Managing Pandemic Communication Online: Turkish Ministry of Health's Digital Communication Strategies During COVID-19

Health ministries around the world have used online communication, specifically social media platforms, to provide information, communicate warnings to the public, and influence behavior according to recommended health precautions due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Grounded in agenda-setting theory, this study analyzes Turkey's Ministry of Health's (MoH) social media communication strategies and practices during COVID-19 through a content analysis of the content shared via its official Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram accounts from February to June 2020, focusing on the first 120 days of the pandemic, when it was at its height. Findings reveal that the MoH's social media activity was mainly driven by Twitter, and the minister of health has become the face of the fight against the pandemic. Results reveal that the government's efforts to fight against the virus and its prevention measures are among the most popular themes in online communication. The MoH's social media communication has shown only limited success in community building and network expansion due to inconsistent and ineffective hashtag use, among other weaknesses in the ministry's use of social media conventions.

Precaution or Stigma?: Older Adults in the Turkish National Press During COVID-19 Pandemic

Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has led to an increase in stigmatizing and discriminatory discourses against older individuals in the community. Explaining that older adults are the highest risk group, labeling individuals based on chronological age instead of personal characteristics, restrictive measures taken, and the way these measures are framed and presented in mass media resources for these individuals reinforced negative stereotypes such as “illness,” “mental decline,” “uselessness,” “isolation,” and “poverty.” In this chapter, news media, as one of the sources leading to the circulation of negative messages about individuals of older age, is reviewed;stigmatizing and discriminatory statements and applications upon the appearance of older adults in Turkey in the national press (Sozcu, Hurriyet, and Sabah newspapers) are discussed, and solution have been made. © 2022 by IGI Global. All rights reserved.

Investigation of descriptive characteristics of randomized controlled trials of COVID-19 vaccines

INTRODUCTION: The aim of this study was to examine the descriptive characteristics of randomized controlled trials published in PubMed on COVID-19 vaccines until May 30, 2021. METHODS: Seventy three articles reached by scanning the keywords "vaccine" and "COVID 19" in the PubMed database were reviewed by researchers, 33 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) related to COVID 19 vaccines were included in the study. According to the 17-item questionnaire created by the researchers, the descriptive features of included studies were examined. RESULTS: The total number of investigative authors in 33 RCT articles published in approximately one and a half years from the outbreak of the pandemic was 946, and the average number of authors per article was 28.67+or-18.56.39.3% of the articles were published in The Lancet and 27.2% in The New England Journal of Medicine. Of the vaccines used in the studies, 36.3% mRNA vaccine, 21.2% Inactivated vaccine, 18.1% Recombinant adenovirus vaccine, 12.1% Chimpanzee adenovirus-based vector vaccine, 6% BCG vaccine. 22.5% of vaccines are Phase 1, 12.9% Phase 2, 19.3% Phase 3, 3.2% Phase 4, 32.3% Phase 1-2, 9%,6 of them are Phase 2-3 studies. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: The majority of randomized controlled trials on COVID-19 vaccines are phase 1 and phase 2 trials for mRNA vaccines and inactivated vaccines. Studies have generally been conducted on the adult age group and studies are needed to evaluate the effect of vaccines on the pediatric age group. In studies, the safety of vaccines has been examined more, and there is limited information on efficacy and effectiveness of vaccines.

A Qualitative Study On The Communicative Needs, Expectations And Experiences During Covid-19 Pandemic: 65 Years And Over Ankara Sample

This study examines the high-risk group of individuals age 65 and over who most frequently experience the negative consequences of Covid-19. We review their communicative needs and expectations, knowledge and information sources, and risk information and knowledge patterns. We conducted semi-structured interviews with 47 people aged 65 and over residing in Ankara. We evaluated our results in the context of The Social Amplification of Risk Framework, considering the major communication stations disseminating risk information. We found that during the Covid-19 pandemic, individuals aged 65 and over accessed risk information through new media and traditional media, and interpersonal communication, especially with close family and children, served as a primary information source during the pandemic. The trust factor, particularly regarding medical expertise, was an essential criterion in evaluating information. The communicative needs and expectations changed for this high-risk group. The need for improved digital communication capabilities become apparent during the pandemic crisis. Suggestions that consider public perspectives and risk perceptions while incorporating the relationship between risks and communication processes may contribute to structuring impactful risk communication activities.