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The Effects of Media Content on Public Health

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A special issue of International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (ISSN 1660-4601).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 January 2024) | Viewed by 19751

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Special Issue Editor

Dr. Qinghua Yang

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Guest Editor

Bob Schieffer College of Communication, Texas Christian University, Fort Worth, TX 76129, USA
Interests: health education and promotion; health information acquisition and professing; new media and technology; substance use

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The health information landscape has been increasingly complicated in the 21th century, driven by the interplay between the traditional mass media (e.g., newspapers, TV, radio, billboards) and new media (e.g., Internet, social media, mobile devices). For instance, due to the lack of professional gatekeeping, social networking sites (SNSs) are severely afflicted by misinformation, which can barely be blocked or flagged. Additionally, the general public, including vulnerable populations such as youth and young adults, are bombarded by meticulously crafted commercials of tobacco products. So, how might the content on traditional and new media influence individuals’ health beliefs, behaviors, and outcome? This Special Issue aims to respond to this complex but important question. Examples include (but are not limited to) news coverage on a variety of health and environmental issues (e.g., cancer, cardiovascular health, pollution), (mis)information and disinformation about the pandemic and/or vaccines, advertising and marketing of tobacco products on social media, effects of social media use on mental health, and implications of social media influencers on health decision-making. This Special Issue anticipates papers that cover a diverse set of countries and disciplines and use a variety of methods (e.g., interview, focus group, survey, content analysis, experiment, meta-analysis, big data).

Dr. Qinghua Yang
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2500 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

health information
misinformation
conflicting information
mass media
social media
behavior change
health education
health promotion
information seeking
information processing

Published Papers (7 papers)

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Research

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15 pages, 760 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Understanding Information Processing and Protective Behaviors during the Pandemic: A Three-Wave Longitudinal Study

by Weidan Cao, Qinghua Yang and Xinyao Zhang

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2023, 20(5), 4041; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20054041 - 24 Feb 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1097

Abstract

Background: Few existing studies have examined information processing as an independent variable to predict subsequent information behaviors in a pandemic context, and the mechanism of subsequent information behavior processing following the initial or prior information behavior is unclear. Objective: Our study aims to apply the risk information seeking and processing model to explain the mechanism of subsequent systematic information processing in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: A three-wave longitudinal online national survey was administered during the period of July 2020 to September 2020. Path analysis was conducted to test the relationships between prior and subsequent systematic information processing and protective behaviors. Results: One important finding was the key role of prior systematic information processing, as indirect hazard experience was found to be a direct predictor of risk perception (β = 0.15, p = 0.004) and an indirect predictor of protective behaviors. Another important finding was the central role of information insufficiency as a mediator/driving force in subsequent systematic information processing and protective behavior. Conclusions: The study has made important contributions in that it extends the scholarship on health information behaviors by (a) highlighting that relevant hazard experience in risk information seeking and processing model should be expanded to include indirect experience, and (b) providing the mechanism of subsequent systematic information processing following prior information processing. Our study also provides practical implications on health/risk communication and protective behaviors’ promotion in the pandemic context. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Effects of Media Content on Public Health)

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15 pages, 1062 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Impact of Fitness Influencers on a Social Media Platform on Exercise Intention during the COVID-19 Pandemic: The Role of Parasocial Relationships

by Wenjia Li, Huangyi Ding, Guifen Xu and Jidong Yang

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2023, 20(2), 1113; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20021113 - 08 Jan 2023

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 6562

Abstract

In the context of COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns, fitness influencers on social media are greatly involved in people’s home fitness processes, but there is limited research examining the role of fitness influencers on social media in exercise intention. This study aimed to explore whether people’s perceptions of the personal attributes and content quality of fitness influencers can promote a strong emotional connection between the two, thereby influencing people’s exercise intentions. Based on the theory of the parasocial relationship, we investigated the influence of social attractiveness (SA), physical attractiveness (PA), task attractiveness (TA), and content quality (CQ) of fitness influencers on the parasocial relationships (PSRs) between viewers and fitness influencers on social media and whether PSRs positively contribute to viewers’ exercise intentions (EI). The results revealed that SA, PA, TA, and CQ have positive influences on PSRs and CQ; PSRs directly contribute to EI; and PSRs have a mediating effect between EI and CQ. This study provides new insights into understanding the relationship between fitness influencers and people’s online fitness behaviors. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Effects of Media Content on Public Health)

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14 pages, 1884 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Landscape of Cigar Marketing in Print Magazines from 2018–2021: Content, Expenditures, Volume, Placement and Reach

by Ollie Ganz, Olivia A. Wackowski, Stefanie Gratale, Julia Chen-Sankey, Zeinab Safi and Cristine D. Delnevo

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(23), 16172; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph192316172 - 02 Dec 2022

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1969

Abstract

Cigar consumption has increased in the U.S. over the past decade, yet gaps remain in research on cigar promotion in print magazines. This study examines ad placement, volume, ad characteristics, and associated expenditures for cigars from 2018–2021, and readership data for magazines containing cigar ads. We merged content analysis data with Kantar Media data on magazine placement and expenditures and used magazine readership data from MRI-Simmons. The only brand in print magazines was Black & Mild (B & M), a top cigar brand in the U.S. There were 30 unique B & M magazine ads and 284 occurrences (i.e., appearances in magazines), translating to $46,504,578 in expenditures. All ads featured the word “enjoy/enjoyment” and a warning label. Filtered cigars were the most featured cigar type (75%) and sweets was the most featured flavor (78%). Nearly half of the publications in which B & M were advertised in have substantial Black/African American readership and were featured in publications with disproportionate young adult and Hispanic/Latino readership. This study identified tactics used in print advertising for a top cigar brand. Future research should examine how these tactics impact consumer perceptions. Findings of cigar ads reaching vulnerable populations may inform the FDA’s efforts to reduce health disparities through regulations and public education. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Effects of Media Content on Public Health)

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9 pages, 1128 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Ophthalmology Practice and Social Media Influences: A Patients Based Cross-Sectional Study among Social Media Users

by Hani B. ALBalawi and Osama Alraddadi

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(21), 13911; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph192113911 - 26 Oct 2022

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1044

Abstract

Many physicians consider social media a good tool for building their brands and attracting patients. However, limited data exist on patients’ perceptions of the value of social media in ophthalmology. Therefore, our objective was to examine how social media influences patients when choosing an ophthalmologist among social media users, and people’s behaviors toward ophthalmologists’ social media accounts. This was a cross-sectional study including 1086 participants. Males represented 77.3% of the sample. The majority of the participants (71.3%) were aged between 25 and 54 years. Regarding social media sites frequently checked, Twitter ranked first (75.3%), followed by Snapchat (52.8%) and YouTube (48.7%). The majority (92.3%) used social media sites at all times of the day. Concerning the importance of ophthalmologists’ social media sites, around 36.3% considered it either very or extremely important. As regards the important factors about an ophthalmologist’s social media site from participants’ perspectives, medical information written by the ophthalmologist (45.5%) and recommendations by friends (45.4%) were the most common reasons. Around 21% of females, compared to 16.8% of males, perceived the ophthalmologists’ social media sites as extremely important, p = 0.041. A quarter of participants aged between 18 and 24 years, compared to only 5.5% of those aged 65 and above, perceived the ophthalmologists’ social media sites as extremely important, p = 0.018. In conclusion, a considerable proportion of the people who used social media described ophthalmologists’ social media sites as very/extremely important in their choice of an ophthalmologist. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Effects of Media Content on Public Health)

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13 pages, 978 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Effects of Personality Traits on Online Rumor Sharing: The Mediating Role of Fear of COVID-19

by Kai Li, Jie Li and Fen Zhou

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(10), 6157; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19106157 - 18 May 2022

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 3709

Abstract

This study aims to explore the effects of personality traits on online rumor sharing during the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and the mediating role of the fear of COVID-19 between them. We conducted this research using a web-based questionnaire distributed to 452 university students who were invited to fill it out. The partial least square structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) method was used to test the data and model, with the yielded results demonstrating that three—extroversion, emotional instability, and conscientiousness—of the Big Five personality traits are positively related to a fear of COVID-19, with this fear positively affecting online rumor sharing. Moreover, fear of COVID-19 was found to act as a mediator between personality traits and online rumor sharing; thus, we can conclude that persons with high levels of extroversion, emotional instability, and conscientiousness are more likely to share rumors online due to a fear of COVID-19. This study furthers our understanding of the psychological mechanism by which personality traits influence online rumor sharing and provides references for anti-rumor campaigns taking place during the COVID-19 pandemic, as it identifies key groups and sheds light on the necessity of reducing people’s fear of COVID-19. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Effects of Media Content on Public Health)

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19 pages, 4501 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Framing Climate Change Impacts as Moral Violations: The Pathway of Perceived Message Credibility

by Jialing Huang, Janet Z. Yang and Haoran Chu

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(9), 5210; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19095210 - 25 Apr 2022

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2093

Abstract

Climate change has been increasingly discussed in moral terms in public discourse. Despite the growing body of research on the effectiveness of moral frames in bridging the ideological divide, few studies have examined the role that perceived credibility, an important element of any persuasive appeal, plays in facilitating the framing effect. With the objective of further understanding how moral frames may engage individuals with different ideologies in climate change and refining climate change messaging strategies, two experimental surveys were conducted to examine the effects of moral violation frames on climate engagement. Specifically, a moderated mediation model was tested. The model posits that message credibility mediates the relationship between moral frames and policy support, as well as the relationship between moral frames and behavior intention. Moreover, political ideology moderated the indirect effects of message credibility. Based on moral foundations theory, seven messages were designed to activate individualizing and binding moral foundations. The results indicated that credibility consistently mediated the effects of the moral violation frame on climate engagement and that liberal-leaning individuals were more likely to perceive an individualizing frame as more credible than a binding frame. However, this difference was smaller among conservative-leaning individuals, with evidence for this moderated mediation model found only for policy support among college students. This study suggests that credibility is key for effective moral violations arguments of climate change. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Effects of Media Content on Public Health)

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Other

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13 pages, 1793 KiB

Open AccessBrief Report

Exploring the Chinese Public’s Perception of Omicron Variants on Social Media: LDA-Based Topic Modeling and Sentiment Analysis

by Han Wang, Kun Sun and Yuwei Wang

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(14), 8377; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19148377 - 08 Jul 2022

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2155

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic caused by SARS-CoV-2 is still raging. Similar to other RNA viruses, SARS-COV-2 is constantly mutating, which leads to the production of many infectious and lethal strains. For instance, the omicron variant detected in November 2021 became the leading strain of infection in many countries around the world and sparked an intense public debate on social media. The aim of this study is to explore the Chinese public’s perception of the omicron variants on social media. A total of 121,632 points of data relating to omicron on Sina Weibo from 0:00 27 November 2021 to 23:59:59 30 March 2022 (Beijing time) were collected and analyzed with LDA-based topic modeling and DLUT-Emotion ontology-based sentiment analysis. The results indicate that (1) the public discussion of omicron is based on five topics, including omicron’s impact on the economy, the omicron infection situation in other countries/regions, the omicron infection situation in China, omicron and vaccines and pandemic prevention and control for omicron. (2) From the 3 sentiment orientations of 121,632 valid Weibo posts, 49,402 posts were judged as positive emotions, accounting for approximately 40.6%; 47,667 were negative emotions, accounting for nearly 39.2%; and 24,563 were neutral emotions, accounting for about 20.2%. (3) The result of the analysis of the temporal trend of the seven categories of emotion attribution showed that fear kept decreasing, whereas good kept increasing. This study provides more insights into public perceptions of and attitudes toward emerging SARS-CoV-2 variants. The results of this study may provide further recommendations for the Chinese government, public health authorities, and the media to promote knowledge about SARS-CoV-2 variant pandemic-resistant messages. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Effects of Media Content on Public Health)

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