背景:COVID-19大流行对不同国家产生了重大影响,因此实施了各种健康和安全措施,数字媒体起着举足轻重的作用。然而,数字媒体也带来了重大担忧,如错误信息和缺乏方向。
目的:我们旨在通过数字,社会,和电子媒体对巴基斯坦护理人员和卫生保健提供者的疫苗相关态度。
方法:本研究采用定性探索性研究设计,并采用目的性抽样策略,它是在信德省的3个初级卫生保健机构进行的,巴基斯坦。通过虚拟平台(ConnectOnCall和Zoom)使用半结构化访谈,与医疗保健提供者进行了7次焦点小组讨论,并与护理人员进行了60次深入访谈。通过主题分析对成绩单进行分析。
结果:我们的研究揭示了电子媒体的关键作用,移动健康(mHealth),和社交媒体在COVID-19大流行期间。确定了四个主要主题:(1)关于COVID-19及其疫苗接种的信息来源,(2)电子媒体的价值和误导性传播,(3)COVID-19期间的mHealth杠杆作用和局限性,以及(4)COVID-19期间的社交媒体影响和障碍。卫生保健提供者和护理人员报告说,常见的信息来源是电子媒体和mHealth,其次是社交媒体。一些参与者还使用全球媒体获取与COVID-19相关的更可靠信息。mHealth解决方案,如公众意识信息,视频,呼叫铃声,求助热线推广了COVID-19预防技术和疫苗注册。然而,大量涌入的新闻和社会行为叙事,包括通过WhatsApp等社交媒体提供的错误信息/虚假信息,Facebook,还有Twitter,被发现是疫苗相关疾病的主要推动者。电子媒体和mHealth被更广泛地利用,以促进有关COVID-19大流行和疫苗接种的信息和交流。然而,社交媒体和电子媒体驱动的信息流行病被确定为与COVID-19和疫苗犹豫相关的错误信息的主要因素。Further,我们发现了城乡人口之间的数字鸿沟,在农村环境中使用电子媒体,在城市环境中使用社交媒体。
结论:在像巴基斯坦这样的资源受限的环境中,mHealth的使用,社交媒体,与COVID-19及其疫苗接种相关的信息传播(事实和错误/虚假信息)和电子媒体对COVID-19疫苗接种的态度有显著影响。根据定性发现,我们建立了数字通信和信息传播模型,以增加对COVID-19及其预防措施的了解,包括疫苗接种,这可以在其他疾病负担和相关传染病的类似环境中复制。Further,为了减轻传染病,需要更大规模的数字和非数字干预。
BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on different countries because of which various health and safety measures were implemented, with digital media playing a pivotal role. However, digital media also pose significant concerns such as
misinformation and lack of direction.
OBJECTIVE: We aimed to explore the effects of COVID-19-related infodemics through digital, social, and electronic media on the vaccine-related attitudes of caregivers and health care providers in Pakistan.
METHODS: This study employs a qualitative exploratory study design with purposive sampling strategies, and it was conducted at 3 primary health care facilities in the province of Sindh, Pakistan. Seven focus group discussions with health care providers and 60 in-depth interviews with caregivers were conducted using semistructured interviews through virtual platforms (ConnectOnCall and Zoom). Transcripts were analyzed through thematic analysis.
RESULTS: Our study reveals the pivotal role of electronic media, mobile health (mHealth), and social media during the COVID-19 pandemic. Four major themes were identified: (1) sources of information on COVID-19 and its vaccination, (2) electronic media value and misleading communication, (3) mHealth leveraging and limitations during COVID-19, and (4) social media influence and barriers during COVID-19. Health care providers and caregivers reported that the common sources of information were electronic media and mHealth, followed by social media. Some participants also used global media for more reliable information related to COVID-19. mHealth solutions such as public awareness messages, videos, call ringtones, and helplines promoted COVID-19 prevention techniques and vaccine registration. However, the overwhelming influx of news and sociobehavioral narratives, including
misinformation/disinformation through social media such as WhatsApp, Facebook, and Twitter, were found to be the primary enablers of vaccine-related infodemics. Electronic media and mHealth were utilized more widely to promote information and communication on the COVID-19 pandemic and vaccination. However, social media and electronic media-driven infodemics were identified as the major factors for
misinformation related to COVID-19 and vaccine hesitancy. Further, we found a digital divide between the urban and rural populations, with the use of electronic media in rural settings and social media in urban settings.
CONCLUSIONS: In a resource-constrained setting like Pakistan, the usage of mHealth, social media, and electronic media for information spread (both factual and mis/disinformation) related to COVID-19 and its vaccination had a significant impact on attitudes toward COVID-19 vaccination. Based on the qualitative findings, we generated a model of digital communications and information dissemination to increase knowledge about COVID-19 and its prevention measures, including vaccination, which can be replicated in similar settings for other disease burdens and related infodemics. Further, to mitigate the infodemics, both digital and nondigital interventions are needed at a larger scale.