Thesis (Ph. D.)--McMaster University, 2005. / Advisor: Vic Stzewich. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 267-290). Also available online.

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Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Montana, 2007. / Title from title screen. Description based on contents viewed Apr. 2, 2007. Includes bibliographical references (p. 87-92).

This dissertation, through the case study approach, investigates the role of environmental action groups in raising public awareness of environmental hazards in Merewent. Merewent is a residential suburb that lies in the heart of the South Durban Basin adjacent to two oil refineries, a paper mill and other small industries. The sulphur -rich gases released by these refineries over the more than forty years have affected the health of the residents. Many today have respiratory ailments, with some of them developing related cancers. With the emergence of environmental action groups in the area, the awareness of the problem has increased. This has resulted in pressure being applied by the community on the refineries to adopt less hazardous methods of refining crude oil. Most of the people who make up these action groups had limited knowledge of the environmental pollution. However, through their involvement in the activities of these groups, they learnt and became active participants in these organisations. Using science literacy, popular education and social learning theory as the underlying theoretical basis, this study investigates the learning that took place when people participated in social action. / Thesis (M.Ed.)-University of Natal, Durban, 2002.

This research emerges within the context of rapidly rising levels of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infection amongst young adults and the escalation of deaths from the Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS). This study critically examines the commonly used theories and models that guide HIV/AIDS communication campaigns. However, it notes that the broad ranging theories and models used during HIV/AIDS preventative and care campaigns emphasise communication linearity and individualism and therefore fail to acknowledge culture. In view of the multiplicity of cultural and language groups that exist in South Africa, culture plays a crucial role in HIV/AIDS communication interventions. Failure to acknowledge the cultural context in campaign theory has various negative implications. One is that, because these theories and models are linear, they are sender-oriented. The recipients are therefore unable to identify with the message as they are divorced from the context of its production. Furthermore, because of a lack of engagement by the recipient in the development of messages, retention of knowledge is minimal and this leads to a lack of acceptance of the message. Clearly then, there exists a need for these theories and models to be re-articulated so that they are less linear and individualistic, but rather more flexible so that they may be adapted for application within various cultural contexts. This study suggests that one of the ways of alleviating campaign linearity and including culture is by borrowing Paulo Freire's (1990) underlying principles of participation and incorporating them into communication campaign theory in the form of audience participation. Communication campaign theory would therefore include audience participation as a central component during its planning, implementation and evaluation phases. The appropriateness of this suggestion is demonstrated by applying it to and evaluating a HIV/AIDS awareness campaign targeted at young adults at a tertiary institution in KwaZulu Natal. / Thesis (M.A.)-University of Natal, Durban, 2002.

Thesis (M.A. (Communication Studies)) -- University of Limpopo, 2020 / Hubbly Bubbly smoking is a visibly growing trend among young people globally. However, health promotion about the risks that result from hubbly bubbly smoking has not been vigilant so far. The study attempts to determine youth’s knowledge and perceptions towards the health risks incurred from smoking the HB. The study triangulates three theories namely: The Extended Parallel Process Model, Peer Cluster Theory and Hofstede’s Cultural Theory using a mixed method approach among University of Limpopo students. A sample of 350 students was used, made up of n=175 HB users and n=175 non-users. In the quantitive part of the study, a 2 x 2 between and within respondents design was followed. Most HB users 74% (129) and non-users 80% (140) identified lung cancer as the health risk of HB smoking. Participants perceived HB smoking health risks as exaggerated, and that HB is less addictive and less harmful. The majority of participants (75%) had not heard or seen any health communication awareness campaigns about HB risks. Focus group interviews revealed that participants perceived HB as less harmful, less expensive with no visible health warning and not addictive to every user. Findings suggest that there is inadequacy in terms of knowledge as well as negative perceptions towards HB and its health risks. There should be more health communication campaigns that will engage the youth and the public, and the media should speak more about HB and its health risks. The study contributes to the body of knowledge about health communication campaigns about existing problems. / National Research Foundation (NRF)

Thesis (MPhil)--University of Stellenbosch, 2006. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Health scientists agree that the media is a crucial conduit for communicating life-saving, preventative and curative health messages to a wider audience. They also concur that they are the gatekeepers, and the responsibility of communicating their findings and health information to the public rests with them. And yet, their relationship with journalists is often unhealthy and in need of attention. Many health scientists lack knowledge and understanding about who the media are, and what they require to do the job of reporting ethically and professionally. They often lack the skills needed to frame simple, succinct messages timeously, especially on controversial issues such as vaccines and drug safety, immunisation and drug treatment for infectious diseases such as HIV/AIDS. This study argues that health scientists/professionals globally, irrespective of culture, ethnicity, creed, language or media systems, need training on how to communicate with the media in the interests of public health. This is especially so in the modern world with its complex, high-speed communication. The objective of the study was to assess the impact of a WHO media communication training programme for health scientists worldwide. More specifically, the study sought to shed light on whether the training shifted their perceptions and attitudes to the media. And, if so, in what way? It also aimed to find out if the trainees learned any skills on how to deal with reporters. The research methodology was qualitative. A review of the literature, to establish current thinking in the field, was followed by interviews with health professionals. The interviewees are from China, South Africa and Ghana and received the same basic training either in South Africa, China or Sri Lanka. Some were trained in 2005, others in 2004 and others before that. Most had been trained together with participants from other countries. Two focus groups were conducted in China before and after training. Included, is an account of the aims and objectives of each module of the actual training. The study also made use of WHO documents and news and feature articles from newspapers, radio and the internet. Most participants had never had media communication training but had been interviewed by reporters. While some had positive experiences, others felt bruised by their interactions with journalists. After training, however, they registered a shift in attitude toward feeling more positive and less fearful of the media. They felt more confident and better equipped to engage with journalists. Most participants desired more training to consolidate the skills that they had learned. Some had managed to put the training to good use by developing similar programmes in their own country. Others who were trained more recently were enthusiastic about the prospect of sharing ideas with colleagues. Those who were unlikely to deal with the media directly said they felt they could at last contribute to discussions on the media in the workplace. The WHO training, albeit a first step aimed at bridging the gap between health professionals and journalists, goes a long way in addressing the frustrations and the complexities of dealing with the media. Health professionals want to communicate because they need to reach their target population, the ordinary person in the street. Training and facilitation can empower health professionals to deal constructively with the media in getting health messages to the public. This training programme, which imparts practical skills including how to prepare and manage interviews, could be adapted to meet the needs of scientists from different disciplines. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Gesondheidswetenskaplikes is dit eens dat die media ‘n uiters belangrike middel is om lewensreddende, voorkomende en genesende gesondheidsboodskappe aan ‘n groter gehoor oor te dra. Hulle stem ook saam dat hulle die hekwagters is en die verantwoordelikheid het om hul bevindinge en gesondheidsinligting aan die publiek oor te dra. Tog is hul verhouding met joernaliste dikwels ongesond en sorgwekkend. Talle gesondheidswetenskaplikes het geen kennis en begrip van wie die media is en wat hulle nodig het om hul taak – verslaggewing – eties en professioneel te verrig nie. Hulle kort dikwels die vaardighede om eenvoudige, saaklike boodskappe betyds te formuleer, veral as dit kom by omstrede aangeleenthede soos veilige entstowwe en medisyne, immunisering en medisyne vir die behandeling van aansteeklike siektes. Hierdie studie voer aan dat wetenskaplikes/gesondheidsberoepslui wêreldwyd – ongeag kultuur, etnisiteit, geloof, taal of mediastelsels – ‘n behoefte het aan opleiding om beter met die media te kommunikeer ter wille van openbare gesondheid. Dit is veral belangrik vir die ingewikkelde en snelle kommunikasie van die moderne wêreld. Die doel van die studie was om die uitwerking van ‘n wêreldwye opleidingsprogram van die WGO oor kommunikasie met die media te bepaal. Die studie het meer spesifiek probeer lig werp op die vraag of die opleiding hul begrip van en ingesteldheid teenoor die media verander het. En, indien wel, op watter manier? Dit het ook probeer vasstel of deelnemers enige vaardighede aangeleer het oor hoe om met verslaggewers om te gaan. ‘n Kwalitatiewe navorsingsmetodiek is gevolg. Bestaande literatuur is bestudeer om huidige denkrigtings op die gebied te bepaal, waarna onderhoude met gesondheidsberoepslui asook ‘n TV-gesondheidsverslaggewer van Beijing, China, gevoer is. Die ondervraagdes kom van China, Suid-Afrika en Ghana en het dieselfde basiese opleiding in Suid-Afrika, China of Sri Lanka ondergaan. Sommige is in 2005 opgelei, party in 2004 en ander vroeër. Die meeste is saam met deelnemers van ander lande opgelei. Twee fokusgroepe is voor en ná opleiding in China bestudeer. ‘n Verslag oor die oogmerke en doelwitte van elke module van die werklike opleiding is ingesluit. Die studie het ook gebruik gemaak van WGO-dokumente, nuus- en artikels uit nuusblaaie, die radio en die internet. Die meeste deelnemers het nooit opleiding in mediakommunikasie gehad nie, hoewel verslaggewers al onderhoude met hulle gevoer het. Terwyl dit vir sommige ‘n aangename ondervinding was, het ander nie goeie herinneringe aan hul interaksie met joernaliste nie. Ná opleiding het hulle egter getuig van ‘n positiewer gesindheid teenoor en minder vrees vir die media. Die meerderheid van die deelnemers wou graag verdere opleiding hê om hul pas verworwe vaardighede uit te bou. Party kon selfs soortgelyke programme in hul eie lande ontwikkel. Van die meer onlangse deelnemers was geesdriftig oor die vooruitsig om gedagtes met kollegas te wissel. Diegene wat waarskynlik nie veel met die media te doen sou hê nie, het gesê hulle kon nou minstens by die werk aan gesprekke oor die media deelneem. Hoewel dit maar die eerste tree is om die gaping tussen gesondheidsberoepslui en joernaliste te oorbrug, slaag die WGO se opleiding in ‘n groot mate daarin om die frustrasies en verwikkeldhede van omgang met die media te oorkom. Mense in die gesondheidsberoepe wil graag kommunikeer omdat hulle hul teikenbevolking – die gewone mense – moet bereik. Opleiding en tussentrede kan hulle toerus om konstruktief met die media om te gaan ten einde gesondheidsboodskappe aan die publiek oor te dra. Hierdie opleidingsprogram kan aangepas word om in die behoeftes van wetenskaplikes in verskeie vakgebiede te voorsien.

2009年4月，墨西哥與美國西南地區出現人類感染A／H1N1新型流感病毒，此一新興傳染疾病在短時間內，擴散至全球各地。因媒體是社會大眾獲得健康風險訊息的主要來源之一，媒體呈現的H1N1新型流感樣貌，可能影響閱聽眾對此疾病的認知、態度，甚或行為。故本文研究目的有二，一為探討報紙媒體如何呈現H1N1新型流感新聞，分析新聞版面、性質、篇幅、主題、消息來源與圖表運用，二為檢視H1N1新型流感新聞內容是否聚焦風險不確定的面向，呈現公眾憤怨恐慌的要素，以及是否提供民眾評估風險的資訊。了解台灣報紙媒體如何呈現新流感相關議題，為國內媒體呈現傳染疾病的研究新增不同類型的個案。 本研究蒐集《中國時報》、《聯合報》、《自由時報》和《蘋果日報》，自2009年4月25日至2010年2月25日止，共1,324則H1N1新型流感新聞為樣本，採用內容分析法檢視四報H1N1新型流感新聞的特性與呈現的風險訊息。並依H1N1新型流感疫情發展分為五個階段，比較各階段報導呈現風險訊息之異同。 研究結果發現，主題分布依疫情階段而有顯著差異，雖「疫情現況」為各時期H1N1新型流感報導最常呈現的報導主軸，但各疫情階段報導的主題比例仍有不同，尤其疫情趨緩期的主題比重與其他時期差異較大。在主要消息來源方面，各疫情階段皆以「衛生單位官員」為最多，尤其至疫情趨緩期時，主要消息來源偏向更為明顯。 在報導呈現公眾憤怨恐慌的要素方面，以各時期呈現憤怨恐慌的要素總比例比較之，疫情升溫期呈現憤怨恐慌要素的比例為最多，至疫情高峰期與疫情趨緩期，呈現憤怨恐慌的要素之總比例則明顯減少。四報呈現憤怨恐慌的要素皆以「憤怨恐慌的修辭」為最多，高達近五成新聞出現「憤怨恐慌的修辭」要素。 在報導呈現風險解釋方面，以各疫情階段呈現風險解釋的總比例相比，疫情入台傳散期，報導呈現各項風險解釋的比例為最高，其次為疫情初始期，再次為疫情升溫期。四報呈現的風險解釋以「過程解釋」類訊息為最多，其次為「實用建議」類的訊息，而「定義解釋」、「風險程度」、「風險比較」類訊息則較少被提及。 報導圖表文字內容呈現方面，則發現除《蘋果日報》外，其他三報運用圖表的比重偏低，顯示H1N1新型流感報導運用圖表解釋風險仍不甚普遍。但包含圖表的報導，圖表文字多為「風險解釋」的訊息，常提及「過程解釋」與「實用建議」類資訊。研究也發現，新聞正文與圖表文字呈現相對應的風險解釋類型有顯著相關性，其中以新聞正文與圖表文字呈現「風險比較」的相關程度最高。 透過本研究分析發現，四報有部分報導凸顯風險不確定的面向，憤怨恐慌要素以「恐懼恐慌」、「疫情失控淪陷」、「衝突或矛盾」比例較多；在風險解釋呈現方面，則以「疫情數據資料更新」、「目前疫情傳佈範圍／地區」類的訊息為最多，「風險程度」、「定義」與「風險比較」等訊息則較少被提及。 假定報導提供風險解釋，可減少公眾因對風險的「不確定性」產生的憤怨恐慌，本研究發現提醒媒體實務工作者，記者在危機或風險事件發生，擔負風險溝通的責任之際，應提供閱聽眾評估風險的資訊，以清晰明確的文字或圖表解釋風險過程與民眾自我保護的等訊息，減輕民眾的憤怨不安或恐懼。 / In April 2009, Mexico and the Southwestern United States confirmed human cases of Influenza A/H1N1. In a short time, H1N1 influenza was spreading across the rest of the world. People obtain health risk messages mainly through mass media, so what the media cover about H1N1 influenza may do have influences on their audience’s cognition, attitudes, and even behaviors toward this disease. This study has two research purposes. First, it studies how the newspaper media cover H1N1 influenza by analyzing location of article, article type, news length, content about theme, news source, and usage of graphics. Second, it examines the coverage of H1N1 influenza to see if the media focus the facets of risk and uncertainty, present public outrage factors, and offer people the information to evaluate the risks. From this study, we can understand what related issues of H1N1 influenza were presented by four major newspapers in Taiwan, and to the study of coverage of domestic media on infectious diseases this adds a different case. It sampled 1324 H1N1 influenza news reports from Chinese Times, United Daily News, The Liberty Times, and Apple Daily, covered from April 25, 2009 to February 25, 2010. It adopted content analysis to examine these four newspapers about the characteristics of their H1N1 influenza coverage and their risk communication factors. And according to the development of H1N1 influenza in Taiwan, we divided the period into five phases, comparing the similarities and differences of news content among various phases. Results of content analysis showed that the distribution of news theme varies significantly among the phases, though “epidemiological description” is the main theme. There were differences in news theme proportion among the five phases, especially notable difference of the decreasing phase. And that main news source is health officials in all phases. Source bias was more obvious especially during the decreasing phase. In terms of the coverage of public outrage factors, the news content of the four newspapers showed that it has the most outrage factors during H1N1 influenza increasing phase. In the peak and the decline of H1N1influenza contagion, news content of outrage factors decreased significantly. The most presented outrage factors by the four newspapers is the “outrage rhetoric.” Nearly fifty percent of the coverage has “outrage rhetoric” factor. Regarding the coverage of risk explanations in news content, compared by phases, the spreading phase has the highest percentage of risk explanations of H1N1 influenza news, followed by the initial phase and then the epidemic increasing phase. Among the risk explanations presented by the four newspaper, the news group of “process explanations” was found the most, followed by the news categorized of “ practical recommendation,” whereas the news groups of “definitions”, ”risk level explanations” and ”risk comparisons” were seldom mentioned. On the news with graphics, except for Apply Daily, three other newspapers have low usage of graphics. It appears that for H1N1 influenza news it is not common yet to use graphics to explain risks. For those reports with graphs, they are commonly for “risk explanations” and they often mention of messages of “process explanations” and “practical recommendation.” In addition, this study finds that there is significant correlation between articles and graphs when they both present same risk explanations in the news content. To sum up, through this study we found some reports of the four newspapers highlight the risk uncertainty, among which outrage factors are presented with higher exposure of “fear/ panic”, “epidemic out of control”, and “conflicting reports.” On the coverage of 'risk explanations,” it has the most messages about “update the data of H1N1 influenza” and “current epidemic category and area,” whereas it has less messages about “definitions”,” risk level explanations” and ”risk comparisons”. This study used an exploratory framework that posits risk explanations can mitigate negative public reactions by communicating the hazard with clearer articles or graphics. Result of this study recommends when a crisis or risk event happens, media worker should take responsibility of risk communication, and provide accurate and clear risk information to the audience. Thus, it may alleviate the negative public reactions, like outrage, anger, worry, fear, and panic.

The increasing transparence of the human genome has profound implications for how we understand health and illness and perceive our biological and social relatedness to others. Presymptomatic testing for adult onset conditions, in particular, creates the novel situation in which some individuals know in advance of impending illness while others learn that they have escaped such a fate. How families at risk for one adult onset condition — Huntington Disease (HD) — communicate about such information is the topic of this dissertation. HD is often described as a 'genetic time bomb'. It is an autosomal dominant neuropsychiatric disorder characterized by mid-life onset, involuntary movements, cognitive impairment, and depression. There is no effective prevention or cure but with the advent of predictive testing in 1987 it became possible for at risk individuals to learn if they had inherited the mutation associated with HL\ Empirical studies on predictive testing for HD focus primarily on the individual psychological impacts of the test; few studies consider how families understand and attempt to manage genetic information in their everyday lives. This dissertation begins to address these lacunae by examining the stories that test candidates and their families tell about hereditary risk and predictive testing. These stories derive from a prospectively designed study which includes 102 in-depth, at-home interviews conducted in the pre and post-results period with 16 test candidates and 33 family members. Focusing on three narrative 'moments', the dissertation explores how study participants storied their experiences of: 1) learning about the family history of HD, 2) deciding to request the predictive test and, 3) making sense of an informative result. Drawing upon a social constructionist approach, the analysis emphasizes the processual nature of predictive testing as well as the significance of interpersonal communication in producing and reproducing the social realities in which genetic information acquires a particular salience. Given the recent proliferation of genetic tests as well as the absence of an adequate popular discourse on embodied risk, the research underscores lay actors' abilities to reframe existing clinical schema in order to interpret and manage hereditary risk in an intersubjectively meaningful way.

Thesis (MPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2014. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: There have been new infections of HIV despite campaigns aimed at arresting the further spread of the epidemic particularly the new infections. This study sought to investigate whether HIV positive individuals disclose their status to their sexual partners. The study looked at both longtime partners and casual partners. The overall aim was to find the factors that contribute to non-disclosure or to disclosure to sexual partners by HIV positive individuals. The specific objectives were to identify prevailing levels of HIV sero-status disclosure among people living with HIV who were attending the ARV clinic; to identify people living with HIV’s attitude towards HIV status disclosure; to establish factors contributing to disclosure or non-disclosure among people living with HIV; to establish if there is a difference between disclosure rates between ‘long time’ sex partners and casual/’once-off’ sex partners and to provide guidelines to counsellors on how to educate HIV positive people on disclosure. The objectives were achieved by using a quantitative research design through the use of questionnaires targeting 50 HIV positive individuals attending the ARV clinic at Katutura Hospital in Windhoek Namibia. The questionnaire was self-administered and consisted of close-ended questions and one open-ended question which helped collect the quantitative data. The quantitative data was then analyzed using statistical tools (graphs, tables and charts). Results showed that HIV positive individuals are aware of the importance of disclosure. The results showed that majority of the participants did not disclose for fear of abandonment. Some did not disclose because they thought that their partner was also already infected. As for casual sex partners, some did not disclose because they wanted ‘to infect someone since they were also infected by someone’. Some said that they were drunk and hence did not disclose. Participants disclosed because they wanted moral support, they did not want to infect their partners and that they wanted their partners to get tested as well. One of the recommendations was that there is a need to encourage couple counselling in cases of married couples or ‘live-in’ couples to reduce the need for disclosure. It was also recommended that HIV/AIDS health workers need special training to enhance their skills on how to educate HIV positive individuals about disclosure. The link between risky sexual behavior and alcohol abuse was highlighted and it was recommended that there is a need to educate people, particular teenagers, the link between the two. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die doel van hierdie studie was die bepaling van die mate waartoe persone wat MIV-positief is en klinieke bywoon hulle MIV-status bekendmaak. Die studie is by die Katutura hospitaal in Windhoek, Namibië gedoen en 50 MIV-positiewe pasiënte is as steekproef gebruik. ‘n Vraelys wat die pasiënte self ingevul het is in die studie gebruik en data is op ‘n beskrywende wyse ontleed. Resultate het aangetoon dat MIV-positiewe pasiënte wel bewus is van die belangrikheid om hulle MIV-status bekend te maak. Laasgenoemde pasiënte doen dit egter nie, hoofsaaklik uit vrees vir stigma, diskriminasie en verwerping. Sommige pasiënte maak ook nie hulle status bekend nie omdat hulle bloot aanvaar dat die persoon met wie hulle saambly ook MIV-positief is en die bekendmaking van status dus onbelangrik is. Een van die belangrikste aanbevelings wat in die studie gemaak word is dat getroude paartjies aangemoedig moet word om MIV-voorligting by te woon, hulle te laat toets en hulle status bekend te maak. Dit word ook verder aanbeveel dat MIV/Vigs-gesondheidswerkers spesiale opleiding moet kry in hoe om persone wat MIV-positief is te oorreed om hulle MIV-status bekend te maak. Die studie sluit af deur te wys op die belangrike verwantskap tussen seksuele risikogedrag en die misbruik van alkohol. Daar word sterk gepleit dat die gemeenskap, en veral tienderjariges, bewus gemaak moet word van hierdie gevaar.