Portrayal of risk information and its impact on audiences' risk perception during the Covid-19 pandemic: A multi-method approach.

Over the last years, infectious diseases have been traveling across international borders faster than ever before, resulting in major public health crises such as the Covid-19 pandemic. Given the rapid changes and unknown risks that mark such events, risk communication faces the challenge to raise awareness and concern among the public without creating panic. Drawing on the social amplification of risk framework-a concept that theorizes how and why risks are amplified or attenuated during the (1) transfer of risk information (by, for instance, news media) and (2) audiences' interpretation and perception of these information-we were interested in the portrayal of risk information and its impact on audiences' risk perception over the first wave of the Covid-19 pandemic in Germany.

Explaining Seeking, Scanning, and Avoidance of Information About the Mammography-Screening: Results of a Two-Wave Online Survey with a Stratified Sample of Women.

Whether individuals engage with or avoid health information and which sources are used is crucial for informed decision-making about mammography. Therefore, we aim to develop a typology of mammography-related information behaviors and explore their determinants, which were derived from the Theory of Motivated Information Management (TMIM). Based on a two-wave online survey of a sample of German women aged 40 to 69 years ( = 1,138), a cluster analysis resulted in five person-centric types of information behavior that cover respondents' variety of engagement with mammography-related information: The , the , the , the , and the .

Mobile Apps Aimed at Preventing and Handling Unintentional Injuries in Children Aged <7 Years: Systematic Review.

Background: Despite various global health crises, the prevention and handling of unintentional childhood injuries remains an important public health objective. Although several systematic reviews have examined the effectiveness of different child injury prevention measures, these reviews did not address the evaluation of mobile communication intervention tools. Whether and how mobile apps were evaluated provides information on the extent to which communication theories, models, and evidence-based knowledge were considered.

A Mobile Health Information Behavior Model: Theoretical Development and Mixed-Method Testing in the Context of Mobile Apps on Child Poisoning Prevention.

While several studies have explored the use of mobile health applications, few have observed determinants of mobile health behavior. To develop a model explaining parents' mobile information behavior on child poisoning prevention, we first explored relevant theories to suggest a theoretical model. In that, we combine existing models on risk and health information seeking, such as the , with models on the acceptance of mobile technologies, such as the .

An Analysis of Power Dynamics Affecting Handwashing Interventions in Sierra Leone: Findings From a Qualitative Participatory Study.

Background: Handwashing is an effective and cost-efficient health behavior for preventing infectious diseases; however, its practice is shaped by multiple contextual factors and inequalities between different social groups in Sierra Leone. To address these inequalities, participatory approaches that allow a more equitable distribution of resources and the development of locally tailored interventions are increasingly used. However, social power dynamics have not been well integrated into the concept of participation, despite their known impact.

Drivers of young adults' voluntary compliance with COVID-19 protective measures: results from a multi-method study.

Background: With the easing of governmental COVID-19 restrictions, promoting voluntary public compliance with protective measures becomes essential for the pandemic evolution. A highly relevant target group for such health promotion are adolescents and young adults since they showed a strong decline in compliance throughout the pandemic. Building on an extended version of the Theory of Planned Behavior, this article investigates drivers of young people's intentions to engage in voluntary COVID-19 measures in phases of re-opening.

Exploring the Contextual Factors of Religious Leader Participation in Health Communication: Evidence from a Qualitative Study in Sierra Leone.

As there are many and sometimes ambivalent intersections of health and religion, strategic collaborations with religious opinion leaders in health campaigns have been increasingly explored. Despite the known influence of distinct contextual factors within emergency and non-emergency settings, existing research seldom distinguishes between those different factors and their impact on the inclusion of religious leaders as health messengers. To compare the contextual factors of religious leaders as health messengers during emergency and non-emergency situations in a setting with high religious affiliations, this study used a qualitative approach and triangulated the perspectives of three different samples, including (religious) opinion leaders, members of religious communities, and developers of health communication strategies in Sierra Leone.

Radio public service announcements to promote vaccinations for older adults: Effects of framing and distraction.

This article investigates the effects of message framing and distraction on older adults' responses to a radio public service announcement (PSA) to promote influenza and pneumococci vaccinations. In detail, it addresses the message impact on recognition, attitudes toward the ad, and information-seeking intentions. The 2 × 2 online experiment was conducted in August 2019 in Germany.

Effective communication with caregivers to prevent unintentional injuries in children under seven years. A systematic review.

Objective: This review systematically examines the theory base and effectiveness of communication strategies (i.e., message content, message attributes, communication channels, and communicators) of interventions for caregivers to prevent unintentional child injuries.

The Emotional Effects of Gain-Loss Frames in Persuasive Messages about Sun Protection on Health Promotional Outcomes: Evidence from an Experimental Study.

Although the importance of emotions for the effects of gain-loss framed messages has been supported, the emotional effects of mixed frames have not been sufficiently investigated. To fill this gap, this experimental study exposed participants ( = 154) to single gain- or loss-framed vs. mixed frame messages about sun-protection outcomes.

Age-related framing effects: Why vaccination against COVID-19 should be promoted differently in younger and older adults.

The COVID-19 pandemic is challenging healthcare systems worldwide and is causing numerous deaths. Vaccination is an important tool to help us get back to normal; however, the majority of the public must be willing to get vaccinated to reach herd immunity. By considering postulates of message framing and socioemotional selectivity theory, this study investigated the effects of gain-loss framing on younger and older adults' reactance arousal, attitudes toward the coronavirus vaccination, vaccination intention, and recognition performance.

Beliefs and motivation regarding physical activity among older adults in Germany: results of a qualitative study.

: As the proportion of older adults in Germany continues to grow, so does the need for physical activity as a strategy for health promotion. The purpose of this study is to gain insights into the belief system underlying older adults' physical activity and its interplay with motivation by integrating Theory of Planned Behaviour and Self-Determination Theory.: We conducted 20 semi-structured interviews with residents of Germany who were 65 years of age or older.

Determinants of Physical Activity in Older Adults: Integrating Self-Concordance into the Theory of Planned Behavior.

Based on the theory of planned behavior (TPB), augmented by the concept of self-concordance (derived from self-determination theory, SDT), we conducted a study to identify the key determinants of physical activity in older adults. We applied structural equation modeling of telephone survey data from a random sample of adults aged 65 years and older living in Germany ( = 865). Relations of attitude, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control (PBC) with intention strength and self-concordance of intention to be physically active were tested.

[Health information behavior of 65+: reaching older target groups].

Background: The proportion of older adults among the population is constantly growing. At the same time, the risk of health problems increases with age. From a health promotion perspective, it is therefore important to reach this target group.

The multi-faceted usage patterns of nutrition apps: a survey on the appropriation of nutrition apps among German-speaking users of MyFitnessPal.

Background: Current systematic reviews of randomized controlled trials suggest positive influences of mobile app-based health promotion programs on dietary and physical activity behaviors. However, the actual adoption of and rates of nutrition app use remain low among the overall population. Therefore, we took a step back and investigated actual use patterns.

Communicating Uncertainty in Written Consumer Health Information to the Public: Parallel-Group, Web-Based Randomized Controlled Trial.

Background: Uncertainty is integral to evidence-informed decision making and is of particular importance for preference-sensitive decisions. Communicating uncertainty to patients and the public has long been identified as a goal in the informed and shared decision-making movement. Despite this, there is little quantitative research on how uncertainty in health information is perceived by readers.

Differential influences of social support on app use for diabetes self-management - a mixed methods approach.

Background: Recent studies increasingly examine social support for diabetes self-management delivered via mHealth. In contrast to previous studies examining social support as an outcome of technology use, or technology as a means for delivering social support, this paper argues that social support has an impact on the use of diabetes mHealth apps. Specifically, we postulate differences between the impact of healthcare professional versus non-professional (family/friends) support on mobile app use for diabetes self-management.

Lifestyle Segmentation to Explain the Online Health Information-Seeking Behavior of Older Adults: Representative Telephone Survey.

Background: As a result of demographic changes, the number of people aged 60 years and older has been increasing steadily. Therefore, older adults have become more important as a target group for health communication efforts. Various studies show that online health information sources have gained importance among younger adults, but we know little about the health-related internet use of senior citizens in general and in particular about the variables explaining their online health-related information-seeking behavior.

Communicating Uncertainty From Limitations in Quality of Evidence to the Public in Written Health Information: Protocol for a Web-Based Randomized Controlled Trial.

Background: Uncertainty is integral to evidence-informed decision making and is of particular importance for preference-sensitive decisions. Communicating uncertainty to patients and the public has long been identified as a goal in the informed and shared decision-making movement. Despite this, there is little quantitative research on how uncertainty in health information is perceived by readers.

Appropriation of Mobile Health for Diabetes Self-Management: Lessons From Two Qualitative Studies.

Background: To achieve clarity on mobile health's (mHealth's) potential in the diabetes context, it is necessary to understand potential users' needs and expectations, as well as the factors determining their mHealth use. Recently, a few studies have examined the user perspective in the mHealth context, but their explanatory value is constrained because of their limitation to adoption factors.

Objective: This paper uses the mobile phone appropriation model to examine how individuals with type 1 or type 2 diabetes integrate mobile technology into their everyday self-management.

An educational intervention to improve knowledge about prevention against occupational asthma and allergies using targeted maximum likelihood estimation.

Purpose: Occupational asthma and allergies are potentially preventable diseases affecting 5-15% of the working population. However, the use of preventive measures is often insufficient. The aim of this study was to estimate the average treatment effect of an educational intervention designed to improve the knowledge of preventive measures against asthma and allergies in farm apprentices from Bavaria (Southern Germany).

Increasing influenza and pneumococcal vaccine uptake in the elderly: study protocol for the multi-methods prospective intervention study Vaccination60.

Background: Influenza and pneumococcal vaccination can prevent disease and potentially life-threatening complications like sepsis. Elderly people have an increased risk of severe disease and therefore constitute a major target group for vaccination. To increase vaccination coverage, targeted interventions are needed that take theory-based specific determinants of vaccination behaviour into account.

The Mediated Amplification of a Crisis: Communicating the A/H1N1 Pandemic in Press Releases and Press Coverage in Europe.

In the aftermath of the A/H1N1 pandemic, health authorities were criticized for failures in crisis communication efforts, and the media were accused of amplifying the pandemic. Considering these criticisms, A/H1N1 provides a suitable case for examining risk amplification processes that may occur in the transfer of information from press releases to print news media during a health crisis. We integrated the social amplification of risk framework with theories of news decisions (news values, framing) in an attempt to contribute to existing research both theoretically and empirically.

Promoting Physical Activity With Group Pictures. Affiliation-Based Visual Communication for High-Risk Populations.

Past research in social and health psychology has shown that affiliation motivation is associated with health behavior, especially for high-risk populations, suggesting that targeting this motivation could be a promising strategy to promote physical activity. However, the effects that affiliation appeals (e.g.

Identifying the field of health communication.

This empirical investigation addresses four paradigmatically framed research questions to illuminate the epistemological status of the field of health communication, systematically addressing the limitations of existing disciplinary introspections. A content analysis of published health communication research indicated that the millennium marked a new stage of health communication research with a visible shift onto macro-level communication of health information among nonhealth professionals. The analysis also revealed the emergence of a paradigm around this particular topic area, with its contributing scholars predominantly sharing postpositivistic thought traditions and cross-sectional survey-analytic methodologies.