Anti-vaccine trolling on video-hosting websites hinders efforts to increase vaccination rates by using toxic language and threatening claims to intimidate people and promote vaccine hesitancy. However, there is a shortage of research investigating the effects of toxic messages on these platforms. This study focused on YouTube anti-vaccine videos and examined the relationship between toxicity and fear in the comment section of these videos. We discovered that highly liked toxic comments were associated with a significant level of fear in subsequent comments. Moreover, we found complex patterns of contagion between toxicity and fear in the comments. These findings suggest that initial troll comments can evoke negative emotions in viewers, potentially fueling vaccine hesitancy. Our research bears essential implications for managing public health messaging and online communities, particularly in moderating fear-mongering messages about vaccines on social media.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-54925-w | DOI Listing |
Vaccine X
October 2024
Clinical Microbiology Laboratory, Tzafon Medical Center, Poriya, Israel, affiliated with Azrieli Faculty of Medicine, Bar Ilan University, Safed, Israel.
Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate the attitudes of Israeli elderly population towards COVID-19 and influenza vaccines, and to assess factors contributing to these attitudes.
Methods: Four-hundred and one participants exhibiting symptoms consistent with COVID-19 or influenza were enrolled and filled out a questionnaire. A second questionnaire was filled out for hospitalized patients at discharge.
Pan Afr Med J
October 2024
School of Public Health Department, Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, Nairobi, Kenya.
Gates Open Res
January 2025
International Treatment Preparedness Coalition, Johannesburg, 2196, South Africa.
Background: The COVID-19 pandemic in Malawi exacerbated, existing public health challenges including access to HIV treatment and care services. "Life Mapping," a component of the Citizen Science community-led project in Malawi, documented the lived experiences and perspectives of people living with HIV in the context of COVID-19.
Methods: Citizen Science Life Maps is a three-year qualitative, longitudinal project utilizing collaborative and participatory research methods through digital storytelling to document peoples' daily lives.
Vaccine
January 2025
Department of Emergency Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA.
Background: Understanding similarities and differences between hesitancy for influenza and COVID-19 vaccines could facilitate strategies to improve public receptivity toward vaccination.
Methods: We compared hesitancy for COVID-19 vaccines during the first 13 months of availability (January 2021-January 2022) with hesitancy for influenza vaccines in the 15 months prior to COVID-19 vaccine availability (October 2019-December 2020) among adults hospitalized with acute respiratory illness at 21 hospitals in the United States. We interviewed patients regarding vaccination status, willingness to be vaccinated, and perceptions of vaccine safety and efficacy.
Vaccine
January 2025
Vaccinology and Immunology Research Trials Unit, Women's and Children's Health Network, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia; Robinson Research Institute and Adelaide Medical School, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.
Introduction: Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is the leading cause of bronchiolitis and pneumonia in infants and can lead to severe respiratory distress, especially in very young infants. No specific treatments exist for RSV. However, new preventative strategies have become available including RSV vaccine for pregnant women and monoclonal antibody for infants.
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