Leah Waks

When Vaccines Go Viral: An Analysis of HPV Vaccine Coverage on YouTube

This article reports a content analysis of YouTube videos related to the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine. In total, 172 YouTube videos were examined with respect to video sources, tones, and viewer responses. Additionally, coverage of specific content was analyzed through the lens of the Health Belief Model (Rosenstock, 1974) and in terms of two content themes (i.e., conspiracy theory and civil liberties). The relations among these aspects of the videos were assessed as well. We found that most of these videos were news clips or consumer-generated content. The majority of the videos were negative in tone, disapproving of the HPV vaccine. In addition, negative videos were liked more by the viewers than positive or ambiguous ones. Accusations of conspiracy theory and infringement of civil liberties were manifested in these videos. The videos also presented mixed information related to the key determinants of health behavior as stipulated in the Health Belief Model. Implications for the findings are discussed.

Sorting through search results: a content analysis of HPV vaccine information online.

INTRODUCTION Surveys have shown that many people now turn to the Internet for health information when making health-related decisions. This study systematically analyzed the HPV vaccine information returned by online search engines. HPV is the most common sexually transmitted disease and is the leading cause of cervical cancers. METHODS We conducted a content analysis of 89 top search results from Google, Yahoo, Bing, and Ask.com. The websites were analyzed with respect to source, tone, information related to specific content analyzed through the lens of the Health Belief Model, and in terms of two content themes (i.e., conspiracy theories and civil liberties). The relations among these aspects of the websites were also explored. RESULTS Most websites were published by nonprofit or academic sources (34.8%) and governmental agencies (27.4%) and were neutral in tone (57.3%), neither promoting nor opposing the HPV vaccine. Overall, the websites presented suboptimal or inaccurate information related to the five behavioral predictors stipulated in the Health Belief Model. Questions related to civil liberties were present on some websites. CONCLUSION Health professionals designing online communication with the intent of increasing HPV vaccine uptake should take care to include information about the risks of HPV, including susceptibility and severity. Additionally, websites should include information about the benefits of the vaccine (i.e., effective against HPV), low side effects as a barrier that can be overcome, and ways in which to receive the vaccine to raise individual self-efficacy.

Media use and the Perceived Justice of Local Science Authorities

This study uses a mail survey (N = 1,305) conducted in two Upstate New York counties to explore relationships between media use and individual fairness judgments regarding local scientists. It extends previous work in organizational justice to a community setting, with local scientists evaluated according to four social-psychological dimensions of justice—distributive, procedural, interpersonal, and informational. Results show science news attention positively related to perceived distributive, procedural, and interpersonal justice of local scientists. The conclusions argue that justice constructs can help media researchers better understand societys relationship with authorities.

Sequential Information Integration and Belief Trajectories: An Experimental Study Using Candidate Evaluations

Using an extended model of information integration theory, the sequential information integration model (SIIM), the effects of initially presented information on belief trajectories were investigated. SIIM predicts (a) damped oscillatory trajectories when congruent information and incongruent information are presented alternately; and (b) smaller amplitudes of trajectories when initial beliefs have greater weight. An experiment was conducted that utilized a hypothetical election (N=201). Participants initially received specific (vs. no) information about candidates’ positions on issues and then indicated their evaluation of the candidates 11 times in response to additional pieces of information that were provided over time. As predicted, belief trajectories were found to have damped oscillatory patterns. The amplitude of the trajectories was smaller for participants with strong party identification than for those with weak party identification. Implications of these findings for theories of persuasion and political decision-making are discussed.

Stigmatizing the other: An exploratory study of unintended consequences of eating disorder public service announcements.

This research explores the intended and unintended consequences of eating disorder public service announcements. We assessed participants’ attitudes toward eating disorders and people with eating disorders, willingness to interact with people with eating disorders, and experience with eating disorders (covariate) at Time 1. At Time 2, participants were randomly assigned to watch a stigmatizing or a non-stigmatizing eating disorder public service announcement. Exposure to the stigmatizing public service announcement resulted in more negative attitudes toward eating disorders and in less willingness to interact with people with eating disorders, but not in significantly more negative attitudes toward people with eating disorders. The discussion highlights the practical implications for health communication campaigns.

Eating Disorder Public Service Announcements: Analyzing Effects from an Intergroup Affect and Stereotype Perspective.

Purpose – Previous studies have documented that exposure to stereotypical information about certain social groups leads to unfavorable perceptions and feelings toward that group. Integrating insights from the mental illness stigma and the social identity perspective literatures, the purpose of this paper is to explore the effects of eating disorder public service announcements (ED PSAs) that employ stigma formats through the lenses of the stereotype content model (SCM) and the Behaviors from Intergroup Affect and Stereotypes (BIAS) Map. Design/methodology/approach – The study followed an experimental control group design. Participants were exposed to either a stigmatizing or a non-stigmatizing PSA. Findings – Exposure to the stigmatizing PSA resulted in lower perceptions of warmth and competence being attributed to people who have an ED which further predicted greater feelings of contempt toward these individuals. The stigmatizing PSA also directly predicted greater feelings of contempt. Practical implications – The findings suggest that using stereotypes about EDs in PSAs aimed at preventing such diseases may elicit perceptions of low warmth and competence, further associated with increased feelings of contempt toward people who have an ED in healthy individuals. Social implications – The stereotyping effects of PSAs may reduce the social and emotional support that people with EDs receive and may exacerbate their emotional distress. Originality/value – From a theoretical point of view, these results extend the understanding of mental illness stereotypes from an intergroup, SCM and BIAS Map perspective as it applies to EDs. More importantly, this study draws attention to possible unintended consequences of PSAs, a matter that is rarely researched, but that can have severe implications.