Characteristics of and engagement with URL resources shared among online vaping communities on Reddit.

INTRODUCTION: Reddit is a popular social media platform for sharing information about vaping. Little is known about the types of external resources that Reddit users in vaping communities share and engage with. METHODS: We analysed 2315 posts containing uniform resource locators (URLs) published to vaping communities on Reddit between November 2021 and October 2022. We coded URLs into eight mutually exclusive domain types. A mixed-effects Poisson regression model examined whether domain type was associated with user engagement (ie, number of unique commenters). RESULTS: Posts contained links to social media (35%), image hosting (31%), vaping-related commerce (19%), eJuice (12%), general vaping (6%), news (2%) and research (1%) URL domains. There were 237 unique vaping-related commerce domains (eg, ziipstock.com). The average number of commenters per post was 5.43 (SD=8.04). The rate of commenters was higher for posts sharing research (adjusted rate ratio (aRR) 1.74, 95% CI 1.28 to 2.36) and news (aRR 1.56, 95% CI 1.02 to 2.38) domains compared with vape-related commerce domains. CONCLUSION: Reddit users in vaping communities share and interact with a variety of external resources. The >200 different vaping-related commerce domains in our sample speak to the breadth and availability of websites that Reddit users (perhaps even those underage) may be using to browse and purchase vaping devices.

Climate Change in Comprehensive Cancer Control Plans in the US.

This cross-sectional study examines the inclusion of climate- and climate change­related mitigation efforts in cancer prevention plans in US states, tribes, and territories.

Contributions to Research and Practice Made by the National Cancer Institute's Health Communication and Informatics Research Branch.

The Health Communication and Informatics Research Branch at the U.S. National Cancer Institute was founded in 1999 in response to increasing evidence demonstrating a link between effective health communication and improved cancer-related outcomes and in recognition of the rapid and dramatic technological changes that were transforming health communication at the turn of the 21st century. For the past 25 years, the Health Communication and Informatics Research Branch has been conducting and supporting research at the forefront of emerging cancer communication trends and technologies, making numerous contributions to health communication science, public health, and cancer control practice. In this essay, we provide a brief history of the branch and the context that led to its establishment, discuss contributions made by the branch to health communication research and practice through key projects and initiatives, and conclude by highlighting health communication and informatics research priorities that offer opportunities for significant impact going forward in light of the challenges posed by the current communication environment.

Mitigating Health and Science Misinformation: A Scoping Review of Literature from 2017 to 2022.

Literature on how to address misinformation has rapidly expanded in recent years. The aim of this scoping review was to synthesize the growing published literature on health and science misinformation mitigation interventions. English-language articles published from January 2017 to July 2022 were included. After title/abstract screening, 115 publications (148 empirical studies) met inclusion criteria and were coded for sample characteristics, topics, mitigation strategies, research methods, outcomes, and intervention efficacy. A marked increase in misinformation mitigation research was observed in 2020-2022. COVID-19, vaccines, and climate change were the most frequently addressed topics. Most studies used general population samples recruited online; few focused on populations most vulnerable to misinformation. Most studies assessed cognitive outcomes (e.g., knowledge), with fewer assessing health behavior, communication behavior, or skills. Correction (k = 97) was the most used misinformation mitigation strategy, followed by education and other literacy initiatives (k = 39) and prebunking/inoculation (k = 24). Intervention efficacy varied, with 76 studies reporting positive, 17 reporting null, and 68 reporting mixed results. Most misinformation mitigation interventions were limited to short-term online experiments focused on improving cognitive outcomes. Priority research areas going forward include expanding and diversifying study samples, scaling interventions, conducting longitudinal observations, and focusing on communities susceptible to misinformation.

Climate Change Harm Perception Among U.S. Adults in the NCI Health Information National Trends Survey, 2022.

PURPOSE: To examine associations between 1) sociodemographics and 2) trust in health information sources with climate change harm perception. METHODS: Weighted adjusted logistic regression models examined correlates of climate change harm perception (harm vs no harm/don't know) among a nationally representative sample of U.S. adults (2022, n = 5585). RESULTS: Sixty-four percent of U.S. adults believed climate change will harm their health. College education (vs high school or less) (AOR 1.7, 95% CI 1.3, 2.2) and having greater trust in doctors (AOR 1.4, 95% CI 1.2, 1.7), scientists (aOR 1.8, 95% CI 1.6, 2.0), and government health agencies (AOR 1.7, 95% CI 1.5, 1.9) for health information were associated with believing climate change harms health. Conversely, greater trust in religious organizations was associated with 16% lower odds of believing climate change harms health (95% CI .74, .94). CONCLUSIONS: Climate change harm perception varied by sociodemographics and trust in health information source. Health communication delivered via alternative and diverse channels could expand the reach of climate and health messaging and ultimately increase public awareness and support for measures to mitigate the health impacts of climate change.