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During major long-term crises, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, news media are crucial sources of information for the public. This study aimed to explore the frequency of COVID-19-related news consumption based on (1) phase of the pandemic, (2) socio-demographic characteristics, and (3) news information channels. The study used a dynamic cohort design with 18 rounds of data collection, including 306,692 responses from 83,180 unique respondents in the Netherlands from 17 April 2020 to 11 September 2022. Results showed that the frequency of general COVID-19-related news media consumption varied throughout the pandemic, following a general decreasing trend with relative spikes often coinciding with periods of stricter behavioural regulations. TV news, newspapers, and online news websites were the most popular news information channels among the respondents. Furthermore, multilevel regression analyses identified several socio-demographic factors influencing news consumption and preferred channels, namely age, migration background, living status, health status, and trust in government — these results remained stable throughout the pandemic. This study highlights the importance of selecting appropriate news channels to effectively reach different socio-demographic groups and shows that during a prolonged crisis, news consumption about the crisis fluctuates with worsening conditions but generally follows a decreasing trend. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Patient interviewing pedagogy in medical education has not evolved to comprehensively capture the biopsychosocial model of healthcare delivery. While gathering a patient's social history targets important aspects of social context it does not adequately capture and account for the real-time reassessment required to understand evolving factors that influence exposure to drivers of health inequities, social determinants of health, and access to supports that promote health. The authors offer a patient interviewing approach called the Contextual Interview (CI) that specifically targets dynamic and ever-changing social context information. To substantiate the use of the CI in medical education, the authors conducted a qualitative review of the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education Milestones for primary care specialties (Family Medicine, Internal Medicine, and Pediatrics). Milestones were coded to the extent to which they reflected the learner's need to acknowledge, assess, synthesize and/or apply patient contextual data in real-time patient encounters. Approximately 1 in 5 milestones met the context-related and patient-facing criteria. This milestone review further highlights the need for more intentional training in eliciting meaningful social context data during patient interviewing. The CI as a cross-cutting, practical, time-conscious, and semi-structured patient interviewing approach that deliberately elicits information to improve the clinician's sense and understanding of a patient's social context. The authors reviewed future directions in researching adapted versions of the CI for undergraduate and graduate medical education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Inaccurate cancer news can have adverse effects on patients and families. One potential way to minimize this is through media literacy training—ideally, training tailored specifically to the evaluation of health-related media coverage. Purpose We test whether an abbreviated health-focused media literacy intervention improves accuracy discernment or sharing discernment for cancer news headlines and also examine how these outcomes compare to the effects of a generic media literacy intervention. Methods We employ a survey experiment conducted using a nationally representative sample of Americans (N = 1,200). Respondents were assigned to either a health-focused media literacy intervention, a previously tested generic media literacy intervention, or the control. They were also randomly assigned to rate either perceived accuracy of headlines or sharing intentions. Intervention effects on accurate and inaccurate headline ratings were tested using OLS regressions at the item-response level, with standard errors clustered on the respondent and with headline fixed effects. Results We find that the health-focused media literacy intervention increased skepticism of both inaccurate (a 5.6% decrease in endorsement, 95% CI [0.1%, 10.7%]) and accurate (a 7.6% decrease, 95% CI [2.4%, 12.8%]) news headlines, and accordingly did not improve discernment between the two. The health-focused media literacy intervention also did not significantly improve sharing discernment. Meanwhile, the generic media literacy intervention had little effect on perceived accuracy outcomes, but did significantly improve sharing discernment. Conclusions These results suggest further intervention development and refinement are needed before scaling up similarly targeted health information literacy tools, particularly focusing on building trust in legitimate sources and accurate content. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ecological momentary assessment (EMA), a method that allows for data collection in real-time, may offer benefits for communication research. We conducted two EMA studies on different topics (i.e., alcohol and sexual content in media and social media use, emotions, and tanning) in 2017 and 2018, respectively, and completed in-depth interviews (N = 19 and N = 16) following each study. Participants were open to the method and described potential changes in awareness and behavior, which could contribute to changes in data collected and potentially serve as an unintentional intervention. Researchers should consider the intent of their research and possible unintended effects of the questions posed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the importance of image data quality and cleaning practices for artificial intelligence tools used in breast cancer diagnosis. It highlights the lack of standardized practices in image preprocessing, which can lead to biases and inconsistencies in AI algorithms. The study focuses on rule-based techniques for image selection, cleaning, and accurate labeling to improve the accuracy of computer-aided diagnostic tools. The authors emphasize the need for detailed disclosures and standardization of image preprocessing steps to achieve more accurate and consistent results in breast imaging CAD tools. [Extracted from the article]

To cope with the COVID-19 pandemic and reduce uncertainty, the public needs accurate and timely information. Inspired by the risk information seeking and processing (RISP) model, this article discovers the significant predictors of individuals' COVID-19 information-seeking intention and behaviour. Overall, 394 adult participants from 47 states completed this study's online survey. The hierarchical regression analysis reveals that risk experience and informational subjective norms are the most substantial predictors of individuals' online information-seeking behaviour about COVID-19. Information insufficiency did not predict information seeking, and participants tend to overestimate their knowledge about COVID-19. RISP variables tend to share power in explaining the variances of information-seeking behaviour. Moreover, both channel beliefs and perceived information gathering capacity moderate information insufficiency's prediction of information-seeking intention. These findings will assist researchers in discovering the fundamental motivation of information seeking. This article can guide pragmatic interventions to reduce the public's uncertainty and mitigate the risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As part of a larger study about pregnancy options counseling with adolescents, we interviewed women in the United States who chose abortion during adolescence about preferences and experiences regarding communication from healthcare professionals during abortion care. We conducted individual semi-structured interviews with women ages 18-35 years old who were pregnant before age 20 years old and chose abortion. We recruited participants through social media, a research registry, and flyers in healthcare facilities. We recorded and transcribed interviews. Two investigators coded interview transcripts using thematic analysis. We conducted interviews with 17 US women (median age 32 years old, range 20-35 years old) from 11/2020-4/2021. The median age at time of abortion was 18 years old (range 14-19 years). The sample was 58% (n = 10) Caucasian and 65% (n = 11) heterosexual. Themes included: 1) Participants perceived options counseling before abortion as important and necessary but did not always feel they personally needed it. 2) Participants reported that clinicians including nurses, physicians, and other staff sometimes had poor bedside manner, which was not aligned with their perceived need for gentleness due to their adolescence. 3) Participants valued nonjudgmental communication including normalization of abortion care. 4) Participants desired privacy and confidentiality throughout their clinic appointment, but clinic logistics led to concerns about limited privacy. 5) Participants appreciated medically accurate information about abortion in plain language balancing safety and risk information for reducing fear before the procedure. Responses suggested specific best practices that healthcare providers can adopt to improve care for youth considering abortion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explores the role of social media in public health through a case of carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning prevented and subsequently overlooked, as influenced by digital community interaction. A TikTok influencer shared an experience with a coal stove, leading to followers advising against its use due to CO poisoning risks. This advice was heeded, yet a family member, unaware of these risks, experienced CO poisoning. This incident illuminates social media's potential in disseminating life-saving health information and influencing behavior, forming the basis of "Media Epidemiology." This new field studies how digital communication impacts health-related behaviors and outcomes. Our analysis highlights social media as a tool for rapid health information dissemination and preventive action. It underscores the need for integrating digital platform dynamics into public health strategies, emphasizing education on hazards like CO poisoning. This study advocates for leveraging social media in public health, exemplifying its role in disease prevention and health promotion, and marking a significant stride in contemporary epidemiological research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Opioid overdoses have continued to increase at higher rates among Black Americans compared to people from other racial groups. Despite demonstrated effectiveness of MOUD in reducing risk of opioid overdose, Black Americans face decreased access to and uptake of MOUD. The current study aimed to examine the knowledge, perceptions, and experiences with MOUD among a sample of Black adults who use prescription opioids nonmedically in order to inform tailored efforts to improve MOUD uptake. Methods: Data were derived from a larger study assessing cultural and structural influences on drug use and drug treatment among people who use prescription opioids nonmedically. Semi-structured qualitative interviews were conducted with 34 Black men and women across four generational cohorts: born 1955-1969; 1970-1979; 1980-1994; and 1995-2001. Participant responses were analyzed using thematic analysis. Results: Nearly half of participants (44.1%) reported no knowledge or experience with MOUD. Among participants who had any knowledge about MOUD, four major themes regarding their perceptions emerged: MOUD Helps with Recovery; Not Needed for Level of Drug Use; Side Effects and Withdrawal; Equivalence with Illicit Drug Use. The majority reported negative perceptions of MOUD (52.6%), and the youngest cohort (born 1995-2001) had a higher proportion of negative perceptions (80%) relative to other age cohorts (born 1980-1994: 50%; 1970-1979: 75%; 1955-1969: 16.6%). Discussion: Findings indicate a significant knowledge gap and clear points of intervention for improving MOUD uptake. Interventions to improve communication of health information in ways that are culturally relevant and tailored by age group can be used in conjunction with efforts to improve MOUD access among Black individuals who use opioids nonmedically. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the effect of animal metaphors in product advertisements. Such ads, especially those for health products, often employ metaphors depicting the ad messengers with animal characteristics to imply the negative health consequences of not using a product. Four studies are carried out using field and experimental data. The findings show that animal metaphor ads are less persuasive than nonmetaphor ads because the viewers of ads with animal‐like (as opposed to human) messengers experience stronger perceived self‐dehumanization, which in turn has a negative effect on product choice, brand attitude, product evaluation, and purchase intention. This effect occurs regardless of whether the animal metaphors are presented visually or verbally. Furthermore, the unfavorable reaction is stronger when the source domain includes a more disliked animal. However, it is also found that the animal metaphor effect diminishes when the target domain shifts from human to object. The findings shed light on how a sense of self‐dehumanization, triggered by the use of animalized model images in advertisements, can harm brands and products, offering insights into the pitfalls of using animal metaphors in health communication. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: People who are d/Deaf face challenges when communicating with pharmacists, especially during medication counseling. Aim: This study aimed to explore and understand the perceptions and experiences of d/Deaf people regarding medication counseling by hospital pharmacists. Method: Five sets of semi-structured in-depth interviews (44 total) and one focus group were conducted among d/Deaf people, hospital pharmacists, and Thai sign language (TSL) interpreters. Data from d/Deaf people's perspectives were triangulated with data from pharmacists and TSL interpreters. Results: Five themes emerged from the interview: (1) d/Deaf people believe that deafness is stigmatized, (2) d/Deaf people's needs during medication counseling, (3) skills for d/Deaf people to communicate with pharmacists, (4) values identified in d/Deaf people, 5) emotions related to medication counseling with pharmacists. Effort, trust, confidentiality, and privacy were values associated with counseling. d/Deaf people preferred communicating with pharmacists in TSL to communicating with pharmacists via TSL interpreters because of trust and confidentiality. They also preferred pharmacists with d/Deaf knowledge and skills. Moreover, d/Deaf people believed that deafness was stigmatized, so signing in nonprivate areas was embarrassing. When TSL was not used in communication, language, lipreading, and technology skills became important. With these non-TSL communications, d/Deaf people may not have understood the conversation. However, they may not have asked pharmacists because they felt Krengjai (the hesitancy to bother). Conclusion: Thai d/Deaf people have negative experiences during medication counseling. Skills and emotions can act as barriers to communication with pharmacists. TSL should be used to improve d/Deaf people's experiences during medication counseling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BackgroundMethodResultsConclusionsPrescriber-patient communication plays a crucial role in understanding patients’ needs, while reducing risks for developing an opioid use disorder (OUD), yet research on this is sparse. As such, the need to understand healthcare providers’ skills, comfort, and confidence when discussing opioids with patients and other providers is an important step in balancing patients’ needs from a pain perspective and risks from an OUD perspective.We interviewed 32 Massachusetts providers (physicians, physician associates, nurse practitioners, and dental practitioners) to assess their communication strategies with patients and other providers. Interviews were conducted online (January – September 2021) and were transcribed verbatim, coded, and analyzed using deductive content analysis.Contextualized in the Health Education Theory, one major theme was how providers communicated with patients about opioids, including their tone, use of language, and the content they covered. Providers described frequently encountering patients who expressed fears and concerns about opioid addiction and did not want an opioid prescription. Another major theme, related to the ongoing process of preventing problems with opioids was a focus on provider engagement in follow-up, including checking if a prescription was filled, having the patient come back to the office, or calling another provider after a certain duration. Recommendations about communication with patients and other providers were also discussed.Overall, open, supportive, tailored communication with patients and other providers was deemed essential when considering opioid prescriptions. Further research is recommended to learn about the status of opioid-prescription knowledge, beliefs, and practices within the fourth wave of the current opioid overdose epidemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BackgroundMethodsResultsConclusionsThe demand for simplified languages such as Easy Language has grown, also in healthcare. Despite this, very few studies have examined how healthcare personnel perceive Easy Language, or its effects on healthcare.This qualitative case study was conducted in a Finnish hospital. The data consisted of 14 interviews with hospital management and operational staff on their experiences of implementing and using Easy Language in patient communication.According to the hospital personnel, the experiences of Easy Language use were mainly positive. The staff felt that patient instructions in Easy Language improved communication with customers. They were proud that the values of the hospital’s strategy, especially customer orientation, were realized in practical work. However, operational-level personnel also reported certain challenges, especially regarding the adequacy of resources and training.Considering its modest financial investment, we conclude that the Easy Language project had a positive impact. The hospital staff were satisfied and perceived that health communication in the hospital had improved. Their positive reputation due to their use of Easy Language brought added value to their work. Further studies are needed to measure the direct customer experience and financial effects of using Easy Language. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Community resilience and health emergency communication are both crucial in promoting a community's ability to endure crises and recover from emergency events. Yet, a notable gap in theory and evidence exists in the relationship between them. We aim to explore the relationship between community resilience and health emergency communication and to identify strategies and interventions to strengthen their usefulness to each other. Based on the results, a secondary aim was to develop a model of community-centred resilience and health emergency communication. Methods: A systematic review of literature published between January 1990 and February 2024 was undertaken following Joanna Briggs Institute guidelines. Electronic databases (Web of Science, Social Science Citation Index, PubMed/MEDLINE) were searched using key terms. Eligibility criteria were developed from the literature and the knowledge of the multidisciplinary team. Inductive thematic analysis generated key themes. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines were applied to present the findings. Results: The searches identified 300 articles, of which 86 met the inclusion criteria. Two main themes were identified from the literature: (i) the relationship between emergency communication and community resilience, including subthemes: building trust and collaboration within communities, identifying resources and their distribution, tailoring communication strategies, considering inclusion and equity, and community engagement and feedback and (ii) strategies and interventions, including subthemes: facilitating community structures as channels for communication, respecting personal and private boundaries in health communication, targeting outreach for effective crisis communication, building resilience through training and communication initiatives, and demonstrating commitment to equity and inclusion. Conclusions: There is a small, yet valuable, body of evidence to demonstrate the value of bolstering community-centred resilience for emergency preparedness, response and recovery. The model of community-centred resilience and health emergency communication developed can inform policy, research and practice. Further research is required to develop and test community-centred approaches to enhance inclusive risk communication and equitable recovery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the efficacy of different messaging formats in the context of public health crises and emergencies in rural context. By analyzing usage statistics and user feedback, we assessed the effectiveness of various technology-mediated COVID-19 audio message formats (songs, expert interviews, endorsements, and dramas) delivered using the Amplio Talking Book device to rural communities in Ghana during the COVID-19 pandemic. Our findings indicate that different messaging formats resulted in varying levels of user engagement and interest. Shorter audio messages (1–5 minutes), and endorsements from credible and familiar community stakeholder significantly fostered trust and adoption. Establishing a consistent user feedback loop was essential for providing clarifications, addressing queries, and diffusing disinformation and misinformation, especially considering the unprecedented nature of the COVID-19 outbreak. Reflecting on these insights, we discuss effective strategies for creating engaging technology-mediated public health and behavior change messages during public health crises. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractSecondary school sex education has been identified as a productive site for teaching about fertility. U.S. sex-education curricula of all types does not explicitly include fertility, but research suggests fertility is nonetheless discussed in the sex-education classroom. To identify the contexts of those in-class discussions, we analyze semi-structured interviews with 32 secondary-school sex educators representing states with different curricular mandates (i.e. abstinence-based; comprehensive). Findings reveal that discussions about fertility unfold in the contexts of: (a) STIs, (b) substance use, and (c) reproductive technologies. Within those contexts, participants reported that they tended to highlight fear appeals related to fertility information; that they focused on male fertility over female in discussions about substance use; and that they lacked the time and resources to communicate nuances of fertility information. In these respects, this study has important implications for the communication and implementation of sex-education campaigns designed to alleviate low fertility knowledge rates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although much attention has been given to vaccine hesitancy, there is still considerable ambiguity regarding its epistemological antecedents. The current meta-analysis addresses this theoretical and practical gap by focusing on the interplay between trust, belief in conspiracy theories, and COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy (k = 32), as well as key moderators such as the availability of the vaccine and the state and progress of the pandemic. Overall, results indicate that while both trust and beliefs in conspiracy theories are important correlates of vaccine hesitancy, considerable difference emerges when adopting a more granular approach that distinguishes between types of trust (government, public health organizations, science, and healthcare professionals/providers) and conspiracies (specific versus general). These findings cement the importance of health communication, not only as a useful framework to study and understand vaccine hesitancy but also as a potential way to intervene in order to prepare for future infectious disease outbreaks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractObjectiveParticipantsMethodsResultsConclusionsThis study explores the effectiveness of health communication campaigns and campus-based interventions to promote vaccinations among college-aged students, focusing on human papillomavirus (HPV) immunization.Leveraging previous initiatives, Purdue University implemented various campaign strategies and collaborated with the Indiana Immunization Coalition to administer vaccines (n = 1,827) across two clinics in late 2022.Qualtrics® surveys (n = 564) were administered to individuals post-vaccination(s).The provision of vaccines without financial burden and informed awareness facilitated HPV vaccine uptake, whereas perceived lack of time and necessity served as barriers. Email outreach and visually appealing posters proved effective in disseminating clinic information.The increase in HPV vaccine recipients and a reduction in perceived vaccine ineligibility highlight the efficacy of printed posters in enhancing knowledge and awareness. By providing cost-free vaccines on campuses, this model demonstrates its potential to elevate vaccination rates, and can be adapted for broader community contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractThis scoping review explores the integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) with communication, behavioral, and social theories to enhance health behavior interventions. A systematic search of articles published through February 2024, following PRISMA guidelines, identified 28 relevant studies from 13,723 screened. These studies, conducted across various countries, addressed health issues such as smoking cessation, musculoskeletal injuries, diabetes, chronic diseases and mental health using AI-driven tools like chatbots and apps. Despite AI’s potential, a gap exists in aligning technical advancements with theoretical frameworks. The proposed AI Impact Communications Model (AI-ICM) aims to bridge this gap, offering a road map for future research and practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Emergency Medical Communication Centers (EMCC) have a key role in the prehospital chain-of-stroke-survival by recognizing stroke patients and reducing prehospital delay. However, studies on EMCC stroke recognition report both substantial undertriage and overtriage. Since mis-triage at the EMCC challenges the whole chain-of-stroke-survival, by occupying limited resources for non-stroke patients or failing to recognize the true stroke patients, there is a need to achieve a more comprehensive understanding of the dispatchers' routines and experiences. The aim of this study was to explore factors affecting EMCC dispatcher's decision-making in stroke calls. Materials and methods: A qualitative exploratory study, based on individual semi-structured interviews of 15 medical dispatchers from EMCC Oslo, Norway. Interviews were conducted during August and October 2022 and analyzed using the principles of thematic analysis. Results: We identified four themes: [1] Pronounced stroke symptoms are easy to identify [2]. Non-specific neurological symptoms raise suspicion of acute stroke but are difficult to differentiate from other medical conditions [3]. Consistent use of the Criteria Based Dispatch (CBD) protocol may increase EMCC overtriage [4]. Contextual conditions at EMCC can affect dispatchers' decision-making process and the ability for experiential learning. Conclusions: Medical dispatchers at the EMCC perceive vague and non-specific stroke symptoms, such as dizziness, confusion or altered behaviour, challenging to differentiate from symptoms of other less time-critical medical conditions. They also perceive the current CBD protocol in use as less supportive in assessing such symptoms. High workload and strict EMCC response time interval requirements hinder the gathering of essential patient information and the ability to seek guidance in cases of doubt, potentially exacerbating both EMCC undertriage and overtriage. The absence of feedback loops and other strategies for experiential learning in the EMCC hampers the medical dispatcher's ability to evaluate their own assessments and improve dispatch accuracy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study aims to understand whether and how social media use negatively affected Asian Americans’ mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic. We build on previous research on media framing, stigma, and stereotyping to understand whether social media messages about Asians as culprits to blame for the pandemic, direct experiences of racism, or media coverage of victims of anti-Asian hate crimes led to mental health outcomes for this racial group. We use an online survey of Asian American participants (N = 527) conducted in 2020 to test the role of (a) mediated ethnic blame (MEB), (b) direct stigma, and (c) indirect stigma in explaining the relationship between social media use and mental health among Asian Americans during the COVID-19 pandemic. Our results demonstrate that mediated ethnic blame, but not direct or indirect stigma experiences, is associated with Asian Americans’ mental health. Implications for media framing, health communication, and journalism are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractBackgroundMethodsResultsConclusionNicotine gum products from brands like Lucy and Rogue are relatively new arrivals to the tobacco marketplace. While studies of correlates of nicotine gum use are in their nascent stage, data from social media can be used to stay abreast of user experiences with novel tobacco products. This study leveraged machine learning to identify topics of Twitter posts about nicotine gum from the year 2022.Twitter data was collected using the Twitter Application Programming Interface (API), with search terms “nicotine” AND “gum” OR “nic” AND “gum”. 16,940 tweets from 10,353 unique users were included in the analysis. Topic modeling with Top2Vec was used to identify topics and a string search of popular brands and flavors was also conducted.Eight distinct topics were identified. Smoking and vaping cessation was the most common topic, followed by promotion, pricing, and marketing; appeal; product comparisons; perceived benefits; distrust in institutions; health concerns; and COVID-19 misinformation. The most mentioned brand was Nicorette. A tenth of the tweets contained a reference to a flavor.The goal of identifying topics in nicotine gum-related conversations is to better understand the public’s perceptions and experiences with nicotine gum. These findings may be used to inform survey-based research, policy targets, and health communication campaigns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A growing body of evidence suggests that questionable health behaviors- not following medical recommendations and resorting to non-evidence based treatments—are more frequent than previously thought, and that they seem to have strong psychological roots. We thus aimed to: 1) document the lifetime prevalence of intentional non-adherence to medical recommendations (iNAR) and use of traditional, complementary and alternative medicine (TCAM) in Serbia and 2) understand how they relate to 'distal' psychological factors—personality traits and thinking dispositions, and 'proximal' factors—a set of beliefs and cognitive biases under the term 'irrational mindset'. In this preregistered cross-sectional study on a nationally representative sample (N = 1003), we observed high lifetime prevalence of iNAR (91.3%) and TCAM (99.2%). Irrational beliefs, especially magical health beliefs and medical conspiracy theories, were the strongest predictors of TCAM. They also mediated the relation between Disintegration/lower cognitive reflectiveness and TCAM. High Disintegration, and low Conscientiousness predicted iNAR directly, whilst negative experiences with the healthcare system facilitated both types of questionable health practices. The established psychological profile of people prone to questionable health behaviors and the fact they can be tracked to negative experiences with the system can be used to tailor public health communications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper records knowledge from below around the overlaps between health, water, and health interventions emerging from rural communities located in North 24 Parganas and Purulia in West Bengal. Using the culture-centered approach and necrocapitalism, this essay documents the localocentric stories from the subaltern communities disproportionately impacted by water insecurity. Based on data collected during a seven-week field study, a critical thematic analysis of the data reveals how research participants with minoritized caste and low-income backgrounds routinely challenge, disrupt, and re-organize the dominant frames of health, water, and health interventions as articulated by local–global organizational actors. Additionally, research participant narratives make visible how they navigate social, cultural, institutional, and capitalist structures that adversely affect water security and their health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the detailed design configuration and investigation of a small-scale dual-band metamaterial absorber (MTMA) for solid and liquid sensing applications. The overall dimension of the MTMA unit cell is 10 × 10 × 1.57 mm3 and constitutes an affordable FR-4 substrate. The absorber exhibits dual absorption peaks at 3.470 GHz for the S-band and 7.219 GHz for the C-band, respectively. Both absorption characteristics have been validated through comprehensive simulation and experimental procedures. The dual-band absorption rate exceeded 99% during simulations, and experimental validation showed an absorption rate above 98%. For sensing applications, various solid materials, including different Rogers substrates (RT 5880, RT 5870, RT 4003 and RT 4835) and liquids such as sunflower and crown oil, were utilized. Our findings indicate that the proposed MTMA achieves a maximum Q-factor of 191 and a sensitivity of up to 2.5 for both solid and liquid sensing applications compared to previous studies. The simulation and experimental validation of the result indicate that suggested MTMA can be effectively used in different sensing applications such as the medical and communications industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT This paper identifies and critiques a tendency for public health risk communication to be ‘sneakily’ persuasive. First, I describe how trends in the social and health sciences have facilitated an approach to public health risk communication which focuses on achieving behaviour change directly, rather than informing people's decisions about their health behaviour. I then consider existing discussions of the merits of informing versus persuading in public health communication, which largely endorse persuasive approaches. I suggest such accounts are unsatisfying insofar as their definitions of persuasion often fail to recognise its directional nature and the distorting effect this has on the total picture of the evidence. I re‐characterise persuasion as directional influence aimed at achieving a particular outcome in the recipient and acknowledge that persuasive influence may also be manipulative. I then contrast this with (non‐directional) information provision. I suggest that much persuasive public health risk communication is ‘sneaky’: it appears to be informative, but in fact presents a distorted picture of the evidence (in accordance with my characterisation of persuasion). I argue that such sneakily persuasive public health risk communication is unethical on the basis that it fails to adhere to the norms of cooperative communication. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractThe essay reviews Charles L. Briggs’s book “Incommunicable: Towards Communicative justice in health and medicine”. Through critical reading and drawing on psychoanalysis and anthropological phenomenology, the essay review examines the different and distinct ways incommunicabilities develop and take form in the text, along with their productive effects. For this, the articulation between affections, body and words is traced. Special importance is given to the scholar’s proposal of incommunicability-free zones and their relationship with justice in Health. Finally, it draws on decolonial feminist theory, specifically that of María Lugones, to articulate coloniality and gender as indissociable processes to stress a comment/question on the book what effects will have in Charles L. Briggs’s argument to include race-gender as a foundational ground of coloniality? And how will it reframe health/communicative equity and justice? [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article in Clinical & Translational Allergy discusses the reliability of the FricTest 4.0 tool for diagnosing symptomatic dermographism, a subtype of chronic inducible urticaria. The study conducted at the Urticaria Center of Reference and Excellence in Berlin, Germany, aimed to assess inter-rater and intra-rater agreement of the tool. Results showed substantial inter-rater agreement and high consistency in measurements, validating the FricTest as a reliable diagnostic and monitoring tool for symptomatic dermographism. The study acknowledges limitations and calls for further real-world evidence to confirm the tool's reproducibility and clinical validity. [Extracted from the article]

Background: The purpose of this scoping review is to identify the models of Health Information Disorders (HIDs), the components of these models, their study setting, and their designing approaches. Materials and Methods: In this study, PubMed, Web Of Science (WOS), Scopus, ProQuest, and Embase databases were searched to identify relevant articles. After screening the identified studies, 22 studies were selected. Data was extracted based on objectives and was combined and summarized by a narrative method. Results: The analysis of articles showed most of the included studies presented conceptual models or frameworks that provide a more structured and comprehensive view of a topic. The elements and components of the HID models were categorized into five main components, including information issues, communication issues, psychology issues, social issues and theories. Most studies employed, existing theories, evidence, or principles to design their approaches. The main setting of studies were COVID-19 and related topics such as vaccination. Conclusions: By synthesizing the HID models we tried to find the gap among types, components, designing approaches and setting of models. It seems we need some HID models based on contextual frameworks to understand deeply the way of being born, spread and death of HIDs in society. Also, future advancements in HID models should focus on other diseases rather than COVID-19 to provide a holistic approach in diverse healthcare landscapes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vaccine hesitancy is widespread, and developing effective communication strategies that encourage hesitant individuals to choose vaccination is essential. This pre‐registered research aimed to examine associations among moral obligation, autonomous motivation, vaccination intentions and reactance, and to test messages highlighting moral obligation and autonomy support. In Study 1, participants who had not received a Covid‐19 vaccine (N = 1036) completed measures of autonomous motivation, moral obligation, reactance, intentions to vaccinate and vaccine hesitancy. Autonomous motivation and moral obligation emerged as strong independent predictors of lower reactance, lower hesitancy and greater vaccination intentions. In Study 2 (N = 429), the participants received a vaccination‐promoting message that highlighted moral obligation versus personal protection and used autonomy supportive versus controlling language. Messages with autonomy‐supportive language and highlighting personal protection elicited lower reactance and greater perceived legitimacy compared to messages with controlling language and highlighting moral obligation. All messages elicited greater reactance and lower perceived legitimacy compared to an information‐only message, and there were no effects of message type on vaccination intentions or vaccine hesitancy. The research has implications for the design of communications encouraging vaccination in hesitant individuals and suggests caution should be taken when developing messages to encourage vaccination in hesitant individuals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Boster et al. (2012) superdiffuser model predicts that a health behavior change can be diffused through a social network by recruiting superdiffusers, a type of opinion leader who possesses 3 key traits, to promote that health behavior change. Yet, that model does not specify how to recruit opinion leaders for applied contexts. This pair of studies sought to demonstrate that the self-schema matching model of persuasion can be used to design recruitment messages for a potential campaign. Study 1 (N = 342) used an online survey to identify the self-schema of health mavens, one of the three superdiffuser traits. Study 2 conducted an online message experiment (N = 393) and demonstrated that targeting the health maven's self-schema increases the persuasiveness of a message designed to recruit them for a word-of-mouth behavior change campaign to promote COVID-19 vaccines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/Objectives: Given the discrepancies in immunisation coverage, the goal of this study was to explore the barriers and facilitators to effective communication across the school-based vaccination program in South Eastern Sydney schools. Methods: A qualitative study was undertaken with purposively selected immunisation staff, school coordinators, and parents of Year 7 students who had not received two vaccinations (dTpa and HPV) at school. A focus group with immunisation staff and interviews with school coordinators explored the barriers and facilitators to vaccination uptake, including communication across stakeholders. The parent interviews explored attitudes to vaccination and the school program and investigated the program communication methods. Results: Five immunisation staff, eleven school coordinators, and eleven parents participated in the study. The barriers to participation in the school vaccination program included low parent recall of vaccination information, challenges encountered by school staff in consent tracking, no communication channel between health staff and parents, a greater school focus on vaccination facilitation than student education, and limited communication between stakeholders about catch-up vaccinations. The facilitators included established school/parent relationships for vaccine communication, effective communication between health and school staff, and using multiple methods to promote clinic and consent requirements. Conclusions: Opportunities exist to increase program participation by enhancing vaccination information and education for students and parents, with better communication about vaccination catch-ups and consent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study compares the coverage of the covid-19 pandemic in two daily national newspapers published in China and the UK: China Daily and The Times. Taking a corpus-based approach to Critical Discourse Analysis, we identify significant differences that reflect the distinct cultural, socio-political, and institutional contexts in which these newspapers operate. The Times is found to focus on the impacts of the pandemic on ordinary people, as well as their dissatisfaction with the UK government's handling of the crisis, employing direct quotes both from ordinary citizens and scientific experts (e.g., to critique governmental responses). Conversely, China Daily foregrounds, and positively appraises, the leadership of President Xi Jinping and the Communist Party of China, focussing on their efforts in managing the health-related and economic impacts of the pandemic. This newspaper also highlights China's role in domestic and international covid-19 responses, as well as its support for global economic recovery, particularly in Africa. China Daily also negatively portrays the United States' response to the pandemic – reflecting the newspaper's broader critical stance towards capitalism and the US in particular. The findings thus demonstrate the influence of cultural, socio-political and institutional factors on media representations of public health issues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article critiques a study on the effectiveness of herpes zoster vaccination in patients with diabetes mellitus, pointing out limitations such as the use of electronic health records for vaccination status estimation, lack of individual follow-up data, and potential biases in study design. The study's results are questioned due to database issues, missing information, methodological problems, demographic imbalances, and inconsistencies with existing evidence, suggesting that the estimates may not accurately reflect the true association. The authors recommend evaluating dataset limitations for specific analyses and using claims datasets or combined electronic health records/claims data for more accurate vaccine efficacy estimates. [Extracted from the article]

Background: Despite the high non-communicable disease (NCD) mortality in Ethiopia, NCD screening in the country remains suboptimal. This study assessed the health communication process and materials designed to promote NCD screening among adult primary healthcare facility attendants in the Gurage Zone, Ethiopia. Methods: A parallel mixed-methods approach was employed. Seven health communication materials were evaluated using the Modified Clear Communication Index Score by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Seven key informants who were involved in the production were interviewed to explore the process. Users' satisfaction with the materials was assessed through a cross-sectional survey (N = 412). We used multivariable logistic regression with SPSS version 27 software to determine the factors associated with users' satisfaction. Thematic analysis was applied for the qualitative data analysis using Opencode 4.03 software. Results: Qualitative interviews indicated that the production process relied on evidence, involved stakeholders, and included pretesting. The CDC index score revealed that five of the seven materials were considered clear and user-friendly, whereas two required improvement. Overall users' satisfaction with the material was high with a mean score of 22.10 (SD ± 2.34; min: 14, max: 25). Age and educational status had significant positive association with users' satisfaction. Conclusions: Developing health communication materials on promoting NCD screening based on evidence, stakeholders' input, and pretesting can lead to good quality material and user satisfaction. We recommend future research works to measure changes in NCD screening service uptake as a result of using the health communication materials considered in this study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aim: Nursing care is complex and critical, making it vital to communicate health information using standardized methods. By using the SBAR (Situation - Background - Assessment - Recommendation) method, nurses can provide a complete and clear clinical picture of the patient's condition to the nurse receiving the patient. Conducting a shift handover audit allows for a comparison of the current shift handover process with the standard procedure, enabling the identification and resolution of any issues. Improving the shift handover process is crucial for the effective transfer of health information and addressing challenges that may arise during shift work delivery. The present study was conducted to investigate the effect of promoting changes in nursing shift work on the satisfaction of nurses in the emergency department of at Baqiyatallah Hospital in Tehran, Iran. The standard SBAR tool was utilized for this purpose. Methods: The present study is a semi-experimental study conducted before and after an intervention on 35 nurses who were randomized based on entry criteria in the emergency department of Baqiyatollah Hospital in Tehran from 2023 to 2024. Initially, the delivery of shift work in the emergency department and nurses' satisfaction levels were assessed through a questionnaire. Subsequently, the current situation was compared with the SBAR checklist, and an SBAR training program for nurses was developed based on identified deficiencies. Following the training sessions, a review of the materials and clarification of any issues were conducted. Subsequently, the practical application of shift delivery on patients' beds was assessed using the SBAR checklist. All participants were then asked to complete the nurses' satisfaction survey once again. Results: This study revealed that the SBAR score after the intervention (49.49) was significantly higher than the average SBAR score before the intervention (21.31) (P<0.05). Additionally, the satisfaction scores of nurses after the intervention were significantly higher than those of nurses before the intervention (P<0.05). Conclusion: Implementing the SBAR standard method for shift work delivery addresses the challenges faced in nursing shift work and enhances the nursing care process, ultimately boosting nurse satisfaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractTailored language and communication strategies underpin men’s engagement with public health initiatives. The aim of this study was to explore men’s preferences for language and communication in mental health promotion and provide recommendations for current and future programs. A sequential mixed-methods design was used including five focus groups and 21 individual interviews with 64 men. Interpretive description was used to inductively derive three themes: (1) Using coded language to confer mental health, which highlighted the tacit meaning and implications of language as well as men’s covert strategies to communicate their challenges and emotions; (2) Summoning masculine capital with association and metaphors, wherein men’s strategies for conveying mental health in acceptable and relatable ways are chronicled; and (3) Dynamism language to signal action and growth, illustrating participants’ preference for strength-based approaches and gain-framed messaging that positions men as drivers of self-management and personal development. Important implications for men’s mental health promotion are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID-19 pandemic initiated new and unprecedented challenges that required organizations to curate timely, accurate and engaging public health information to communicate to local communities during a health crisis. Guided by the social media typology, content analysis was used to analyze tweets from six organizations located in a predominantly Hispanic community responsible for managing the pandemic. Findings revealed that these organizations have actively used Twitter (now known as "X") to inform local residents about COVID- 19 at the beginning of the pandemic and guided them how to respond to this health crisis by providing content with health-related actions. The analysis indicated that redundant digital content without using the local language of the community did not help public health officials communicate effectively to their citizens, thereby increasing their level of engagement and eliciting behavior changes. We suggest that public organizations, government, and healthcare organizations within a minority community need adopt social media strategies that incorporate the local community's language in content generation to foster ongoing conversations, mobilize actions, and elicit behavioral changes within their local communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Students with intellectual or physical disabilities still face public and institutional stigmatization. The current study examines how different news portrayals of college students with a disability affect readers' stigma-related attitudes and behavioral intentions. A 2 x 2 x 2 x 2 full-factorial experiment was conducted, in which N = 767 respondents were presented a news article about a student with a disability. The article was manipulated regarding exemplar's type of disability, gender, socioeconomic status, and sexual orientation. All four tested exemplar characteristics and respondents' gender affected several dimensions of stigmatization, albeit often as interaction effects. Overall, findings indicate that story-unrelated characteristics of portrayed individuals affect readers' generalized stigma-relevant attitudes, emotional reactions, and behavioral intentions. Results are discussed regarding the likelihood for accidental stigmatization through journalistic exemplar choices, and regarding implications for a stigma-sensitive health communication and anti-stigma communication practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractObjective: During the COVID-19 pandemic, college students were navigating confusing and often conflicting information on social media. Media literacy can help people interpret information online. We developed and tested a text-message media literacy intervention designed for college students. Participants: 267 U.S. college students from a university in the Pacific Northwest. Methods: We used an explanatory mixed methods design with a pretest-posttest field experiment (N = 267) and in-depth interviews (N = 15) to test a text message-based media literacy intervention in April 2020. Results: The intervention influenced media literacy for source and interacted with elaboration to influence media literacy for content and COVID-19 expectancies. Interviews highlighted how media literacy can be bolstered by emphasizing the salience of the role the message source plays in message interpretation. Conclusions: A media literacy text message intervention can prompt college students to consider media literacy related to the source and impact health expectancies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Objective Design Setting Sample Methods Main Outcome Measures Results Conclusions Deaf and hard of hearing (DHH) women experience higher rates of reproductive healthcare barriers and adverse birth outcomes compared to their hearing peers. This study explores the pregnancy experiences of DHH women who do not sign to better understand their barriers and facilitators to optimal perinatal health care.Qualitative study using thematic analysis.Semi‐structured, individual remote, or in‐person interviews in the United States.Twenty‐two DHH English speakers (non‐signers) who gave birth in the United States within the past 5 years.Semi‐structured interviews explored how DHH women experienced pregnancy and birth, including access to perinatal information and resources, relationships with healthcare providers, communication access, and their involvement with the healthcare system throughout pregnancy. A thematic analysis was conducted.The barriers and facilitators related to a positive perinatal care experience among DHH women.Five key themes emerged. For barriers, healthcare communication breakdowns and loss of patient autonomy highlighted DHH women's struggle with perinatal health care. In contrast, DHH participants outlined the importance of accessible health communication practices and accommodations, use of patient advocacy or self‐advocacy, and assistive technologies for DHH parents for more positive perinatal care experiences.Perinatal healthcare providers and staff should routinely inquire about ways to ensure an inclusive and accessible healthcare experience for their DHH patients and provide communication accommodations for optimal care. Additionally, healthcare providers should be more aware of the unique parenting needs and resources of their DHH patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, we argue that using puppetry as a tool for arts-based research can enhance existing health and disability communication scholarship. We position interdisciplinary puppetry research alongside concepts and theories of interest to communication scholars, including entertainment education, embodiment and performance, communicated narrative sense-making, and dialogue. Then, we share an illustrative case study from our research with the nonprofit organization, MicheLee Puppets. Drawing from interviews with five puppeteers, we describe how the Live Puppet Chat program created unexpected opportunities to connect with neurodiverse spectators during the COVID-19 pandemic. Our “crystalized” narrative and thematic analysis demonstrates how puppeteers used puppet-objects to facilitate dialogue with chat participants. This involved (a) suspending disbelief, (b) suspending judgment, (c) communicating through the lens of (neurodiverse) empowerment, and (c) improvising for empowerment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The 2020–2022 pandemic highlighted concerns about “information disorders”, pressing for approaches capable of guiding the science-society alliance toward a mutually beneficial direction. This essay advocates for and presents a framework proposing the combination of Open Science (OS) and Science Communication (SciComm) practices. OS encourages public access to scientific material, while SciComm has historically enabled public understanding of scientific knowledge. Despite their similar goals, these two communities are disconnected. We draw on the concepts of “boundary object” and “epistemic trust” to demonstrate how this framework could foster a bond between scientific expertise and public reason toward an informed and inclusive common good. The OS-SciComm framework is based on the notion that ensuring transparency in science also requires “bridging tools” that deal with the complexity of scientific lexicon and processes. It values scientific expertise, but does not undermine citizens’ capabilities in information processing and their interest in accessing scientific outputs. Our proposal also acknowledges controversies involving open scientific materials during the COVID-19 pandemic and advises caution when drawing conclusions from cases that are often context-specific. The OS-SciComm framework requires innovative ideas, platforms and actions. We invite both communities to join us in this endeavor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Misinformation spreading on social media often parallels public crises, such as the outbreak of COVID-19, because people's behaviors regarding misinformation may be influenced by their typical life circumstances. With the increasing severity of living conditions, misinformation is believed to spread more widely, while corrective behaviors tend to decrease. Furthermore, social comparison also affects the perception of life circumstances and subsequent behaviors. Taking Shanghai's COVID-19 lockdown as an example, this study examined whether two representative factors--the duration of the lockdown and the satisfaction with relief measures--affected people's tendency to share and correct misinformation. By employing the third-person effect (TPE) theory, the underlying mechanisms of social comparison were also explored. Methods: An online survey was conducted in April 2022, when the Zero- COVID policy was implemented in Shanghai. In addition to questions about life circumstances, a third-person perception scale, a behaviors of sharing misinformation scale, and a behaviors of correcting misinformation scale were included in the survey. Finally, 7,962 valid responses were collected. Results: It was found that both behaviors--sharing and correcting misinformation--were affected by life circumstances but in different ways. The evidence also supported the existence of third-person perception (TPP). It was observed that the relationship between satisfaction with relief measures and sharing behavior was mediated by Third-Person Perception. Conclusion: This study reveals that the proliferation of misinformation during crises is related to the deterioration of people's perception of life circumstances. Social comparison often plays a significant role, as was reflected by the TPE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a case study of a 71-year-old woman with confusion, aphasia, and a brain mass, diagnosed with a large enhancing lesion in the left frontal lobe, suspected to be metastatic cancer. Topics include the patient's imaging findings, the evaluation and surgical intervention for brain mass diagnosis, and the consideration of metastatic cancer as a potential cause based on the presence of a pulmonary nodule and a breast nodule.

The article published in EJNMMI Research explores the intra- and interobserver variability of PSMA-expression scores in patients with primary prostate cancer undergoing PSMA PET/CT staging. The study highlights the importance of standardized interpretation and reporting of PSMA-targeted imaging studies using the PROMISE framework. Results show that consensus training and quantification-based assessment using SUVmax significantly improved interobserver agreement rates. The study emphasizes the need for clear interpretation criteria and the impact of different PSMA PET tracers on observer agreement rates. [Extracted from the article]

Context Objective and Design Results Discussion Conclusion From the results of the 2020 Flemish survey looking into psychiatric patients’ views of the in‐patient care they have received, it appeared that hospital communication is experienced as not sufficiently patient‐centered. In communication research, the quality of written patient materials in physical healthcare has been scrutinized and suggestions for the enhancement of their patient‐centeredness, comprehensibility, and actionability have been made. Yet, a similar research interest in the quality of health communication in mental healthcare has failed to materialize.Against a definition of patient‐centeredness in mental healthcare, this study investigated the quality of 30 psychiatric hospital brochures from a triangulated linguistic and content perspective, using readability formulas as well as the CCI and PEMAT‐P instruments.It appeared that none of the brochures are sufficiently patient‐centered, as they fail to take appropriate and full account of mental health patients’ specific concerns and difficulties.The lack of quality brochures hampers patients’ understanding of their mental health condition and participation in their recovery process, especially when they have a low (mental) health literacy.Together, hospitals and patient organizations, should remedy this situation and thus fortify the public's trust in the evidence‐based and high‐quality patient‐centered care psychiatric hospitals offer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the past decade, the medical field is witnessing a greater need and the subsequent involvement of technology and automation. Skin cancer detection is one particular area in the medical field that is in dire need of such automation because day by day, the complexity of skin cancer is increasing and it is becoming more difficult to depend on specialized doctors at all instances. The aim of this work is to create a skin cancer detection system using DICOM images and multi-column convolutional neural networks (CNNs). DICOM dataset was chosen because it contains additional information about a patient which is not available in raw images, like age, gender, special medical conditions, time period, etc. This work uses the ISIC 2020 dataset which contains DICOM formatted data of cancerous and non-cancerous images of the outer skin. The images are trained in a separate multi-column CNN architecture, and simultaneously the additional information, or tag information, is trained in a separate dense network, then the parameters from these two sub-models are concatenated to give a single prediction. For comparison purpose, three other models were developed, one based on raw images alone, one based on preprocessed images and one based on preprocessed images alone with a multi-column CNN network. The following evaluation metrics are recorded and compared for all models: accuracy (training, validation and testing), F1-score, specificity and root-mean-square error (RMSE). Additionally, a comparative analysis is carried out with a previous work on the same field published in 2019 that utilized a MobileNet architecture. The proposed model achieved high accuracy when it is compared with other models. Moreover, the model also provide the results for a tenfold cross-validation carried out and to highlight the specific data split that yields the best results for training, validation and testing accuracies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The National Cancer Institute (NCI) Image Data Commons (IDC) offers publicly available cancer radiology collections for cloud computing, crucial for developing advanced imaging tools and algorithms. Despite their potential, these collections are minimally annotated; only 4% of DICOM studies in collections considered in the project had existing segmentation annotations. This project increases the quantity of segmentations in various IDC collections. We produced high-quality, AI-generated imaging annotations dataset of tissues, organs, and/or cancers for 11 distinct IDC image collections. These collections contain images from a variety of modalities, including computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and positron emission tomography (PET). The collections cover various body parts, such as the chest, breast, kidneys, prostate, and liver. A portion of the AI annotations were reviewed and corrected by a radiologist to assess the performance of the AI models. Both the AI's and the radiologist's annotations were encoded in conformance to the Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine (DICOM) standard, allowing for seamless integration into the IDC collections as third-party analysis collections. All the models, images and annotations are publicly accessible. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coping is a well-studied concept across multiple disciplines, including communication and psychology. Over the years, studies have identified that individuals and organizations use varying coping strategies to deal with an unpleasant phenomenon. This paper analyzed themes of coping within the presidential addresses of Ghana and Nigeria during the COVID-19 pandemic. We argued that an investigation into these important official documents from the two Global South countries could offer propagative ideas for the communication subareas of health communication, mass communication, disaster, and crisis communication. After analyzing the presidential addresses, the study identified emerging patterns of African communication systems, social comparison, and politico-religious communication as coping themes embedded in the speeches. The role of the African communication system and implications for collective coping, cultural values, and local resources as agents for national coping strategy are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]