Introduction: The mass print media are a widely-distributed, and often primary, source of health information for the public. Health information in newspapers can amplify or attenuate readers’ perceptions of risk depending on how it is presented. This thesis examines how health information related to wind energy was communicated in Ontario newspapers and includes separate analyses for the presence of fright factors, readability, emergent themes, and emotional tone and sensationalism. As an emerging technology, public understanding of and response to associated health risks and uncertainties towards wind energy can be influenced by media coverage. Methods: Five geographically discontinuous wind energy installations in Ontario and their surrounding communities were selected based on 2006 Canadian Census data. Newspapers serving each community were identified and searched for articles from May 2007-April 2011 on the topic of health effects from wind energy developments. A total of 421 articles from 13 community and 4 national/provincial newspapers were retrieved. In Study #1, a directed content analysis was used to develop a coding instrument based on fright factors known to affect the public’s perception of risk. In Study #2, each newspaper article was analyzed for text readability using the Simple Measure of Gobbledygook (SMOG) readability formula. In Study #3, and as a qualitative component, a semi-directed content analysis was used to find emerging themes and subthemes. Finally, in Study #4, a list of loaded and positive words, informed from previous studies on sensationalism in media reporting and a random sample of newspaper articles included in this study, and the frequency of their appearance was used as a quantitative measure of sensationalism. Results: Study #1: The most commonly reported fright factors were ‘dread’, ‘poorly understood by science’, ‘involuntary exposure’, and ‘inequitable distribution’, occurring in 94% (n=394), 58% (n=242), 45% (n=188), and 42% (n=177) of articles, respectively. The fright factors of ‘dread’, ‘poorly understood by science’, ‘inequitable distribution’, and ‘inescapable exposure’ occurred more frequently in community newspaper articles than in national/provincial ones (p<0.001). Although the total number of occurrences of each fright factor increased following the Green Energy Act, only ‘dread’ (p<0.05) and ‘poorly understood by science’ (p<0.01) increased significantly. Study #2: The mean reading grade level (RGL) of 421 articles on wind turbines and health was at the post-secondary education level (X±SEM; 13.3±0.1). Articles from community and provincial newspapers were written at almost a full RGL lower (13.2±0.2 and 13.1±0.2) than those from national newspapers (13.9±0.2) (p<0.05). Additionally, opinion pieces such as editorial columns were written at a lower RGL than fact-based news articles (13.0±0.2 and 13.5±0.1, respectively; p<0.01). Study #3: The majority of newspaper articles described health effects of wind turbines in general, rather than specific, terms. The most commonly cited causes of health complaints were inadequate setbacks (27%, n=114), noise (21%, n=90), shadow flicker and vibrations (12%, n=49), and electrical exposure (6%, n=27). Other, non-health concerns such as environmental damage (28%, n=117), property values (20%, n=86), aesthetic concerns (18%, n=77), financial burden (18%, n=74), were prevalent and juxtaposed with health issues in 28% of articles (n=118). Concerns with the quality and availability of scientific evidence were frequent in the newspaper articles (34%, n=143), with many articles promoting a moratorium on wind energy developments until further research is conducted (25%, n=103). Study #4: Newspaper articles emphasized negative rather than positive/neutral tone, with community newspapers publishing a higher proportion of negative articles than provincial or national newspapers (X2=6.11, df=1, p<0.05). Conclusion: These findings suggest that the health information related to wind turbines in Ontario newspapers contains a large quantity of fright factors that may produce fear and anxiety in readers, is written at a reading grade level that is too complex for the majority of the Ontario population to fully understand, contains inconsistent information on health effects that often links health concerns with non-health concerns, and is often negative in tone. The influence of the Ontario newspaper media on reader’s risk perceptions of wind energy in Ontario will be important to determine empirically.

mHealth – Mobile phones in HIV prevention in Uganda by Axel Salomonsson Abstract The use of ”new”  interactive media like the Internet and cell phones in health education is not an entirely new phenomenon and studies shows promising results from such information campaigns in developed countries[1]. In the area of HIV/AIDS prevention, however, no scientific studies have been made on the effects of mobile phone-based information campaigns in developing countries. This study can therefore be seen as a pilot study in this area. As mobile phone ownership has multiplied in Africa over the last decade, it has become one of the most reliable mediums for mass communication about health issues. This is a case study of one HIV/AIDS prevention campaign from 2009, where two NGO’s used a multiple choice SMS quiz to ask questions about HIV/AIDS to ten thousand mobile phone owners in the Arua region in North-Western Uganda. The targeted population could send their answers back and win prizes. They were also encouraged to seek out HIV counseling and testing services at a local clinic. By using a qualitative method consisting of a literature study combined with semi-structured interviews with the people who organized the intervention, as well as with respondents to the SMS quiz , the effectiveness and future potential of using mobile phones in HIV prevention in the East African setting are examined. Additional qualitative interviews with a number of experts from the Ugandan telecom sector, the Ugandan Ministry of Health, and an HIV/AIDS researcher from Makerere University in Kampala was also conducted in order to get a better understanding of the context in which this HIV prevention intervention was implemented. The results show that mobile phones are a feasible medium in HIV prevention, and that it offers an additional channel for information dissemination. By allowing two-way communication, the audience is empowered to participate in the exchange of information, which seems to have a positive effect on attitude and behavior change. Further, by receiving answers via SMS from the targeted population, the mobile can at the same time be used as a monitoring and evaluation tool for measuring knowledge levels on different topics. This information can then help to tailor HIV prevention messages in future campaigns. [1] See Bull, S: Internet and other computer technology-based interventions for STD/HIV prevention, in  Communication Perspectives on HIV/AIDS for the 21st Century. Edgar et al. 2008.

Introduction: Colon cancer incidence and mortality rates in Canada are among the highest worldwide. If detected early colon cancer is highly curable and regular screening can significantly decrease risk of colon cancer mortality. Despite this, screening rates in Canada are consistently low and immigrant and senior populations are particularly vulnerable due to low health literacy and language barriers. This research consists of three studies that were designed to explore the cancer prevention experiences of older English-as-a-Second Language (ESL) Chinese immigrant women in Canada. This includes an investigation of colon and breast cancer screening utilization, health literacy skills and comprehension of colon cancer prevention information, and experiences and preferences when seeking cancer information by these immigrant women. Methods: A convenience sample of 110 Mandarin and Cantonese-speaking ESL immigrant women were recruited from two Southern Ontario communities. For study inclusion participants were required to: (1) be 50 years of age or older, (2) have immigrated to Canada, (3) have Cantonese or Mandarin as their first language and English as their second language, and (4) be able to read in English. Participants were excluded if they or their spouse had been previously diagnosed with any type of cancer. Participants completed a battery of questionnaires assessing demographic characteristics, use of breast and colon cancer screening, acculturation, self-efficacy, health beliefs and health literacy. Health literacy was assessed using the Short Test of Functional Health Literacy in Adults (S-TOFHLA) and comprehension of a colon cancer prevention information sheet from Cancer Care Ontario was assessed using the cloze procedure. Participants participated in a semi-structured interview to explore cancer information seeking preferences and experiences, and their understanding of cancer prevention information. Multivariate logistic regression was used to identify predictors of colon and breast cancer screening. To identify variables significantly associated with performance on the S-TOFHLA and cloze test regression analyses were performed. Directed content analysis was used to identify themes associated with barriers to cancer information seeking and understanding that emerged from the interviews. Results: Study #1: There was high self-reported screening for breast and colon cancer. Eighty-five percent of the women were current mammography screeners and 75% were current colon cancer screeners. Recommendation from a physician (OR=.140; 95% CI= .044, -.448), having a female physician (OR=.141; 95% CI= .033, .591), and high or moderate proficiency in English (OR=.283; 95% CI= .089, .902) significantly predicted mammography screening. Physician recommendation (OR=.103; 95% CI= .031, .349), first language (OR= 1.85; 95% CI= .055, .628) and higher self-efficacy (OR= 3.613; 95% CI= 1.179, 11.070) predicted use of colon cancer screening. Other important predictors included greater health literacy and longer residency in Canada. Study #2: Only 38.7% of the women had adequate health literacy on S-TOFHLA and 54.3% had adequate comprehension of the colon cancer information. Comprehension of the colon cancer information was significantly lower among women who received the information in English, compared to those who received the information in Chinese (p<0.01). Age, acculturation, self-reported proficiency reading English, and education were significant predictors of health literacy but varied depending on the measure (S-TOFHLA, cloze) and language of information (English, Chinese). Study #3: There were unique health information seeking preferences among the older Chinese immigrant women including a strong preference for interpersonal and interactive cancer information from their physician and trusted others, such as friends and family. Barriers to cancer information seeking included language difficulties and limited time with physicians. Differences in health literacy did not distinguish the women on any of the major themes. Conclusion: Language, culture, health literacy and the role of the physician emerged across all three studies examining the cancer prevention experiences of older Chinese immigrant women. While language concordant educational materials may improve understanding of cancer information, the results from this study suggest that it is important to consider factors other than language alone and to address important cultural issues that play a role in the access, use, and understanding of cancer information.

Our study illustrates health communication in order to find out how widespread the knowledge is about osteoporosis and how to reach out with health information to the public.   Our essay was conducted through quantitative surveys, which included 402 respondents. This in order to highlight the prevailing uncertainty about the public disorder osteoporosis, which is common in Sweden. We wish to examine trough which channels our respondents choose to collect their health information. The thesis framework includes theories such as McGuire’s ProcessingTheory, Agenda setting, Two-step hypothesis and Diffusion of innovation. Through these theories, we analyzed our empirical data that emerged.   The results showed that our respondents had very low knowledge of osteoporosis, although theyshowed interest for health information. The results also showed that respondents were consistent intheir actions regarding which channels they came to turn to. They prefered their health informationfrom news papers and family, friends and work colleagues. When asked where they got their information from, the respondents answered mostly from family, friends and work colleagues, followed closely by newspapers. This shows that respondents are more receptive to informationfrom the channels of their own choice. The results also showed that the propensity to change behavior increases with the age of the respondents.

A qualitative narrative approach is used in this study of hidden conflict among nurses and support staff in a hospital setting. Twenty nurses and support staff from a single hospital nursing unit participated in in-depth interviews and shared narratives about hidden conflict. These narratives were used as data in the analysis and were augmented by observations and participant observational data. Narrative, content and theme analyses were applied to the data. Bruner’s narrative theory was applied to a portion of the narratives as a methodology for narrative analysis. Content and theme analyses facilitated the differentiation and grouping of the communicative acts from the hidden conflict acts as found in the narrative and observational data. Results showed that nurses and support staff aligned themselves within the organizational hierarchy, and that much of the experienced hidden conflicts stemmed from issues of organizational positioning. Results also showed that narrative analysis was an effective way to understand the meaning behind the conflict experiences of nurses and support staff. Finally, results demonstrated key communicative forms and hidden conflict strategies used in carrying out hidden conflict acts. Collectively, these findings verify the vitality of hidden conflict’s presence in organizations that exists embedded in the organizational culture. This study further reaffirms the importance of front stage communications to decrease the negative affects of hidden organizational conflict.

This study examined a specific and controversial issue in health communication: the complementary and alternative medicine (CAM). Recent studies have shown that both online newsgroups and traditional newspapers have involved in communicating CAM information, but research has not answered whether there are differences between the new and old media. From the perspective of uses and gratifications, this study first investigated that how people are using newsgroups to solve CAM-related problems. Then contents of newsgroup messages and newspaper stories were analyzed to do the comparison in topics, source types, efficacy claims, and CAM categories. The results showed that both similarities and differences existed between the two media.

Title: Hälsa i sociala medier - En kvalitativ studie om hur hälsoinformatörer upplever och påverkas  av hälsobudskap i sociala medier. Title: Health in social media - A qualitative study of how health communicators perceive and are affected by health messages in social media. Author: Anna Hedström Institute: Karlstad University. Faculty of health, nature and engineering sciences. Tutor: Owe Stråhlman Date: 150615 Number of pages: 34 Keywords: eHealth literacy, health communication, health informers, health literacy, health messages, media literacy, social media   Background: With an increased interest in diet and exercise, also health and fitness messages have increased in both traditional and social media. The general guidelines on physical activity and diet are forgotten as training tips increase in the media. Research shows that it is common for individuals to retrieve information from the media when it comes to their own health. In doing so media literacy, health literacy and eHealth literacy becomes increasingly important for health communicators and for those who receive health information.   Objectives: The aim of this study was to examine health communicators’ experiences of health messages in social media, and how they are affected by them.   Method: Qualitative interviews were chosen as a method to collect data. Six individuals participated in the study, four of them were females and two were men. The criterion for participation was to somehow work to inform about health. To analyze the data collected, qualitative contained analysis were used.   Results: The analysis revealed four categories; the health informer experiences of social media content, social media's impact on customers, social media's impact on the health informer work and the health informers use of social media in their work. The results show that health informers experience a certain lack of knowledge among health messages in social media and that many of them are too extreme. These health informers experience that their customers are more well-informed now than a few years ago, due to the use of Facebook, Instagram and blogs. Using social media to search information about diet and exercise is good because it is easily accessible and it is fast, but if one does not have the knowledge of what should be weeded out, these advantages can easily become disadvantages. Respondents feel that it has become a larger equality on diet and exercise that they believe may be due to health messages disseminated on social media. Health communicators can work with to get their customers to be more critical of what they read.   Conclusion: The conclusion of the result is that the health communicators indirectly affected by health messages on social media by their clients that often come with questions about things they read or want help to look like some bloggers they follow. Health communicators work is affected in the way that they need to take advantage of social media to help its customers as well as possible and they must also talk to their customers about the source criticism and that they should focus on what feels good for the customer .

This research examines the social construction of hope in a community mental health system of care. Groopman (2004) defines hope as the elevating feeling we experience when we see a path to a better future. A year-long ethnographic study of a children's mental health system of care team found that members of the mental health care team construct hope for themselves and for the family they're helping by cycling through the dialectical tensions of hegemony and equality, marginalization and normalization, relating and othering, empowerment and disempowerment, and control and emotionality. They reconcile these tensions in dialogic moments of empathy toward the family and other team members, engagement of all team members in the process, creation of a human connection within the team, vulnerability to each other, creation of possibilities for themselves and for each other, social support, and blended voices.

Family caregivers encounter immense negative consequences including decreased quality of life and increased rates of morbidity and mortality that stem from physical burdens, emotional distress, depression, social isolation, and loss of financial security. Although communication is an important aspect of caregiving, communication tasks are reportedly difficult for end-of-life family caregivers. The goal of this study was to explore the variety of communication stressors experienced by end-of-life family caregivers to gain insight into the communication tasks caregivers perceive as most difficult and the reasons why. Qualitative data was achieved through in-depth, face-to-face interviews with 40 caregivers currently providing care for a family member diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias (n=20; ADRD) and Glioblastoma (n=20; brain tumor [GBM]). A grounded theory approach was employed to gain insight into end-of-life family caregiver communication experiences. The results revealed that communication is perceived as a burden for end-of-life family caregivers. Not only does communication burden exist, end-of-life family caregivers experience immense tension and stress regarding a variety of relational contexts when communicating with the care recipient, others (family, friends), and clinicians. The results further revealed that communication burden stems from the caregiver’s attempt to negotiate between two opposing extremes: a desire to protect the patient and others versus a need to protect oneself. Thus, internal tension occurs when end-of-life family caregivers contemplate whether and how to engage in difficult conversations, and then again when following through. The presence of these contradictory tensions induced the emergence of barriers and therefore communication burden within various aspects of the end-of-life caregiver experience. Added insight into communication burden was achieved through a supplementary scale development study in a sample of ADRD and oncology end-of-life caregivers (N=263), which revealed communication burden as significantly associated with caregiver burden and quality of life. Implications for the advancement of interpersonal and health communication theory as well as practical tailored interventions targeting end-of-life family caregivers are discussed.

This is a study about hiv/aids communication between low- and non-educated women andhiv/aids organisations in Uganda. The purpose of the thesis is to define potential disturbance inthe communication using three organisations and 9 women as examples. The research is made with qualitative methods and most of the data is collected through field studies and group interviews. The result of the study is that there are a lot of disturbance causing problems in the communication between the women and the organisations. Most of the disturbances can be connected to the women’s limited access to media exposure. It is also a problem that the interviewed women are more or less isolated in their villages, which mean they are directly excluded from all the information activities placed on billboards, posters, fairs, and events thattake place in the city centre or elsewhere. Even though there are a lot of community based information activities arranged by the organisations, these women will not be reached since most of the activities take place in schools where they don’t have access.The poor level of education results in two problems, first, the women cannot read and will therefore not access any print material and second, their English skills are not good enough to understand the meaning of the majority of the information material.It is pointed out that all disturbances are not communication problems. One of them is the gender inequality in Uganda. The gender roles and structures are too unequal and dominating that even if the women, despite all disturbances, receive information it is often impossible for her to implement the knowledge without consensus from her man.