Informação e prevenção não farmacológica da COVID-19 no território de uma unidade de saúde da família em Pernambuco / Information and non-pharmacological prevention of COVID-19 in the territory of a family health unit in Pernambuco / Información y prevención no farmacológica del COVID-19 en el territorio de una unidad de salud de la familia en Pernambuco

Introdução: O conhecimento da magnitude em que a população implementa medidas de proteção emitidas pelas autoridades de saúde pública é essencial na prevenção da doença do novo coronavírus (COVID-19). A eficácia de medidas não farmacológicas de prevenção e das políticas públicas destinadas a reduzir o contágio pela COVID-19 depende de quão bem os indivíduos são informados sobre as consequências da infecção e as medidas que devem adotar para reduzir sua propagação. O entendimento, as atitudes e as práticas das pessoas em relação à COVID-19 e sua prevenção são basilares para a compreensão da dinâmica epidemiológica, demandando a realização de pesquisas sobre o cumprimento de medidas não farmacológicas de prevenção do contágio em diversos territórios. Para isso, em 2020, medidas não farmacológicas contra a COVID-19 foram divulgadas por fontes diversas, estatais e privadas, para a maior parte da população brasileira, com a finalidade de orientar comportamentos para conter a crise sanitária. As equipes da Estratégia Saúde da Família têm um papel fundamental neste processo de educação em saúde, pois compreendem elementos socioculturais das suas comunidades, alcançando-as tanto em capilaridade quanto em adequação local da informação técnico-científica. Este artigo abrange uma pesquisa de campo, parte de um projeto multicêntrico nacional. Objetivo: Avaliar se a população do território de uma unidade da Estratégia Saúde da Família da cidade de Condado-PE entende e aplica as informações que recebeu sobre medidas não farmacológicas de prevenção em suas práticas de proteção contra a COVID-19. Mais especificamente, a pesquisa visou determinar que informações foram recebidas pelos respondentes, quais as suas fontes, o grau de confiabilidade atribuído a estas, além da adesão deles às medidas não farmacológicas e sua relação com variáveis sociodemográficas. Métodos: O modelo do estudo foi observacional e descritivo, com abordagem quantitativa, a partir da coleta de dados primários com 70 usuários por entrevista presencial com questionário estruturado. Resultados: Os resultados mostraram que a população recebeu vasta informação sobre prevenção da doença. Conclusão: Com níveis variados de confiabilidade das fontes, atribuindo importância relevante às medidas de prevenção e adotou a maioria delas, com exceção do isolamento social total.

Introduction: Knowledge of the magnitude to which the population implements protective measures issued by public health authorities is essential in preventing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). The effectiveness of non-pharmacological prevention measures (NPM) and public policies aimed at reducing the spread of COVID-19 depends on how well individuals are informed about the consequences of the infection and the measures they must adopt to reduce its spread. The understanding, attitudes, and practices of people in relation to COVID-19 and its prevention are fundamental for understanding the epidemiological dynamics, demanding research on compliance with NPM to prevent contagion in different territories. To this end, in 2020, NPM against COVID-19 were released by various sources, state and private, for most of the Brazilian population, with the aim of guiding behaviors to contain the health crisis. The Family Health Strategy (FHS) teams play a key role in this health education process, as they comprise sociocultural elements of their communities, reaching them both in capillarity and in local adequacy of technical-scientific information. This article covers field research, part of a national multicenter project. Objective: To evaluate whether the population of the territory of an FHS unit in the city of Condado, Pernambuco, understands and applies the information it received about NPM prevention in their practices to protect against COVID-19. More specifically, the research aimed to determine what information was received by the respondents, what are their sources, the degree of reliability attributed to these, in addition to their adherence to the NPM and their relationship with sociodemographic variables. Methods: The study model was observational and descriptive, with a quantitative approach, based on the collection of primary data with 70 users through face-to-face interviews with a structured questionnaire. Results: The results showed that the population received extensive information on disease prevention. Conclusion: With varying levels of reliability of the sources, attributing relevant importance to prevention measures and adopted most of them, with the exception of total social isolation.

El conocimiento de la magnitud con la que la población implementa las medidas de protección emitidas por las autoridades de salud pública es fundamental en la prevención de la enfermedad por coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19). La efectividad de las medidas de prevención no farmacológicas (MFN) y de las políticas públicas dirigidas a reducir la propagación de la COVID-19 depende de qué tan bien se informe a las personas sobre las consecuencias de la infección y las medidas que deben adoptar para reducir su propagación. La comprensión, actitudes y prácticas de las personas con relación al COVID-19 y su prevención son fundamentales para comprender la dinámica epidemiológica, exigiendo investigaciones sobre el cumplimiento de las MNF para prevenir el contagio en diferentes territorios. Con ese fin, en 2020, MNF contra el COVID-19 fueron divulgados por diversas fuentes, estatales y privadas, para la mayoría de la población brasileña, con el objetivo de orientar comportamientos para contener la crisis sanitaria. Los equipos de la Estrategia de Salud de la Familia (ESF) juegan un papel fundamental en este proceso de educación en salud, ya que integran elementos socioculturales de sus comunidades, alcanzándolas tanto en la capilaridad como en la adecuación local de la información técnico-científica. Este artículo aborda una investigación de campo, parte de un proyecto multicéntrico nacional, con el objetivo de evaluar si la población del territorio de una unidad de la ESF en la ciudad de Condado-PE comprende y aplica la información recibida sobre la prevención de MNF en sus prácticas de protección contra el COVID -19. Más específicamente, la investigación tuvo como objetivo determinar qué información recibieron los encuestados, cuáles son sus fuentes, el grado de confiabilidad atribuido a estas, además de su adherencia al MNF y su relación con variables sociodemográficas. El modelo de estudio fue observacional y descriptivo, con enfoque cuantitativo, basado en la recolección de datos primarios con 70 usuarios a través de entrevistas cara a cara con un cuestionario estructurado. Los resultados mostraron que la población recibió amplia información sobre prevención de la enfermedad, con diversos niveles de confiabilidad de las fuentes, atribuyendo importancia relevante a las medidas de prevención y adoptando la mayoría de ellas, con excepción del aislamiento social total.

Você está pensando, refletindo, analisando o que você vê e o que você faz o tempo todo: percepção de residentes de Medicina de Família e Comunidade sobre vídeo feedback / You are thinking, reflecting, analysing what you see and what you do all the time: perception of General Practice trainees about video feedback / Estás pensando, reflexionando, analizando lo que ves y lo que haces todo el tiempo: percepción de los residentes de Medicina Familiar y Comunitaria sobre vídeo feedback

Introdução: A comunicação é reconhecida como uma habilidade central por vários órgãos reguladores internacionais da educação médica. O ensino específico de habilidades de comunicação é fundamental para melhorar a comunicação dos médicos. As técnicas experienciais mostraram superioridade em comparação com os modelos tradicionais. A utilização de consultas reais ajuda os estudantes a visualizar melhor as suas competências de entrevista e a refletir sobre elas. Com os avanços da tecnologia, o uso de consultas médicas gravadas em vídeo tornou-se a abordagem padrão para o ensino da comunicação. No entanto, a eficácia dessa técnica depende do envolvimento ativo dos estudantes. As suas contribuições e comentários dos pares sobre a consulta gravada são essenciais para a aprendizagem. Contudo, a perspectiva do estudante sobre a utilidade dessa abordagem educativa recebeu pouca atenção. Objetivos: Compreender a percepção da aprendizagem dos residentes de medicina de família e comunidade resultante da atividade de vídeo feedback na sua formação profissional. Métodos: Estudo exploratório, qualitativo, realizado com residentes do primeiro ano de medicina de família e comunidade de um programa de residência estabelecido em São Paulo, Brasil. Os participantes foram entrevistados após as sessões educativas, que foram analisadas por meio de análise temática reflexiva. Resultados: A autopercepção de sua prática, o aprendizado de habilidades de comunicação e os ganhos afetivos foram identificados pelos participantes como pontos de aprendizado derivados da atividade de vídeo feedback. Além disso, sobre o aprendizado de habilidades específicas de comunicação, eles mencionaram comunicação não-verbal e verbal, conexões entre teoria e prática, estrutura de consulta e oportunidades para cristalizar conhecimentos. Os ganhos afetivos incluíram sentir-se parte de um grupo, melhora da autoestima, superação de inseguranças, percepção de consultas mais efetivas, reforço do gosto pelo trabalho e reconhecer a necessidade de mais aprendizado. Conclusões: Os ganhos de aprendizagem identificados em nosso estudo levaram a uma experiência de humanidade compartilhada, que permite aos participantes serem mais efetivos técnica e afetivamente com seus pacientes. Além disso, identificamos que a atividade educativa de vídeo feedback pode ser utilizada para outros possíveis fins educacionais além do ensino da comunicação.

Introduction: Communication is recognized as a central skill by various international medical education regulatory bodies. Specific teaching on communication skills is important to enhance doctors' communication. Experiential techniques appear to be superior compared to traditional models. Real-life consultation helps trainees visualize their interview skills and reflect on them. Upgraded by technology, the use of video-recorded medical visits became the standard approach for communication teaching. However, the effectiveness pf this technique relies on trainees' active involvement. Their inputs and peer feedback on the recorded consultation are essential to learning. Despite its importance, their perspective on the usefulness of video feedback in medical education has received limited attention. Objective: To understand the perception of learning among general practice trainees as a result of the video feedback activity in their vocational training. Methods: An exploratory, qualitative study, conducted with first-year general practice trainees from an established training program in São Paulo, Brazil. Participants were interviewed after educational session, which were analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis. Results: Self-perception of their practice, communication skills learning, and affective gains were identified by participants as learning points derived from the video feedback activity. Furthermore, for specific communication skills learning, they mentioned nonverbal and verbal communication, theory and practice connections, consultation structure and opportunities for crystallizing knowledge. Affective gains included feeling part of a group, improving self-esteem, overcoming insecurities, perception of more effective consultations, reinforcing fondness for their work, and need for more learning. Conclusions: The learning gains identified in our study led to an experience of common humanity, which allowed participants to be more technically and affectively effective with their patients. Also, we identified that the video feedback educational activity can be used for other possible educational purposes, beyond the teaching of communication.

Introducción: La comunicación es reconocida como una habilidad fundamental por varios organismos reguladores internacionales de educación médica. La enseñanza específica de habilidades de comunicación es importante para mejorar la comunicación de los médicos. Las técnicas experienciales parecen ser superiores a los modelos tradicionales. El uso de consultas reales ayuda a los estudiantes a visualizar y reflexionar mejor sobre sus habilidades de entrevista. Actualizado por la tecnología, el uso de consultas médicas grabadas en video se ha convertido en el enfoque estándar para la enseñanza de la comunicación. Sin embargo, para que la técnica funcione, la participación de los estudiantes es crucial. Sus contribuciones y comentarios de los compañeros sobre la consulta grabada son esenciales para el aprendizaje. Sin embargo, la perspectiva de los estudiantes sobre la utilidad de este enfoque educativo ha recibido poca atención. Objetivos: Comprender la percepción del aprendizaje por parte de los residentes de medicina de familia y comunitaria como resultado de la actividad de vídeo feedback en su formación profesional. Métodos: Estudio cualitativo exploratorio realizado con residentes de primer año de medicina familiar y comunitaria de un programa de residencia establecido en São Paulo, Brasil. Los participantes fueron entrevistados después de una sesión educativa, que fueron analizados mediante análisis temático reflexivo. Resultados: La autopercepción de su práctica, el aprendizaje de habilidades comunicativas y las ganancias afectivas fueron identificadas por los participantes como puntos de aprendizaje derivados de la actividad de vídeo feedback. Además, sobre el aprendizaje de habilidades comunicativas específicas, mencionaron la comunicación verbal y no verbal, las conexiones entre la teoría y la práctica, la estructura de consulta y las oportunidades para cristalizar conocimientos. En cuanto a las ganancias afectivas, relataron sentirse parte de un grupo, mejora de la autoestima, superación de las inseguridades, percepción de consultas más efectivas, refuerzo del gusto por el trabajo y necesidad de más aprendizaje. Conclusión: Los logros de aprendizaje identificados en nuestro estudio llevaron a una experiencia de humanidad compartida, que permite a los participantes ser técnica y afectivamente más efectivos con sus pacientes. Además, identificamos que la actividad educativa de vídeo feedback puede ser utilizada para otros posibles fines educativos, además de la enseñanza de la comunicación.

Is social media our new quitline? A descriptive study assessing youtube coverage of tobacco cessation.

Background: Tobacco use and exposure are leading causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide. In the past decade, educational efforts to reduce tobacco use and exposure have extended to social media, including video-sharing platforms. YouTube is one of the most publicly accessed video-sharing platforms. Purpose: This cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted to identify and describe sources, formats, and content of widely viewed YouTube videos on smoking cessation. Methods: In August to September 2023, the keywords "stop quit smoking" were used to search in YouTube and identify 100 videos with the highest view count. Results: Collectively, these videos were viewed over 220 million times. The majority (n = 35) were posted by nongovernmental/organization sources, with a smaller number posted by consumers (n = 25), and only eleven were posted by governmental agencies. The format used in the highest number of videos was the testimonial (n = 32 videos, over 77 million views). Other popular formats included animation (n = 23 videos, over 90 million views) and talk by professional (n = 20 videos, almost 43 million views). Video content included evidence-based and non-evidence-based practices. Evidence-based strategies aligned with U.S. Public Health Service Tobacco Treatment Guidelines (e.g. health systems approach in tobacco treatment, medication management). Non-evidence-based strategies included mindfulness and hypnotherapy. One key finding was that environmental tobacco exposure received scant coverage across the videos. Conclusions: Social media such as YouTube promises to reach large audiences at low cost without requiring high reading literacy. Additional attention is needed to create videos with up-to-date, accurate information that can engage consumers.

The association between health behaviours and academic performance moderated by trait mindfulness amongst university students: an observational study.

Objectives: To target health communication at less health-conscious groups, evidence on health behaviours' effects on non-health-related outcomes - such as academic performance - is necessary. Recent research has highlighted the associations of various health behaviours on academic performance of university students. However, there is a lack of research investigating the most predominant health behaviours simultaneously and their association with academic performance, as well as the factors that potentially influence the direction or strength of these associations. Therefore, this study investigated (I) which of the predominant health behaviours (physical activity, healthy diet, sleep, sedentary behaviour, alcohol consumption, smoking, drug use) are most associated with academic performance and (II) whether the personal resource of trait mindfulness moderates these associations. Methods: An online survey was conducted amongst university students during the 2021 summer semester. Group differences in academic performance regarding health behaviours were analysed using ANOVA (N = 1,049). A first linear regression model (N = 571), considering all selected health behaviours simultaneously, assessed their association with academic performance. A second model (N = 540) assessed interaction effects of health behaviours and trait mindfulness. Separate regressions assessed each interaction's association with academic performance. Results: Sleep, fruit and vegetable consumption, and gender were significantly associated with academic performance. The second model showed no significant interaction effects. Conclusion: Targeting sleep and fruit and vegetable consumption might be the most promising strategies for elevating students' academic performance, thereby enabling health communication strategies to reach groups driven by performance improvements rather than health benefits.

How researchers can translate health evidence into books for children.

The health promotion literature that considers how scientific evidence can be effectively communicated tends to focus on evaluating the effectiveness of communication materials. This has resulted in a knowledge gap regarding effective knowledge translation processes. This study explores the process, reasoning and practices for developing books for children that incorporate evidence-based information to aid understanding of scientific evidence about health and environmental or natural disasters. This study is informed by a systematic review of the literature combined with responses to an email interview with authors of books for children. Nine published studies were included in the systematic review. Twenty-two authors responded to the email survey (25% response rate, following 86 invitations). We report seven key findings to guide the development of health-promoting books for children: (i) understand the needs and expectations of the audience, (ii) articulate the topic and research evidence, (iii) assemble a team with a mix of content knowledge and creative expertise, (iv) format should be chosen to suit the user group and guided by the creative team, (v) early testing with children and their support system is crucial, (vi) develop a dissemination strategy to reach the user group and (vii) engage in reflexivity through evaluation of effectiveness of messaging. The current investigation can guide the process, reasoning and practice of developing books for children that incorporate evidence about health and environmental disasters.

Effect of a Theory-Based Narrative Video on Colorectal Cancer Screening Intention, Knowledge, and Psychosocial Variables Among a Predominantly Hispanic Population.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) remains the third leading cause of cancer death in the USA. Latinx adults are overrepresented in late-stage CRC diagnosis as CRC screening utilization remains low among Latinx-identifying individuals. This study aims to evaluate the effect of a theory-based narrative video following a culturally appropriate storyline on CRC screening intention, knowledge, and psychosocial variables along the U.S.-Mexico border. We designed and analyzed a non-randomized pre-posttest evaluation of a narrative, culturally tailored video embedded within a community program. The study is set in the U.S.-Mexico border community. Outreach provided a link or QR code to access the survey. In all, 458 participants started the survey, and 304 completed the survey. Participants were recruited through flyers distributed throughout various community events by the program's community health workers and via social media. The intervention evaluated changes in participant's knowledge, perceived barriers, perceived susceptibility, self-efficacy, and perceived benefits and intention to screen. Participants were a mean age of 39 and identified mainly as female (72.7%) and Hispanic/Latinx (88.49%). After viewing the narrative video, participants had significantly improved perceived susceptibility, self-efficacy, and benefits, while perceived barriers and sense of fatalism significantly decreased. Paradoxically, this was associated with a significant decrease in knowledge scores. Results from this intervention suggest that a theory-based narrative video following a culturally appropriate storyline effectively improves psychosocial variables and intention to carry out CRC screening in a predominantly Hispanic border population.

Reframing the experience of childbirth: Black doula communication strategies and client responses during delivery hospitalization.

Doulas, or birth coaches, are said to be "changing the world, one birth at a time." Black doulas have been suggested to mitigate against lack of representation in obstetric care, limited identity acknowledgement and accommodation, and obstetric racism. However, scientific inquiry into the specific communication strategies and messages used by Black doulas to advocate for clients was non-existent in extant literature. Guided by the Agency-Identity Model, we analyzed 20 diary-interviews of nine Black doulas who recently served Black clients. Specifically, we explored Black doulas' communication strategies and whether these strategies had an impact on client agency. We found that Black doulas prepare their clients for patient-provider interactions, including conversations about certain medical treatments and procedures and the risks for Black women and birthing people, the importance of informed consent, how to be heard, and how to resist neglect or abuse. We found that, in turn, most Black clients were able to enact agentic responses. We describe the specific doula messages, and contextualize our findings, considering how these collective interpersonal communication strategies of Black doulas, and their clients' agentic transformations, may index a sociopolitical movement to reframe the experience of childbirth in America.

Physicians' attention to patients' communication cues can improve patient satisfaction with care and perception of physicians' empathy.

BACKGROUND: The pathway that links good communication skills and better health outcomes is still unclear. However, it is known that the way that physicians and patients communicate with each other has direct consequences on more "proximal outcomes", such as perceptions of physician empathy and patient satisfaction. However, which specific communication skills lead to those patient outcomes is still unknown. In this study, the authors aimed to analyze which specific patient and physician communication skills are correlated to patients' satisfaction with care and patient-perceived physician empathy. METHODS: The authors classified and quantified verbal and nonverbal communication of second-year internal medicine residents and their patients through video recordings of their consultations. Patients also rated their satisfaction with care and the physician's empathy for them. RESULTS: Using a linear regression model, the authors identified that patients' and physicians' expressions of disapproval, physicians' disruptions, and patients' use of content questions negatively correlated to patients' satisfaction and patient-perceived physician empathy. Conversely, patient affective behaviors and the physician's provision of advice/suggestion were positively correlated to at least one of the patient-measured outcomes. CONCLUSION: Our findings point to the importance of physicians' attentiveness to patients' communication cues. Training physicians to interpret those cues could help develop more satisfactory and empathic therapeutic relationships.

Understanding the Impact of Communicating Uncertainty About COVID-19 in the News: Randomized Between-Subjects Factorial Experiment.

BACKGROUND: Whether and how the uncertainty about a public health crisis should be communicated to the general public have been important and yet unanswered questions arising over the past few years. As the most threatening contemporary public health crisis, the COVID-19 pandemic has renewed interest in these unresolved issues by both academic scholars and public health practitioners. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of communicating uncertainty about COVID-19-related threats and solutions on individuals' risk perceptions and misinformation vulnerability, as well as the sequential impact of these effects on health information processing and preventative behavioral intentions. METHODS: A 2×2 (threat uncertainty [presence vs absence]×solution uncertainty [presence vs absence]) full-fractional between-subjects online experiment was conducted with 371 Chinese adults. Focusing on the discussion of whether the asymptomatic cases detected during the COVID-19 pandemic would further lead to an uncontrolled pandemic, news articles were manipulated in terms of whether the infectiousness of asymptomatic cases and the means to control the transmission are presented in terms of their certainty or uncertainty. Participants were randomly assigned to one of the four experimental conditions, being instructed to read one news article. After reading the news article assigned, participants were asked to respond to a series of questions to assess their cognitive and behavioral responses. RESULTS: Individuals were more susceptible to believing false COVID-19-related information when a certain threat and uncertain solution were framed in the news article. Moreover, individuals' perceptions of crisis severity increased when exposed to news information containing uncertain solutions. Both misinformation vulnerability and perceived severity were positively associated with information processing. Information seeking was positively associated with protective behavioral intention, whereas information avoidance was negatively associated with protective behavioral intention. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings imply that uncertainty, depending on its aspect, can be effectively communicated to the public during an emerging public health crisis. These results have theoretical and practical implications for health communicators and journalists. Given its limited influence on individuals' cognitive and behavioral responses, uncertainty related to a health threat should be disseminated to meet the public's expectation of information transparency. However, caution is advised when communicating uncertainty related to potential solutions, as this factor exhibited a mixed impact on individual responses during a crisis.

Neutrality and impartiality in Midwestern U.S. newspapers: community-oriented newspaper journalists reporting of environmental water problems in agricultural and ranching states.

BACKGROUND: U.S. journalists embedded in rural and agricultural communities could adversely affect the health of residents if they avoid alerting and engaging their readers - farmers, ranchers, and community members - on environmental and health issues. We expected reporters would maintain community status quo and inaction by framing local water pollution and quality issues neutrally deemphasizing threats and solutions to maintain their own credibility as unbiased informational sources. METHOD: In a content analysis of local water quality newspaper articles from five farming and cattle ranching states in the west central U.S. Midwest, we employed seven variables to investigate whether journalists practiced neutral, detached forms of journalism (i.e. dissemination versus interpretative role enactment, government-frame) as well as whether they deemphasized water pollution as a concerning issue (i.e. problem, threat), water pollution solutions, and readers' efficaciousness. RESULTS: The results showed these journalists relied heavily on government-driven narratives presenting water quality issues from an impartial, straight reporting lens in which they primarily followed the journalistic dissemination role enactment, while neglecting to provide readers with interpretative, threat, efficacy, or solution's information. CONCLUSIONS: The study seeks to help communicators understand the information diet people living in this part of the country likely receive on environmental and health risks in the context of water pollution. Communicators seeking to reach and affect audiences in this region should understand local information practices to navigate how to craft culturally specific public health messages.

Family Medicine Clinician Screening and Barriers to Communication on Food Insecurity: A CERA General Membership Survey.

PURPOSE: Food insecurity (FI) is a hidden epidemic associated with worsening health outcomes affecting 33.8 million people in the US in 2021. Although studies demonstrate the importance of health care clinician assessment of a patient's food insecurity, little is known about whether Family Medicine clinicians (FMC) discuss FI with patients and what barriers influence their ability to communicate about FI. This study evaluated FM clinicians' food insecurity screening practices to evaluate screening disparities and identify barriers that influence the decision to communicate about FI. METHODS: Data were gathered and analyzed as part of the 2022 Council of Academic Family Medicine's Educational Research Alliance survey of Family Medicine general membership. RESULTS: The majority of respondents reported (66.9%) that their practice has a screening system for food insecurity, and most practices used a verbal screen with staff other than the clinician (41%) at specific visits (63.8%). Clinicians reported "rarely or never asking about FI" 40% of the time and only asking "always or frequently" 6.7% of the time. Inadequate time during appointments (44.5%) and other medical issues taking priority (29.4%) were identified as the most common barriers. The lack of resources available in the community was a significant barrier for clinicians who worked in rural areas. CONCLUSIONS: This survey provides insight into food insecurity screening disparities and identifies obstacles to FMC screening, such as time constraints, lack of resources, and knowledge of available resources. Understanding current communication practices could create opportunities for interventions to identify food insecurity and impact "Food as Medicine."

Pakikisama: Filipino Patient Perspectives on Health Care Access and Utilization.

PURPOSE: Filipinos have unique social determinants of health, cultural values, and beliefs that contribute to a higher prevalence of cardiovascular comorbidities such as hypertension, diabetes, and dyslipidemia. We aimed to identify Filipino values, practices, and belief systems that influenced health care access and utilization. METHODS: We conducted 1-on-1 semistructured interviews with self-identified Filipino patients. Our qualitative study utilized a constant-comparative approach for data collection, thematic coding, and interpretive analysis. RESULTS: We interviewed 20 Filipinos in a remote rural community to assess structural and social challenges experienced when interacting with the health care system. Our results suggest that Filipinos regard culture and language as pillars of health access. Filipinos trust clinicians who exhibited positive tone and body language as well as relatable and understandable communication. These traits are features of Pakikisama, a Filipino trait/value of "comfortableness and getting along with others." Relatability and intercultural values familiarity increased Filipino trust in a health care clinician. Filipinos may lack understanding about how to navigate the US Health care system, which can dissuade access to care. CONCLUSIONS: For the Filipino community, culture and language are fundamental components of health access. Health care systems have the opportunity to both improve intercultural clinical training and increase representation among clinicians and support staff to improve care delivery and navigation of health services. Participants reported not routinely relying on health care navigators.

Communication and Social Determinants of Cancer Preventive Behaviors in Adolescents From Low Socio-Economic Backgrounds in India: A Cross-Sectional Study.

PURPOSE: Promoting cancer preventive behaviors among adolescents, especially those from lower socioeconomic backgrounds, is crucial due to the significant impact of health behaviors in adolescence on disease risk in adulthood. With India witnessing a rise in cancer incidence and mortality, adolescence becomes a pivotal stage for establishing healthy habits, emphasizing the need for early cancer prevention efforts. METHODS: This cross-sectional study used survey data from 2242 adolescents attending public schools of Mumbai, India. Multiple logistic regression was conducted to determine the associations between cancer preventive behaviors and: (1) the individual and social determinants of health, and (2) media exposure. FINDINGS: Merely 21.5% of the adolescents ate fruits and vegetables daily, 50% of the adolescents exercised 3 or more times a week, and 20% of the adolescents admitted having used tobacco and/or supari. Girls were found to have lower odds of exercising, as well as using tobacco and/or supari. Wealth and father's education were positively associated with all 3 cancer preventive behaviors. Media exposure was negatively associated, with television exposure linked to reduced fruits and vegetables consumption, while movies and social media exposure were associated with increased tobacco and/or supari use. INTERPRETATION: Our findings suggest that individual and social determinants of health and media exposure can influence cancer preventive health behaviors in low socio-economic status (SES) adolescents. Efforts to increase awareness to promote cancer preventive behaviors among the adolescents, particularly low SES adolescents, a population more vulnerable to poor health outcomes, is critical.

This study investigates factors that can influence cancer preventive behaviors among low socioeconomic status (SES) adolescents, focusing on dietary habits, physical activity, and avoidance of tobacco and areca nut. Our study gathered data from an underrepresented population of India, which is more vulnerable to poor health outcomes and have less access to health care. Our findings can alert public health officials, policy makers and non-governmental organizations to target this population and customize their intervention strategies to promote health and prevent cancer.

Modernizing public health communication competencies in Canada: A survey of the Canadian public health workforce.

OBJECTIVES: Since the publication of the Core Competencies for Public Health in Canada in 2008, the public health and communication landscape has changed dramatically. Digital media and infodemics have shifted how practitioners must communicate and respond to health information. The age of the current competency framework, which is relied on for workforce development, alongside emerging public health challenges, have prompted calls for modernized competency statements. This study aims to (i) measure self-reported communication competence in the public health workforce, (ii) measure agreement with new communication competency statements, (iii) identify variation in agreement between sub-groups of professionals, and (iv) explore current and needed communication training. METHODS: Using a mixed-methods online survey, a sample of 378 participants in various Canadian public health roles and regions were asked to rate their current communication competence and agreement with a modernized, evidence-based draft communication competency framework. The survey was distributed in both official languages through partner organizations and social media. Descriptive statistics were performed to assess agreement and variation was analyzed in relation to public health roles and experience. RESULTS: While most participants self-reported communication competence, specific areas were rated lower. All 21 proposed competency statements received high agreement with some variation observed between expertise and experience levels. Demand for communication training is high. CONCLUSION: Strong agreement with statements indicates support for a modernized communication competency framework among sampled professionals. Research to gather more evidence surrounding the communication demands of the public health workforce and observed variation in strong agreement for the proposed statements is underway.

RéSUMé: OBJECTIFS: Depuis la publication des Compétences essentielles en santé publique au Canada en 2008, le paysage de la santé publique et des communications a radicalement changé. Les médias numériques et l'infodémie ont fait évoluer les façons dont les praticiennes et les praticiens doivent communiquer les informations sur la santé et y réagir. L'âge du cadre de compétences actuel et son importance pour le développement de la main-d'œuvre, en plus des problèmes de santé publique émergents, suscitent des appels à moderniser les énoncés de compétences. Notre étude vise à : i) mesurer la compétence en communication autodéclarée dans la main-d'œuvre en santé publique, ii) mesurer l'accord avec de nouveaux énoncés de compétences en communication, iii) déterminer si les sous-groupes professionnels diffèrent dans leurs niveaux d'accord et iv) explorer la formation en communication actuelle et celle qui serait nécessaire. MéTHODE: À l'aide d'un sondage en ligne à méthodes mixtes, nous avons demandé à un échantillon de 378 personnes exerçant divers rôles en santé publique dans diverses régions du Canada d'évaluer leur compétence en communication actuelle et leur accord avec un projet de cadre de compétence en communication modernisé, fondé sur les données probantes. Le sondage a été diffusé dans les deux langues officielles par des organismes partenaires et dans les médias sociaux. Nous avons effectué une analyse statistique descriptive pour évaluer le niveau d'accord, et nous avons analysé les écarts par rapport aux rôles et à l'expérience en santé publique. RéSULTATS: La plupart des personnes participantes se sont dites compétentes en communication, mais certains aspects ont obtenu des notes plus faibles. Les 21 énoncés de compétences proposés ont été bien acceptés, avec quelques écarts observés entre le savoir-faire et les niveaux d'expérience. La demande de formation en communication est élevée. CONCLUSION: L'accord général avec les énoncés est signe de l'appui à un cadre de compétence en communication modernisé chez le personnel professionnel de notre échantillon. Une étude est en cours pour réunir d'autres éléments probants sur les demandes de la main-d'œuvre en santé publique en matière de communication et sur les écarts observés dans l'accord général avec les énoncés proposés.

Public health framing of firearm violence on local television news in Philadelphia, PA, USA: a quantitative content analysis.

BACKGROUND: Firearm violence is an intensifying public health problem in the United States. News reports shape the way the public and policy makers understand and respond to health threats, including firearm violence. To better understand how firearm violence is communicated to the public, we aimed to determine the extent to which firearm violence is framed as a public health problem on television news and to measure harmful news content as identified by firearm-injured people. METHODS: This is a quantitative content analysis of Philadelphia local television news stories about firearm violence using a database of 7,497 clips. We compiled a stratified sample of clips aired on two randomly selected days/month from January-June 2021 from the database (n = 192 clips). We created a codebook to measure public health frame elements and to assign a harmful content score for each story and then coded the clips. Characteristics of stories containing episodic frames that focus on single shooting events were compared to clips with thematic frames that include broader social context for violence. RESULTS: Most clips employed episodic frames (79.2%), presented law enforcement officials as primary narrators (50.5%), and included police imagery (79.2%). A total of 433 firearm-injured people were mentioned, with a mean of 2.8 individuals shot included in each story. Most of the firearm-injured people featured in the clips (67.4%) had no personal information presented apart from age and/or gender. The majority of clips (84.4%) contained at least one harmful content element. The mean harmful content score/clip was 2.6. Public health frame elements, including epidemiologic context, root causes, public health narrators and visuals, and solutions were missing from most clips. Thematic stories contained significantly more public health frame elements and less harmful content compared to episodic stories. CONCLUSIONS: Local television news produces limited public health coverage of firearm violence, and harmful content is common. This reporting likely compounds trauma experienced by firearm-injured people and could impede support for effective public health responses to firearm violence. Journalists should work to minimize harmful news content and adopt a public health approach to reporting on firearm violence.

Systematic disparities in reporting on community firearm violence on local television news in Philadelphia, PA, USA.

Objective: To better understand how community firearm violence (CFV) is communicated to the public, we aimed to identify systematic differences between the characteristics of shooting victims and events covered on television news and all shootings in Philadelphia, PA, a city with escalating CFV incidence. Methods: We compiled a stratified sample of local television news clips covering shootings that occurred in Philadelphia aired on two randomly selected days per month from January-June 2021 (n = 154 clips). We coded the clips to determine demographic and geographic information about the shooting victims and events and then matched coded shootings with corresponding shootings in the Philadelphia police database. We compared characteristics of shooting victims and shooting event locations depicted in television clips (n = 62) with overall characteristics of shootings in Philadelphia during the study period (n = 1082). Results: Compared to all individuals shot, victims whose shootings were covered on local television news more likely to be children and more likely to be shot in a mass shooting. The average median household income of shooting locations featured on television was significantly higher than the median household income across all shooting locations ($60,302 for television shootings vs. $41,233 for all shootings; p = 0.002). Shootings featured on television occurred in areas with lower rates of income inequality and racialized economic segregation compared to all shooting locations. Conclusions: Television news outlets in Philadelphia systematically over-reported shootings of children, mass shootings, and shootings that occurred in neighborhoods with higher median household income, less socioeconomic inequality, and lower rates of racialized economic segregation.

How Do Healthcare Professionals Develop the Communication Process to Promote Patients' Health Literacy?

This study aimed to analyze the communication process of healthcare professionals for the promotion of health literacy. It is a qualitative study that utilized individual online interviews with 46 healthcare professionals working in Brazil. The thematic content analysis technique proposed by Bardin was employed, and Atlas Ti software assisted in the assessment and interpretation of the texts. Content categorization revealed 26 sub-themes, and the coding of these identified nine themes and three categories. The communication process in health literacy education was composed of a set of interdependent and interrelated variables termed emotions, professional preparedness, interprofessional collaboration, patient needs assessment, building rapport, family inclusion in the educational process, environmental aspects, strategies, and resources for teaching and learning. These data may support the analysis of health communication in healthcare services, the creation of data collection instruments, and the development of training programs to enhance skills within the context of the identified variables.

The health communication orientations scale: Development and two-country validation of a questionnaire that measures health communication style preferences.

OBJECTIVE: Self-Determination Theory posits that everyone has a basic need for autonomy that needs to be fulfilled to establish autonomous motivation for health behavior (change). Regardless, individual differences exist in health communication style preferences. This paper outlines the development and validation of the Health Communication Orientations Scale (HCOS), a new measure to assess these preferences. METHODS: Nationally representative online panels from the US (n = 603) and the Netherlands (n = 737) completed a survey containing the HCOS, established motivational measures, and demographic questions. RESULTS: Factor analyses identified five subscales valid for both populations: HCOS (1) Expert, (2) Others, (3) Self, (4) Oppositional, and (5) Internet. Scores for Expert and Internet were higher in the US sample; Others, Self, and Oppositional were higher in the Dutch sample. Internal reliability for the five factors was high across samples (range 0.84-0.91). Many significant correlations with established measures were observed in both samples indicating the construct validity of the scale. CONCLUSION: The HCOS subscales have strong psychometric properties. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: The HCOS represents a novel approach to assessing communication style preferences for general and patient populations. Further investigation in how the HCOS may be used to tailor health messaging is warranted.

Barriers to Eye Care for Adults in the United States and Solutions for It: A Literature Review.

Vision loss and blindness is a significant public health concern that has had a profound impact on various communities in the United States. Both anticipated and unforeseen barriers have been linked to the rising rates of vision loss and blindness in the country. Extensive research has identified numerous barriers that put many Americans at a disadvantage when trying to seek high-quality eye care services. Not only do the barriers to eye care services create problems for eye health, but also create a poor quality of life. Therefore, understanding and identifying barriers to eye healthcare services is incredibly important. In addition to understanding and identifying barriers, it is also important to identify solutions to the problems created by these barriers. A systematic review of articles characterizing the barriers to eye care was completed which resulted in the identification of the major barriers that affect Americans. The review of previous research was also used to identify available solutions for problems associated with the barriers to eye care services. The major barriers identified were cost, insurance, transport and accessibility, eye health care literacy, and communication. Because of the identification of the major barriers, solutions were also identified. Health education and increased vision screenings were found to be the most used forms of solutions by healthcare professionals promoting good eye health. Telemedicine has also been cited as a possible solution to the growing problem of visual impairment and blindness within the American population.