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Fertility problems, often called infertility, have been defined as the inability to conceive or maintain pregnancy throughout one year of trying (World Health Organization, 2020). Because fertility problems can present unique medical, emotional, relational, and identity challenges, they are often difficult to talk about, and even well-intentioned messages can be perceived negatively. This study uses Communicated Sense-Making (CSM; Kellas & Kranstuber Horstman, 2015), particularly its mechanism of memorable messages, to explore what types of support-related messages people experiencing infertility find memorable. Results from semi-structured interviews (N = 54) indicate five supra-themes of memorable messages: (a) communicating solidarity; (b) attempting to minimize participants' stress; (c) communicating investment or interest in the patient's experience; (d) sharing expertise; and (e) absolving the patient of responsibility; we identify several sub-themes within each. We also explore patterns between message types, senders, and message valence: message themes were perceived as either positive, negative, or neutral based on the combination of sender and perceived intention. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although addressing cultural and religious practices is important in providing mental health care, little research exists on understanding mental health issues of minority groups such as Muslim immigrant women. We employed an intersectional approach to examine beliefs and attitudes toward mental health issues among Muslim immigrant women in Canada. Four focus groups (21 participants) were conducted, and 101 surveys were collected in Ottawa, Canada. Three core themes emerged from thematic content analysis of focus group data that relate to participants' communication about: 1) stressors, 2) mental health care seeking, and 3) utilizing coping strategies. The survey data were analyzed using independent samples t-test and One-Way ANOVA, the results of which supported the qualitative findings that social stigma was an important obstacle preventing those women from seeking professional mental health services. Muslim women with South and Southeast Asian cultural/ethnic backgrounds were more likely to get help from professionals than those with African cultural/ethnic backgrounds. No group differences were found in age, family income, and employment status. Broadly, the findings underscore the importance of developing knowledge about the intersections among gender, religion, cultural identity, immigration status, and social stigma that influence beliefs and attitudes toward mental health issues. Specifically, the findings point to the need for an intersectional approach that offers a more nuanced understanding for tailoring mental health care to Muslim immigrant women's needs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The importance of physician-patient communication on patient health outcomes has been globally known. Poor communication in clinical settings, including in telemedicine visits, has been identified as a key barrier to successful medical consultation. This barrier is even more prevalent among people from linguistically and culturally diverse communities. This study investigated the influence of physician-patient communication on telemedicine patient health outcomes in Indonesia, a developing country with great linguistic and cultural diversity. This study utilized secondary data from a telemedicine utilization survey conducted during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Socioeconomic factors and communication features were included as predictors of patients' health improvement. Logistic regressions were utilized to examine the significance of the communication features on patients' health. The analysis results indicated that five communication features including the adequacy of consultation length, a timely physician response, the provision of an explanation of the medication and possible side effects, the patient's ability to utter their physical condition and opinion regarding medication goals, and the patient's ability to comprehend physician explanations and instructions were significantly associated with the patient's health outcomes. Physicians and healthcare providers should focus on the provision of communication features revealed in this study to elevate the likelihood of improved health conditions in telemedicine patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Care provider communication with Black birthing families is impactful. This cross-sectional study asked 216 Black fathers to recall treatment by birthing care providers and tested variables contributing to birth satisfaction and fathering identity salience. Most fathers reported that care providers were respectful resulting in a positive birthing experience; however, 15% reported negative experiences with care providers. Perceived social support was shown to be a mediator between disrespect, mistreatment, inclusive communication, trust, and positive emotion with birth satisfaction and fathering identity salience. Care provider disrespect served as a "spoiler" of the birthing experience and subsequently diminished positive fathering identity salience. Analysis of open-ended comments showed that contrary to stereotypes about absent, disengaged Black fathers, fathers in this study were caring toward their newborns, present for them, and engaged in fathering. More work needs to be done with care provider communication to make every birth a positive and inclusive experience for Black fathers and their partners. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The creation of audio-visual content and the increase in the use of social networks by society have provided new opportunities for promoting health and the benefits of organ donation. This study analyzes the influence of audiovisual content produced by adolescents in the context of an educational program related to the promotion of organ donation with diffusion through social media. The program was implemented in the fourth year (mainly 15 and 16 year olds) in ten high schools in Spain. In the first phase, students learn about donation and create audio-visual messages about its benefits for society; in the second phase, they share this content on social networks. The influence of the content was measured using YouTube Analytics. In addition, a questionnaire was administered after the program to measure the way in which they shared the content on social networks. A total of 391 students participated in program, submitting 63 short films that obtained 104,912 views. The short films focused on appealing to society about the need for organs and the benefits of the organ donation and transplantation process. The social network that was used most frequently to share the content was WhatsApp (81.8%). Educating teenagers and turning them into prescribers of the health benefits of the organ donation and transplantation process through the use of social networks could be a good tool that can be exported to other fields of health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Provider empathy is a crucial component in establishing therapeutic provider–patient relationships. The benefits of increased perceptions of empathy can support patient psychological adjustment to their cancer as well as patients' comfort and confidence in disclosing to providers, ultimately promoting patient engagement. Guided by the disclosure decision-making model, this manuscript explores how perceptions of empathy influence patient psychological adjustment and how those variables influence patient disclosure efficacy. The model ultimately predicts patient sharing and withholding of information during the medical interaction. This study tested a mediation model to investigate how current (n = 111) and former (n = 174) breast cancer patients' psychological adjustment mediates the relationship between patient perceptions of oncologist empathic communication and efficacy to disclose health information to their oncologist and their disclosure enactment in sharing and withholding. Overall, former patients compared to current patients had more positive perceptions of their oncologist's empathic communication, had better psychological adjustment, felt more self-efficacy to disclose to their oncologist, and shared more and withheld less information from their oncologist (p <.05 in all cases). Structural equation modeling revealed good fit to the data for both current and former patients such that more perceived empathic communication was associated with more efficacy for disclosure, which was associated with more sharing and less withholding. Additionally, there was an indirect relationship from perceptions of empathic communication to disclosure efficacy through patients' psychological adjustment to the diagnosis. Results reinforce the importance of providers' empathic communication for cancer patients' psychological adjustment because patient sharing and withholding of information remain crucially important to achieving holistic care across the cancer trajectory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The lack of daily conversation may lead to the deterioration of quality of life and cognitive function in older adults requiring long-term care. This study aimed to develop a scale to measure daily conversation among them, the Life-Worldly Communication Scale: LWCS, and to test its structural, convergent, and discriminant validity. The subjects were 539 older adults requiring long-term care in facilities and at home. A 24-item provisional scale was created, using a panel of experts. Structural validity of LWCS was examined from exploratory factor analysis to establish the factor structure, two confirmatory factor analyses for cross-validation, and measurement invariance between the institutional and home setting. Convergent validity was examined from the average variance extracted: AVE, composite reliability: CR, and simple regression analysis between LWCS and Interdependent Happiness Scale: IHS. Discriminant validity was examined using the heterotrait-monotrait ratio of correlations: HTMT. Multiple imputations were used to deal with missing data on these scales. The results showed that the goodness of fit of the three-factor, 11-item model obtained from the two-step CFA was SRMR =.043, RMSEA =.059, CFI =.978, and AGFI =.905. The model was confirmed for structural validity by measurement invariance tests: configural invariance (CFI=.973, RMSEA =.047), metric invariance (ΔCFI=.001, ΔRMSEA=−.004), scalar invariance (ΔCFI =-0.002, RMSEA = −0.003). Convergent validity was confirmed by AVE =.503~.772, CR =.801~.910, and simple regression analysis between LWCS and IHS (adjusted r2=.18, p <.001). Discriminant validity was also confirmed among the three factors (HTMT=.496~.644). LWCS can contribute to the assessment of daily conversation in geriatric settings and research regarding its promotion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined the efficacy of inoculation treatments in preventing anti-vaccination propaganda. Study predictions were tested in an independent-group experiment (N = 165), wherein participants were randomly assigned to a fact-based inoculation or a logic-based inoculation or a control message, with an excerpt from an anti-vaccination conspiracy film, Vaxxed, used as a counterattitudinal attack message. The results indicated that both inoculation treatments (fact-based and logic-based) were effective at instilling resistance to counter-persuasion, as compared to the control condition, and both types of inoculation messages were equal in their potential to facilitate resistance. In addition, we tested whether inoculating participants against an anti-vaccination conspiracy would help prevent the endorsement of other conspiracy theories. The data revealed that inoculating against one type of a conspiracy did not foster protection against other types of conspiratorial ideas, and, similar to previous research, endorsing one type of a conspiracy theory was positively associated with the endorsement of other conspiracies. These and other results are discussed along with their implications, limitations, and future research directions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined how organizations may promote their employees' mental health in difficult times. Drawing from organizational crisis communication and organizational health promotion research, it proposed and tested a dual-process model that links leadership health support, an essential dimension of organizational health culture, with organizational leaders' crisis communication (i.e. use of ethical-base responses) and workers' self-care awareness and perceived stress in a crisis. Through a survey of 502 full-time U.S. employees conducted during COVID-19, we found that organizational leaders' use of ethical-base responses predicted employees' enhanced self-care awareness and decreased stress levels. Further, leadership health support provided a double-buffer effect to sustain employee mental health by directly bolstering employees' self-care awareness and organizational leaders' use of ethical-base responses. The findings of this study bridge the gaps in organizational health promotion and crisis communication literature and offer practical suggestions for organizations seeking to foster employees' mental health challenges during crises. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explicates blame as a psychological construct in communication processes, with a focus on its underlying structure and its mediating role between message characteristics and the public's issue engagement. Data were collected from Amazon Mechanical Turk (N = 373) via a Web-based experiment, where we manipulated a news story about a child suffering an obesity-related health risk (asthma attack vs. heart attack) with different levels of preventability (high vs. low) and severity (high vs. low). Findings showed that blame should best be conceptualized and operationalized as a latent construct comprising both cognitive and affective components. Blame mediated message effects on social responses related to obesity prevention, including punitive attitudes, policy support, and intentions toward interpersonal communication and civic participatory behaviors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This survey study tested a two-level model of responses to conflicting advice about COVID-19 and examined the underlying emotional and cognitive mechanisms and the moderating role of advice source. Results showed that at the individual message level, advice evaluation was associated with advice outcomes. At the message group level, advice evaluation and outcomes were linked to perceived contradiction in content among the advice and the quantity of conflicting messages received, both directly and indirectly via recipients' emotions. Features of conflicting advice received primarily from impersonal sources had particularly strong associations with advice evaluation and outcomes. Implications for health communication were discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drawing upon construal level theory and regulatory fit literature, this research examined the effect of fit between humor and regulatory focus on audience engagement with health information on social media. The results of two studies showed that incongruity humor (vs. aggressive humor) induced greater social proximity between the source and the viewer, and humor type interacted with regulatory focus of a message to impact audience engagement. Specifically, incongruity humor paired with a prevention-focused message (vs. a promotion-focused message) resulted in greater content endorsement and health information engagement, whereas aggressive humor combined with a promotion-focused message (vs. a prevention-focused message) led to greater content endorsement. Results further identified processing fluency as a mediator of the fit effect on audience engagement. This research offers important theoretical and practical implications for public health interventions on social media. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The nursing profession is wrought with high levels of turnover, particularly among new nurses. One reason for this turnover may be explained by a disparity between what new nurses expect in terms of communication from leaders and coworkers and what they realistically receive. This study uses a mixed-methods experimental design to explore young adult nursing students' preferences for manager communication behaviors, how different managerial archetypes influence nursing students' perceptions of their leader, and how personal factors may influence nursing students' preferences for various managerial styles. Findings suggest that new nurses prefer more mentor- and teacher-type managers and that managerial archetypes influence young adult nursing students' perceptions of leader credibility, effectiveness, leader-member exchange, and employee commitment. Furthermore, personal factors such as self-worth and desire for relational communication behaviors influence preferred manager type. Participants' qualitative responses reveal several task and behavioral wants and needs of new nurses. Findings from this study can informatively help to bridge the gap between expectations and reality in the nursing profession, thus addressing a potential reason for consistent turnover. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Effective physician-patient communication builds robust physician-patient relationships and reduces medical disputes. However, much is unknown about the differences that exist in the communication behaviors of physicians in different departments. Using a mixed-methods research approach, the researchers used Roter Interaction Analysis System to uncover the communication behaviors of internists, surgeons, family physicians, and emergency physicians at a regional hospital in Taiwan. Semi-structured interviews were conducted to collect the communication experiences of 20 physicians from the internal medicine, surgery, family medicine, and emergency departments. The characteristics were presented through descriptive statistics, bar charts, and dendrograms. Physician-patient communications consisted of four dimensions, 10 factors, and 31 behaviors. The characteristics are as follows: (1) Internists need to improve their overall performance in terms of physician-patient communication behaviors; (2) Surgeons performed well in building relationships through non-verbal methods; (3) Family physicians excelled in facilitation and patient activation. (4) Emergency physicians performed well in patient education and counseling. The characteristics of the aforementioned communication behaviors among internists, surgeons, family physicians, and emergency physicians can be used to construct indicators of physicianpatient communication in each department and to develop patient-centered healthcare services in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Patronizing speech and dehumanization both have negative impacts on the health and wellbeing of the recipients of these behaviors. This experiment applied Fiske’s stereotype content model, Haslam’s dual model of dehumanization, and Hummert’s model of patronizing speech to assess the effects of warmthand competence-enhancing messages about a person with dementia on perceptions of humanness and patronizing speech toward people with dementia. Results supported our predictions that warmth- and competence-enhancing messages would translate into general tendencies to humanize people with dementia as a group. Predicted effects on patronizing communication did not materialize, but there were some unanticipated ways in which warmth- and competence-enhancing messages did influence intentions to use patronizing speech. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the boundaries between our online and offline lives are increasingly blurred, it is important to attend to the ways in which online behaviors shape our offline perceptions and actions. While a great deal of health communication research has examined the effects of exposure to specific social media content, it is also important to investigate how broader patterns of everyday social media use may affect perceptions of health norms and behaviors in different ways. In this panel survey, we explored how using social media for informational, connection, and aspirational purposes affected perceptions of COVID-19 vaccination norms and changes in vaccine intentions between December 2020 and March 2021 in the US Using social media to seek information and to connect with others positively influenced vaccine intentions via strengthening perceptions of offline social norms supporting vaccination. These findings highlight how social media use is integrated with and informs our offline lives, as well as the important role apolitical social media use plays in shaping attitudes toward politicized science. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought telemedicine into mainstream medical practice (although questions remain over its role in a post-pandemic world). Research suggests that most patients and providers are satisfied with the flexibility and convenience of teleconsultations. However, there is continuing uncertainty about whether this shift has a clinically relevant impact on the quality of doctor-patient interaction. We conducted a systematic search of studies comparing communication in medical face-to-face consultations and teleconsultations. We included only studies which examined communication directly using recordings, excluding studies which used questionnaires or interviews. Studies were appraised using modified versions of the Critical Appraisal Skills Programme (CASP) checklists. Our search yielded 25,348 records, of which 22 were included in the final review. These studies were conducted in various medical specialties. Methodologies included approaches based on quantified communication behaviors using coding systems and qualitative studies using microanalytic methods. Except for duration (where there was evidence of face-to-face consultations being longer), no differences between the two modes of communication were consistently identified. In the aggregate, however, statistically significant differences were more prominent in primary care and more likely to favor face-to-face consultations. Qualitative studies also highlighted differences in how communication behaviors were manifested in each modality. Because much of the examined research was conducted in selected or non-routine settings, its applicability to the less selective use of telemedicine during and after the pandemic is limited. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines how social media (SM) use is related to human responses to emerging infectious disease risks in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic via an online survey conducted in the United States and Taiwan. Results showed that SM use was related to different types of communicative responses (information seeking, interpersonal discussion, and rumor correction) directly and indirectly through cognitive and affective responses (risk perception, responsibility attribution, and negative and positive emotions). The indirect relationships between SM use and communicative responses through these cognitive and affective responses were moderated by perceived SM network structures. In particular, the mediating influence of negative emotions on communicative responses was associated with perceived SM network homogeneity, while that of positive emotions was related to perceived SM network centrality. Furthermore, responsibility attribution drove Taiwanese SM users' communicative responses, whereas the interrelated influence of positive emotions and perceived SM network centrality shaped American SM users' communicative responses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Genetic testing can detect whether an individual carries a harmful variant in the BRCA1 or BRCA2 (Breast Cancer 1 or 2) gene which, if present, drastically increases a woman’s risk for breast and ovarian cancer. The experience of BRCA gene testing can be an emotionally laden process yielding significant uncertainty. In this study, we examined women’s experiences of BRCA gene testing by exploring how participants communicatively framed and made sense of this process through the use of metaphors. Comparing uncertain and unfamiliar experiences to familiar references through metaphor can help people in challenging health-related situations with sense-making and communicating complex emotions. Furthermore, metaphors can be employed as a therapeutic tool by health care professionals, but their use has not often been studied regarding experiences of genetic testing, including BRCA gene testing. We conducted in-depth interviews with 42 women who have undergone BRCA gene testing (regardless of results), and analyzed data using constant comparative techniques. Eight categories of metaphors that women used surrounding BRCA gene testing were evident in the data, including those related to (a) knowledge is power; (b) gambling; (c) a journey; (d) a rollercoaster; (e) battle, disaster, or wreckage; (f) Pandora’s box or a can of worms; (g) doom and gloom; and (h) the release or placing of a weight. Results enhance our understanding of women’s experiences related to the uncertainty-inducing process of BRCA gene testing and lead to valuable theoretical implications and practical recommendations, including regarding the potential use of metaphors in patient-provider communication about BRCA genetic risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Half of hospice family caregivers report having unmet information needs, which can contribute to poor pain and symptom management, emergency department use, and hospice disenrollment for carerecipients and to caregiver strain and stress. Effective communication between hospice teams and family caregivers is critical yet communication inadequacies persist. Despite the growing prevalence of distance caregiving, including in hospice care, and the relationship between caregiver proximity and communication effectiveness, little is known about how caregiver proximity is associated with caregiver perceptions of hospice communication. In this secondary analysis of quantitative data from two multisite randomized clinical trials (NCT03712410 and NCT02929108) for hospice family caregivers (N = 525), multivariate linear models with demographic and contextual controls were used to analyze caregivers’ perceptions of caregiver-centered communication with hospice providers based on caregiver proximity to the hospice care-recipient. In multivariate models, “local” hospice family caregivers who lived within 1 hour of the hospice care-recipient reported less effective communication with the hospice team than co-residing caregivers; and older caregivers rated communication more favorably than younger caregivers. To improve communication and collaboration between hospice teams and caregivers, regardless of proximity, distance communication training for hospice teams and interventions such as telehealth communication and virtual tools that enable triadic collaboration are recommended. Research is needed to understand why local caregivers, specifically, perceive communication quality less favorably and how hospice teams can better meet local and distance caregiver communication needs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Foreign domestic workers have reported various health problems after moving to Hong Kong, which suggests the need for them to seek medical attention. Yet, much uncertainty exists about their perception of healthcare experiences as patients, particularly how they perceive their communication with ethnic-discordant healthcare providers. Drawing on foreign domestic workers' perspectives, we extracted non-interpersonal factors from Street's ecological model and its extension proposed by Head and Bute (2018) and examined how foreign domestic workers perceived these contextual factors affected their communication with healthcare providers. Thematic analysis was conducted on thirty Filipina and Indonesian domestic workers' narratives. Our findings confirmed that the context of digital media (characterized by Internet use and the adoption of a telemedicine approach) and the context of social ties (characterized by employers' involvement and everyday communication with friends and peers) were both potential contextual factors that domestic workers reported accounted for their participation in medical encounters. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed. Future research building on these findings is proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates whether people's responses to official communications about COVID-19 could be "profiled" with respect to socio-economic-demographic and behavioral characteristics. Such profiles could enhance the effectiveness of future crisis management through the use of profile-adapted communications that maximize message comprehension. A representative web panel survey (742 respondents) was conducted across Switzerland in February 2022 to assess the population's reaction to COVID-19 communications during the pandemic. Latent profile analysis was conducted to explore if distinct profiles of reactions to the communications would emerge, and how each of them relate to conspiracy mentality and SED measures. The analyses revealed three latent profiles: "Compliant supporters" (54%), "defiant deniers" (23.6%), and "anxious skeptics" (22.4%). Respondents with high conspiracy mentality were more likely to belong to "defiant deniers" or "anxious skeptics." Each profile was characterized by distinct SED and behavioral features (discussed in the paper). The COVID-19 pandemic demonstrated that one communication does not work for all people. Our study evidenced three different types of respondent profiles that require profile-adapted communications for more effective crisis control. Our study is the first to profile people's responses to COVID-19 communications in a systematic, person-centered way. The results can be used for more effective future crisis management that delivers to each profile's communicative needs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Families play an important role in addressing substance misuse and addiction. Extant literature suggests patterns of communication within families influence the ways in which they engage loved ones who may be misusing substances like prescription opioids. However, little is known regarding how strategic health messages about family communication influence individuals' intentions to engage in conversations about substance misuse. Applying a normative approach, we conducted a (2 × 2) between-participants experiment examining whether messages advocating indirect (versus direct) communication are more effective for individuals (n = 613) who describe their family as having a low (versus high) conversation orientation. Univariate analysis of variance tests show match effects for message attitudes and message elaboration. For intentions to talk with a loved one about the risks of OUD, there was only evidence of a matching effect between the message advocating indirect communication with low conversation audiences. Both message types were equally effective at influencing intentions for high conversation participants. These findings suggest message designers should consider the kinds of communication behaviors and actions advocated in appeals targeting family members. Messages that are inclusive of the conversation dynamics of particular audiences may have greater effect. In particular, for low conversation audiences, messages advocating an indirect approach may be more effective at motivating intentions to engage someone who is misusing opioids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study proposes that in order to increase compliance with government directives during health crises, we should consider the message as well as the messenger. Prior research shows that highly instructional crisis communication increases compliance during acute crisis situations. Crisis communication literature provides no clear answers on how to address prolonged crises like the COVID-19 pandemic, however. We examined the impact of crisis communication on compliance with health directives in March – April 2021, during the third wave of the pandemic in Belgium. Two field experiments were conducted at two different points in time. Participants received an informational message from Belgian authorities, that was either highly instructional or not. Next, they watched a set of messages from traditional and social media, depicting Belgian politicians setting a good or a bad example in terms of adhering to public health directives. Instructional messages only proved to be effective in the first study. Leading-by-example had a stronger impact, especially in study two. During the third wave of COVID-19, Belgian people seemed more inclined to follow public health directives when politicians set the right example, due to an increase in trust in the government. Bad examples, however, decreased compliance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently, the World Health Organization noted the increasing signs of pandemic fatigue around the world and repeatedly warned the public to continue to stay cautious. The current study explores whether social media use plays a role in the formation and development of pandemic fatigue. Drawing on a survey of 849 social media users in China, the findings indicated that different social media behaviors play different roles in affecting pandemic fatigue. Specifically, social interaction use is negatively associated with pandemic fatigue, mediated by more social support and reduced hopelessness. Active content use contributes to pandemic fatigue development, an association explained by information overload and desensitization. Notably, passive content use is found to trigger reactance but is negatively associated with pandemic fatigue, which is fully mediated by reduced information overload. This study seeks to understand how pandemic fatigue is associated with social media use and to explicate the underlying mechanism. The implications of the findings and directions for future research are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Type II diabetes is a chronic health condition and its successful management requires effective patient-provider communication. Responding to a call to model pathways between provider communication and patient health outcomes, this study tested four models of type II diabetic patient adherence with four mediators. Given the complex nature of type II diabetic care, patient adherence was conceptualized as wellness, screening, medication, and treatment adherence. Mediators included patient understanding, agreement, trust, and motivation. A sample of U.S. patients with type II diabetes patients who were both under the care of a medical provider and taking medication for their type II diabetes completed online surveys (n = 793). Findings indicated that the relationships between patient-centered communication and adherence outcomes were mediated by proximal outcomes. The results contribute to the understanding of patient-centered communication, adherence behaviors, and proximal outcomes of patient understanding, agreement, trust, and motivation. Findings indicate that relationships between patient-centered communication and wellness adherence is mediated by patient motivation, patient-centered communication and screening adherence is mediated by patient agreement, trust, and motivation, and patient-centered communication and treatment adherence is mediated by patient agreement, trust, and motivation. The discussion addresses theoretical and practical implications and directions for future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Integrating concepts from the communication theory of resilience (CTR) with theories of health information management and media-stimulated interpersonal conversation, this study investigates associations between worry about COVID-19, acquiring health information from government, news, and personal sources, and enactment of resilience processes. Findings from a representative sample (N = 600) of Floridians show that the extent to which people worried that they or their loves ones might contract COVID-19 during the first wave of the pandemic predicted the extent to which they reported getting health information from a range of news (e.g. national and local newspapers) and personal (e.g. family, friends/coworkers) sources. A serial multiple mediator model found that worry about COVID-19 was associated with acquiring information about COVID from news sources, which predicted getting information about COVID from personal sources, which in turn predicted enactment of resilience processes. Discussion centers on the role that emotions as well as information management at multiple levels (e.g. media, close relationships) play in people's attempts to enact resilience in the context of a public health emergency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two experiments examined if persuasive effectiveness of health messages varies as a function of the communication channel (Facebook vs. news website), and if so, why. Specifically, we examined perceived ulterior motives of the communicator as an explanation for why public health campaigns may be less effective when conveyed via mass-directed (vs. interpersonal) channels, and further investigated if message recipients' health interest moderates such channel effects, if any. In Study 1 (N = 103), reading a medical news reporter's Facebook post on dental health (vs. a news article consisting of the identical content) lowered the participants' suspicion of ulterior motives of the source, which then promoted message-consistent attitudes and behavioral intention. Such effects, however, emerged only for those more interested in health. Using a different topic (a low-carb, high-fat diet), Study 2 (N = 338) replicated Study 1 findings, confirming the conditional persuasive advantages of social media over mass media as a health campaign channel. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined the risk preventive responses of individuals, especially those who do not adhere to preventive measures (e.g. anti-maskers) for COVID-19, by integrating three dominant theories in risk and health communication. The complex causal relationship between motivational elements and individualsʻ preventive behavior adoption was studied using Fuzzy-Set Qualitative Comparative Analysis. With a survey (N = 372) of non-abiding populations, this study found generalizable and unique configurations of motivational elements. Different effects of key motivational variables from three theories were found with different demographic factors. Theoretical and practical implications were also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An experimental study exposed participants (N = 299) to different message frames to investigate whether Family Communication Patterns (FCP) and message characteristics influenced willingness to communicate about Family Health History (FHH). Message frames were either collective (our), individual (mine), or control (no pronouns). Afterward, participants were asked about their perceived collective psychological ownership of health information, attitudes, subjective norms, and FHH communication intentions. Although the message frames had no impact on perceived collective psychological ownership of health information, conversation orientation and conformity orientation (respecting parental authority) were positively associated with perceived collective psychological ownership of health information. Additionally, perceived collective psychological ownership, attitudes, and subjective norms were found to have indirect effects between FCP and FHH communication intentions. These findings provide further support that FCP influences how health message appeals are processed and suggest interventions could be tailored to FCP orientations for effective FHH behaviors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Memorable messages oftentimes are associated with hope, can foster anticipatory resilience prior to the experience of disruptive events, and can buffer the negative impact of adverse experiences on mental health. However, associations among memorable messages, engagement in resilience processes, and mental health have not been examined. Drawing from the communication theory of resilience (CTR), analyses of data from 262 Chinese adults suggested that memorable messages provided a sense of agency and pathways – two interrelated but distinct components of dispositional hope – and functioned as a form of anticipatory resilience that was positively associated with outcomes of coping with disruptive life events including mental health, posttraumatic growth, and meaning in life. These associations were mediated by the extent to which individuals engaged in change- and continuity-related resilience processes as outlined in CTR. Findings offer theoretical implications for memorable message and resilience research as well as practical implications for communicative strategies that can cultivate anticipatory resilience, promote positive adaptation, learning, and reflection, and mitigate the negative effects that disruptive events can have on mental health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aggressive conduct of patients is a perennial problem that nurses face in health care. Studies have shown that such aggressiveness can be detrimental to the work and emotional wellbeing of nurses. Yet, the literature has had inconsistent findings; in some cases nurses are negatively affected by aggression, while in other cases nurses are not affected. Street and colleagues contended that such inconsistencies in research exist because social mechanisms embedded in communication are often not taken into consideration. This study adopts Street et al.'s pathways model and links patients' aggressive communication to nurses' emotional health outcomes, via the proximal outcome of communication satisfaction and the intermediate outcome of organizational identity. Results support Street et al.'s postulation and demonstrates that patients' aggressive communication does not have a direct effect on nurses' emotional health. Instead, the effect is indirect, mediated by communication satisfaction and organizational identity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Patient-centered communication promotes positive patient outcomes. This study examines the linguistic markers of two key dimensions of patient-centered communication (i.e., provider compassionate care and shared decision-making) and their mediating effects on patient perceived quality of and affective responses to the provider's treatment recommendations. Transcripts (N = 343) of provider talk from provider-patient interactions in medical visits for upper respiratory infection symptoms where patients were not prescribed with antibiotics were analyzed with the Linguistic Inquiry and Word Count (LIWC) dictionary. Results showed that providers' use of affiliation words positively predicted patients' perceptions of their providers' compassionate care. Providers' use of insight words negatively predicted patients' perceptions of provider shared decision-making. Meanwhile, providers' use of first-person singular pronouns, causation and differentiation words, and clout words were positively related to perceived provider shared decision-making. Patient perceived compassionate care and shared decision-making further increased patients' positive affect toward and perceived quality of non-antibiotic treatment recommendations. These perceptions also reduced their negative affect toward the recommendations. Implications of the findings are discussed with regard to patient-centered communication in relation to the promotion of antibiotic stewardship. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this defining moments essay, I take up feminist new materialist and reproductive justice theories to explore communication, autonomy, consent, and in/justice in the context of pelvic exams. I use feminist new materialism and reproductive justice to illustrate the ways in which traditional medical education practices, histories of misogynoir, speculums, patient gowns, and more communicate and matter in pelvic exam teaching and practice. In so doing, I move between academic prose and short narratives drawn from my lived experiences as both a patient and a Gynecological Teaching Associate (a role in which I instruct medical students learning to perform pelvic exams). Ultimately, I argue that attending to influence of other-than-humans and adopting relational conceptions of agency can help health communication scholars and practitioners advance equity and justice in pelvic exams. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The growing popularity of vaping devices is of major concern for public health practitioners, and personal relationships have the potential to either increase or decrease the use of vaping devices. The escalation of romantic relationships, in particular, can have implications for the use of vaping devices. The current study seeks to understand how emerging adults negotiate communication about the use of vaping devices while initiating and escalating romantic relationships. Five focus groups were conducted with groups of participants who either did or did not use vaping devices. Results reveal the various reasons participants were reluctant to date individuals who vaped and illustrated the role of vaping norms in the stages of relational escalation. Practical and theoretical implications are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Often health communication campaigns addressing misusing prescription opioids and opioid use disorder (OUD) do not pay enough attention to the associated stigma. This study investigated the effectiveness of a well-designed opioid awareness campaign on reducing stigma and provided evidence for future health communication design. CDC's Rx Awareness videos were used as the experiment material. 137 college students participated in this online experiment, and audience characteristics and video features were considered and tested. The results showed that Rx Awareness videos significantly reduced participants' stigmatizing attitudes and perceived public stigma and increased their empathy toward people with OUD. Empathy is a promising strategy to reduce opioid stigma. People with an opioid prescription history expressed more empathy. Recovery information, prescription history, and narrators' race influenced the audience's perceived public stigma. Implications for health communications and limitations of the study are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Communication about menstrual health continues to be influenced by institutional and social practices which deem it to be unclean and impure. In a country such as India, several customs and traditions reinforce secrecy and shame about menstruation. As such, scholars advocate the need to generate knowledge that can open opportunities to converse on the topic of menstruation and understand issues related to bodily changes. Using a culture-centered approach, this study examined how college-going adult women from two cities in Northern India made sense of menstrual health. Data collection included 20 focus groups with 180 college-going women and interviews with 16 female family members. Participants discussed communication patterns surrounding menstrual health and how they uphold, challenge, and change social practices. Specifically, participants reflected on how they were communicated to about their menstrual health with underpinnings of secrecy and shame and how the influence of current opportunities for openness encourage them to anticipate positive change. Theoretical and practical implications for studying communication around menstruation in diverse cultural contexts are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A growing body of research on medical communication indicates that nonverbal rapport (e.g., smiling, eye contact, closer proximity) is central to productive health care delivery. However, mechanisms integral to the process by which nonverbal rapport influences health improvement remain under-researched. This study breaks new grounds in proposing and testing mediation pathways that take into account organizational factors. We conducted a cross-sectional survey in a private hospital in Singapore among 417 patients to examine their communication with physicians and nurses. Results indicated that nonverbal rapport did not have a significant direct relationship with perceived health outcome in both the patient-physician dyad and the patient-nurse dyad. Instead, communication satisfaction and organizational identity completely mediated this relationship. In addition, respect positively moderated the relationship between nonverbal rapport and communication satisfaction in both dyads, while health literacy was not a significant moderator. The findings suggest that the organizational context should be considered in pathways research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This exploratory study aimed to identify communication trends typical of pharmacists' clinical communication in the context of hospital consultations. A cross-sectional design was used to investigate the pharmacist-patient exchange, applying the Roter Interaction Analysis System (RIAS). Communication variables and RIAS composites were assessed, including therapeutic information complexity, estimated through the ad-hoc score CTICS (Cancer Therapy Information Complexity Score). The study comprised 13 consultations of cancer patients with one female pharmacist, of which 6 included a patient family member, lasting on average 22.74 minutes and presenting repeated or overlapping consultation phases. The pharmacist's talk dominance reached 53.49%, slightly higher in dyadic consultations (U = 6.0, p =.032), and with an overall predominance of closed-ended questioning (W = 81.0, p =.013). Patients' questioning on biomedical issues was higher in dyadic consultations. The level of the pharmacist's rapport-building with the relative was higher when the patient's age was ≥80 years. Several strong correlations, both positive and negative, were found between composites, including between patient positive rapport-building and relative lifestyle/psychosocial information giving (Rho = −0.971, p =.001). Pharmaceutical consultations seem to be lengthier than other hospital practitioners' interviews, indicating a lack of clear organization and flow, thus challenging their efficiency regarding therapy management. Still, several positive communication features were found regarding the pharmaceutical care of older cancer patients. Further studies are needed, involving larger samples and other hospital consultation settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Zika Contraception Access Network (Z-CAN) was established during the 2016–2017 Zika virus outbreak in Puerto Rico as a short-term emergency response program providing client-centered contraceptive counseling and same-day access to the full range of reversible contraceptive methods at no cost to women wishing to delay pregnancy. An evidence-based communication campaign, Ante La Duda, Pregunta (ALDP), was launched to encourage utilization of Z-CAN services. We assessed the effectiveness of campaign tactics in increasing awareness of Z-CAN among women in Puerto Rico. Data on campaign exposure and awareness were obtained through a self-administered online survey approximately two weeks after an initial Z-CAN visit, while the number of searches for participating clinics were obtained from monitoring the campaign website. Findings demonstrated that the most common ways survey respondents learned about Z-CAN were through friends or family (38.3%), social media (23.9%), a clinical encounter (12.7%), and website (11.7%). Nearly two-thirds (61.1%) of respondents had heard of the ALDP campaign. Over the campaign's duration, there were 27,273 searches for Z-CAN clinics. Findings suggest that evidence-based communication campaigns may increase awareness of needed public health services during emergencies. Word of mouth, social media, and digital engagement may be appropriate communication tactics for emergency response mobilization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study focused on the success story of Vietnam's ability to control the COVID-19 outbreak in the early stages to examine the associations between exposure to the Vietnam Ministry of Health's COVID-19 prevention social media campaign messages, interpersonal communication, attitudes, perceived norms, self-efficacy, and intentions to stay at home. A cross-sectional survey was conducted with residents in Ho Chi Minh City (N = 360). Results from mediation analyses indicated that interpersonal communication mediated the effect of social media campaign exposure on intentions to stay at home. Moreover, interpersonal communication shaped injunctive norms and self-efficacy that were conducive to behavioral intentions. These results underscored the need to leverage the power of social media and interpersonal communication in public health campaigns to prevent infectious outbreaks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Child and adolescent psychiatrists are well situated to have meaningful conversations with a population at high risk of substance use: youth receiving psychiatric care. However, there has been a dearth of research about behavioral determinants that may influence psychiatrists' willingness to engage in these discussions. This study proposes a model of determinants to help identify influences on psychiatrists' levels of self-efficacy, which theoretically should predict their discussions about substance use. A national survey of child and adolescent psychiatrists was conducted to gather data to test this model, which predicted that training, past experiences with substance use discussions, and communication apprehension would influence self-efficacy. Results showed that the model was an excellent fit to the data, accounting for 49% of the variance in self-efficacy. We discuss how these findings could inform future training initiatives for child and adolescent psychiatrists. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although there is a wide variety of scientific evidence that demonstrates the benefits of vaccination on a multitude of diseases, vaccination rates remain low while misperceptions about vaccines are on the rise. The primary objective of the present study is to examine the role of doctor–patient communication and vaccination. We test the impact of doctor–patient communication on trust in doctors' vaccine recommendations as a mediator, to understand the mechanisms leading to positive vaccination attitudes, and ultimately leading to actual H1N1 vaccination behavior. We use data from a nationally representative U.S. sample from one of the Multimedia Audience Research Systems (MARS) data sets collected by Kantar Media. Our results demonstrate the crucial role of doctor–patient communication in building patients' trust in doctors, which in turn positively impact vaccination attitudes and H1N1 vaccination behavior. Unlike other preventive health measures, getting vaccines after a pandemic is a critical decision because these vaccines are previously unknown. Our finding implies that verified communication from the physician's office may be one of the effective strategies during or after a pandemic. Our findings have implications for public health organizations to incorporate effective vaccination communication and could have critical implications for the COVID-19 vaccination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Health advocacy messages can generate psychological reactance and lead to message rejection. Could we offset this negative outcome by providing more agency and interactivity to message receivers? Are individuals more likely to be receptive if health campaigns provided them an opportunity to comment on the advocacy messages? Will they be more likely to follow the advocated behavior if a lot of other receivers have expressed approval of those messages, i.e., will they follow the bandwagon and show lesser reactance? We investigated these questions by conducting a 2 (bandwagon cue: strong vs. weak) X 2 (comment action: presence vs. absence) X 2 (message threat: high vs. low) between-subjects experiment (N = 179) with an online health message. Findings suggest that strong bandwagon cues can reduce reactance and improve persuasion by eliciting bandwagon perceptions. Comment action is associated with a strong sense of agency, which positively predicts intention to follow the message recommendation. Technological affordances interact with threat level of the message and with each other in influencing users' evaluation and acceptance of persuasive health messages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study introduces the concept of value-expressive communication and examines its relationship with behavioral intent. Value-expressive communication is conceptualized as the verbal output of a value-expressive attitude. Value-expressive communication about exercise is examined in relationship to strength of religious faith, exercise attitudes, communication frequency, and intentions to exercise among a sample of self-identified Christians. The data indicate a significant interaction between value-expressive communication and communication frequency explains significant variance in exercise intentions. Interact to and exercise attitudes is significantly associated with intentions to exercise. Suggestions for using value-expressive communication in health communication research and practice are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The complexity of the current healthcare ecosystem justifies the convenience of targeting patients' companions in health communication strategies. Designing successful interventions requires taking into account which keys should be pressed in companions in order to generate positive outcomes in the accompanied patients. In particular, this paper explores how companion health empowerment and companion health literacy affect the well-being of chronically-ill elderly patients. Data for this research come from a cross-sectional quantitative study including 1,814 individuals (907 chronically-ill elderly patients and their 907 companions). Data were collected through two online questionnaires, one for patients and one for companions. The findings suggest that companion health empowerment is defined by the dimensions information search empowerment and knowledge development and decision participation empowerment. Furthermore, the distinction between functional, interactive and critical health literacy has revealed to be useful for comprehending companion health literacy. A structural equation model shows that critical health literacy sets the threshold above which companion health literacy improves accompanied patient well-being, even more so when it is backed up by companion information search empowerment and by companion knowledge development and decision participation empowerment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The saying "mental illness is like any other illness" has increasingly become pervasive in promoting mental health literacy among the public in China. This discourse is based on the fact that mental illness is attributed to primarily biogenetic causes. This study comprises an investigation of the impact of causal attributions of mental illness on the social withdrawal inclination of people with chronic mental illnesses (PCMIs) in China. Drawing on attribution theory and a sample of PCMIs, the current authors further question the effectiveness of biogenetic discourse to combat social stigma and to integrate PCMIs into society. In addition, in response to the proliferation of discussion on the digital inclusion of those with mental disabilities, this study constructs a structural model in which the varied effects of supportive communication are used as bridging factors, including face-to-face, telephonic and social media communication. The results indicate a stronger social withdrawal inclination when the PCMIs attributed their illnesses to biogenetic causes. In addition, biogenetic attribution was also found to potentially hinder the PCMIs from using the telephone and social media to seek supportive communication, while psychosocial attribution was found to have potential to combat PCMIs' social withdrawal inclination. In this vein, this study calls for further investigation on the conditional factors upon which digital inclusion might work for PCMIs in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Advancements in health information technology (HealthIT) and the electronic exchanges of health information have "revolutionized" health systems in the US. However, adopting technological developments into the healthcare system has the potential to benefit populations with more resources, further exacerbating health status disparities. Efficacious utilization of HealthIT requires eHealth literacy. Although eHealth literacy is comprised of six factors, new research indicates that the components related to technology literacy may be more impactful in eHealth literacy among certain populations (e.g., older populations who shoulder a greater illness-management burden). Recognizing the importance of technology literacy in eHealth literacy across the lifespan, we investigate generational differences in New Communication Technology (NCT) use and eHealth literacy, especially considering how NCT adoption theory might systematically inform scholars' understanding of eHealth literacy. Participants included 525 adults primarily in the Midwestern United States. We found significant differences between generational groups across all variables. We found that UTAUT determinants such as performance expectancy and effort expectancy explained 38% of the variance in eHealth literacy, controlling for age, sex, level of education, and prior online health information seeking. Finally, we engaged with early critiques of UTAUT, finding that when applying UTAUT in voluntary (vs. mandatory) contexts, scholars should reconsider variables previously dismissed, such as attitude. In doing this, we extend UTAUT in three ways: new contexts (voluntary NCT adoption), endogenous theoretical mechanisms (eHealth literacy), and exogenous variables (attitude; lifespan). These findings underscore a need for a targeted approach to improve eHealth literacy and health self-management across generations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Given that grandparent-grandchild relationships often last for several decades of grandchildren's lives, it becomes important to examine how grandparents' affectionate communication might be associated with their adult grandchildren's mental well-being. Using a sample of college-aged grandchildren (n = 401), this study examined whether or not grandparents' affectionate communication is indirectly associated with grandchildren's loneliness, depressive symptoms, and stress, via shared family identity. It also considered whether or not grandchildren's assessments of their grandparents' futures as expansive versus restricted moderated these associations. Affectionate communication was indirectly associated with less loneliness via heightened shared family identity, but only for grandchildren who judged grandparents' futures as expansive. These findings suggest the importance of healthy grandparents conveying to grandchildren that their lives as older adults are still full of possibilities and open to new growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

New guidelines for cervical cancer screening (CCS) incorporate both HPV and Pap tests, and there is a need to understand communication of these cotesting results to patients, especially in at-risk populations disproportionally affected by cervical cancer. This study used computer-assisted telephone interviews in 2017 at 51 federally qualified health centers (FQHCs) in Indiana to evaluate the characteristics of clinical communication CCS results to women. Results revealed that clinical communication practices varied on channel, timing, and content. Almost half of the clinics (n = 23, 45%) communicate results to patients by phone. Most clinics (n = 47, 92%) notify patients of results in two weeks or less. For cotesting, 70% (n = 36) always communicate Pap/HPV results at the same time. The majority of clinics (n = 42, 82%) explain the type of abnormal Pap test, while only 43% (n = 22) discuss the cervical cancer risk as indicated by the HPV test result. Even though 98% (n = 48) of participants rated their communication strategy as effective, qualitatively participants acknowledged difficulties in communicating cotesting results with their often transient and low health literate patients populations. These results indicate considerable variation and potential deficits in clinical communication of cotesting results in FQHCs, but several promising communication strategies were identified that may inform improved screening communication for other clinics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]