherence to screening guidelines.

Designing for dissemination: lessons in message design from "1-2-3 pap".

Despite a large number of evidence-based health communication interventions tested in private, public, and community health settings, there is a dearth of research on successful secondary dissemination of these interventions to other audiences. This article presents the case study of "1-2-3 Pap," a health communication intervention to improve human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination uptake and Pap testing outcomes in Eastern Kentucky, and explores strategies used to disseminate this intervention to other populations in Kentucky, North Carolina, and West Virginia. Through this dissemination project, we identified several health communication intervention design considerations that facilitated our successful dissemination to these other audiences; these intervention design considerations include (a) developing strategies for reaching other potential audiences, (b) identifying intervention message adaptations that might be needed, and (c) determining the most appropriate means or channels by which to reach these potential future audiences. Using "1-2-3 Pap" as an illustrative case study, we describe how careful planning and partnership development early in the intervention development process can improve the potential success of enhancing the reach and effectiveness of an intervention to other audiences beyond the audience for whom the intervention messages were originally designed.

Identifying knowledge-attitude-practice gaps to enhance HPV vaccine diffusion.

To examine differences in knowledge, attitudes, and related practices among adopters and nonadopters of the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine, the researchers conducted 83 in-depth interviews with 18- to 26-year-old women. The study identified knowledge-attitude-practice gaps in the context of the HPV vaccine to explain why diffusion of a preventive innovation (such as the HPV vaccine) requires targeted risk communication strategies in order to increase demand. Salient findings included similarities between vaccinated and unvaccinated women's lack of knowledge and uncertainties about HPV and cervical cancer. Vaccinated women who had no knowledge of HPV or no-risk/low-risk perceptions of HPV reported receiving vaccination, indicating HPV risk protection behavior could precede knowledge acquisition for vaccinated women. These vaccinated women identified an interpersonal network supportive of vaccination and reported supportive social influences. Among unvaccinated women, unsupportive vaccination attitudes included low perceived personal risk of HPV. In contrast, unvaccinated women often cited erroneous beliefs that HPV could be avoided by abstinence, monogamy, and knowledge of their partners' sexual history as reasons that the vaccine was not personally relevant. Unvaccinated women cited interpersonal influences that activated short- and long-term vaccination safety and efficacy concerns. Different levels of fear regarding the HPV vaccine may underlie (a) attitudinal differences between vaccinated and unvaccinated women in perceived vaccination value and (b) attitude-practice gaps.

Illegal college ADHD stimulant distributors: characteristics and potential areas of intervention.

This study identifies indicators of college students, with prescriptions to Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) stimulants, who are most likely to distribute their medication to nonprescribed peers. 2,313 undergraduate students at a large Southeastern University were surveyed from 2009 to 2011. 5.2% (n = 120) were currently taking a prescribed ADHD stimulant. Analyses revealed that distributors are more likely to (1) take their medication less frequently; (2) misuse their stimulants for "off label" purposes; (3) be a member of a fraternity; (4) overestimate the percentages of users; and (5) belong to at-risk peer groups. The work concludes by discussing the study's implications, limitations and future research.

Evaluation of Patient Needs and Patient Navigator Communication about Cervical Cancer Prevention in Appalachian Kentucky.

Few studies describe the way patient navigation processes may address disparities in treatment and follow-up care for medically underserved populations. Using a social ecological framework, we analyzed survey assessments of 519 patients completing a randomized navigation trial in Appalachia Kentucky to examine patient-reported barriers to follow-up cervical cancer care. We also analyzed in-depth interview transcripts with four lay patient navigators in the trial to identify barriers to follow-up care and to learn what communication strategies navigators use to successfully (or unsuccessfully) help patients navigate around those barriers. Our analysis provides insight into how patient navigation may improve adherence to follow-up care through assisted uncertainty management. We also discuss opportunities for improving navigator training to address disparities in clinical outcomes.

Evaluating the Ozioma cancer news service: a community randomized trial in 24 U.S. cities.

OBJECTIVE: This community randomized trial evaluated effects of the Ozioma News Service on the amount and quality of cancer coverage in Black weekly newspapers in 24 U.S. cities. METHOD: We created and operated Ozioma, the first cancer information news service specifically for Black newspapers. Over 21 months, Ozioma developed community- and race-specific cancer news releases for each of 12 Black weekly newspapers in intervention communities. Cancer coverage in these papers was tracked before and during the intervention and compared to 12 Black newspapers in control communities. RESULTS: From 2004 to 2007, we coded 9257 health and cancer stories from 3178 newspaper issues. Intervention newspapers published approximately 4 times the expected number of cancer stories compared to control newspapers (p(12,21 mo)<.01), and also saw an increase in graphics (p(12,21 mo)<.01), local relevance (p(12 mo)=.01), and personal mobilization (p(12 mo)<.10). However, this increased coverage supplanted other health topics and had smaller graphics (NS), had less community mobilization (p(21 mo)=.01), and is less likely to be from a local source (NS). CONCLUSION: Providing news releases with localized and race-specific features to minority-serving media outlets can increase the quantity of cancer coverage. Results are mixed for the journalistic and public health quality of this increased cancer coverage in Black newspapers.

Health, masculinity and smokeless tobacco use among college-aged men.

Existing work on smokeless tobacco (SLT) often focuses on correlates and predictors of use, ignoring the social and cultural context surrounding initiation and continued use of SLT products. The current study takes a qualitative approach using guided focus groups to examine this unexplored context. The findings show that male SLT users gain social rewards from dipping with other men, and usage is initiated and continued in spite of known potential health consequences. For the men participating in this study SLT use was primarily initiated at social or athletic events with the encouragement of other men and continued for relational maintenance and bonding. Additionally, the men reported that the social rewards received from using SLT far outweighed any potential health consequences or negative social repercussions they might also experience. Implications for future research and health interventions targeting SLT use are discussed.

Young women's perspectives on cervical cancer prevention in Appalachian Kentucky.

Human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination coupled with routine Papanicolaou (Pap) tests can prevent pervasive HPV infections causing cervical cancer. However, both HPV vaccination rates and Pap testing rates in Appalachian Kentucky are lower among all age groups than the rest of the United States. We recruited 19 young women residing in Appalachian Kentucky from university-based and rural clinical settings for group and individual interviews. After considering an integrated behavioral framework, we illustrate these women's perspectives by detailing five themes, including (a) experiential beliefs pose barriers to performing behaviors, (b) three vaccine doses complicate vaccination intention, (c) women have misunderstandings about HPV and the HPV vaccination function, (d) normative influences cue action (and inaction), and (e) specific environmental and contextual barriers exist to performing cervical cancer prevention behaviors in Appalachian Kentucky. These findings related to cervical cancer prevention in Appalachian Kentucky have implications for health-message design and clinical practice.

Differences in smokers and nonsmokers' assessments of an educational campaign about tobacco use.

The authors surveyed 1,998 Missourians to evaluate (a) awareness and (b) understanding of messages about the impact of tobacco use in Missouri, (c) belief in the accuracy of the messages, and (d) intention to vote for a tobacco tax increase on the basis of the messages. Using structural equation modeling, the relationships among these four constructs were evaluated. A comparison of smokers and nonsmokers indicated that these two groups were influenced by the messages in different ways, χ(2)(8) = 20.89, p < .05, and should be modeled separately. The nonsmokers' model demonstrated significant (p < .05) relationships between understanding the messages and belief in message accuracy (b = .41; R (2) = .17) and between belief in message accuracy and intention to vote in favor of the tobacco tax (b = .54; R (2) = .29). In the smokers' model, understanding the messages was not a statistically significant predictor of belief in message accuracy. However, belief in message accuracy had a significant and positive relationship with intention to vote in favor of the tax (b = .45; R (2) = .21). These findings indicate that media campaigns about tobacco use should approach smokers and nonsmokers differently.

Alcohol and tobacco advertising in black and general audience newspapers: targeting with message cues?

This study content analyzed 928 tobacco- and alcohol-related advertisements from a 3-year national sample of Black (n = 24) and general audience (n = 11) newspapers from 24 U.S. cities. The authors compared the frequency of tobacco and alcohol product and control advertising in Black versus general audience newspapers, as well as the presence of 5 message cues: model ethnicity, presence of health official, referral to resources, personal behavior mobilization, and localization. Results within health issues show that Black newspapers had more alcohol product advertising than did general audience newspapers. In contrast, Black newspapers had less alcohol and tobacco control advertising than general audience newspapers. Black newspapers' tobacco/alcohol product advertisements had more African American models than did general audience newspapers' tobacco/alcohol advertising, whereas general audience newspapers' tobacco control advertisements were significantly more likely to feature public health officials than ads in Black newspapers. Fewer message cues such as personal behavior mobilization, referral to resources, and localization were present in Black versus general audience newspapers. Results suggest that Black newspapers may have greater dependency than do general audience newspapers on these risk-related advertisements that target African American consumers. Given the current advertising environment, public health initiatives are needed to counter unhealthy alcohol product advertising messages that target vulnerable populations.