JMIR infodemiology最新文献

{"title":"Online Information About Side Effects and Safety Concerns of Semaglutide: Mixed Methods Study of YouTube Videos.","authors":"Andy Wai Kan Yeung, Fabian Peter Hammerle, Sybille Behrens, Maima Matin, Michel-Edwar Mickael, Olena Litvinova, Emil D Parvanov, Maria Kletecka-Pulker, Atanas G Atanasov","doi":"10.2196/59767","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2196/59767","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Social media has been extensively used by the public to seek information and share views on health issues. Recently, the proper and off-label use of semaglutide drugs for weight loss has attracted huge media attention and led to temporary supply shortages.</p><p><strong>Objective: </strong>The aim of this study was to perform a content analysis on English YouTube (Google) videos related to semaglutide.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>YouTube was searched with the words semaglutide, Ozempic, Wegovy, and Rybelsus. The first 30 full-length videos (videos without a time limit) and 30 shorts (videos that are no longer than 1 minute) resulting from each search word were recorded. After discounting duplicates resulting from multiple searches, a total of 96 full-length videos and 93 shorts were analyzed. Video content was evaluated by 3 tools, that is, a custom checklist, a Global Quality Score (GQS), and Modified DISCERN. Readability and sentiment of the transcripts were also assessed.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>There was no significant difference in the mean number of views between full-length videos and shorts (mean 288,563.1, SD 513,598.3 vs mean 188,465.2, SD 780,376.2, P=.30). The former had better content quality in terms of GQS, Modified DISCERN, and the number of mentioned points from the custom checklist (all P<.001). The transcript readability of both types of videos was at a fairly easy level and mainly had a neutral tone. Full-length videos from health sources had a higher content quality in terms of GQS and Modified DISCERN (both P<.001) than their counterparts.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>The analyzed videos lacked coverage of several important aspects, including the lack of long-term data, the persistence of side effects due to the long half-life of semaglutide, and the risk of counterfeit drugs. It is crucial for the public to be aware that videos cannot replace consultations with physicians.</p>","PeriodicalId":73554,"journal":{"name":"JMIR infodemiology","volume":"5 ","pages":"e59767"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2025-04-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143813132","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Appropriateness of Web-Based Resources for Home Blood Pressure Measurement and Their Alignment With Guideline Recommendations, Readability, and End User Involvement: Environmental Scan of Web-Based Resources.","authors":"Eleanor Clapham, Dean Picone, Samuel Carmichael, Carissa Bonner, Niamh Chapman","doi":"10.2196/55248","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2196/55248","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>High blood pressure (≥140/90 mm Hg) is the most prominent mortality risk factor worldwide. Home blood pressure measurement (HBPM) is recommended for blood pressure (BP) management. HBPM is most effective to improve BP management when delivered with patient education. It is unknown whether web-based resources are appropriate for patient education for HBPM. Patient education should provide accurate, evidence-based information, communicate at an eighth grade reading level, and involve end users in development to meet the needs of adults of all health literacy levels. Using these criteria, this study aimed to determine the appropriateness of web-based HBPM resources.</p><p><strong>Objective: </strong>This study aimed to determine whether web-based resources are appropriate for HBPM education based on three research questions: (1) Do web-based resources provide evidence-based information that aligns with guideline recommendations? (2) Do they communicate at an appropriate reading level? (3) Do they involve end users in their development?</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>An environmental scan of web-based resources for HBPM was conducted on Google (October 2022) using search terms developed with consumers (n=6). Resources were included if they were identified on the first page of the search findings, not paywalled, and in English. Resource appropriateness was appraised based on three criteria: (1) alignment of resource content to 23 recommendations for HBPM from 6 international guidelines, (2) being at an appropriate grade reading level as determined by a health literacy assessment software, and (3) having evidence of end user involvement in resource development.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>None of the identified resources (n=24) aligned with all 23 of the guideline recommendations. All resources aligned with the recommendation to measure BP when seated, while few aligned with the recommendation to use a validated BP device (n=9, 38%). All resources exceeded the recommended eighth grade reading level (mean 11.8, range 8.8-17.0) and none reported evidence of patient end user involvement in development.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>None of the web-based resources met the criteria for appropriate education to support adults to measure BP at home. Resources should be developed with end users using health literacy tools and multimodal communication methods to ensure they are appropriate to meet the needs of patients.</p>","PeriodicalId":73554,"journal":{"name":"JMIR infodemiology","volume":"5 ","pages":"e55248"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2025-04-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143782251","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Mental Health and Coping Strategies of Health Communicators Who Faced Online Abuse During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Mixed Methods Study.","authors":"Lisa Wight, Chris Tenove, Saima Hirani, Heidi Tworek","doi":"10.2196/68483","DOIUrl":"10.2196/68483","url":null,"abstract":"&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Background: &lt;/strong&gt;During the COVID-19 pandemic, health experts used social media platforms to share information and advocate for policies. Many of them faced online abuse, which some reported took a toll on their mental health and well-being. Variation in the impacts of online abuse on mental health, well-being, and professional efficacy suggest that health communicators may differ in their coping strategies and ultimately their resilience to such abuse.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Objective: &lt;/strong&gt;We aimed to explore the impacts of online abuse on health communicators' mental health and well-being as well as their emotion- and problem-focused coping strategies.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Methods: &lt;/strong&gt;We recruited health communicators (public health officials, medical practitioners, and university-based researchers) in Canada who engaged in professional online communication during the COVID-19 pandemic. In phase 1, semistructured interviews were conducted with 35 health communicators. In phase 2, online questionnaires were completed by 34 individuals before participating in workshops. Purposive recruitment resulted in significant inclusion of those who self-identified as racialized or women. Interview and workshop data were subjected to inductive and deductive coding techniques to generate themes. Descriptive statistics were calculated for selected questionnaire questions.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Results: &lt;/strong&gt;In total, 94% (33/35) of interviewees and 82% (28/34) of questionnaire respondents reported experiencing online abuse during the study period (2020-2022). Most health communicators mentioned facing an emotional and psychological toll, including symptoms of depression and anxiety. Racialized and women health communicators faced abuse that emphasized their ethnicity, gender identity, and physical appearance. Health communicators' most common emotion-focused coping strategies were withdrawing from social media platforms, avoiding social media platforms altogether, and accepting online abuse as unavoidable. Common problem-focused coping strategies included blocking or unfriending hostile accounts, changing online behavior, formal help-seeking, and seeking peer support. Due to the impacts of online abuse on participants' mental health and well-being, 41% (14/34) of the questionnaire respondents seriously contemplated quitting health communication, while 53% (18/34) reduced or suspended their online presence. Our findings suggest that health communicators who used problem-focused coping strategies were more likely to remain active online, demonstrating significant professional resilience.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Conclusions: &lt;/strong&gt;Although health communicators in our study implemented various emotion- and problem-focused coping strategies, they still faced challenges in dealing with the impacts of online abuse. Our findings reveal the limitations of individual coping strategies, suggesting the need for effective formal organizational policies to support those who ","PeriodicalId":73554,"journal":{"name":"JMIR infodemiology","volume":"5 ","pages":"e68483"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2025-04-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143774534","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Breast Cancer Vlogs on YouTube: Descriptive and Content Analyses.","authors":"Nina Morena, Elly Dimya Htite, Yitzchok Ahisar, Victoria Hayman, Carrie A Rentschler, Ari N Meguerditchian","doi":"10.2196/66812","DOIUrl":"10.2196/66812","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Many women with breast cancer document their experiences in YouTube vlogs, which may serve as peer-to-peer and community support.</p><p><strong>Objective: </strong>This study aimed to determine (1) the forms of content about breast cancer that tend to be discussed in vlogs, (2) the reasons why women choose to vlog their breast cancer experiences, and (3) the potential for breast cancer vlogs to serve as an alternative or complement to peer-to-peer support as well as a site of digital community overall.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>YouTube was searched in incognito mode in November 2023 using the search terms \"breast cancer vlog.\" A maximum of 10 videos/creator were included based on viewership and date created. Video characteristics collected included title; length; number of views, likes, comments; and playlist inclusion. Videos were assessed for sponsorship; presence of explanation and discussion on breast cancer; type of content; and themes. Creator characteristics included age, location, and engagement approaches. Descriptive and content analyses were performed to analyze video content and potential areas where peer-to-peer support may be provided.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Ninety vlogs by 13 creators were included, all from personal accounts. The mean (SD) video length, number of views, and number of comments were 21.4 (9.1) minutes, 266,780 (534,465), and 1485 (3422), respectively. Of the 90 videos, 35 (39%) included hashtags, and 11 (12%) included paid sponsorships. The most common filming location was the home (87/90; 97%), followed by the hospital (28/90; 31%) and car (19/90; 21%). Home vlogs were most often set in the living room (43/90; 44%), bedroom (32/90; 33%), or kitchen (20/90; 21%). Thirty-four of 60 videos (57%) included treatment visuals and physical findings. Creators addressed motivation for vlogging in 44/90 videos (49%); the two most common reasons were wanting to build a community and helping others. In 42/90 videos (47%), creators explicitly expressed emotion. Most common themes were treatment (77/90; 86%), mental health (73/90; 81%), adverse effects (65/90; 72%), appearance (57/90; 63%), and family relationships (33/90; 37%). Patient-directed advice was offered in 52/90 videos (58%), mostly on treatment-related issues. In 51/90 videos (57%), creators provided explicit treatment definitions. Chemotherapy was discussed in 63/90 videos (70%); surgery in 52/90 (58%), primarily mastectomy; radiation in 27/90 (30%); and general adverse effects in 64/90 (71%). Twenty-two of 90 videos (24%) were about a new diagnosis. When mentioned (40/90; 44%), the most common creator location was the United States. When mentioned (27/90; 30%), the most common age was 20-29 years.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>The dedication to building community support by vlog creators, and the personal nature of their storytelling, may make vlogs a potential resource for peer-to-peer support.</p>","PeriodicalId":73554,"journal":{"name":"JMIR infodemiology","volume":"5 ","pages":"e66812"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2025-03-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11975118/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143756240","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Understanding Interventions to Address Infodemics Through Epidemiological, Socioecological, and Environmental Health Models: Framework Analysis.","authors":"Jennifer N John, Sara Gorman, David Scales","doi":"10.2196/67119","DOIUrl":"10.2196/67119","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>The COVID-19 pandemic was accompanied by a barrage of false, misleading, and manipulated information that inhibited effective pandemic response and led to thousands of preventable deaths. Recognition of the urgent public health threat posed by this infodemic led to the development of numerous infodemic management interventions by a wide range of actors. The need to respond rapidly and with limited information sometimes came at the expense of strategy and conceptual rigor. Given limited funding for public health communication and growing politicization of countermisinformation efforts, responses to future infodemics should be informed by a systematic and conceptually grounded evaluation of the successes and shortcomings of existing interventions to ensure credibility of the field and evidence-based action.</p><p><strong>Objectives: </strong>This study sought to identify gaps and opportunities in existing infodemic management interventions and to assess the use of public health frameworks to structure responses to infodemics.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We expanded a previously developed dataset of infodemic management interventions, spanning guidelines, policies, and tools from governments, academic institutions, nonprofits, media companies, and other organizations, with 379 interventions included in total. We applied framework analysis to describe and interpret patterns within these interventions through their alignment with codes derived from 3 frameworks selected for their prominence in public health and infodemic-related scholarly discourse: the epidemiological model, the socioecological model, and the environmental health framework.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The epidemiological model revealed the need for rigorous, transparent risk assessments to triage misinformation. The socioecological model demonstrated an opportunity for greater coordination across levels of influence, with only 11% of interventions receiving multiple socioecological codes, and more robust partnerships with existing organizations. The environmental health framework showed that sustained approaches that comprehensively address all influences on the information environment are needed, representing only 19% of the dataset.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Responses to future infodemics would benefit from cross-sector coordination, adoption of measurable and meaningful goals, and alignment with public health frameworks, which provide critical conceptual grounding for infodemic response approaches and ensure comprehensiveness of approach. Beyond individual interventions, a funded coordination mechanism can provide overarching strategic direction and promote collaboration.</p>","PeriodicalId":73554,"journal":{"name":"JMIR infodemiology","volume":"5 ","pages":"e67119"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2025-03-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11957468/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143702495","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Exploring the Use of Social Media for Medical Problem Solving by Analyzing the Subreddit r/medical_advice: Quantitative Analysis.","authors":"Xiyu Zhao, Victor Yang, Arjun Menta, Jacob Blum, Padmini Ranasinghe","doi":"10.2196/56116","DOIUrl":"10.2196/56116","url":null,"abstract":"&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Background: &lt;/strong&gt;The advent of the internet has transformed the landscape of health information acquisition and sharing. Reddit has become a hub for such activities, such as the subreddit r/medical_advice, affecting patients' knowledge and decision-making. While the popularity of these platforms is recognized, research into the interactions and content within these communities remains sparse. Understanding the dynamics of these platforms is crucial for improving online health information quality.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Objective: &lt;/strong&gt;This study aims to quantitatively analyze the subreddit r/medical_advice to characterize the medical questions posed and the demographics of individuals providing answers. Insights into the subreddit's user engagement, information-seeking behavior, and the quality of shared information will contribute to the existing body of literature on health information seeking in the digital era.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Methods: &lt;/strong&gt;A cross-sectional study was conducted, examining all posts and top comments from r/medical_advice since its creation on October 1, 2011. Data were collected on March 2, 2023, from pushhift.io, and the analysis included post and author flairs, scores, and engagement metrics. Statistical analyses were performed using RStudio and GraphPad Prism 9.0.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Results: &lt;/strong&gt;From October 2011 to March 2023, a total of 201,680 posts and 721,882 comments were analyzed. After excluding autogenerated posts and comments, 194,678 posts and 528,383 comments remained for analysis. A total of 41% (77,529/194,678) of posts had no user flairs, while only 0.1% (108/194,678) of posts were made by verified medical professionals. The average engagement per post was a score of 2 (SD 7.03) and 3.32 (SD 4.89) comments. In period 2, urgent questions and those with level-10 pain reported higher engagement, with significant differences in scores and comments based on flair type (P&lt;.001). Period 3 saw the highest engagement in posts related to pregnancy and the lowest in posts about bones, joints, or ligaments. Media inclusion significantly increased engagement, with video posts receiving the highest interaction (P&lt;.001).&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Conclusions: &lt;/strong&gt;The study reveals a significant engagement with r/medical_advice, with user interactions influenced by the type of query and the inclusion of visual media. High engagement with posts about pregnancy and urgent medical queries reflects a focused public interest and the subreddit's role as a preliminary health information resource. The predominance of nonverified medical professionals providing information highlights a shift toward community-based knowledge exchange, though it raises questions about the reliability of the information. Future research should explore cross-platform behaviors and the impact of misinformation on public health. Effective moderation and the involvement of verified medical professionals are recommended to enhance the subreddit's role a","PeriodicalId":73554,"journal":{"name":"JMIR infodemiology","volume":"5 ","pages":"e56116"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2025-03-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11969121/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143671547","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Experiences of Public Health Professionals Regarding Crisis Communication During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Systematic Review of Qualitative Studies.","authors":"Tsuyoshi Okuhara, Marina Terada, Hiroko Okada, Rie Yokota, Takahiro Kiuchi","doi":"10.2196/66524","DOIUrl":"10.2196/66524","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>The COVID-19 pandemic emerged in the digital age and has been called the first \"data-driven pandemic\" in human history. The global response demonstrated that many countries had failed to effectively prepare for such an event. Learning through experience in a crisis is one way to improve the crisis management process. As the world has returned to normal after the pandemic, questions about crisis management have been raised in several countries and require careful consideration.</p><p><strong>Objective: </strong>This review aimed to collect and organize public health professionals' experiences in crisis communication to the public during the COVID-19 pandemic.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We searched PubMed, MEDLINE, CINAHL, Web of Science, Academic Search Complete, PsycINFO, PsycARTICLES, and Communication Abstracts in February 2024 to locate English-language articles that qualitatively investigated the difficulties and needs experienced by health professionals in their communication activities during the COVID-19 pandemic.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>This review included 17 studies. Our analysis identified 7 themes and 20 subthemes. The 7 themes were difficulties in pandemic communication, difficulties caused by the \"infodemic,\" difficulties in partnerships within or outside of public health, difficulties in community engagement, difficulties in effective communication, burnout among communicators, and the need to train communication specialists and establish a permanent organization specializing in communication.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>This review identified the gaps between existing crisis communication guidelines and real-world crisis communication in the digital environment and clarified the difficulties and needs that arose from these gaps. Crisis communication strategies and guidelines should be updated with reference to the themes revealed in this review to effectively respond to subsequent public health crises.</p><p><strong>Trial registration: </strong>PROSPERO CRD42024528975; https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?RecordID=528975.</p><p><strong>International registered report identifier (irrid): </strong>RR2-10.2196/58040.</p>","PeriodicalId":73554,"journal":{"name":"JMIR infodemiology","volume":"5 ","pages":"e66524"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2025-03-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11953600/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143631107","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Beliefs in Misinformation About COVID-19 and the Russian Invasion of Ukraine Are Linked: Evidence From a Nationally Representative Survey Study.","authors":"Dominika Grygarová, Marek Havlík, Petr Adámek, Jiří Horáček, Veronika Juríčková, Jaroslav Hlinka, Ladislav Kesner","doi":"10.2196/62913","DOIUrl":"10.2196/62913","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Detrimental effects of misinformation were observed during the COVID-19 pandemic. Presently, amid Russia's military aggression in Ukraine, another wave of misinformation is spreading on the web and impacting our daily lives, with many citizens and politicians embracing Russian propaganda narratives. Despite the lack of an objective connection between these 2 societal issues, anecdotal observations suggest that supporters of misinformation regarding COVID-19 (BM-C) have also adopted misinformation about the war in Ukraine (BM-U) while sharing similar media use patterns and political attitudes.</p><p><strong>Objective: </strong>The aim of this study was to determine whether there is a link between respondents' endorsement of the 2 sets of misinformation narratives, and whether some of the selected factors (media use, political trust, vaccine hesitancy, and belief rigidity) are associated with both BM-C and BM-U.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We conducted a survey on a nationally representative sample of 1623 individuals in the Czech Republic. Spearman correlation analysis was performed to identify the relationship between BM-C and BM-U. In addition, multiple linear regression was used to determine associations between the examined factors and both sets of misinformation.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>We discovered that BM-C and BM-U were moderately correlated (Spearman ρ=0.57; P<.001). Furthermore, increased trust in Russia and decreased trust in the local government, public media, and Western allies of the Czech Republic predicted both BM-C and BM-U. Media use indicating frustration with and avoidance of public or mainstream media, consumption of alternative information sources, and participation in web-based discussions indicative of epistemic bubbles predicted beliefs in misinformation narratives. COVID-19 vaccine refusal predicted only BM-C but not BM-U. However, vaccine refusers were overrepresented in the BM-U supporters (64/161, 39.8%) and undecided (128/505, 25.3%) individuals. Both beliefs were associated with belief rigidity.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Our study provides empirical evidence that supporters of COVID-19 misinformation were susceptible to ideological misinformation aligning with Russian propaganda. Supporters of both sets of misinformation narratives were primarily linked by their shared trust or distrust in the same geopolitical actors and their distrust in the local government.</p>","PeriodicalId":73554,"journal":{"name":"JMIR infodemiology","volume":"5 ","pages":"e62913"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2025-03-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11956375/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143598428","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Using Natural Language Processing Methods to Build the Hypersexuality in Bipolar Reddit Corpus: Infodemiology Study of Reddit.","authors":"Daisy Harvey, Paul Rayson, Fiona Lobban, Jasper Palmier-Claus, Clare Dolman, Anne Chataigné, Steven Jones","doi":"10.2196/65632","DOIUrl":"10.2196/65632","url":null,"abstract":"&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Background: &lt;/strong&gt;Bipolar is a severe mental health condition affecting at least 2% of the global population, with clinical observations suggesting that individuals experiencing elevated mood states, such as mania or hypomania, may have an increased propensity for engaging in risk-taking behaviors, including hypersexuality. Hypersexuality has historically been stigmatized in society and in health care provision, which makes it more difficult for service users to talk about their behaviors. There is a need for greater understanding of hypersexuality to develop better evidence-based treatment, support, and training for health professionals.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Objective: &lt;/strong&gt;This study aimed to develop and assess effective methodologies for identifying posts on Reddit related to hypersexuality posted by people with a self-reported bipolar diagnosis. Using natural language processing techniques, this research presents a specialized dataset, the Talking About Bipolar on Reddit Corpus (TABoRC). We used various computational tools to filter and categorize posts that mentioned hypersexuality, forming the Hypersexuality in Bipolar Reddit Corpus (HiB-RC). This paper introduces a novel methodology for detecting hypersexuality-related conversations on Reddit and offers both methodological insights and preliminary findings, laying the groundwork for further research in this emerging field.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Methods: &lt;/strong&gt;A toolbox of computational linguistic methods was used to create the corpora and infer demographic variables for the Redditors in the dataset. The key psychological domains in the corpus were measured using Linguistic Inquiry and Word Count, and a topic model was built using BERTopic to identify salient language clusters. This paper also discusses ethical considerations associated with this type of analysis.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Results: &lt;/strong&gt;The TABoRC is a corpus of 6,679,485 posts from 5177 Redditors, and the HiB-RC is a corpus totaling 2146 posts from 816 Redditors. The results demonstrate that, between 2012 and 2021, there was a 91.65% average yearly increase in posts in the HiB-RC (SD 119.6%) compared to 48.14% in the TABoRC (SD 51.2%) and an 86.97% average yearly increase in users (SD 93.8%) compared to 27.17% in the TABoRC (SD 38.7%). These statistics suggest that there was an increase in posting activity related to hypersexuality that exceeded the increase in general Reddit use over the same period. Several key psychological domains were identified as significant in the HiB-RC (P&lt;.001), including more negative tone, more discussion of sex, and less discussion of wellness compared to the TABoRC. Finally, BERTopic was used to identify 9 key topics from the dataset.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Conclusions: &lt;/strong&gt;Hypersexuality is an important symptom that is discussed by people with bipolar on Reddit and needs to be systematically recognized as a symptom of this illness. This research demonstrates the utility of a computational linguist","PeriodicalId":73554,"journal":{"name":"JMIR infodemiology","volume":"5 ","pages":"e65632"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2025-03-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11926447/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143575742","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Understanding Patient Experiences of Vulvodynia Through Reddit: Qualitative Analysis.","authors":"Aurora J Grutman, Sara Perelmuter, Abigail Perez, Janine Meurer, Monica Contractor, Eva Mathews, Katie Shearer, Lindsey A Burnett, Maria Uloko","doi":"10.2196/63072","DOIUrl":"10.2196/63072","url":null,"abstract":"&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Background: &lt;/strong&gt;Vulvodynia is a chronic vulvar pain condition affecting up to 25% of the US population. However, diagnosis and effective treatment remain elusive. Many individuals with vulvodynia face stigma and medical uncertainty, leading them to seek information and web-based support. Reddit is a popular social media platform where patients share health concerns and experiences. The anonymity and accessibility of this platform make it a valuable source of real-world patient perspectives that are often overlooked in clinical settings.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Objective: &lt;/strong&gt;This study evaluated Reddit content related to vulvodynia to explore how individuals with vulvodynia describe their symptoms, treatments, and personal experiences.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Methods: &lt;/strong&gt;The subreddits \"r/vulvodynia\" and \"r/vestibulodynia\" were selected for analysis in May 2023. Threads were sorted from the most popular to least popular, with \"popularity\" measured by upvotes. Opening threads from the top 70 posts in each subreddit were extracted and analyzed using inductive qualitative analysis to identify themes and sentiment analysis to evaluate attitudes.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Results: &lt;/strong&gt;In May 2023, the \"r/vulvodynia\" and \"r/vestibulodynia\" subreddits had a total of 7930 members (7245 and 685 members, respectively). Out of 140 analyzed threads, 77 (55%) contained negative attitudes. A total of 50 (35.7%) threads were seeking information or advice and 90 (64.3%) included some form of peer support. Inductive thematic analysis identified 6 core themes: symptoms (n=86, 61.4%), treatments (n=83, 59.3%), sexuality (n=47, 33.6%), erasure or disbelief (n=38, 27.1%), representation or media (n=17, 12.1%), and humor (n=15, 10.7%). Threads that discussed treatments (48/83, 57.8%), sexual experiences (25/47, 53.2%), and representation (14/17, 82.4%) had the highest proportions of positive attitudes, while threads that touched on erasure (21/38, 55.3%), symptoms (51/86, 59.3%), and humor (12/15, 80%), had the highest proportion of negative attitudes. A multivariable logistic regression of valence on the themes revealed that posts referring to treatments (odds ratio 12.5, 95% CI 3.7-42.2; P&lt;.001) or representation (odds ratio 21.2, 95% CI 4.2-106.0; P&lt;.001) were associated with significantly increased odds of positive valence. Furthermore, it was noted that 3 of the 5 most frequently discussed treatments aligned with clinical guidelines from the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, American Urological Association, and International Society for the Study of Vulvovaginal Disease. Despite this alignment, threads frequently mentioned alternative remedies and frustration with medical professionals related to diagnostic delays and perceived lack of understanding.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Conclusions: &lt;/strong&gt;This is the first study of Reddit discussions about vulvodynia. Findings suggest a gap between patient experiences and provider understanding, underscoring the n","PeriodicalId":73554,"journal":{"name":"JMIR infodemiology","volume":"5 ","pages":"e63072"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2025-03-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11906116/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143574966","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}