Antoinette Pole

Variation in Health Blog Features and Elements by Gender, Occupation, and Perspective

This study explores whether there are gender and occupational differences in the health blogosphere, and whether there are differences by blogger perspective. Data derive from content analysis of 951 health blogs identified between June 2007 and May 2008. Results indicate that male, physician bloggers were more likely to have blogs that feature a SiteMeter, sponsorship and advertising, which also were more prevalent among those blogging from a professional perspective. Females, those in non-health-related employment, and patient/consumer and caregiver bloggers were more likely to blog about disease and disability, males, the health employed, and professional bloggers about provider experiences, health research/news, and health policy, business, law, and technology. Since the Internet is becoming a primary source of health information, establishing normative guidelines regarding information quality, patient privacy, and conflicts of interest is essential. Future research should build on these findings using national surveys of health bloggers and textual analysis of blog content.

Segmenting CSA members by motivation: anything but two peas in a pod

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to seek to segment CSA members based on their motivations to join a CSA. Design/methodology/approach – Data obtained from an online survey of 565 members belonging to a New York state CSA were analyzed using a combined hierarchical and non-hierarchical cluster analysis. Findings – Based on their motivations to join a CSA results reveal four distinct types of segments among CSA members: No-Frills Member, Foodie Member, Nonchalant Member, and Quintessential Member. Results show all four clusters differ statistically across demographic characteristics including gender, political affiliation, and household income. The clusters differed across psychographic characteristics such as attitudes toward the treatment of animals, treatment of farm workers, pesticide use, the environment, food miles, and limiting factory farm purchases. Quintessential Members emerge as most concerned with food purchasing decisions while No-Frills Members are least concerned. Research limitations/...

Understanding variations in user response to social media campaigns: A study of Facebook posts in the 2010 US elections

Political candidates increasingly have incorporated social media tools like Facebook into their campaigns. Such tools enable supporters to interact directly and easily with campaigns, creating an immediate and relatively informal way for users to respond to candidate messages and publicly display their support. Previous research has explored how campaigns have used social media, or how the use of social media may be related to political engagement. In this study, we provide a systematic analysis of variations in user response to candidate messaging through Facebook. Our results shed new light on the dynamics of online campaigning through social media and engagement with supporters through digital media. Specifically, our findings show that variations in the tone, timing, and content of posts, as distinct from contextual factors, are significantly related to how users respond through “likes” and comments.

Potato Chips, Cookies, and Candy Oh My! Public Commentary on Proposed Rules Regulating Competitive Foods

Background. The Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 authorizes the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to establish nutritional standards for all foods sold in schools participating in federally funded meal programs. These foods, known as competitive foods, are commonly found in school cafeterias, vending machines, fundraisers, and snack bars and are associated with unhealthy dietary patterns. However, little is known about the regulatory process and opportunities for public participation to improve school food. Aims. This study investigates public commentary on the USDA’s proposed rules governing competitive foods in schools. Methods. On February 8, 2013, the USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service solicited public comments via Regulations.gov. A corpus of 247,871 public comments was obtained. Duplicate and near-duplicate comments were removed resulting in 3,032 unique comments. Two researchers content analyzed 10% of the sample, removing nonrelevant comments (n = 249). Results. A majority of commenters are women, and mention their affiliation. Comments tend to be short, and exhibit low levels of complexity. An overwhelming majority of comments expressed concerns about the public health of youth vis-à-vis the new rule, whereas a small but vocal minority opposed the rule for financial and labor reasons and/or opposition to further government regulation. Discussion. Commentary on proposed rules should be specific, avoiding off-topic remarks. Commenters should be strategic, include their credentials, and provide a rationale for their position. Conclusion. The rules governing competitive foods are poised to reverse the childhood obesity epidemic, and public commentary may shape these rules.