The P.O.S.T Guidelines for Nutrition Blogs: A Modified e-Delphi Study.

BACKGROUND: Blogs are being used increasingly to disseminate nutrition information to consumers, including by registered dietitians (RDs). Guidelines in authoring blogs are important for dietetics professionals so that they effectively communicate evidence-based nutrition information in this format. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to obtain consensus from experts comprising RDs with active blog-writing experience on a set of guidelines for use by RDs when authoring a healthy eating or nutrition information blog. DESIGN: A modified e-Delphi technique with a consensus-based approach was used in this study undertaken between June and October 2019. The purpose-built, pilot-tested e-Delphi survey was informed by a literature review and included statements from 3 domains comprising blog readers and communication; purpose and healthy eating messages; and structure, voice, and tone. Expert participants were identified purposively and via snowballing. In each survey round, statements that achieved 80% consensus were accepted. PARTICIPANTS/SETTING: A total of 19 experts consented to participate. Experts resided in the United States, Australia, and United Kingdom. Experts were mainly women aged between 30 and 49 years and working in private practice and/or research or teaching areas of nutrition and dietetics. RESULTS: Across 3 domains, a total of 33 statements were accepted, comprising a final set of guidelines named the P.O.S.T (purpose, community, structure, and tone) Guidelines for Nutrition Blogs. CONCLUSIONS: Consensus from a panel of dietetics experts resulted in the P.O.S.T Guidelines for Nutrition Blogs, which can support RDs in authoring healthy eating blogs. This will ensure that evidence-based nutrition messages provided to consumers are engaging and effective.

Analysing Credibility of UK Social Media Influencers' Weight-Management Blogs: A Pilot Study.

Social media influencers (SMI) are individuals with large follower engagement, who can shape the thoughts and dietary behaviours of their audience. Concerns exist surrounding the spread of dietary misinformation by SMI, which may impact negatively on public health, yet no standards currently exist to assess the credibility of their information. This study aimed to evaluate the credibility of key SMI weight management (WM) blogs (n = 9), piloting a pre-prepared credibility checklist. SMI were included if they had a blue-tick verification on ≥2 social media (SM) and an active WM blog. A sample of blog posts were systematically evaluated against thirteen credibility indicators under four themes: 'transparency', 'use of other resources', 'trustworthiness and adherence to nutritional criteria' and 'bias'. Indicators were yes/no questions to determine an overall credibility percentage for each SMI. The ten most recent meal recipes from each blog were evaluated against Public Health England's (PHE) calorie targets and the UK 'traffic light' food labelling scheme to assess nutritional quality. Percentages ranged from 23-85%, the highest gained by a Registered Nutritionist. SMI blogs may not be credible as WM resources. Given the popularity and impact of SM in the context of overweight, obesity and WM, this study may inform the methodological approach for future research.

Public Reactions to the Cigarette Control Regulation on a Chinese Microblogging Platform: Empirical Analysis.

BACKGROUND: On January 1, 2019, a new regulation on the control of smoking in public places was officially implemented in Hangzhou, China. On the day of the implementation, a large number of Chinese media reported the contents of the regulation on the microblog platform Weibo, causing a strong response from and heated discussion among netizens. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to conduct a content and network analysis to examine topics and patterns in the social media response to the new regulation. METHODS: We analyzed all microblogs on Weibo that mentioned and explained the regulation in the first 8 days following the implementation. We conducted a content analysis on these microblogs and used social network visualization and descriptive statistics to identify key users and key microblogs. RESULTS: Of 7924 microblogs, 12.85% (1018/7924) were in support of the smoking control regulation, 84.12% (6666/7924) were neutral, and 1.31% (104/7924) were opposed to the smoking regulation control. For the negative posts, the public had doubts about the intentions of the policy, its implementation, and the regulations on electronic cigarettes. In addition, 1.72% (136/7924) were irrelevant to the smoking regulation control. Among the 1043 users who explicitly expressed their positive or negative attitude toward the policy, a large proportion of users showed supportive attitudes (956/1043, 91.66%). A total of 5 topics and 11 subtopics were identified. CONCLUSIONS: This study used a content and network analysis to examine topics and patterns in the social media response to the new smoking regulation. We found that the number of posts with a positive attitude toward the regulation was considerably higher than that of the posts with a negative attitude toward the regulation. Our findings may assist public health policy makers to better understand the policy's intentions, scope, and potential effects on public interest and support evidence-based public health regulations in the future.

Classification and Prediction of Violence Against Chinese Medical Staff on the Sina Microblog Based on a Self-Organizing Map: Quantitative Study.

BACKGROUND: For the last decade, doctor-patient contradiction in China has remained prominent, and workplace violence toward medical staff still occurs frequently. However, little is known about the types and laws of propagation of violence against medical staff online. OBJECTIVE: By using a self-organizing map (SOM), we aimed to explore the microblog propagation law for violent incidents in China that involve medical staff, to classify the types of incidents and provide a basis for rapidly and accurately predicting trends in public opinion and developing corresponding measures to improve the relationship between doctors and patients. METHODS: For this study, we selected 60 cases of violent incidents in China involving medical staff that led to heated discussions on the Sina microblog from 2011 to 2018, searched the web data of the microblog using crawler software, recorded the amount of new tweets every 2 hours, and used the SOM neural network to cluster the number of tweets. Polynomial and exponential functions in MATLAB software were applied to predict and analyze the data. RESULTS: Trends in the propagation of online public opinion regarding the violent incidents were categorized into 8 types: bluff, waterfall, zigzag, steep, abrupt, wave, steep slope, and long slope. The communications exhibited different characteristics. The prediction effect of 4 types of incidents (ie, bluff, waterfall, zigzag, and steep slope) was good and accorded with actual spreading trends. CONCLUSIONS: Our study found that the more serious the consequences of a violent incident, such as a serious injury or death, the more attention it drew on the microblog, the faster was its propagation speed, and the longer was its duration. In these cases, the propagation types were mostly steep slope, long slope, and zigzag. In addition, the more serious the consequences of a violent incident, the higher popularity it exhibited on the microblog. The popularity within a week was significantly higher for acts resulting from patients' dissatisfaction with treatments than for acts resulting from nontherapeutic incidents.

#recovery: Understanding recovery from the lens of recovery-focused blogs posted by individuals with lived experience.

OBJECTIVE: Definitions of eating disorder (ED) recovery have primarily focused on symptom management (i.e., weight regain, reduced/absent ED behaviors, and normalized ED thoughts). Notwithstanding the importance of these approaches, there are arguably additional considerations in ED recovery. In order to get a more comprehensive understanding of recovery, it is necessary to turn to individuals with lived experience. Here, we examine how individuals with lived experience of an ED conceptualize and define recovery in narrative, recovery-focused blogs and consider how this understanding may contribute to definitions of recovery in the field. METHOD: Inductive thematic analysis was used to examine 168 blogs posted by at least 120 unique authors (95% women; 36% reporting anorexia nervosa diagnosis) to 10 moderated, ED websites. RESULTS: Results from the thematic analysis yielded seven themes: recovery as (1) existing in contrast to the ED, (2) existing in a broader context, (3) subjective, (4) a choice, (5) a complex, nonlinear process, (6) transformative, and (7) overcoming. DISCUSSION: The present findings are consistent with previous qualitative research, suggesting that recovery is multifaceted and encompasses more than just symptom management. Notably, bloggers highlighted that recovery may not be equally attainable for all individuals, citing numerous social justice issues in the conceptualization of recovery. This multifaceted and intersectional view of recovery is consistent with consumer models of recovery. We argue that a dimensional model of recovery may be a good starting framework for researchers and clinicians to develop a more comprehensive definition of recovery.

Self-determination, emotions and exclusion in a blog of deaf people: a qualitative perspective.

OBJECTIVE: to explore the deaf people's perceptions about their well-being, published on a weblog. METHOD: A free access spanish blog that's been created and used by deaf people is selected. Under qualitative methodology with a phenomenological approach, through the non-participating and asynchronous observation, sign language speeches are analyzed in 44 video messages uploaded by deaf bloggers. RESULTS: in the speeches analyzed, inclusion's areas cited the most are self-determination, social inclusion and emotional well-being, these latter two in a negative way: social exclusion and emotional distress. FINAL CONSIDERATIONS: The study participants state that the arrangements adopted for their inclusion are not enough, with feelings of discomfort prevailing in all areas and life stages. Solidarity initiatives, elimination of communication barriers and true transforming agents of our society are needed.

Self-determination, emotions and exclusion in a blog of deaf people: a qualitative perspective / Autodeterminação, emoções e exclusão num blog de pessoas surdas: um olhar qualitativo / Autodeterminación, emociones y exclusión en un blog de personas sordas: mirada cualitativa

ABSTRACT Objective: to explore the deaf people's perceptions about their well-being, published on a weblog. Method: A free access spanish blog that's been created and used by deaf people is selected. Under qualitative methodology with a phenomenological approach, through the non-participating and asynchronous observation, sign language speeches are analyzed in 44 video messages uploaded by deaf bloggers. Results: in the speeches analyzed, inclusion's areas cited the most are self-determination, social inclusion and emotional well-being, these latter two in a negative way: social exclusion and emotional distress. Final considerations: The study participants state that the arrangements adopted for their inclusion are not enough, with feelings of discomfort prevailing in all areas and life stages. Solidarity initiatives, elimination of communication barriers and true transforming agents of our society are needed.

RESUMO Objetivo: explorar as percepções dos surdos sobre seu bem-estar, publicados num blog. Método: foi selecionado um blog em espanhol de acesso gratuito criado e utilizado por pessoas surdas. Abordagem qualitativa assente na fenomenologia, através da observação assíncrona e não participante, os discursos realizados através de língua gestual são analisados em 44 vídeos que foram enviados por bloggers surdos. Resultados: nos discursos analisados, as áreas de inclusão mais citadas são autodeterminação, inclusão social e bem-estar emocional, sendo estas duas últimas de forma negativa: exclusão social e sofrimento emocional. Considerações finais: Os participantes do estudo afirmam que as alterações adotadas para a sua inclusão não são suficientes, com sentimentos de desconforto permanentes em todas as áreas e fases da vida. Iniciativas de solidariedade, eliminação de barreiras de comunicação e agentes transformadores reais da sociedade são necessários.

RESUMEN Objetivo: explorar las percepciones de bienestar que las personas sordas vierten en un blog de Internet. Método: Se selecciona un blog español de acceso libre creado y utilizado por personas sordas. Bajo una metodología cualitativa con diseño fenomenológico, y a través de la observación no participante y asincrónica, se analizan los discursos en lengua de signos de 44 videomensajes publicados por blogueros sordos. Resultados: las áreas más mencionadas sobre su inclusión en los discursos analizados son la autodeterminación, el bienestar emocional y la inclusión social, estas dos últimas en sentido negativo: malestar emocional y exclusión social. Consideraciones finales: Los participantes del estudio manifiestan que los planes adoptados para su inclusión no son suficientes, y tienen sentimientos de malestar en todas las áreas y etapas vitales. Se hace necesario eliminar las barreras de comunicación y crear iniciativas solidarias con verdaderos agentes transformadores de la sociedad en la que vivimos.

Partnering With Mommy Bloggers to Disseminate Breast Cancer Risk Information: Social Media Intervention.

BACKGROUND: Women are concerned about reducing their breast cancer risk, particularly if they have daughters. Social media platforms, such as blogs written by mothers, are increasingly being recognized as a channel that women use to make personal and family health-related decisions. Government initiatives (eg, Interagency Breast Cancer and Environmental Research Coordinating Committee) and researchers have called for scientists and the community to partner and disseminate scientifically and community-informed environmental risk information. OBJECTIVE: We developed and evaluated a blog intervention to disseminate breast cancer and environmental risk information to mothers. We teamed with mommy bloggers to disseminate a message that we developed and tailored for mothers and daughters based on scientific evidence from the Breast Cancer and the Environment Research Program (BCERP). We posited that the intervention would influence women's exposure to, acceptance of, and beliefs about environmental risks while promoting their intention to adopt risk-reducing behaviors. METHODS: Using a quasi-experimental design, we recruited 75 mommy bloggers to disseminate the breast cancer risk message on their respective blogs and examined the impact of the intervention on (1) readers exposed to the intervention (n=445) and (2) readers not exposed to the intervention (comparison group; n=353). RESULTS: Following the intervention, blog reader scores indicating exposure to the breast cancer risk and prevention information were greater than scores of blog readers who were not exposed (or did not recall seeing the message; mean 3.92, SD 0.85 and mean 3.45, SD 0.92, respectively; P<.001). Readers who recalled the intervention messages also had higher breast cancer risk and prevention information satisfaction scores compared with readers who did not see (or recall) the messages (mean 3.97, SD 0.75 and mean 3.57, SD 0.94, respectively; P<.001). Blog readers who recalled seeing the intervention messages were significantly more likely to share the breast cancer risk and prevention information they read, with their daughters specifically, than readers who did not recall seeing them (χ21=8.1; P=.004). Those who recalled seeing the intervention messages reported significantly higher breast cancer risk and prevention information influence scores, indicative of behavioral intentions, than participants who did not recall seeing them (mean 11.22, SD 2.93 and mean 10.14, SD 3.24, respectively; P=.003). Most women ranked Facebook as their first choice for receiving breast cancer risk information. CONCLUSIONS: Results indicated that blog readers who were exposed to (and specifically recalled) the BCERP-adapted intervention messages from mommy bloggers had higher breast cancer risk and prevention information exposure scores and higher breast cancer risk and prevention information satisfaction and influence scores than those who did not see (or recall) them. Mommy bloggers may be important opinion leaders for some women and key to enhancing the messaging, delivery, and impact of environmental breast cancer risk information on mothers.

The Social Media Index as an Indicator of Quality for Emergency Medicine Blogs: A METRIQ Study.

STUDY OBJECTIVE: Online educational resources such as blogs are increasingly used for education by emergency medicine clinicians. The Social Media Index was developed to quantify their relative impact. The Medical Education Translational Resources: Indicators of Quality (METRIQ) study was conducted in part to determine the association between the Social Media Index score and quality as measured by gestalt and previously derived quality instruments. METHODS: Ten blogs were randomly selected from a list of emergency medicine and critical care Web sites. The 2 most recent clinically oriented blog posts published on these blogs were evaluated with gestalt, the Academic Life in Emergency Medicine Approved Instructional Resources (ALiEM AIR) score, and the METRIQ-8 score. Volunteer raters (including medical students, emergency medicine residents, and emergency medicine attending physicians) were identified with a multimodal recruitment methodology. The Social Media Index was calculated in February 2016, November 2016, April 2017, and December 2017. Pearson's correlations were calculated between the Social Media Index and the average rater gestalt, ALiEM AIR score, and METRIQ-8 score. RESULTS: A total of 309 of 330 raters completed all ratings (93.6%). The Social Media Index correlated moderately to strongly with the mean rater gestalt ratings (range 0.69 to 0.76) and moderately with the mean rater ALiEM AIR score (range 0.55 to 0.61) and METRIQ-8 score (range 0.53 to 0.57) during the month of the blog post's selection and for 2 years after. CONCLUSION: The Social Media Index's correlation with multiple quality evaluation instruments over time supports the hypothesis that it is associated with overall Web site quality. It can play a role in guiding individuals to high-quality resources that can be reviewed with critical appraisal techniques.

Quality Evaluation Scores are no more Reliable than Gestalt in Evaluating the Quality of Emergency Medicine Blogs: A METRIQ Study.

Construct: We investigated the quality of emergency medicine (EM) blogs as educational resources. PURPOSE: Online medical education resources such as blogs are increasingly used by EM trainees and clinicians. However, quality evaluations of these resources using gestalt are unreliable. We investigated the reliability of two previously derived quality evaluation instruments for blogs. APPROACH: Sixty English-language EM websites that published clinically oriented blog posts between January 1 and February 24, 2016, were identified. A random number generator selected 10 websites, and the 2 most recent clinically oriented blog posts from each site were evaluated using gestalt, the Academic Life in Emergency Medicine (ALiEM) Approved Instructional Resources (AIR) score, and the Medical Education Translational Resources: Impact and Quality (METRIQ-8) score, by a sample of medical students, EM residents, and EM attendings. Each rater evaluated all 20 blog posts with gestalt and 15 of the 20 blog posts with the ALiEM AIR and METRIQ-8 scores. Pearson's correlations were calculated between the average scores for each metric. Single-measure intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) evaluated the reliability of each instrument. RESULTS: Our study included 121 medical students, 88 EM residents, and 100 EM attendings who completed ratings. The average gestalt rating of each blog post correlated strongly with the average scores for ALiEM AIR (r = .94) and METRIQ-8 (r = .91). Single-measure ICCs were fair for gestalt (0.37, IQR 0.25-0.56), ALiEM AIR (0.41, IQR 0.29-0.60) and METRIQ-8 (0.40, IQR 0.28-0.59). CONCLUSION: The average scores of each blog post correlated strongly with gestalt ratings. However, neither ALiEM AIR nor METRIQ-8 showed higher reliability than gestalt. Improved reliability may be possible through rater training and instrument refinement.

ALiEM Blog and Podcast Watch: Toxicology.

INTRODUCTION: The WestJEM Blog and Podcast Watch presents high-quality open-access educational blogs and podcasts in emergency medicine based on the ongoing Academic Life in Emergency Medicine (ALiEM) Approved Instructional Resources (AIR) and AIR-Professional (Pro) series. Both series critically appraise open-access educational blogs and podcasts in EM using an objective scoring instrument. This installment of the blog and podcast watch series curated and scored relevant posts in the specific topic of toxicology emergencies from the AIR-Pro Series. METHODS: The AIR-Pro Series is a continuously building curriculum covering a new subject area every two months. For each area, eight EM chief residents identify 3-5 advanced clinical questions. Using FOAMsearch.net and FOAMSearcher to search blogs and podcasts, relevant posts are scored by eight reviewers from the AIR-Pro editorial board, which is comprised of EM faculty and chief residents at various institutions across North America. The scoring instrument contains five measurement outcomes based on seven-point Likert scales: recency, accuracy, educational utility, evidence based, and references. The AIR-Pro label is awarded to posts with a score of ≥28 (out of 35) points. An "honorable mention" label is awarded if board members collectively felt that the blogs were valuable and the scores were > 25. RESULTS: A total of 31 blog posts and podcasts were included. Key educational pearls from the six high-quality AIR-Pro posts and four honorable mentions are summarized. CONCLUSION: The WestJEM ALiEM Blog and Podcast Watch series is based on the AIR and AIR-Pro Series, which attempts to identify high-quality educational content on open-access blogs and podcasts. This series provides an expert-based, crowdsourced approach towards critically appraising educational social media content for EM clinicians. This installment focuses on toxicology emergencies.

ALiEM Blog and Podcast Watch: Procedures in Emergency Medicine.

INTRODUCTION: The WestJEM Blog and Podcast Watch presents high-quality, open-access educational blogs and podcasts in emergency medicine (EM) based on the ongoing Academic Life in EM (ALiEM) Approved Instructional Resources (AIR) and AIR-Professional series. Both series critically appraise resources using an objective scoring rubric. This installment of the Blog and Podcast Watch highlights the topic of procedure emergencies from the AIR Series. METHODS: The AIR Series is a continuously building curriculum that follows the Council of Emergency Medicine Residency Directors' (CORD) annual testing schedule. For each module, relevant content is collected from the top 50 Social Media Index sites published within the previous 12 months, and scored by eight AIR board members using five equally weighted measurement outcomes: Best Evidence in Emergency Medicine (BEEM) score, accuracy, educational utility, evidence based, and references. Resources scoring ≥30 out of 35 available points receive an AIR label. Resources scoring 27-29 receive an "honorable mention" label if the executive board agrees that the post is accurate and educationally valuable. RESULTS: A total of 85 blog posts and podcasts were evaluated in June 2016. This report summarizes key educational pearls from the three AIR posts and the 10 Honorable Mentions. CONCLUSION: The WestJEM Blog and Podcast Watch series is based on the AIR and AIR-Pro series, which attempts to identify high-quality educational content on open-access blogs and podcasts. This series provides an expert-based, post-publication curation of educational social media content for EM clinicians, with this installment focusing on procedure emergencies within the AIR series.

Fake news of baby booms 9months after major sporting events distorts the public's understanding of early human development science.

INTRODUCTION: In France on 27/6/16, Iceland's men's national football team won 2-1, knocking England out of the UEFA European Championship. RESULT: Nine months after this momentous Icelandic victory, Ásgeir Pétur Þorvaldsson a medical doctor in Iceland, posted a tweet in jest suggesting that a baby boom had occurred as a result of increased celebratory coital activity following the win. The media covered this widely but statistical analysis shows otherwise and this was confirmed by the original tweet source. DISCUSSION: Given the increase in fake scientific news, it is especially important for scientists to correct misinformation lest the public loses trust in science or gains a distorted understanding of known facts.

Blogging in Infectious Diseases and Clinical Microbiology: Assessment of 'Blogosphere' Content.

OBJECTIVE To analyze influential infectious diseases, antimicrobial stewardship, infection control, or medical microbiology blogs and bloggers SETTING World wide web DESIGN We conducted a systematic search for blogs in accordance with the PRISMA guidelines in September 2015. METHODS A snowball sampling approach was applied to identify blogs using various search engines. Blogs were eligible if they (1) focused on infectious diseases, antimicrobial stewardship, infection control, or medical microbiology; (2) were intended for health professionals; and (3) were written in English and (4) were updated regularly. We mapped blog and blogger characteristics and used an innovative tool to assess the architecture and content of the included blogs. The motivations and perceptions of bloggers and readers were also assessed. RESULTS A total of 88 blogs were identified. Moreover, 28 blogs (32%) focused on infectious diseases, 46 (52%) focused on medical microbiology, and 14 (16%) focused on infection control or antimicrobial stewardship. Bloggers were mainly male with medical doctorates and/or PhDs; 32 bloggers (36%) posted at least weekly; and 51 (58%) had a research purpose. The aims were considered clear for 23 blogs (26%), and the field covered was considered broad for 25 blogs (28%). Presentation was considered good for 22 blogs (25%), 51 blogs (58%) were easy to read, and 46 blogs (52%) included expert interpretation. Among the top 10 blogs, 3 focused on infectious diseases, 6 focused on medical microbiology, and 2 focused on infection control (2 were equally ranked). The bloggers we questioned were motivated to share their independent expertise and opinions. Readers appreciated the concise messages on scientific topics and practical updates. CONCLUSIONS This study describes high-level blogs in the fields of infectious diseases, infection control, and medical microbiology. Our findings suggest ways in which bloggers should build/orientate blogs for readers, and we have highlighted current gaps in blog topics such as antimicrobial stewardship. Infect. Control Hosp. Epidemiol 2017;38:832-839.

Individual Gestalt Is Unreliable for the Evaluation of Quality in Medical Education Blogs: A METRIQ Study.

STUDY OBJECTIVE: Open educational resources such as blogs are increasingly used for medical education. Gestalt is generally the evaluation method used for these resources; however, little information has been published on it. We aim to evaluate the reliability of gestalt in the assessment of emergency medicine blogs. METHODS: We identified 60 English-language emergency medicine Web sites that posted clinically oriented blogs between January 1, 2016, and February 24, 2016. Ten Web sites were selected with a random-number generator. Medical students, emergency medicine residents, and emergency medicine attending physicians evaluated the 2 most recent clinical blog posts from each site for quality, using a 7-point Likert scale. The mean gestalt scores of each blog post were compared between groups with Pearson's correlations. Single and average measure intraclass correlation coefficients were calculated within groups. A generalizability study evaluated variance within gestalt and a decision study calculated the number of raters required to reliably (>0.8) estimate quality. RESULTS: One hundred twenty-one medical students, 88 residents, and 100 attending physicians (93.6% of enrolled participants) evaluated all 20 blog posts. Single-measure intraclass correlation coefficients within groups were fair to poor (0.36 to 0.40). Average-measure intraclass correlation coefficients were more reliable (0.811 to 0.840). Mean gestalt ratings by attending physicians correlated strongly with those by medical students (r=0.92) and residents (r=0.99). The generalizability coefficient was 0.91 for the complete data set. The decision study found that 42 gestalt ratings were required to reliably evaluate quality (>0.8). CONCLUSION: The mean gestalt quality ratings of blog posts between medical students, residents, and attending physicians correlate strongly, but individual ratings are unreliable. With sufficient raters, mean gestalt ratings provide a community standard for assessment.

The "New Public" and the "Good Ol' Press": Evaluating Online News Sources During the 2013 Polio Outbreak in Israel.

The current research focuses on the 2013 polio outbreak in Israel as a case study to analyze the sources of information used in new media platforms, examining whether the new media have changed the ways in which we communicate about health issues. Specifically, we tracked and coded polio-related references on Hebrew news websites, blogs, forums, and Facebook posts. Overall, 24,388 polio-related references constituted our sampling frame. The findings suggest that there is a moderate-level correlation between the platform and the type of sources chosen by users. Beyond the differences between various platforms, we found that online information platforms rely not only on popular or pseudoscientific sources, but also on high-quality information. In fact, the analysis indicates that online news websites, forums, blogs, and Facebook posts create a unique blend of information, including scientific literature, medical professionals, and government representatives, as well as pseudoscientific research. These findings suggest a more optimistic view of the Internet as a source for health-related information in times of crises. Although the fact that members of the public are exposed to scientific sources does not indicate to what degree this affects their actual decision making. Exposure to a wider variety of sources may enhance health literacy, resulting in a better understanding of information needed to make informed decisions.

A Systematic Review and Qualitative Analysis to Determine Quality Indicators forHealth Professions Education Blogs and Podcasts.

BACKGROUND: Historically, trainees in undergraduate and graduate health professions education have relied on secondary resources, such as textbooks and lectures, for core learning activities. Recently, blogs and podcasts have entered into mainstream usage, especially for residents and educators. These low-cost, widely available resources have many characteristics of disruptive innovations and, if they continue to improve in quality, have the potential to reinvigorate health professions education. One potential limitation of further growth in the use of these resources is the lack of information on their quality and effectiveness. OBJECTIVE: To identify quality indicators for secondary resources that are described in the literature, which might be applicable to blogs and podcasts. METHODS: Using a blended research methodology, we performed a systematic literature review using Google Scholar, MEDLINE, Embase, Web of Science, and ERIC to identify quality indicators for secondary resources. A qualitative analysis of these indicators resulted in the organization of this information into themes and subthemes. Expert focus groups were convened to triangulate these findings and ensure that no relevant quality indicators were missed. RESULTS: The literature search identified 4530 abstracts, and quality indicators were extracted from 157 articles. The qualitative analysis produced 3 themes (credibility, content, and design), 13 subthemes, and 151 quality indicators. CONCLUSIONS: The list of quality indicators resulting from our analysis can be used by stakeholders, including learners, educators, academic leaders, and blog/podcast producers. Further studies are being conducted, which will refine the list into a form that is more structured and stratified for use by these stakeholders.

Emergency Medicine and Critical Care Blogs and Podcasts: Establishing an International Consensus on Quality.

STUDY OBJECTIVE: This study identified the most important quality indicators for online educational resources such as blogs and podcasts. METHODS: A modified Delphi process that included 2 iterative surveys was used to build expert consensus on a previously defined list of 151 quality indicators divided into 3 themes: credibility, content, and design. Aggregate social media indicators were used to identify an expert population of editors from a defined list of emergency medicine and critical care blogs and podcasts. Survey 1 consisted of the quality indicators and a 7-point Likert scale. The mean score for each quality indicator was included in survey 2, which asked participants whether to "include" or "not include" each quality indicator. The cut point for consensus was defined at greater than 70% "include." RESULTS: Eighty-three percent (20/24) of bloggers and 90.9% (20/22) of podcasters completed survey 1 and 90% (18/20) of bloggers and podcasters completed survey 2. The 70% inclusion criteria were met by 44 and 80 quality indicators for bloggers and podcasters, respectively. Post hoc, a 90% cutoff was used to identify a list of 14 and 26 quality indicators for bloggers and podcasters, respectively. CONCLUSION: The relative importance of quality indicators for emergency medicine blogs and podcasts was determined. This will be helpful for resource producers trying to improve their blogs or podcasts and for learners, educators, and academic leaders assessing their quality. These results will inform broader validation studies and attempts to develop user-friendly assessment instruments for these resources.