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1.
Internet resource in Portuguese | LIS -Health Information Locator | ID: lis-49637

ABSTRACT

Levantamento do Comitê Gestor da Internet no Brasil realizado no final de 2023 indica que 84% da população do país tem acesso à internet. Mesmo diante desse número, apenas 34,5% das mães de crianças menores de cinco anos acessam a rede para se informar sobre amamentação, informa o Estudo Nacional de Alimentação e Nutrição Infantil de 2019 (ENANI-19), cuja base de dados foi disponibilizada em junho.


Subject(s)
Breast Feeding , Internet Access , Health Communication , Infant Nutrition
2.
Front Public Health ; 12: 1348673, 2024.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38966697

ABSTRACT

Background: Women's health WeChat public accounts play a crucial role in enhancing health literacy and fostering the development of healthy behaviors among women by disseminating women's health knowledge. Improving users' continuous usage behavior and retention rates for the women's health WeChat public account is vital for influencing the overall effectiveness of health communication on WeChat. Objective: This study aimed to construct a comprehensive model, delving into the key factors influencing women's continuance intention of the women's health public accounts from the perspectives of perceived health threats, individual abilities, and technological perceptions. The goal is to provide valuable insights for enhancing user stickiness and the effectiveness of health communication on WeChat public accounts. Method: An online survey was conducted among women receiving gynecological care at a certain hospital to gage their willingness for sustained use of the women's health WeChat public accounts. Through structural equation modeling, the study investigated the influencing factors on women's sustained intention to use the women's health WeChat public accounts. Results: The study included a total of 853 adult women. Among them, 241 (28.3%) women had followed women's health official accounts in the past but do not currently follow them, 240 (28.1%) women had followed women's health official accounts in the past and are still following them, and 372 (43.6%) women had never followed women's health official accounts. Currently, 240 women are still browsing women's health public accounts, 52 of whom read women's health public accounts every day, and most of them read women's health public accounts for 10-20 min at a time (100, 11.7%). The results of the structural equation model revealed that performance expectancy, social influence, hedonic motivation, habit, and e-health literacy had significantly positive effects on women's sustained intention to use public accounts (performance expectancy: ß = 0.341, p < 0.001; social influence: ß = 0.087, p = 0.047; hedonic motivation: ß = 0.119, p = 0.048; habit: ß = 0.102, p < 0.001; e-health literacy: ß = 0.158, p < 0.001). E-health literacy and self-efficacy indirectly influence sustained intention by affecting performance expectancy, effort expectancy, social influence, facilitating conditions, hedonic motivation, and habit. The effect sizes of e-health literacy on performance expectancy, effort expectancy, social influence, facilitating conditions, hedonic motivation, and habit were 0.244 (p < 0.001), 0.316 (p < 0.001), 0.188 (p < 0.001), 0.226(p < 0.001), 0.154 (p < 0.001), and 0.073 (p = 0.046). The effect sizes of self-efficacy on performance expectancy, effort expectancy, social influence, facilitating conditions, hedonic motivation, and habit were 0.502 (p < 0.001), 0.559 (p < 0.001), 0.454 (p < 0.001), 0.662 (p < 0.001), 0.707 (p < 0.001), and 0.682 (p < 0.001). Additionally, perceived severity and perceived susceptibility indirectly affected sustained intention by influencing performance expectancy and social influence. The effect sizes of perceived severity on performance expectancy and social influence were 0.223 (p < 0.001) and 0.146 (p < 0.001). The effect size of perceived susceptibility to social influence was 0.069 (p = 0.042). Conclusion: Users' e-health literacy, self-efficacy, perception of disease threat, and users' technological perceptions of the WeChat public accounts are critical factors influencing women's continuance intention of using the WeChat public accounts. Therefore, for female users, attention should be given to improving user experience and enhancing the professionalism and credibility of health information in public account design and promotion. Simultaneously, efforts should be made to strengthen users' health awareness and cultivate e-health literacy, ultimately promoting sustained attention and usage behavior among women toward health-focused public accounts.


Subject(s)
Intention , Women's Health , Humans , Female , Adult , Surveys and Questionnaires , Middle Aged , Health Literacy/statistics & numerical data , Health Behavior , Health Communication , Social Media
3.
J. nurs. health ; 14(2): 1425789, jun. 2024.
Article in Portuguese | LILACS, BDENF - Nursing | ID: biblio-1560702

ABSTRACT

Objetivo:analisar a percepção de profissionais de enfermagem sobre a comunicação entre equipes na transferência de cuidados de pacientes para a realização de exames de imagem. Método:pesquisa exploratório-descritiva, qualitativa, realizada com 43 profissionais de enfermagem de um complexo hospitalar de Porto Alegre, entre junho e agosto de 2021. Os dados foram coletados por entrevista semiestruturada e utilizou-se Análise de Conteúdo de Minayo. Resultados:emergiram três temas: como ocorre o processo de comunicação para a transferência do paciente internado ao setor de exames; as potencialidades e fragilidades deste processo e ferramentas para qualificar a comunicação. O enfermeiro atua como articulador da comunicação, que ora ocorre utilizando ferramentase com etapas verbais/telefônicas. O sistema de notas de transferência, a dupla checagem e o readbackpossuem falhas, por não serem oficializados nem específicos. Conclusões:os profissionais consideram a comunicação verbal como a maior fragilidade e sugerem ferramentas formais para torná-la efetiva.


Objective:to analyze the perception of nursing professionals regarding communication between teams in the transfer of patient care for imaging examinations. Method:exploratory-descriptive research, qualitative, conducted with 43 nursing professionals from a hospital complex in Porto Alegre, between June and August 2021. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and analyzed using Minayo's Content Analysis. Results: three themes emerged: how the communication process occurs for the transfer of the hospitalized patient to the examination department; the strengths and weaknesses of this process; and tools to enhance communication. The nurse acts as a communication facilitator, sometimes using tools and verbal/phone methods. The transfer note system, double-checking, and read-back have flaws because they are not formalized nor specific. Conclusions: professionals consider verbal communication the major weakness and suggest formal tools to make it more effective


Objetivo: analizar la percepción de profesionales de enfermería sobre la comunicación entre equipos al momento de transferir la atención al paciente para la realización de exámenes de imagen.Método: investigación realizada con 43 profesionales de enfermería de un complejo hospitalario de Porto Alegre, entre junio y agosto de 2021. Entrevistas semiestructuradas ocurrieron y se utilizó el análisis de contenido. Resultados: surgieron tres temas: cómo ocurre el proceso de comunicación para la transferencia delpaciente hospitalizado al departamento de exámenes; las potencialidades y debilidades de este proceso y las herramientas para cualificar la comunicación. El enfermero actúa como articulador de la comunicación, que en ocasiones ocurre mediante herramientasy pasos verbales/telefónicos. El sistema de notas de transferencia, la doble verificación y la relectura tienen fallas, pues no son oficiales ni específicos. Conclusiones: los profesionales consideran la comunicación verbal como la mayor debilidad y sugieren herramientas formales para hacerla efectiva.


Subject(s)
Health Communication , Diagnostic Imaging , Nursing , Patient Safety , Transitional Care
4.
J Health Commun ; 29(7): 440-449, 2024 Jul 02.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38832597

ABSTRACT

Asian, Pacific Islander, African, and Caribbean communities in the U.S. are heavily impacted by chronic hepatitis B (HBV) and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Educating these groups about the link between the two diseases is imperative to improve screening rates and health outcomes. This study aims to identify and incorporate preferred mediated communication methods into community-specific educational campaigns which emphasize the connection between the conditions, to promote uptake of prevention and management behaviors for HBV and HCC. Fifteen focus groups and two key informant interviews were conducted with Micronesian, Chinese, Hmong, Nigerian, Ghanaian, Vietnamese, Korean, Somali, Ethiopian, Filipino, Haitian, and Francophone West African communities. Data were analyzed using thematic coding and analysis. Findings demonstrate that all communities preferred materials be offered in both English and native languages and requested that materials highlight the connection between HBV and HCC. Delivery channel preferences and messaging themes varied by group. This study provides insight into community-specific preferences for learning about HBV and HCC. The findings can be used to design culturally and linguistically tailored, multi-platform, health education campaigns to facilitate improved HBV screening and vaccination rates and increase knowledge about HCC risk among highly impacted communities in the U.S.


Subject(s)
Focus Groups , Liver Neoplasms , Humans , Liver Neoplasms/prevention & control , Liver Neoplasms/ethnology , Female , Male , Health Communication/methods , Adult , Health Status Disparities , Middle Aged , Carcinoma, Hepatocellular/ethnology , Carcinoma, Hepatocellular/prevention & control , United States , Hepatitis B/prevention & control , Hepatitis B/ethnology , Hepatitis B, Chronic/ethnology , Hepatitis B, Chronic/prevention & control , Cultural Competency , Qualitative Research , Ethnicity/statistics & numerical data , Ethnicity/psychology , Healthcare Disparities/ethnology
5.
J Health Commun ; 29(7): 409-419, 2024 Jul 02.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38867422

ABSTRACT

Per- and polyfluorinated substances (PFAS) contamination is an emerging environmental and health risk facing the world. This study examines the impact of conflicting information on Americans' attitude toward PFAS regulation and intention to engage in mitigation behaviors through a one-way, between-subjects experiment. Participants were 1,062 U.S. adults recruited from CloudResearch. Results showed that compared to participants exposed to consistent information, those exposed to conflicting information displayed less favorable attitude toward existing regulation, which led to lower intention to support related policies and to engage in mitigation behaviors. Political ideology moderated these relationships, with stronger experimental effects among conservatives. These findings underscore the importance of conveying consistent risk messages, especially when multiple stakeholders are involved.


Subject(s)
Politics , Public Opinion , Humans , Male , Female , Adult , United States , Young Adult , Middle Aged , Fluorocarbons , Intention , Adolescent , Government Regulation , Health Communication/methods
6.
J Health Commun ; 29(7): 450-466, 2024 Jul 02.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38872325

ABSTRACT

This study investigated how the online health information behaviors of U.S. adults with illnesses unrelated to COVID-19 virus infection affected their coping with health problems and concerns during the COVID-19 pandemic. Guided by the cybercoping model (Kim & Lee, 2014), the study examined associations between these patients' online information behaviors (information seeking and information forwarding) and coping outcomes (health problems and affective states). The study further explored the mediating roles of health coping processes (problem-and emotion-focused) in the associations between these information behaviors and coping outcomes. Survey data from 687 participants were analyzed using structural equation modeling. The results highlighted the significance of information forwarding in enhancing both coping processes and outcomes, while information seeking enhanced problem-focused coping and health-problem coping outcomes alone. These associations were more pronounced among U.S. adults without chronic conditions than among those with chronic illnesses. These findings' implications, the study's limitations, and suggestions for future research were also addressed.


Subject(s)
Adaptation, Psychological , COVID-19 , Information Seeking Behavior , Internet , Humans , Female , Male , Adult , Middle Aged , COVID-19/psychology , COVID-19/epidemiology , United States , Young Adult , Chronic Disease , Aged , Surveys and Questionnaires , Communication , Consumer Health Information , Health Communication/methods
8.
J Health Commun ; 29(6): 396-399, 2024 Jun 02.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38832662

ABSTRACT

There is strong evidence of the impact of opinion leaders in health promotion programs. Early work by Burke-Garcia suggests that social media influencers are the opinion leaders of the digital age as they come from the communities they influence, have built trust with them, and may be useful in combating misinformation by disseminating credible and timely health information and prompting consideration of health behaviors. AI has contributed to the spread of misinformation, but it can also be a vital part of the solution, informing and educating in real time and at scale. Personalized, empathetic messaging is crucial, though, and research supports that individuals are drawn to empathetic AI responses and prefer them to human responses in some digital environments. This mimics what we know about influencers and how they approach communicating with their followers. Blending what we know about social media influencers as opinion leaders with the power and scale of AI can enable us to address the spread of misinformation. This paper reviews the knowledge base and proposes the development of something we term "Health Communication AI" - perhaps the newest form of opinion leader - to fight health misinformation.


Subject(s)
Artificial Intelligence , Communication , Health Communication , Leadership , Social Media , Humans , Health Communication/methods
9.
J Health Commun ; 29(6): 400-402, 2024 Jun 02.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38840516

ABSTRACT

Information disorder can have adverse consequences on health. While there has been growing attention to health information quality among the general population, there has been less focus on the young adult age group and how their insights and ideas can help to explore the effects and potential interventions to address information quality. Since certain information consumption habits and effects vary among young people, their perspective can provide valuable insights for tackling the increasing issue of misinformation. This Perspective examines past youth involvement efforts to suggest ways to incorporate the youth perspective into improving the quality of health information, particularly through engagement strategies aimed at combating misinformation traits. We then propose a set of five recommendations to advance research to address information disorder, researchers can consider the following steps to engage youth.


Subject(s)
Communication , Humans , Young Adult , Adolescent , Consumer Health Information , Data Accuracy , Health Communication/methods
10.
J Health Commun ; 29(6): 407-408, 2024 Jun 02.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38847276

ABSTRACT

Doing high-quality health communications requires high-quality data, both to describe information environments and diets and as outcomes for program evaluations that seek to change them and the behaviors they foster. When we understand where people gather information, what they learn there, and how it encourages them to act, we can better diagnose where to focus energy and resources-for example, whether to amplify high-quality sources, address low-quality information, or fill information voids with actionable ideas. Too often, however, researchers collect data in ways that conflate the sources of information, the channels through which information is communicated, and the content of that information. This thwarts opportunities to identify specific problems and opportunities. We call for conceptual precision to make good use of respondents' time, to be good stewards of funders' money, and to effectively address the large challenges we face in encouraging protective, pro-social health behaviors.


Subject(s)
Health Communication , Humans , Health Communication/methods , Data Accuracy , Data Collection
12.
Front Public Health ; 12: 1377393, 2024.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38846621

ABSTRACT

Background: Healthcare workers play a central role in communicating information to the public regarding vaccines. Most of the literature has focused on healthcare workers' hesitancy and doubts about getting the flu vaccine themselves. However, few studies have dealt with how they perceive their role in communicating information regarding vaccines, especially following the COVID-19 pandemic. Objectives: (1) To identify the communication strategies used by the Israeli Ministry of Health regarding vaccines during epidemic crises (before and after the COVID-19 pandemic); (2) To identify the communication strategies used by healthcare workers regarding vaccines before and after the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: A qualitative study based on in-depth interviews was conducted among healthcare workers and used a semi-structured protocol as a research tool. A total of 18 healthcare workers were sampled using purposeful and snowball sampling. Results: Despite healthcare workers' perception that there has been a decrease in trust in the Israeli Ministry of Health among the public following the COVID-19 outbreak, they still rely on the Israeli Ministry of Health as their primary source of information and use the same communication strategies (such as fear appeals and correcting information) as of the Israeli Ministry of Health to communicate with the public, healthcare providers, and other relevant stakeholders. Conclusion: Healthcare workers have been shaped by the professional socialization processes within the health system, leading to a predominant reliance on established communication strategies and informational channels. This reliance underscores the importance of evolving these methods to better engage with the public. To address this, there is a compelling need to innovate and adopt new communication techniques that emphasize effective dialogue and transparent interactions. By doing so, healthcare professionals can ensure that their outreach is not only informative but also responsive to the diverse needs and preferences of the community.


Subject(s)
COVID-19 , Health Personnel , Qualitative Research , Humans , Israel , COVID-19/prevention & control , COVID-19/psychology , Health Personnel/psychology , Health Personnel/statistics & numerical data , Female , Male , Adult , COVID-19 Vaccines , Middle Aged , Communication , Trust/psychology , SARS-CoV-2 , Pandemics/prevention & control , Health Communication/methods , Interviews as Topic
13.
BMC Public Health ; 24(1): 1587, 2024 Jun 13.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38872187

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: In this study, we investigate the utilization of Instagram by public health ministries across the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) nations to disseminate health-related information during the COVID-19 pandemic. With Instagram's visual-centric approach and high user engagement, the research aims to investigate its critical yet complex role in information dissemination amid a health crisis. METHODS: To examine how Instagram communication strategies align with the CDC's Crisis and Emergency Risk Communication (CERC) framework, we employ the content analysis method. This approach helps to evaluate the effectiveness and challenges of employing Instagram for health communication within a region known for its significant social media usage. RESULTS: Findings indicate that Instagram serves as a vital platform for the rapid dissemination of health information in the GCC, leveraging its visual capabilities and wide reach. The GCC ministries of health utilized Instagram to demonstrate a consistent and strategic approach to communicate essential COVID-19 related information. Kuwait and Bahrain were the most active of all the assessed ministries with respect to the number of engagement metrics (likes and comments). Most of the posts, as per the CERC framework, were informational and related to vaccine infection and death cases. The second most salient theme in line with the CERC framework was about promoting actions, followed by Instagram posts about activities, events, and campaigns. CONCLUSIONS: The research underscores Instagram's potential as a powerful tool in enhancing public health resilience and responsiveness during health emergencies in the GCC. It suggests that leveraging social media, with careful consideration of its affordances, can contribute significantly to effective health communication strategies in times of crisis.


Subject(s)
COVID-19 , Health Communication , Public Health , Social Media , Humans , COVID-19/epidemiology , COVID-19/prevention & control , Social Media/statistics & numerical data , Health Communication/methods , Information Dissemination/methods , Middle East , SARS-CoV-2 , Pandemics/prevention & control
14.
J Health Commun ; 29(sup1): 1-10, 2024 Jun 03.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38831666

ABSTRACT

Society is at an inflection point-both in terms of climate change and the amount of data and computational resources currently available. Climate change has been a catastrophe in slow motion with relationships between human activity, climate change, and the resulting effects forming a complex system. However, to date, there has been a general lack of urgent responses from leaders and the general public, despite urgent warnings from the scientific community about the consequences of climate change and what can be done to mitigate it. Further, misinformation and disinformation about climate change abound. A major problem is that there has not been enough focus on communication in the climate change field. Since communication itself involves complex systems (e.g. information users, information itself, communications channels), there is a need for more systems approaches to communication about climate change. Utilizing systems approaches to really understand and anticipate how information may be distributed and received before communication has even occurred and adjust accordingly can lead to more proactive precision climate change communication. The time has come to identify and develop more effective, tailored, and precise communication for climate change.


Subject(s)
Climate Change , Health Communication , Humans , Health Communication/methods , Systems Analysis , Communication
15.
J Health Commun ; 29(sup1): 37-44, 2024 Jun 03.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38832409

ABSTRACT

This study investigates the role of dynamic fear in the effectiveness of communicating health threats (i.e. fear appeals) of ground-level ozone among Chinese citizens. An online survey revealed that fear appeal messages effectively enhance the audience's risk perceptions, efficacy beliefs, and acceptance of the message. Crucially, dynamic fear reduction process positively predicts engagement in protective behaviors (i.e. danger control process) and negatively predicts engagement in fear control processes, such as message denial. Presenting severity before susceptibility resulted in a more positive attitude toward the message recommendation. These findings highlight that communicating health-threats about climate pollution is effective in raising awareness and motivating protective behaviors. Furthermore, our study underscores the importance of dynamic fear, specifically fear reduction, in increasing fear appeals' effectiveness in communicating climate issues from a health perspective.


Subject(s)
Fear , Health Communication , Humans , China , Male , Female , Adult , Health Communication/methods , Young Adult , Ozone , Persuasive Communication , Middle Aged , Adolescent , Surveys and Questionnaires
16.
J Health Commun ; 29(sup1): 57-67, 2024 Jun 03.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38836440

ABSTRACT

Masspersonal communication has emerged as a compelling alternative persuasive approach in response to the widespread use of social media. It is crucial to comprehend how observing online interpersonal interactions regarding the fear appeal of climate change can foster pro-environmental behaviors among users. This study examines the effects of vicarious message interactivity in promoting actions against climate change and the underlying mechanisms behind this effect. The results of an online experiment conducted in China (N = 236) revealed that psychological reactance and message elaboration mediated the effects of vicarious message interactivity on behavioral intention in a serial indirect effect. In comparison to static fear appeal, interactive fear appeal proves effective in reducing psychological reactance, promoting message elaboration, and ultimately increasing intention to take actions against climate change. Our findings not only contribute to the literature on interactive communication but also provide insights for environmental-health campaigns on social media.


Subject(s)
Climate Change , Fear , Health Communication , Intention , Persuasive Communication , Social Media , Humans , Male , Female , China , Social Media/statistics & numerical data , Health Communication/methods , Young Adult , Adult , Health Promotion/methods
17.
J Health Commun ; 29(sup1): 77-88, 2024 Jun 03.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38845202

ABSTRACT

Over the past sixty years, scientists have been warning about climate change and its impacts on human health, but evidence suggests that many may not be heeding these concerns. This raises the question of whether new communication approaches are needed to overcome the unique challenges of communicating what people can do to slow or reverse climate change. To better elucidate the challenges of communicating about the links between human activity, climate change and its effects, and identify potential solutions, we developed a systems map of the factors and processes involved based on systems mapping sessions with climate change and communication experts. The systems map revealed 27 communication challenges such as "Limited information on how individual actions contribute to collective human activity," "Limited information on how present activity leads to long-term effects," and "Difficult to represent and communicate complex relationships." The systems map also revealed several themes among the identified challenges that exist in communicating about climate change, including a lack of available data and integrated databases, climate change disciplines working in silos, a need for a lexicon that is easily understood by the public, and the need for new communication strategies to describe processes that take time to manifest.


Subject(s)
Climate Change , Health Communication , Humans , Health Communication/methods , Systems Analysis , Communication
18.
J Health Commun ; 29(7): 420-431, 2024 Jul 02.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38767865

ABSTRACT

While research on youth vaping prevention has begun to grow, little work has examined language choice in vaping prevention messages. This study examined adolescents' responses to vaping prevention statements that varied on three features: behavioral framing, linguistic certainty, and target specification. We conducted a 2 (behavioral framing) by 2 (linguistic certainty) by 2 (target specification) by 3 (risk type) plus control condition between-subjects experiment using a national probability sample. Adolescents (N = 1,603) were randomly assigned to one of 25 conditions in which they viewed a vaping prevention statement (or a control statement about vape litter) followed by measures of perceived message effectiveness (PME), perceived severity and susceptibility of vaping risks, message trustworthiness, message relevance, and intentions to seek more information about vaping risks. Results showed main effects of behavioral framing, such that a declarative frame ("Vaping can … ") led to higher PME, higher perceived severity, and greater information seeking intentions than a contingent frame ("If you vape, it can…"), while an interaction revealed that most declarative frame effects were driven by adolescents who were susceptible to vaping. There were also main effects of linguistic certainty, such that the word "can" ("Vaping can … ") led to higher PME, higher perceived susceptibility and severity, and greater information seeking intentions than the word "could" ("Vaping could … "). No main effect of target specification ("you" vs. "teens") was observed. Overall, findings suggest that vaping prevention messages that communicate greater certainty have greater behavior change potential.


Subject(s)
Health Communication , Intention , Vaping , Humans , Adolescent , Vaping/prevention & control , Vaping/psychology , Female , Male , Health Communication/methods , Linguistics , Adolescent Behavior/psychology
19.
J Health Commun ; 29(7): 432-439, 2024 Jul 02.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38812429

ABSTRACT

This study examines perceived source credibility of health information in a moment of TGD health disinformation. Through thematic analysis of in-depth interviews with 30 transgender and gender diverse (TGD) individuals, findings suggest health information is marred by anti-TGD legislation, a sociopolitical force that bleeds into health information spaces. Disinformation and TGD health communication are intertwined in complex ways, whereby disinformation can undermine trust in healthcare institutions, lead to harmful behaviors, and contribute to the spread of diseases. Health communication practitioners need to center the safety and humanity of TGD people, addressing TGD health disinformation.


Subject(s)
Health Communication , Transgender Persons , Trust , Humans , Female , Transgender Persons/psychology , Transgender Persons/statistics & numerical data , Male , Health Communication/methods , Adult , Middle Aged , Young Adult , Qualitative Research
20.
BMC Womens Health ; 24(1): 296, 2024 May 18.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38762723

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: Cervical cancer continues to pose a major public health challenge in low-income countries. Cervical cancer screening programs enable early detection and effectively reduce the incidence of cervical cancer as well as late-stage diagnosis and mortality. However, screening uptake remains suboptimal in Uganda. This study assessed correlates of intention to screen for cervical cancer among women in the Kyotera district of Central Uganda. METHODS: We analyzed cross-sectional data collected to determine the effectiveness of community audio towers (CATs) as a modality of health communication to support cervical cancer prevention. Women (n = 430) aged 21-60 years without a prior history of cervical cancer screening were surveyed about demographics, sources of health information and cervical cancer screening intentions in 2020. We used generalized linear modelling with modified Poisson regression and backwards variable elimination to identify adjusted prevalence ratios and 95% confidence intervals (CI) to determine factors associated with intention to screen for cervical cancer. RESULTS: Half (50.2%) of the participants had intentions to screen for cervical cancer within twelve months and 26.5% had moderate knowledge about cervical cancer. Nearly half (46.0%) considered themselves at risk of cervical cancer. Compared to residents who primarily received their health information from social media and radio, participants who received health information primarily from CATs (aPR:0.64, 95% CI:0.52-0.80, p < 0.001) and TV (aPR:0.52, 95% CI:0.34-0.82, p = 0.005) had a lower prevalence of intention to screen for cervical cancer. The prevalence of intentions to screen for cervical cancer in twelve months was higher among those resided in town councils (aPR:1.44, 95% CI:1.12-1.86, p = 0.004) compared to rural areas, and higher among those who considered themselves to be at risk of cervical cancer (aPR:1.74, 95% CI:1.28-2.36, p < 0.001) compared to those who did not. CONCLUSIONS: We found suboptimal prevalence of intentions to screen for cervical cancer among women in central Uganda. Additional research and implementation projects are needed to increase cervical cancer screening. Targeting risk perceptions and behavioral approaches to increase intentions could be effective in future intervention work. Based on urban-rural differences, additional work is needed to support equitable sharing of information to support cancer prevention messaging; CATs and TV may best help reach those with lower intentions to screen based on our research.


Subject(s)
Health Communication , Uterine Cervical Neoplasms , Cross-Sectional Studies , Humans , Female , Adult , Uterine Cervical Neoplasms/diagnosis , Uterine Cervical Neoplasms/prevention & control , Early Detection of Cancer , Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice , Uganda , Health Communication/methods , Intention
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