Online Public Attention During the Early Days of the COVID-19 Pandemic: Infoveillance Study Based on Baidu Index

Background The COVID-19 pandemic has become a global public health event, attracting worldwide attention. As a tool to monitor public awareness, internet search engines have been widely used in public health emergencies. Objective This study aims to use online search data (Baidu Index) to monitor the public’s attention and verify internet search engines’ function in public attention monitoring of public health emergencies. Methods We collected the Baidu Index and the case monitoring data from January 20, 2020, to April 20, 2020. We combined the Baidu Index of keywords related to COVID-19 to describe the public attention’s temporal trend and spatial distribution, and conducted the time lag cross-correlation analysis. Results The Baidu Index temporal trend indicated that the changes of the Baidu Index had a clear correspondence with the development time node of the pandemic. The Baidu Index spatial distribution showed that in the regions of central and eastern China, with denser populations, larger internet user bases, and higher economic development levels, the public was more concerned about COVID-19. In addition, the Baidu Index was significantly correlated with six case indicators of new confirmed cases, new death cases, new cured discharge cases, cumulative confirmed cases, cumulative death cases, and cumulative cured discharge cases. Moreover, the Baidu Index was 0-4 days earlier than new confirmed and new death cases, and about 20 days earlier than new cured and discharged cases while 3-5 days later than the change of cumulative cases. Conclusions The national public’s demand for epidemic information is urgent regardless of whether it is located in the hardest hit area. The public was more sensitive to the daily new case data that represents the progress of the epidemic, but the public’s attention to the epidemic situation in other areas may lag behind. We could set the Baidu Index as the sentinel and the database in the online infoveillance system for infectious disease and public health emergencies. According to the monitoring data, the government needs to prevent and control the possible outbreak in advance and communicate the risks to the public so as to ensure the physical and psychological health of the public in the epidemic.

Download Full-text

Online Public Attention During the Early Days of the COVID-19 Pandemic: Infoveillance Study Based on Baidu Index (Preprint)

10.2196/preprints.23098 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Xue Gong ◽

Yangyang Han ◽

Mengchi Hou ◽

Rui Guo

Keyword(s):

Public Health ◽

Spatial Distribution ◽

Search Engines ◽

Temporal Trend ◽

Monitoring Data ◽

Internet Search ◽

Public Attention ◽

The Public ◽

Public Health Emergencies ◽

Death Cases

BACKGROUND The COVID-19 pandemic has become a global public health event, attracting worldwide attention. As a tool to monitor public awareness, internet search engines have been widely used in public health emergencies. OBJECTIVE This study aims to use online search data (Baidu Index) to monitor the public’s attention and verify internet search engines’ function in public attention monitoring of public health emergencies. METHODS We collected the Baidu Index and the case monitoring data from January 20, 2020, to April 20, 2020. We combined the Baidu Index of keywords related to COVID-19 to describe the public attention’s temporal trend and spatial distribution, and conducted the time lag cross-correlation analysis. RESULTS The Baidu Index temporal trend indicated that the changes of the Baidu Index had a clear correspondence with the development time node of the pandemic. The Baidu Index spatial distribution showed that in the regions of central and eastern China, with denser populations, larger internet user bases, and higher economic development levels, the public was more concerned about COVID-19. In addition, the Baidu Index was significantly correlated with six case indicators of new confirmed cases, new death cases, new cured discharge cases, cumulative confirmed cases, cumulative death cases, and cumulative cured discharge cases. Moreover, the Baidu Index was 0-4 days earlier than new confirmed and new death cases, and about 20 days earlier than new cured and discharged cases while 3-5 days later than the change of cumulative cases. CONCLUSIONS The national public’s demand for epidemic information is urgent regardless of whether it is located in the hardest hit area. The public was more sensitive to the daily new case data that represents the progress of the epidemic, but the public’s attention to the epidemic situation in other areas may lag behind. We could set the Baidu Index as the sentinel and the database in the online infoveillance system for infectious disease and public health emergencies. According to the monitoring data, the government needs to prevent and control the possible outbreak in advance and communicate the risks to the public so as to ensure the physical and psychological health of the public in the epidemic.

Download Full-text

PUBLIC REACTION TO COVID-19 ON TWITTER: A THEMATIC ANALYSIS

EPRA International Journal of Multidisciplinary Research (IJMR) ◽

10.36713/epra4518 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 349-358

Author(s):

Akif Mustafa ◽

Imaduddin Ansari ◽

Subham Kumar Mohanta ◽

Shalem Balla

Keyword(s):

Public Health ◽

Social Media ◽

Thematic Analysis ◽

Public Attention ◽

The Public ◽

Emergency Situations ◽

Public Health Emergencies ◽

Health Authorities ◽

Social Media Platforms ◽

Public Reaction

Emergency situations typically lead to a plethora of public attention on social media platforms like ‘Twitter’. Twitter provides a unique opportunity for public health researchers to analyze untampered information shared during a disease outbreak. Considering the ongoing public health emergency, we conducted a study investigating the public reaction to COVID-19 pandemic around the world using in-depth thematic analysis of Twitter data. A dataset of 212846 tweets was retrieved over a period of seven days (from April 13, 2020, to April 19, 2020) via Twitter Application Programme Interface (API). The following five keywords were used to collect the tweets: “coronavirus”, “covid-19”, “corona”, “covid”, “covid19”. After data filtering and cleaning 6348 tweets were randomly selected for in-depth thematic analysis. Thematic analysis was done manually using a two-level coding guide. A total of six main themes emerged from the analysis: ‘sentiments and feelings’, ‘Information’, ‘General Discussion’, ‘Politics’, ‘Food’, and ‘Sarcasm or humor’. The aforementioned themes were divided into 26 sub-themes. The results of the thematic analysis show that 30.1% of the tweets were regarding ‘sentiments and feelings’, 15.6% were regarding ‘politics’, and 6.5% were related to ‘sarcasm or humor’. The present study is the first study that has analyzed the public response to COVID-19 on Twitter. The study demonstrates that social media platforms (like Twitter) can be used to conduct infodemiological studies related to public health emergencies like the COVID-19 pandemic. We believe that the results of this study will be of potential interest to policymakers, health authorities, stakeholders, and public health and social science researchers. KEYWORDS:COVID-19, Twitter, Social Media, Coronavirus, Lockdown, Pandemic

Download Full-text

The Evolution Model of Public Risk Perception Based on Pandemic Spreading Theory under Perspective of COVID-19

Complexity ◽

10.1155/2021/1015049 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 2021 ◽

pp. 1-10

Author(s):

Yi-Cheng Zhang ◽

Zhi Li ◽

Guo-Bing Zhou ◽

Nai-Ru Xu ◽

Jia-Bao Liu

Keyword(s):

Public Health ◽

Risk Perception ◽

Social Order ◽

Prevention And Control ◽

Negative Impact ◽

Control Measures ◽

The Public ◽

Public Health Emergencies ◽

Public Risk ◽

And Control

After the occurrence of public health emergencies, due to the uncertainty of the evolution of events and the asymmetry of pandemic information, the public’s risk perception will fluctuate dramatically. Excessive risk perception often causes the public to overreact to emergencies, resulting in irrational behaviors, which have a negative impact on economic development and social order. However, low-risk perception will reduce individual awareness of prevention and control, which is not conducive to the implementation of government pandemic prevention and control measures. Therefore, it is of great significance to accurately evaluate public risk perception for improving government risk management. This paper took the evolution of public risk perception based on the COVID-19 region as the research object. First, we analyze the characteristics of infectious diseases in the evolution of public risk perception of public health emergencies. Second, we analyze the characteristics of risk perception transmission in social networks. Third, we establish the dynamic model of public risk perception evolution based on SEIR, and the evolution mechanism of the public risk perception network is revealed through simulation experiments. Finally, we provide policy suggestions for government departments to deal with public health emergencies based on the conclusions of this study.

Download Full-text

Tripartite Evolutionary Game Model for Public Health Emergencies

Discrete Dynamics in Nature and Society ◽

10.1155/2021/6693597 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 2021 ◽

pp. 1-14

Author(s):

Zhiqi Xu ◽

Yukun Cheng ◽

Shuangliang Yao

Keyword(s):

Public Health ◽

Local Government ◽

Evolutionary Game ◽

Public Health Emergency ◽

Game Model ◽

Negative Behaviors ◽

The Public ◽

Public Health Emergencies ◽

Theoretical Support ◽

Safety And Health

Public health emergencies are more related to the safety and health of the public. For the management of the public health emergencies, all parties’ cooperation is the key to preventing and controlling the emergencies. Based on the assumption of bounded rationality, we formulate a tripartite evolutionary game model, involving the local government, the enterprises, and the public, for the public health emergency, e.g., COVID-19. The evolutionary stable strategies under different conditions of the tripartite evolutionary game are explored, and the effect from different factors on the decision-makings of participants for public health emergencies is also analyzed. Numerical analysis results show that formulating reasonable subsidy measures, encouraging the participation of the public, and enforcing the punishment to enterprises for their negative behaviors can prompt three parties to cooperate in fighting against the epidemic. Our work enriches an understanding of the governance for the public health emergency and provides theoretical support for the local government and related participants to make proper decisions in public health emergencies.

Download Full-text

The Role of EMS Systems in Public Health Emergencies

Prehospital and Disaster Medicine ◽

10.1017/s1049023x00037183 ◽

1997 ◽

Vol 12 (1) ◽

pp. 30-35 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Barbara A. McIntosh ◽

Patricia Hinds ◽

Lorraine M. Giordano

Keyword(s):

Public Health ◽

Health Department ◽

Definitive Treatment ◽

Local Health ◽

Public Health Response ◽

Pneumonic Plague ◽

Notification System ◽

The Public ◽

Public Health Emergencies ◽

Isolation Facilities

AbstractIntroduction:Until now, the public health response to the threat of an epidemic has involved coordination of efforts between federal agencies, local health departments, and individual hospitals, with no defined role for prehospital emergency medical services (EMS) providers.Methods:Representatives from the local health department, hospital consortium, and prehospital EMS providers developed an interim plan for dealing with an epidemic alert. The plan allowed for the prehospital use of appropriate isolation procedures, prophylaxis of personnel, and predesignation of receiving hospitals for patients suspected of having infection. Additionally, a dual notification system utilizing an EMS physician and a representative from the Office of Infectious Diseases from the hospital group was implemented to ensure that all potential cases were captured. Initially, the plan was employed only for those cases arising from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDCJ/Public Health Service (PHS) quarantine unit at the airport, but its use later was expanded to include all potential cases within the 9–1–1 system.Results:In the two test situations in which it was employed, the plan incorporating the prehospital EMS sector worked well and extended the “surveillance net” further into the community. During the Pneumonic Plague alert, EMS responded to the quarantine facilities at the airport five times and transported two patients to isolation facilities. Two additional patients were identified and transported to isolation facilities from calls within the 9–1–1 system. In all four isolated cases, Pneumonic Plague was ruled out. During the Ebola alert, no potential cases were identified.Conclusion:The incorporation of the prehospital sector into an already existing framework for public health emergencies (i.e., epidemics), enhances the reach of the public safety surveillance net and ensure that proper isolation is continued from identification of a possible case to arrival at a definitive treatment facility.

Download Full-text

Desperate Times: Protecting the Public From Research Without Consent or Oversight During Public Health Emergencies

Annals of Internal Medicine ◽

10.7326/m20-4631 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 173 (11) ◽

pp. 926-928

Author(s):

Mary Catherine Beach ◽

Howard M. Lederman ◽

Megan Singleton ◽

Roy G. Brower ◽

Joseph Carrese ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Public Health ◽

The Public ◽

Public Health Emergencies

Download Full-text

Rational trust in resilient health systems

Health Policy and Planning ◽

10.1093/heapol/czz066 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 34 (7) ◽

pp. 553-557 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Sonja Kristine Kittelsen ◽

Vincent Charles Keating

Keyword(s):

Public Health ◽

Health System ◽

Health Systems ◽

The Public ◽

Public Health Emergencies ◽

Health Authorities ◽

Cast Doubt ◽

Public Health Authorities ◽

System Resilience ◽

Relevant Component

AbstractThe 2014–15 Ebola epidemic in West Africa highlighted the significance of trust between the public and public health authorities in the mitigation of health crises. Since the end of the epidemic, there has been a focus amongst scholars and practitioners on building resilient health systems, which many see as an important precondition for successfully combatting future outbreaks. While trust has been acknowledged as a relevant component of health system resilience, we argue for a more sustained theoretical engagement with underlying models of trust in the literature. This article takes a first step in showing the importance of theoretical engagement by focusing on the appeal to rational models of trust in particular in the health system resilience literature, and how currently unconsidered assumptions in this model cast doubt on the effectiveness of strategies to generate trust, and therein resilience, during acute public health emergencies.

Download Full-text

London faces pressure to bolster virus communication

Emerald Expert Briefings ◽

10.1108/oxan-db253147 ◽

2020 ◽

Keyword(s):

Public Health ◽

Social Media ◽

Public Support ◽

Contributory Factor ◽

Content Type ◽

The Public ◽

General Lack ◽

Public Health Emergencies ◽

Public Health Messages ◽

Mixed Messages

Subject UK COVID-19 communication. Significance Communication is critically important during public health emergencies. The United Kingdom’s communications have contained mixed messages and a general lack of transparency. Several decisions with strong scientific grounding have not been adequately explained, resulting in many government achievements being undermined or overlooked. This is also a major contributory factor in the government’s eroding public support. Impacts The content and delivery of future addresses will determine how closely the public adheres to changes in guidance. The speed at which sectors of the economy can re-open is heavily dependent on the success of the communications strategy. The ongoing infodemic being played out on social media will continue to hamper the communication of public health messages.

Download Full-text

Topic Relevance of Public Health Emergencies Influence on Internet Public Opinion Resonance: Simulation Based on Langevin’s Equation

Mathematical Problems in Engineering ◽

10.1155/2021/5818346 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 2021 ◽

pp. 1-15

Author(s):

Quan Cheng ◽

Yan-gang Zhang ◽

Yi-quan Li

Keyword(s):

Public Health ◽

Public Opinion ◽

Stochastic Resonance ◽

Resonance Phenomenon ◽

The Internet ◽

Resonance Model ◽

Mutual Correlation ◽

The Public ◽

Public Health Emergencies ◽

Topic Relevance

Public health emergencies occurred frequently, which usually result in the negative Internet public opinion events. In the complex network information ecological environment, multiple public opinion events may be aggregated to generate public opinion resonance due to the topic category, the mutual correlation of the subject involved, and the compound accumulation of specific emotions. In order to reveal the phenomenon and regulations of the public opinion resonance, we firstly analyze the influence factors of the Internet public opinion events in the public health emergencies. Then, based on Langevin’s equation, we propose the Internet public opinion stochastic resonance model considering the topic relevance. Furthermore, three exact public health emergencies in China are provided to reveal the regulations of evoked events “revival” caused by original events. We observe that the Langevin stochastic resonance model considering topic relevance can effectively reveal the resonance phenomenon of Internet public opinion caused by public health emergencies. For the original model without considering the topic relevance, the new model is more sensitive. Meanwhile, it is found that the degree of topic relevance between public health emergencies has a significant positive correlation with the intensity of Internet public opinion resonance.

Download Full-text

Online Information on Electronic Cigarettes: Comparative Study of Relevant Websites From Baidu and Google Search Engines

Journal of Medical Internet Research ◽

10.2196/14725 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 22 (1) ◽

pp. e14725

Author(s):

Ting Chen ◽

Sarah Gentry ◽

Dechao Qiu ◽

Yan Deng ◽

Caitlin Notley ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Public Health ◽

Search Engines ◽

Electronic Cigarettes ◽

Online Information ◽

Web Based ◽

The Public ◽

Health Authorities ◽

Cigarette Advertising ◽

Public Health Authorities ◽

Google Search

Background Online information on electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) may influence people’s perception and use of e-cigarettes. Websites with information on e-cigarettes in the Chinese language have not been systematically assessed. Objective The aim of this study was to assess and compare the types and credibility of Web-based information on e-cigarettes identified from Google (in English) and Baidu (in Chinese) search engines. Methods We used the keywords vaping or e-cigarettes to conduct a search on Google and the equivalent Chinese characters for Baidu. The first 50 unique and relevant websites from each of the two search engines were included in this analysis. The main characteristics of the websites, credibility of the websites, and claims made on the included websites were systematically assessed and compared. Results Compared with websites on Google, more websites on Baidu were owned by manufacturers or retailers (15/50, 30% vs 33/50, 66%; P<.001). None of the Baidu websites, compared to 24% (12/50) of Google websites, were provided by public or health professional institutions. The Baidu websites were more likely to contain e-cigarette advertising (P<.001) and less likely to provide information on health education (P<.001). The overall credibility of the included Baidu websites was lower than that of the Google websites (P<.001). An age restriction warning was shown on all advertising websites from Google (15/15) but only on 10 of the 33 (30%) advertising websites from Baidu (P<.001). Conflicting or unclear health and social claims were common on the included websites. Conclusions Although conflicting or unclear claims on e-cigarettes were common on websites from both Baidu and Google search engines, there was a lack of online information from public health authorities in China. Unbiased information and evidence-based recommendations on e-cigarettes should be provided by public health authorities to help the public make informed decisions regarding the use of e-cigarettes.

Download Full-text