Online communication channels provide people with a vast amount of information from different sources. Health influencers on social media are one of the sources that people use to gain health information and support regarding health-related issues; they are people with different backgrounds and expertise that social media users follow and perceive to be experts in that field. This qualitative case study employs content analysis to analyze videos of three health influencers and explore the kind of expertise that each case communicates to their followers. Videos are analyzed based on an analytical framework that looks into Syntactic, thematic and rhetorical structures to explore how they frame their messages in order to be perceived as experts. The study detected three different kinds of expertise who have different styles in communicating their expertise and in framing their messages: the informative awareness expert, the self-referential expert and the practitioner expert. Further details on the different and common framing styles each expert used is discussed in this thesis. Analyzing expertise online provided an insight on health influencers characteristics and their strategies to perform their expertise. It also suggests the kind of health information seekers who could be interested in this kind of expertise. The research results provide insights on regulating the potential effects of health influencers online.

This exploratory study examined links between health communication and other constructs affecting health promotion and disease prevention among Haitian mother-daughter dyads living in West Central Florida, and the risk or protective factors for HIV. Risky sexual behaviors can be reduced with accurate and effective information provided through parent-adolescent communication (Coetzee et al, 2014; Ogle, Glasier & Riley, 2008; Hadley et al., 2009). In Haiti, a country that bears a disproportionate burden of HIV/AIDS, women are the most vulnerable (UNAIDS, 2016a); In the United States (U.S.), foreign-born Haitian women in the state of Florida experience health disparities in many areas and bear a disproportionate burden of HIV/AIDS relative to their non-Haitian peers but little is known about (Florida Department of Health [FLDOH], 2017; U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion [ODPHP], 2017). Indeed, the state of Florida recently reported that newly diagnosed cases of HIV increased for foreign-born Haitian women and in 2016, the latter represented 3.64% of all cases (Florida Department of Health, Bureau of Communicable Diseases, HIV/AIDS Section, 2017a). Recognizing that Haitian mothers traditionally bear the primary responsibility for transmitting traditional norms, values, health beliefs and practices, a concept referred to as poto mitan, this qualitative study examined risks and protective factors for HIV that may emerge in health and sexual health communication among Haitian mothers and daughters. This study comprised a two-phase process in which purposive sampling was first used to recruit and interview a focus group of seven health care providers and Haitian-descendant community leaders who engage Haitian-descendant clients in West Central Florida, after which findings from the focus group were used to strengthen a semi-structured interview guide that would be used to interview 10 Haitian mother/daughter dyads in the area. This study addressed a gap in the scientific literature related to health and sexual health promotion and disease prevention communication among Haitian immigrant women in the U.S., particularly surrounding HIV risk. Specifically, it sought to discover what constitutes specific methods that Haitian mothers use to communicate health and sexual health and the contents of such conversations, as well as the intention of daughters to transmit information that they received from their mothers, even here in the U.S. This study applied a constructivist grounded theory approach, in which Symbolic Interactionism (SI) and the Information-Motivation-Behavioral Skills Model (IMB) were triangulated as a framework. ATLAS.ti® 7.0, a software that supports analysis of textual data, was used to analyze transcripts from the focus group and from the interviews. Findings indicate that (a) Haitian mothers intentionally transmit specific and valued traditional knowledge about health and sexual health to their daughters, specifically in the areas of vaginal health, post-partum rituals, and abstinence as the acceptable mode of HIV prevention; (b) Haitian mothers in the study sample lack adequate and accurate knowledge about HIV/AIDS as well as the time to learn more that they can share with daughters; (c) Haitian mothers in the study sample do engage in direct communication about HIV prevention, taking advantage of teachable moments, using popular music and television programs; (d) there is a strong reliance on religious leaders and school systems to address health and sexual health instruction; (e) Haitian mothers in the sample reported and daughters confirmed that there is extremely limited conversation between the mothers and daughters surrounding sex, HIV risk reduction methods outside of abstinence. (f) Symbolic Interactionism is a useful framework for understanding the process of communication between Haitian mothers and daughters in this study; (g) IMB is useful to understand that the information being provided by Haitian mothers in this sample is at times insufficient and inaccurate, thereby limiting the ability of daughters to effectively and intentionally engage in conduct that protects their sexual health and reduces HIV risk. This study has several implications for social work education, research, practice, and policy. First, social work students must be taught to conduct comprehensive assessments of Haitian women in the context of valued Haitian family dynamics, and to engage in life-long learning regarding protective as well as risk factors for Haitian mothers and daughters. Second, Haitian and non-Haitian health providers who serve Haitian clientele could be surveyed regarding knowledge of health beliefs and practices and its potential impact on the health of their constituents. their Haitian patients. Third, researchers may use this study’s findings as a foundation for developing interventions that enhance strategies aimed at establishing rapport with Haitian clients and for assessing potential interactions between hidden health practices and prescribed medications. Fourth, findings suggest the need to develop interventions that empower trusted religious leaders to gain accurate HIV knowledge and to deliver empowering information effectively to their congregants. Fifth, findings suggest a need to develop outreach programs aimed at heightening HIV awareness and increasing HIV testing for Haitian women who are similar to this study’s sample. Sixth, social workers engaging Haitian female clients can make intentional efforts to include Haitian mothers in treatment. Seventh, this study’s findings underscore a need for social workers to advocate on behalf of Haitian immigrants’ efforts to be properly counted in the census, and to be counted as a culturally distinct group in other surveillance data. Social workers can benefit from understanding the strengths of relationships between Haitian mothers and daughters and to enhance their awareness of the heterogeneity among Haitians in general when working with Haitian clients. To work effectively with Haitian immigrant females overall requires cultural humility to mitigate the likelihood of bias towards them based on known or hidden traditional health beliefs and practices and gender roles.

Translation in Africa has been studied mostly through the prism of postcolonialism and literary studies. Some scholars have argued that this approach restricts translation studies scholarship on and about the continent. The gist of the postcolonial approach lies in the inherent power relations that exist in the inevitable cross-cultural contact arising from colonialism. Of late, some scholars have suggested that it is time to move beyond the post-colony. It is against such a backdrop that this dissertation broaches the study of translation phenomena in Africa from a developmental perspective. This thesis argues that the postcolonial era is not monolithic and that the African condition has evolved over the years. While it acknowledges the legacy of colonialism with all of its devastating consequences, the study understands the concept of the developmental context to offer the perspective of a continent in charge of its own destiny in contrast to the perspective that sees only a victim. Accordingly, this study seeks to explore translation practices within a developmental context and concentrates on one of the most important development issues: health. In line with global health priorities that now approach health from a preventive rather than a curative perspective, health promotion and communication have become central to the development agenda. This dissertation therefore discusses the historical, political, linguistic, socioeconomic, and cultural factors that inevitably affect translation in public health communication in Zambia and, to a lesser extent, the southern African region. While emphasizing the sociological context of the case study, this research takes translation as a cluster concept and a communicative act in order to investigate how translation is practiced. The research involves a contextual analytic exploration of a few selected health communication products. Drawing on Jakobson’s three types of translation, descriptive translation studies, and functionalist theories, this dissertation brings to light the importance of intersemiotic translation in societies that are anchored in oral culture.

Obesity is one of the most serious problems of the contemporary civilization. Although its causes are multifactorial, some authors blame media for the increase of obesity. However, media can also be seen from another perspective. It can be seen as a tool for activating people towards a healthier lifestyle and thus moderate obesity. This work is based on this second view. On the basis of the health communication are formulated requirements on informing about obesity. I use quantitative content analysis to verify whether Czech media works according to these requirements. I come to the conclusion that the Czech media fulfills the requirements only partially. Although media consider obesity as a problem and gives factually correct information, it blames mostly individuals, which is not in accordance with the recommendations of the health communication. Likewise, it offers mainly individual forms of solutions. Compared with foreign media it focus less on childhood obesity too.

Made available in DSpace on 2016-08-03T12:30:14Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Conceicao Aparecida Sanches.pdf: 671671 bytes, checksum: ea838f61c60826c5827385cdee0eb78e (MD5) Previous issue date: 2006-04-27 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / This research aims to investigate whether a group of university students from São Paulo city has a dangerous sexual behavior towards HIV, what is the group s knowledge about HIV and what are its most frequent doubts about the subject. It has also a specific aim of investigating the group s use of Internet in order to solve doubts, its strategies of searching and faith on the information found. In this perspective, our job is a descriptive and exploratory research with qualitative character. A digital questionnaire was elaborated and answered on a notebook by 400 students at the gate of 4 Faculties from North, South, East and West Regions of São Paulo 100 students each. This research is done completely under the Brazilian Laws, especially as allowed by CNS 196/96 Resolution of National Health Counselor. In order to process, analyze data and verify its variants, quantitative proceedings were used. Finally, in order to contextualize our research, it was done a Health and Communication Historical panorama that articulates the methodological orientation of the bibliographical and documental research. / O presente trabalho tem como objetivo geral investigar se um grupo de universitários da cidade de São Paulo tem comportamento sexual de risco em relação ao HIV, qual é o conhecimento que o grupo tem sobre HIV/AIDS e quais são as suas dúvidas mais freqüentes sobre o assunto. Além disso, tem como objetivo específico averiguar se o grupo usa a Internet para esclarecer suas dúvidas, quais as estratégias de busca utiliza e se considera que a informação obtida é confiável. Trata-se, portanto, de uma pesquisa exploratória e descritiva, de caráter qualitativo. Como instrumento de campo, construímos um questionário digital de coleta de dados, aplicado pela pesquisadora, usando um computador portátil tipo notebook a 400 estudantes na entrada de quatro unidades de ensino superior da cidade de São Paulo, sendo 100 informantes em cada uma e sendo cada unidade em uma região: Norte, Sul, Leste e Oeste. Além disso, temos ainda o Termo de Consentimento Livre e Esclarecido TCLE- conforme determina a Resolução do Conselho Nacional de Saúde CNS 196/96. Para processar e analisar os dados e proceder ao cruzamento das variáveis foram usados procedimentos quantitativos. Para contextualizar nosso objeto, lançou-se um olhar sobre o panorama histórico da Comunicação e Saúde que se articula com a orientação metodológica da pesquisa bibliográfica e documental.

Made available in DSpace on 2015-07-22T20:49:12Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2012-02-27. Added 1 bitstream(s) on 2015-08-11T03:26:01Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 Publico-12362.pdf: 1126774 bytes, checksum: 5b3560a8ac4c628f31e3d3e56a38f4b5 (MD5) / Introdução: Várias pesquisas sobre a prática do diálogo em educação em saúde apontam para a necessidade de transformação da relação profissional e usuário através do diálogo. Neste contexto, reconhece-se que a ação dialógica reflete na adesão ou aceitação da comunidade a certas regras, determinações ou procedimentos. Objetivo: Investigar saberes e concepções de saúde relacionados a temas da área da saúde da comunidade da Favela do Moinho com vistas ao desenvolvimento de um manual orientador das práticas educativas e dialógicas. Metodologia: Tratou-se de uma pesquisa exploratória e descritiva, com abordagem qualitativa, realizada junto à população residente na Favela do Moinho, região central do município de São Paulo. Foram realizadas entrevistas com questões norteadas à temática relacionada, com caráter semi-estruturado. Resultados e discussão: A totalidade de participantes da pesquisa foi n=15 acima de 18 anos de idade. Após a transcrição dos dados, foi realizado análise de conteúdo, onde foram explorados os seguintes núcleos temáticos: concepção de saúde e doença e também a comunicação na atividade educativa com a comunidade. A partir daí, tais núcleos foram divididos em 5 unidades temáticas onde as quatro primeiras estavam relacionadas à questão da concepção de saúde e doença e a quinta com a questão da comunicação na atividade educativa com a comunidade. Na análise do núcleo concepção de saúde e doença foram encontradas 96 unidades de contexto , 130 unidades de registros relacionadas à concepção de saúde e doença e 37 unidades de registros relacionadas ao núcleo comunicação na atividade educativa com a comunidade. Os resultados mostram, através das narrativas apresentadas pelos entrevistados, uma necessidade de um processo dialógico mais voltado para a realidade social e cultural. Percebe-se também pelos resultados uma necessidade por parte da população de um processo dialógico, pois não existem menções a atividades bem sucedidas de comunicação com a equipe de saúde, apesar de um reconhecimento da população relacionada com algumas iniciativas que significaram um avanço nas condições de saúde locais. Considerações Finais: Os resultados obtidos neste trabalho demonstram que a linguagem é social e adquirida pela cultura existente em relação ao tempo, espaço e lugar. A linguagem estabelecida pela comunicação social interfere no estabelecimento do processo comunicacional nas atividades educativas a serem desenvolvidas junto à comunidade. A educação através do diálogo revela uma comunicação em significados, investiga saberes gerando uma aproximação entre os sujeitos envolvidos. A necessidade de um processo dialógico torna relevante a proposta de um manual orientador, reflexivo e norteador das práticas em saúde através do estímulo ao diálogo e à escuta ativa onde o perfil do educador em saúde está pautado não só num saber técnico, mas também embasado nas ciências sociais como a sociologia, antropologia e psicologia. / Several studies on the practice of health education suggest the necessity of transformation in the relationship of professional and user through the dialogue. In this context, it is recognized that the dialogical action reflects on the adhesion or acceptance in the community to certain rules, procedures or determinations. The aim of this research was to investigate knowledge and concepts of health in the community of Moinho Favella to develop a manual for guiding educational practices and dialogue. It is a descriptive and exploratory research with a qualitative approach, conducted with the population living in Moinho Favella, a central region of São Paulo city. We used guided questionnaires related to issues with semi-structured characters. The participants of the survey were 15 members of the community over 18 years of age. After data transcription, content analysis was conducted from the following targeted groups: health and disease conception and also the educational activity in communication with the community. In the analysis, 96 context units and 130 record units were related to health conception and 37 record units were related to the communication in educational activities with the community. The research field shows through the narrative presented by the interviewees a need for a dialogue towards a more social and cultural reality. Through the presented results it was observed a necessity of a dialogical process, since there are no references of successful communication activities with the health team, despite recognition of the population related to some initiatives that provided an improvement in local health conditions. This reality is evidenced by language content of the respondents; showing that language is social and acquired by existent culture in relation to time, space and place. The education through dialogue reveals a communication by meanings; it searches for knowledge generating people aggregation. The need of a dialogue process becomes relevant the proposal of a reflective and orientative guide for health practice to that community. / TEDE / BV UNIFESP: Teses e dissertações

Made available in DSpace on 2015-07-22T20:50:11Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2010-11-24 / Objetivos: Descrever e analisar as informações sobre a esquizofrenia presentes em textos com temática relacionada à saúde e em textos sobre outros temas, publicados no jornal Folha de São Paulo (FSP), entre 1/1/2007 e 31/12/2008. Metodologia: Foi realizada uma busca eletrônica dos textos, utilizando-se os seguintes termos: esquizofrenia, esquizofrênico(a)(s), surto, psicose, psicótico(a)(s). Foi realizada a análise de conteúdo. As informações sobre a esquizofrenia presentes em textos relacionadas à área da saúde foram sintetizadas e comparadas com o conhecimento disseminado em revistas científicas. Foi determinado o uso popular dos termos em textos não relacionados á área da saúde. Adicionalmente, os textos foram avaliados em relação aos atributos de uma comunicação em saúde efetiva, examinou-se a presença de indicadores de uma cobertura jornalística inadequada e de mitos populares sobre a doença mental. Resultados: Foram identificados 687 textos, 219 deles preencheram os critérios de inclusão e exclusão: 75 textos relacionados à área da saúde e 144 em que os termos eram usados fora do contexto médico. As categorias temáticas com maior número de textos entre aqueles da área da saúde foram a distúrbio e violência e o tratamento. Entre os textos não relacionados à saúde, os termos foram identificados em resenhas de filmes cinematográficos, descrições populares do distúrbio (incluindo características que não corresponde à definição médica), expressões pejorativas, expressões humorísticas. O uso metafórico dos termos associou ao distúrbio as características de contradição, divisão/multiplicidade, falta de sentido e conflito, entre outras; 80% das metáforas tinham uma conotação negativa. Conclusão: A FSP divulgou informações sobre os fatores genéticos da esquizofrenia e sobre os benefícios da medicação psicotrópica o que pode contribuir para uma percepção mais favorável das intervenções psiquiátricas. Adicionalmente, descreveu histórias sobre portadores com vidas produtivas e inseridos na comunidade, entretanto, os relatos de crimes cometidos por supostos portadores superaram em número e em destaque os exemplos positivos, o que pode anular qualquer outra mensagem que poderia contribuir para o combate do estigma da esquizofrenia. Os resultados sugerem que a complexidade do distúrbio, os diversos fatores etiológicos, as diferenças individuais e as alternativas terapêuticas, não foram abordados. Os textos com uso popular dos termos associou a esquizofrenia à violência ou à criatividade, bem como divulgaram mitos e imagens estigmatizantes. O diálogo entre profissionais de comunicação, da saúde e associações de familiares e portadores pode melhor a qualidade da cobertura da imprensa sobre a doença mental. / Aim: To describe and analyze information on schizophrenia present in articles about health and non-health related issues, published between 1/1/2007 e 12/31/2008, by the largest Brazilian national newspaper, Folha de S.Paulo (FSP). Method: An electronic search of the FSP database was conducted using the terms: schizophrenia, schizophrenic(s), psychotic episode, psychosis and psychotic(s). A content analysis was performed. Descriptive information on the disease was extracted from health articles, synthesized and compared with the disorder description among the current scientific literature. Popular and metaphoric uses of the terms were analyzed. Articles were rated against health communication attributes; and against inappropriate coverage indicators. The presences of the common myths about mental disorders were examined. Results: The electronic search identified a total of 687 articles, 219 of them fulfilled the inclusion/exclusion criterious (75 texts on health and 144 about non-health related issues). The thematic categories with the highest number of health articles were: mental disorders and violence, treatment. Articles about treatment emphasized the benefits of antipsychotics, discussed health services, and described a new intervention. Schizophrenia terms were identified in texts about non-health related issues on fictional reviews, disorder description (including non pathological features described as schizophrenia), pejorative labels, and humoristic expressions. The metaphoric meanings identified included: contradiction, splitting/ multiplicity, lack of meaning and conflict, 80% of the metaphors presented a negative connotation. Conclusions: FSP divulgated information about the genetic factors, the risk of drug-induced psychosis and the benefits of antipsychotics, which may contribute to stigma-reducing toward pharmacological treatment. Additionally, the newspaper described stories of individuals with schizophrenia integrated into society; however, news about crimes allegedly committed by affected individuals surpassed positive stories both in number and emphasis. Articles presented inappropriate language and stigmatizing messages. Results suggest that the complexity of the disorder, its multifaceted etiology, individual differences and therapeutic alternatives were not widely discussed. Articles about non health related issues associated schizophrenia and violence or creativity, divulgated myths and stigmatized images. Dialogue among media and health professionals, affected individuals and their families may improve media coverage about schizophrenia. / TEDE / BV UNIFESP: Teses e dissertações

É alta a prevalência de dor crônica em pacientes com câncer, que é comprovadamente associada ao sofrimento psicológico acentuado e muitas vezes não é adequadamente diagnosticada e tratada. Estudo que realizamos com 120 pacientes adultos em atendimento ambulatorial na Clínica de Dor do Instituto Nacional de Câncer, no Rio de Janeiro que demonstrou que os pacientes mesmo conhecendo o seu diagnóstico de câncer, não se sentiam informados sobre a doença e a dor oncológica a contento, o que trazia insatisfação com o tratamento recebido e maior exigência com os resultados do mesmo. Nosso estudo revelou, ainda, que o comportamento do profissional durante o atendimento pode ser percebido pelos pacientes como fator tanto de melhora como de piora da dor, sendo o comportamento atencioso do profissional muitas vezes mais valorizado pelos pacientes que a supressão da dor. Estes resultados suscitaram questões relativas à qualidade da interação entre médicos e pacientes, desenvolvidas nesta dissertação. Embora não sejam suficientemente investidas nem na relação médico-paciente, nem na educação e no treinamento profissional, as habilidades de comunicação do médico afetam diretamente o nível de informação e de satisfação do paciente, suas crenças e os resultados do tratamento. Ao longo do tempo a relação médico paciente vem mudando, deixando de ser tão centrada na doença e no médico, para centrar-se mais no doente como um ser integral, o que implica no reconhecimento, pelo médico, de saberes diferentes dos seus e de que o seu saber não constitui uma verdade absoluta a ser acatada pelos demais. Apesar de bem-vindas, estas mudanças trazem uma certa confusão nos papéis a serem desempenhados por médicos e pacientes e dificuldades aos médicos de lidarem com as diferenças, com as queixas subjetivas dos pacientes, com as emoções destes e as suas próprias. Se hoje é esperado que os pacientes sejam participativos, corresponsáveis por seus tratamentos e recuperação e que se deem conta do poder que eles têm, individual e coletivamente, espera-se que os médicos sejam estudiosos, bem informados, experientes, sinceros, empáticos, sensíveis, atenciosos, compassivos, perspicazes, bem treinados, hábeis em compartilhar informações e decisões com os pacientes, compreendendo o que estes querem e o que não querem e ajudando-os a expressar suas crenças, preferências e receios, disponibilizando tempo suficiente para isso. Tantas expectativas terminam por trazer conflitos que só poderão ser resolvidos com a melhoria da comunicação entre médicos e pacientes, num esforço de ambas as partes. / The high prevalence of chronic pain in patients with cancer, which has been proven to be associated with intense psychological suffering, is frequently not adequately diagnosed and treated. The author undertook a study at the Pain Clinic of the National Cancer Institute in Rio de Janeiro, involving 120 adult patients, where even those who were aware of their cancer diagnosis did not feel sufficiently informed about the disease and the oncologic pain. This situation brought on dissatisfaction with the treatment received and more demands as to results. The study revealed, nevertheless, that the professionals behavior during the consultation could be perceived by the patients as a factor improving or worsening the pain. tese results have raised questions regarding the quality of the interaction between doctors and patients, which were discussed in this paper. In fact, the professionals considerate behavior was many times more valued than the actual suppression of pain. In spite of the inexistence of sufficient investment either in the doctor-patient relationship, or in the education and training related to that issue, the doctors communication abilities affect directly the level of information of the patient, as well as his satisfaction, beliefs and even results of the treatment. The doctor-patient relationship has changed over time, no longer presenting itself centered on the disease and the doctor, to center itself more on the patient as an integral being, which entails the doctors recognition that there are expertises other than his own and that his expertise does not constitute the absolute truth that will apply to others. Although welcome, these changes bring about a certain confusion of roles to be played out by doctors and patients. Doctors face difficulties when dealing with certain differences, with the patients subjective complaints, their emotions as well as the doctors own. If it is expected today, that patients be participative, co-responsible for their treatments and recovery, conscious of their own power, individually and collectively, it is also expected that doctors be studious, wellinformed, experient, sincere, empathic, sensitive, attentive, compassionate, shrewd, well trained, skillful in sharing informations and decisions with patients, understanding what they want, what they dont want, and helping them express their beliefs, preferences and concerns, allocating time enough for this. All these expectations can end in conflicts that may be resolved with an improvement in communication between doctors and patients in an effort from both sides.

No presente estudo utiliza-se a Teoria das Representações Sociais, iniciada por Serge Moscovici, ao publicar a obra La Psychanalyse son image et son public em 1961. Para o autor, as representações sociais são originadas a partir das definições de linguagem e comunicação configurando-se em uma conexão de idéias, metáforas e imagens mentais em constante dinâmica, sendo sustentadas pela comunicação. Essa perspectiva teórica se propõe a entender como os indivíduos e grupos sociais compreendem o mundo, sua realidade e as circunstâncias nas quais se comunicam, compartilham idéias, ações, crenças, ideologias e interagem entre si e com os outros. Este estudo tem como objetivo compreender como os indivíduos constroem e reconstroem os conceitos e as práticas de saúde, as relações estabelecidas entre saúde e doença e como caracterizam as práticas tradicionais de saúde existentes na comunidade negra de Itamatatiua - Maranhão. No que se refere à metodologia utilizou-se os principíos da etnometodologia aliados à etnografia, com o intuito de perceber os modos de dizer e fazer saúde na comunidade. Mediante pesquisa de campo verificou-se que os itamatatiuenses vivem um momento de transição social, política e econômica que vem se repercutindo nas práticas de saúde. A manutenção e utilização de praticas tradicionais de saúde, que envolvem chás, ervas de giraus, emplasto, garrafadas, benzimentos e curandeirismo continua a ser observada, coexistindo com as práticas institucionais do Programa de Saúde da Família. As construções simbólicas em torno da saúde estabelecem relações complexas em uma rede que envolve o momento de transmissão oral; a promessa de saúde e a fé em Santa Teresa; questões territóriais que se traduzem em título de cidadania quilombola e melhoria de qualidade de vida; cultura da cerâmica como base econômica; transição alimentar com a entrada no mercado de consumo dos alimentos industrializados; modo de vida, na maior parte das vezes, harmonioso; relações conflituosas entre os múltiplos saberes em interação, que envolve o conhecimento reificado institucionalizado e o conhecimento popular. Concluí-se que através da oralidade as experiências práticas de saúde das gerações antepassadas se consolidaram e hoje se colocam em paralelo as práticas institucionalizadas governamentais e privadas, constituindo um conjunto de representações características dessa comunidade. / In the present study, we have used the Theory of Social Representations, initiated by Serge Moscovici, when he published the work La Psychanalyse son image et son public, in 1961.For the author, social representations are derived from the definitions of language and communication in setting up a connection of ideas, metaphors, and imagery in a constant dynamics, and being sustained by communication. This theoretical perspective proposes to understand how individuals and social groups understand the world, their reality, and the circumstances in which they communicate, share ideas, actions, beliefs, ideologies, and interact among themselves and with others. This study aims to understand how individuals construct and reconstruct the concepts and practices of health, the relations between health and disease, and how to characterize the traditional health practices existing in the black community of Itamatatiua - Maranhão. Regarding the methodology, we have used the principles of ethno-methodology allied to ethnography, in order to understand the ways of saying and doing health in the community. The field research revealed that people from Itamatatiua live a moment of social, policy, and economic transition that have been reverberating in health practices. The maintenance and use of traditional health practices, which involve teas, seedbed herbs, plasters/patches, potions, blessings, and faith healings continue to be observed, coexisting with the institutional practices of the Family Health Program. The symbolic constructions around health establish complex relationships in a network that involves the time of oral transmission; the promise of health and faith in Santa Theresa; territorial issues that translate into quilombola citizenship title and improved quality of life; ceramic culture as the economic base; dietary transition with the entry of processed foods in the consumption market; way of life, in most cases, harmonious; conflicting relations among multiple knowledge in interaction, which involves the institutionalized reified knowledge and popular knowledge. We conclude that, through oral speech, health practices of past generations have consolidated and currently are placed in parallel with governmental institutionalized and private practices, constituting a set of characteristic representations of this community.

Master of Science / Journalism and Mass Communications / Curtis B. Matthews / Health communication messages have been found to have a significant positive impact on audiences. However, numerous situations exist in which the general population is exposed to information from non-credible sources. This initial exposure can often bias or impact subsequent searching for more information. Vaccinations have been considered effective as a result of the number of lives that have been saved by preventing life threatening diseases. However there is also a growing group of anti-vaccine sources. The rise of the internet has resulted in the growth of numerous unqualified anti-vaccine sources. Nearly 70% of the health information that people find on the internet is from non-credible sources. These messages often take the form of videos in which a person who makes a passionate claim about the side effects of vaccines uses personal experiences (exemplars). These exemplars are used to counter the volumes of scientific and clinical research which show the effectiveness of vaccinations (base-rate information). This study manipulates the usage of passionate and dispassionate exemplars and base-rate information by simulating a real-world situation. Passionate exemplars were the most likely to create fear in our audience. Increasing the passion of our base-rate presenters exhibited both positive and negative side effects.