Skip to main content
University of Florida

CJC at the Kentucky Conference on Health Communication 2022

April 7-9, 2022
Lexington, Kentucky

Understanding Key Stakeholders’ Perceptions of Using Artificial Intelligence to Discover Patients’ Social Determinants of Health

Abstract: Social determinants of health (SDOH) are non-medical factors that influence health outcomes, such as where people are born, live, learn, work, worship, and age that affect health, quality-of-life, and risks. It is critical that clinicians are aware of patients’ SDOH, but such data are not captured consistently and can be difficult to decipher within clinical documentation. SDOH are blended in with unstructured, free-text clinical notes. As artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities expand, it is possible to mine SDOH information within electronic health records (EHR) using advanced natural language processing (NLP) methods. Our objective was to understand the feasibility, challenges, and benefits of developing an AI system to find SDOH through qualitative interviews with key stakeholders.

Examining the Context of Mental Health During COVID-19 through a Framing Analysis of Popular Health Magazines

Abstract: Awareness and concern around mental health had been increasing prior to the start of the pandemic, and COVID-19 has served as a catalyst for increased stress and new anxiety. A systematic review examining the impact of the pandemic on mental health found symptoms of depression and anxiety, among other psychological symptoms, reported across several countries (Xiong et al., 2020). A recent report from the American Psychological Association (APA) (2020) found COVID-19 to be “a significant source of stress” for 78% of Americans (p. 2). With the continuing emergence of new virus strains comes more uncertainty, and individuals may rely on health information for psychosocial support from a variety of sources. One of those sources may be health magazines, some of which have a large readership in both online and print formats. Considering the reach and popularity of some health and fitness magazines, it is particularly important to know what information about mental health is being provided to readers during the pandemic and to better understand the context of the messaging within these articles. Though still in its initial stages, this study aims to identify the frames used in discussing mental health across three popular magazines throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.

CBD Treatment Options for Pain: A Framing Analysis of US Newspapers

Abstract: Chronic pain is among the most prevalent US health conditions with major concerns related to disability and quality of life. Prescription opioid medications have become the standard care for chronic pain management, however its abuse potential and the emergence of the US opioid epidemic has prompted researchers to explore alternative options. Certain treatments under Complementary and Alternative Medicines (CAMs) have a developing body of research to support their effectiveness, but additional research is still needed to establish efficacy, safety, and potential interactive effects. This has made CAMs and their adoption a controversial topic. Cannabidiol (CBD) is one such option that has gained popularity among medical, research, political, and media circles. The way issues are framed in newspaper reporting can influence public perception as well as individual decision-making, in turn influencing funding and interest in research. This study seeks to explore how CBD treatments for pain management are framed in leading United States newspaper articles, how these are framed in relation to other pain treatment options, as well as how those frames might relate to each other.

Message Framing of Public Service Announcements during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract: Public service announcements (PSAs) are being used by public health authorities to communicate with the public during the COVID-19 pandemic. Targeting large audiences, PSAs are information campaigns to raise the public’s awareness of an issue and promote possible solutions. Analyzing the message framing of PSAs is a vital way to understand the goals of PSAs. Framing theory argues that message senders define, interpret, and solve problems utilizing different frameworks to organize information. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the content and goals of PSAs are largely unknown. As the virus has evolved and the public’s informational needs have changed, so have the content of PSAs. To fill the research gap and understand how COVID-19 PSAs were framed, we explored two research questions: (1) what are the main messages of COVID-19-related PSAs; (2) how did messaging change over time?

Patient Experiences of Discrimination as a Predictor of Colorectal Cancer Screening: What Does It Mean?

Abstract: Cancer prevention approaches such as age-based colorectal cancer (CRC) screening effectively reduce cancer burden and death, yet screening rates lag behind national benchmarks. Patient-provider communication (PPC) about CRC, specifically whether a provider recommends screening, is associated with screening completion. However, communication of these recommendations can be inconsistent to certain patient subgroups, contributing to low screening rates. Further, experiences of discrimination can influence PPC quality and participation in healthy behaviors such as cancer screening which requires patient consent and behavioral follow-through. To inform the development of cancer communication strategies to promote disease prevention, this study explored determinants of receiving a provider recommendation and CRC screening completion.

Panel: The Efficacy of Virtual Technology to Develop Tailored Research Recruitment Messages for African Americans and Latinos

A Systematic Review of Complementary and Integrative Health (CIH) Communication Using Observational Data in Biomedical Settings

Abstract: Complementary and integrative health (CIH) encompasses a wide breadth of health care practices that include non-conventional biomedical diagnostic techniques, treatments, and wellness/healing practices. CIH use is diverse and highly prevalent worldwide. Patients hesitate to communicate with biomedical clinicians about CIH use. Methodological choices affect what is and is not measurable. Much prior CIH research relies on self-reported data, yet survey and interview methods are inadequate to examine the nuances of conversational interaction. Observational methods are ideal to directly study CIH communication because they maintain environmental validity of situated communication behavior, minimize recall error common to self-reported measures, and preserve the sequenced action sequences needed to fully contextualize social communication practices. Objective. We systematically reviewed published articles using observational data to study CIH communication in biomedical settings. Our overall goal was to investigate the value of observational research methods to the study of CIM communication between biomedical clinicians, patients, and caregivers.