Disease Awareness

In March, a false audio message about the current Dengue fever outbreak in Argentina went viral through WhatsApp, which has nearly 18 million users in in the country (57% of adults with internet access). This caused panic among the population and resulting in widespread accusations of
the government suppressing information about a potential epidemic.

This is not the only such case. At the beginning of the year in Colombia, false news was spread that a group of U.S. specialists would operate on patients with cleft lip for free at a Military Hospital in Bogotá.

Although social media may be useful for disseminating health information, there are obvious drawbacks in terms of quality control and fact checking on a platform where anyone can post anything and claim it as the truth.

In the Argentinian case, a message recorded by a woman who introduced herself as a doctor working at José María Penna Hospital was circulated through WhatsApp. In the message, the woman warned her contacts about a Dengue fever epidemic that is being hidden by the Health System Authorities: “Hi girls, this is a medical notice. I know it´s boring to put on mosquito repellent all the time. The orange can has to be used every two hours and the green can every four hours. The number of dengue fever cases is increasing and the situation is not being made public. At my hospital – Penna Hospital – there are more than 400 diagnosed cases, both in adults and children. Every day, between 7 and 8 new cases are diagnosed and we are expecting a significant epidemic that might occur in March or April…”

The audio circulated very quickly: in just six hours it became a major issue in the media and it forced the health authorities to take action on the matter. As a first step, Penna hospital’s Director, Gustavo San Martin, told the media that there were “nine patients hospitalized, but none in critical condition.” After this clarification the Buenos Aires Minister of Health, Ana Maria Bou Pérez, denied the veracity of the audio recording and indicated that only 216 cases of Dengue were confirmed in the region.

As the message continued spreading and concerns about the concealment of information by health authorities were in the air, Jorge San Juan, the National Director of Epidemiology, released official statistics regarding the number of cases across the country. Minister of Health Dr. Jorge Lemus then delivered a final, authoritative statement on the issue. The panic generated by this viral WhatsApp message lasted only one day, but demanded the attention of the highest authorities in the national health system.

What motivated people nationwide to share this message of panic? The message had typical characteristics of viral content:

• It targeted emotion (to generate concern among listeners);
• It was anonymous (the alleged doctor did not say her name because the message was addressed to her own friends and relatives); and
• It was designed to appear like a genuine “homemade” audio message (her voice is agitated and the sound of ambulance sirens and cars are in the background).

It is interesting to reflect on what people choose to believe. But why do we believe in conspiracies? There are a lot of studies about the high adhesion of conspiracy theories that are a reflection of collective fears. According to professors Eric Oliver of the University of Chicago and Tom Wood of Ohio State University in Columbus, “these kind of theories prove that the brain has not evolved enough to process information on industrial economies, medicine or terrorism. But it did evolve for survival in nature.”

Could it be that the tendency to have fantastic conspiratorial beliefs can be linked to a void of authority and authentic communication? That is, given the lack of confidence in their institutions or political leaders, people seek explanations and guidance from unusual or anonymous sources. For example, a Whatsapp audio note.

What’s really happening with Dengue in Argentina:

The quadrivalent vaccine that was recently launched to prevent Dengue fever has not yet been approved.  For this reason all communications campaigns in the disease area are focused on how to avoid the proliferation of Aedes aegypty -the mosquito that transmits Dengue- through the elimination of breeding sites. One of the most striking aspects of the audio was that it did not refer to this key step in preventing the spread of the disease. But it did mention the need to use repellents more often

 

How do you think institutions can use social media as a positive tool for combatting public health issues such as Dengue? Is there a way potential for abuse and viral misinformation on social media without inhibiting the good it can do? Let us know in the comments.

 

Luciana Acuña Elías is Account Director at GLOBALHealthPR Argentina partner, Paradigma PEL Comunicación

Today’s post comes to us from our GLOBALHealthPR Australia partner, VIVA! Communications.

Former Australian Test Cricket Captain, Steve Waugh, AO, is joining his wife and stroke survivor, Lynette, 49, health professionals and stroke survivors, to champion public awareness of stroke, its often fatal consequences, and the importance of early detection this month.

With more than 60,000 Australians experiencing stroke each year,¹ one-in-430 (17,273) of whom are from NSW,² Steve and Lynette, who survived a devastating haemorrhagic stroke in August, 2006, are urging members of the community to visit their local Blooms The Chemist pharmacy for a free Stroke Risk Assessment this Stroke Risk Awareness Month (September).

According to Steve, his wife experienced a stroke at the age of 40, without warning.

“It was completely unexpected, and an extremely intimidating and terrifying experience for everyone. “Lynette has since spent the past nine years working to reclaim her speech, memory and hearing – a battle she continues to wage today,” Steve said. “Mistakenly, many of us tend to think of stroke as an older person’s condition. But stroke can strike anyone, at any age.

“One-in-six people will have a stroke during their lifetime. While stroke currently has no cure, importantly, the most common type of stroke can be prevented,” said Steve. “Your pharmacist represents a good first port of call to determine your risk of stroke.” Stroke is one of our nation’s biggest killers,^5,6 and the second most common cause of disability in Australia.¹

“Stroke is the third most common cause of death in men, killing more men than prostate cancer, and the second most common cause of death among women, killing more women than breast cancer,”⁶ said General Practitioner, Dr Richard Kidd, Nundah Doctors, Surgery, Brisbane. There are two major types of stroke: ischaemic stroke, the most common type, responsible for four-in-five (80 per cent) strokes, that is lifestyle-preventable; and haemorrhagic stroke, responsible for one-in-five (20 per cent) strokes.³

Risk factors for stroke include older age, gender, family history, medical conditions and lifestyle. Lifestyle factors that increase the risk of stroke include high blood pressure, high cholesterol, obesity, cigarette smoking, poor diet and exercise, and high alcohol consumption. “While certain stroke risk factors cannot be controlled, lifestyle risk factors for stroke can,” Dr Kidd said. “With the help of your family doctor and pharmacist, you can reduce your risk of stroke by reducing high blood pressure, quitting smoking, reducing excess weight, achieving good control of diabetes and reducing excessive alcohol. A significant family history may indicate investigation for less common risk factors. A healthy diet, regular physical activity, screening for stroke risk and regular visits to your doctor and pharmacist, are all measures that help prevent stroke.”^7,8

“I have no family history of stroke. I don’t smoke, and I’m not a big drinker. My stroke just happened,” explained the former Australian Test Cricket Captain’s wife, Lynette, who considers herself very fortunate to have survived stroke.  “It [stroke] was an unusual experience that left me cocooned. I didn’t understand why I was in hospital. I didn’t even know I’d had surgery on my head.” Lynette cites her biggest frustration with stroke has been its effect on her immediate family. “A stroke is sudden and abrupt to the blood supply to the brain, and that’s how it affects the family as well. It’s sudden and abrupt to a family.”

Reflecting on the arduous, ongoing recovery process from stroke, Lynette advises “It’s important not to be in a hurry when recovering from stroke. The re-learning process is ongoing. It’s something you need to keep working on every day.

“I was in speech therapy twice-a-week and had daily activities to complete. I had to learn to talk all over again,” said Lynette. As a stroke survivor, Lynette contends she is well-positioned to campaign for heightened public awareness of stroke and its often devastating consequences. “My message to the public is to be aware of stroke, to not ignore any potential signs of stroke, and if present, to jot these signs down.

“Having a Stroke Risk Assessment is an initial step toward stroke prevention,” Lynette said.  According to Kurt Smith, Working Partner and Pharmacist, Blooms The Chemist, Wyong, NSW, an ischaemic stroke can be prevented by addressing simple lifestyle factors through this type of assessment.^7,8

“A Stroke Risk Assessment takes less than 10 minutes. It involves a pharmacist taking your blood pressure and asking a series of simple questions designed to assess your overall risk of stroke. Should the pharmacist consider you to be at-risk of stroke, you will be advised to seek prompt medical advice,” Kurt said. “The results will be feature in a Doctor referral form for the patient to share with their doctor.”

Social media manager, Deb, 53, Sydney, lost her mother, Sylvia, 70, in July this year, following four ischemic strokes over the past four years.

The heavy smoker, mother-of-three and grandmother-to-four, lost her ability to walk and talk, her independence and eventually, her ability to care for herself. After her third stroke last year, her husband, Edward, became her full-time carer.

“It was hard for Mum because, eventually, she couldn’t even make a cup of coffee, feed herself, get dressed, go to the toilet or have a shower,” said Deb. “Mum was in and out of hospital after her second stroke, until she passed away. It was devastating to see what stroke can do to a loved one.

“A Stroke Risk Assessment could have prevented Mum’s stroke, and had I known they existed at the time, I would have encouraged her to have had one, because stroke prevention is key,” Deb said. “Dealing with stroke and the impact it has on the individual and their family, is heart-wrenching. I would urge anyone to undergo a simple Stroke Risk Assessment to help prevent the devastation that results from stroke,” she said.

About stroke

Stroke is a medical emergency that can lead to brain damage or even death.^9,10 Stroke occurs when blood flow to the brain is interrupted, either by a blockage in an artery, or a bleed in the brain.¹¹ Interrupted blood flow stops nutrients and oxygen reaching affected parts of the brain, resulting in brain cell death in those areas.⁹

If you suspect you, a family member or friend is at-risk of stroke, visit your local Blooms The Chemist pharmacist for a Stroke Risk Assessment this Stroke Risk Awareness Month. Stroke Risk Assessments are being run throughout major metropolitan and regional areas of NSW, QLD and in Melbourne. For further information, head to http://www.blooms.net.au/monitoring-management/.     

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References

1. Neuroscience Research Australia. Stroke. Available at: https://www.neura.edu.au/health/stroke [last accessed August 2015].
2. Stroke Foundation Australia. Stroke in Australia – No postcode untouched, 2014. Available at: https://strokefoundation.com.au/~/media/strokewebsite/resources/research/nsf952_nopostcodeuntouched_web2.ashx?la=en [last accessed August, 2015].
3. Stroke Foundation Australia. About stroke. Available at https://strokefoundation.com.au/about-stroke/types-of-stroke [last accessed August, 2015].
4. Stroke Foundation Australia. Preventing stroke: Available at: https://strokefoundation.com.au/about-stroke/preventing-stroke [last accessed August, 2015].
5. Australian Institute of Health & Welfare. Leading Causes of Death. Available at: http://www.aihw.gov.au/deaths/leading-causes-of-death/ [last accessed August, 2015].
6. Australian Institute of Health and Welfare 2012. Australia’s Health 2012. Available at http://www.aihw.gov.au/WorkArea/DownloadAsset.aspx?id=10737422169 [last accessed July, 2015].
7. Health Direct Australia. What causes a stroke. Available at: http://www.healthdirect.gov.au/what-causes-a-stroke [last accessed August, 2015].
8. Stroke Foundation Australia. Stroke risk factors. Available at: https://strokefoundation.com.au/about-stroke/preventing-stroke/stroke-risk-factors [last accessed August, 2015].
9. Health Direct Australia. Stroke. Available at: http://www.healthdirect.gov.au/stroke [last accessed August, 2015].
10. Better Health Channel. Stroke. Available at: http://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/bhcv2/bhcarticles.nsf/pages/stroke [last accessed August, 2015].
11. Stroke Foundation Australia. What is a stroke. Available at: https://strokefoundation.com.au [last accessed August, 2015].

Today’s post comes to us from our GLOBALHealthPR Australia partner, VIVA! Communications.

This time every year, we begin to notice men growing all sorts of weird and wonderful moustaches.

Bikers become legends, the handlebar “mo” becomes the ultimate achievement, while hipsters create all forms of weird and wonderfully groomed moustaches – it is Movember. [Read more…] about Made in Movember…

Today’s blog post comes to us from Mayra Lopes of GLOBALHealthPR Brazil partner, Tino Comunicação.

Planning, building strategy, fundraising… check! Next comes launch and the agenda is already full of activities. Just last week, Tino Comunicação launched “Saia da Bolha” (Burst the Bubble) for primary immunodeficiency awareness. Primary immunodeficiency is a genetic disorder that attacks a patient’s immune system. To draw attention, the inauguration consisted of a performance: an actress was inside of a bubble around São Paulo’s bustling Paulista Avenue area performing routine tasks and captivating those passing by. [Read more…] about Glaucoma, Immunodeficiency, Rare Diseases and Sun Exposure: Four Awareness Campaigns Ready to Kick Off in Brazil

John Seng is Founder & CEO of Spectrum and Chair of GLOBALHealthPR.

When I founded Spectrum in July 1996, I had no way of knowing that in October that same year a baby boy born to a Massachusetts couple would before too long enter my world, altering the life of my company, and before long the perspectives of anyone who crossed paths with him.

This baby’s name was Sampson Berns. His parents, physicians Leslie Gordon and Scott Berns, gave him the name of the biblical character who symbolized strength and invulnerability, but for the loss of his hair. Little did anyone appreciate at the time the sheer force of magnitude that baby Sam Berns would usher into our domain. [Read more…] about Sam Berns, 1996-2014