Communication

Because large percentages of people avoid vaccination because of hesitancy, studies are trying to better understand vaccine intention so that communities can reach herd immunity. This is not just  a local concern but a global problem. In this analysis of Read More

Health professionals around the world are encouraging people to get vaccinated with the COVID-19 vaccine once available and eligible. However, communities are faced with increased rates of vaccine hesitancy, which may deter goals to get a certain percentage of the Read More

This week’s review focuses on the strategies, channels, and messengers to use for effective COVID-19 prevention messages. This study found that the channel from which people get their information about COVID-19 and vaccinations likely influences their level of vaccine hesitancy. Read More

With the growing amount of misinformation on social media related to COVID-19 (see, for example, this study of COVID-19 vaccine information on Parler), many platforms have begun censoring content. However, this approach may actually backfire, according to a recent commentary. Read More

This week’s review focuses on understanding vaccine hesitancy, particularly addressing who is likely to be hesitant, where they get information, and what can be done to overcome hesitancy. Although vaccine hesitancy is seen in all groups of people, this national Read More

Combatting Misinformation COVID-19 has triggered two parallel pandemics – a biological one with the spread of the virus and a social one with the spread of misinformation and disinformation. In a national survey of 840 respondents, users of conservative media, Read More

This week’s articles explore different ways to interact with people about COVID-19 in productive ways. Designing Effective Messages to Encourage COVID-19 Protective Behaviors In this study of the psychological factors influencing people’s willingness to adopt protective behaviors to help control Read More

As numerous studies have shown that just more than half of Americans report intending to get the COVID-19 vaccine, this week’s review focuses on vaccine hesitancy and how effective communication strategies can increase vaccine uptake. Reasons for Anti-Vaccination Perspectives There Read More

Social media has shown to be an essential form of communication during the COVID-19 pandemic. This editorial focuses on both the positives and negatives of using social media, for both the public and for health care providers (and the authors Read More

Because COVID-19 affects people differently, public health efforts should focus on increasing COVID-19 safety messaging, testing, vaccination, and other prevention efforts for people who are young, non-White, Hispanic, and working in COVID-19 clinical units, a study published in Public Health Read More