Hostname: page-component-848d4c4894-hfldf Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-05-16T19:21:08.663Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Impact of Mass Media on Public Behavior and Physicians: An Ecological Study of the H1N1 Influenza Pandemic

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 May 2016

Shlomi Codish ,
Lena Novack ,
Jacob Dreiher ,
Leonid Barski ,
Alan Jotkowitz ,
Lior Zeller  and
Victor Novack
Shlomi Codish
Affiliation:
Division of Internal Medicine, Soroka University Medical Center, Beer Sheva, Israel Medical Management, Soroka University Medical Center, Beer Sheva, Israel These authors contributed equally to this work
Lena Novack
Affiliation:
Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva, Israel These authors contributed equally to this work
Jacob Dreiher
Affiliation:
Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva, Israel Hospital Division, Clalit, Tel Aviv, Israel Clinical Research Center, Soroka University Medical Center, Beer Sheva, Israel
Leonid Barski
Affiliation:
Division of Internal Medicine, Soroka University Medical Center, Beer Sheva, Israel Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva, Israel
Alan Jotkowitz
Affiliation:
Division of Internal Medicine, Soroka University Medical Center, Beer Sheva, Israel Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva, Israel
Lior Zeller
Affiliation:
Division of Internal Medicine, Soroka University Medical Center, Beer Sheva, Israel Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva, Israel
Victor Novack*
Affiliation:
Division of Internal Medicine, Soroka University Medical Center, Beer Sheva, Israel Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva, Israel Clinical Research Center, Soroka University Medical Center, Beer Sheva, Israel
*
Department of Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University, Beer-Sheva, Israel (novack@bgu.ac.il).
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Background.

The mass media plays an important role in public health behavior.

Purpose.

The objective of the present study was to investigate the effect of mass media coverage of the H1N1 pandemic on the number of emergency department (ED) visits and hospital admission rates.

Methods.

An ecological study of ED visits to 8 general Israeli hospitals due to influenza-like illness during the period June–October 2009 was performed. Data on the number of visits per day for children and adults and daily hospitalization rates were analyzed. Associations with the estimated value of H1N1-related publications and weekly reports from nationwide sentinel clinics were assessed. The analysis was performed in 2012–2013.

Results.

There were 55,070 ED visits due to influenza-like illness during the study period. The overall number of media reports was 1,812 (14.3% radio broadcasts, 9.8% television broadcasts, 27.5% newspaper articles, and 48.5% major website reports). The overall estimated value of advertising of publications was $16,399,000, excluding the Internet. While H1N1 incidence recorded by Israeli sentinel clinics showed no association with mass media publications, peaks of media reports were followed by an increase in the number of ED visits, usually with a delay of 3 days (P = .005). This association was noted in children (P < .001) but not in adults (P > .1), with a corresponding decrease in hospital admission rates. Publications’ framing had no association with ED visits.

Conclusions.

During the 2009 H1N1 influenza outbreak in Israel, an increase in mass media coverage was associated with an increase in pediatric ED visits.

Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2014;35(6):709–716

Type
Original Articles
Information
Infection Control & Hospital Epidemiology , Volume 35 , Issue 6 , 01 June 2014 , pp. 709 - 716
Copyright
© 2014 by The Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America. All rights reserved.

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

1. Griffiths, W, Knutson, AL. The role of mass media in public health. Am J Public Health Nations Health 1960;50:515–523.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
2. Grilli, R, Ramsay, C, Minozzi, S. Mass media interventions: effects on health services utilisation. Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2002;1:CD000389.Google Scholar
3. Nava, S, Santoro, C, Grassi, M, et al. The influence of the media on COPD patients’ knowledge regarding cardiopulmonary resuscitation. Int J Chron Obstruct Pulmon Dis 2008;3:295–300.Google Scholar
4. Caldwell, MA, Miaskowski, C. Mass media interventions to reduce help-seeking delay in people with symptoms of acute myocardial infarction: time for a new approach? Patient Educ Couns 2002;46:1–9.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
5. Bala, M, Strzeszynski, L, Cahill, K. Mass media interventions for smoking cessation in adults. Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2008;1:CD004704.Google Scholar
6. Vidanapathirana, J, Abramson, MJ, Forbes, A, et al. Mass media interventions for promoting HIV testing. Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2005;3:CD004775.Google Scholar
7. Thomsen, SR. Commentary: searching for media effects. Int J Epidemiol 2007;36:1078–1079.Google Scholar
8. Lecounturier, J, Rodgers, H, Muryagh, MJ, et al. Systematic review of mass media interventions designed to improve public recognition of stroke symptoms, emergency response and early treatment. BMC Public Health 2010;10:784.Google Scholar
9. Nelkin, D. Selling Science. New York: Freeman, 1987.Google Scholar
10. Kristiansen, CM, Harding, CM. Mobilization of health behavior by the press in Britain. Journal Q 1984;61:364–370.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
11. Mazur, A. Media coverage and public opinion on scientific controversies. J Commun 1981;31:106–115.Google Scholar
12. Freimuth, VS, Van Nevel, JP. Reaching the public: the asbestos awareness campaign. J Commun 1981;31:154–167.Google Scholar
13. Cronholm, M, Sandell, R. Scientific information: a review of the research. J Commun 1981;31:85–96.Google Scholar
14. Jones, EF, Beniger, JR, Westoff, CF. Pill and IUD discontinuation in the United States, 1970–1975: the influence of the media. Fam Plann Perspect 1980;12:293–300.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
15. Domenighetti, G, Luraschi, P, Casablanca, A, et al. Effect of information campaign by the mass media on hysterectomy rates. Lancet 1988;2:1470–1473.Google Scholar
16. Warner, KE. Television and health education: stay tuned. Am J Public Health 1987;77:140–142.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
17. Sandman, PM, Weinstein, ND, Klotz, ML. Public response to the risk from geological radon. J Commun 1987;37:93–108.Google Scholar
18. Flay, BR. Mass media and smoking cessation: a critical review. Am J Public Health 1987;77:153–160.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
19. Winsten, JA. Science and the media: the boundaries of truth. Health Aff (Milwood) 1985;4:5–23.Google Scholar
20. Culbertson, HM, Stempel, GH. Possible barriers to agenda setting in medical news. Newsp Res J 1984;5:53–60.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
21. Pfund, N, Hofstadter, LK. Biomedical innovation and the press. J Commun 1981;31:138–154.Google Scholar
22. Church, M. Return of whooping cough. Br Med J 1978;1:195.Google Scholar
23. McQuail, D. The influence and effects of mass media. In: Curran, J, Gurevitch, M, Woolacott, J, eds. Mass Communication and Society. London: Edward Arnold, 1977:70–94.Google Scholar
24. Paunio, M, Virtanen, M, Peltola, H, et al. Increase of vaccination coverage by mass media and individual approach: intensified measles, mumps, and rubella prevention program in Finland. Am J Epidemiol 1991;133:1152–1160.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
25. Macdonald, H, Roder, D. The planning, implementation and evaluation of an immunization promotion campaign in South Australia. Hygie 1985;4:13–17.Google Scholar
26. Marcus, BH, Owen, N, Forsyth, LH, et al. Physical activity interventions using mass media, print media, and information technology. Am J Prev Med 1998;15:362–378.Google Scholar
27. Finnegan, JR Jr, Viswanath, K, Hertog, J. Mass media, secular trends, and the future of cardiovascular disease health promotion: an interpretive analysis. Prev Med 1999;29:S50–S58.Google Scholar
28. Phillips, DP, Kanter, EJ, Bednarczyk, B, et al. Importance of the lay press in the transmission of medical knowledge to the scientific community. N Engl J Med 1991;325:1180–1183.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
29. Nattinger, AB, Hoffmann, RG, Howell-Pelz, A, et al. Effect of Nancy Reagan’s mastectomy on choice of surgery for breast cancer by US women. JAMA 1998;279:762–766.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
30. Perlman, GY. The influence of an event in the Israeli media on the compliance of patients with influenza vaccinations in the winter of 2006–2007 [in Hebrew]. Harefuah 2009;148: 811–814.Google Scholar
31. Rubin, GJ, Potts, HW, Michie, S. The impact of communications about swine flu (influenza A H1N1) on public responses to the outbreak: results from 36 national telephone surveys in the UK. Health Technol Assess 2010;14:183–266.Google Scholar
32. Israel Ministry of Health. Update regarding Swine Influenza in Israel and Worldwide, and the Healthcare System’s Preparedness for It [in Hebrew]. Jerusalem: Israel Ministry of Health, 2010.Google Scholar
33. Bromberg, M, Kaufman, Z, Mandelboim, M, et al. Clinical and virological surveillance of influenza in Israel—implementation during pandemic influenza [in Hebrew]. Harefuah 2009;148:577–582.Google Scholar
34. Stemler, S. An overview of content analysis. Pract Assess Res Eva 2001;7(17).Google Scholar
35. Peng, RD, Dominici, F. Statistical Methods for Environmental Epidemiology with R: A Case Study in Air Pollution and Health. New York: Springer Science+Business Media, 2008.Google Scholar
36. R Development Core Team. R: A Language and Environment for Statistical Computing. Vienna: R Foundation for Statistical Computing, 2010. http://www.R-project.org/.Google Scholar
37. Rothman, AJ, Salovey, P. Shaping perceptions to motivate healthy behavior: the role of message framing. Psychol Bull 1997;121:3–19.Google Scholar
38. O’Keefe, DJ, Jansen, JD. The relative persuasiveness of gain-framed and loss-framed messages for encouraging disease prevention behaviors: a meta-analytic review. J Health Commun 2007;12:623–644.Google Scholar
39. Kamate, SK, Agrawal, A, Chaudhary, H, et al. Public knowledge, attitude and behavioural changes in an Indian population during the influenza A (H1N1) outbreak. J Infect Dev Ctries 2009;4:7–14.Google Scholar
40. Wong, LP, Sam, IC. Temporal changes in psychobehavioral responses during the 2009 H1N1 influenza pandemic. Prev Med 2010;51:92–93.Google Scholar
41. Rubin, GJ, Amlôt, R, Page, L, Wessely, S. Public perceptions, anxiety, and behaviour change in relation to the swine flu outbreak: cross sectional telephone survey. BMJ 2009;339:b2651.Google Scholar