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Communicating knowledge and embodied experiences of personal menstrual cup use through YouTube
Abstract
Background: Despite being a normal part of life for many, menstruation is often stigmatized resulting in reduced knowledge of reusable products such as menstrual cups. YouTube videos can raise awareness of menstrual cups and challenge stigma, but little is known about the content creators or what content is communicated in the videos. Aim: Firstly, to examine vlogger characteristics and the content of videos sharing personal experiences of cup use. Secondly, to evaluate the potential of these videos as a way of communicating about menstrual health. Methods: A content analysis of the 100 most popular menstrual cup videos on YouTube followed by a qualitative thematic analysis of 50 videos containing personal experiences. Results: The content of the videos was captured in four themes: embodied knowledge; technology enabled intimacies; persuasive narratives and a collective sense of community. Discussion: Vloggers communicated knowledge and embodied experiences of personal cup use. This represents a step towards destigmatizing menstruation and menstruants’ bodies, but issues around the complexities of vloggers’ motivations and the situatedness of vloggers remain. Conclusions: Given the paucity of information on menstruation and reusable menstrual products, YouTube videos provide a potentially valuable resource for health communication and education especially for younger menstruants.
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The increasing volume of Internet based health resources means that decisions about how to trust information and advice encountered online become ever more complicated. As peer-to-peer experiences become a source of health information, lay people are required to evaluate the trustworthiness of such online personal accounts. In this paper, we present two contemporary studies of the negotiation of trust in e-health. The first study explores how people come to select a trustworthy voice from a community of online peers whilst the second explores how video bloggers use the medium to present a credible account of their health experiences. Drawing on data from interviews with community members, video transcripts and viewers’ comments, we examine issues of trust, language and advice from the perspective of those presenting the authentic voice as well as those seeking to evaluate the voice. The paper highlights the importance of similarity matching, motivation and interactivity to the portrayal and recognition of trustworthy accounts online.
The COVID-19 pandemic has brought on unprecedented changes, not only to our daily lives but also to our healthcare system. The pandemic has particularly impacted pregnant women that must give birth with tight restrictions and significant uncertainties. Birth stories have frequently been used as a way for women to describe their experiences with the birthing process. In this uncertain time, birth stories can provide valuable insight into how pregnancy and birth stressors during a pandemic can impact the patient's overall experience. This study sought to describe and understand pregnant and new mothers' lived experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Researchers extracted relevant YouTube birth stories using predetermined search terms and inclusion criteria. The mothers' birth stories were narrated in their second or third trimester or those who had recently given birth during the study period. Birth stories were analyzed using an inductive and deductive approach to capture different aspects of the birthing experience.
Overall, eighty-three birth stories were analyzed. Within these birth stories, four broad themes and twelve subthemes emerged. Key themes included a sense of loss, hospital experiences, experiences with healthcare providers, and unique experiences during birth and postpartum. The birth stories revealed negative and positive birth experiences. Particularly, mothers were frustrated with constantly changing policies within the healthcare setting that negatively affected their birthing experience. On the other hand, support from healthcare professionals, having their partners in the delivery room, and having a positive mindset was instrumental in having a positive birth experience.
Results from this study provided a detailed description of women's lived experience with giving birth during the COVID-19 pandemic. Healthcare providers need to provide clear communication and compassionate patient-centered care to relieve women’s anxiety about uncertain and unpredictable policy as the pandemic continues to evolve.
Keywords: Birth stories, COVID-19, YouTube, thematic analysis
Facing the rising trend of sponsored product reviews posted on social
media, government regulatory agencies have published industry guidelines
requiring disclosure of sponsorship in social media product reviews.
However, research about the effects of online product review sponsorship
disclosures, especially in the social media context, is still limited. To
address this problem, the current study tested the effects of sponsorship
disclosure in YouTube product reviews on consumers’ persuasion knowledge and attitudinal responses to the product, brand, and the reviewer.
Persuasion Knowledge Model and expectancy violations theory were
applied to form the theoretical foundation for the study hypotheses.
Results from an online experiment revealed: (1) sponsorship disclosure
increased consumers’ perceived persuasive intent and appropriateness of a
sponsored product review but not their perceived effectiveness of the content; (2) sponsorship disclosure had no significant effect on viewers’ attitudes toward the reviewed product, brand, or the reviewer; and (3)
viewers’ expectancy moderated the effects of sponsorship disclosure on
persuasion knowledge. Implications of the study findings and limitations
and suggestions for future research are discussed.
We review knowledge concerning public presentations for depression. These presentations impact illness beliefs and may influence public stigma, self-stigma, and depression literacy. We provide a critical review of messages, images, and information concerning depression's causes, continuum conceptualization, timeline, curability, coping/treatment regimen, and strengths. To provide data regarding the prevalence of particular presentations, we conducted a content analysis of 327 videos about depression representative of material on the YouTube social media platform. YouTube presentations of depression indicate that depression: 1) is caused by either biological (49.5%) or environmental (41.3%) factors; 2) is a categorical construct (71%); 3) is treatable, with 61% of relevant videos (n = 249) presenting recovery as “likely”; 4) is chronic, found in 76% of videos mentioning timeline; 5) is recurrent (32.5%); 6) is mostly treated via medication (48.6%) or therapy (42.8%), although diet/exercise (29.4%) and alternative treatments (22.6%) are commonly endorsed; and 7) is rarely associated with strength (15.3%). Nearly one-third of videos were uploaded by non-professional vloggers, while just 9% were uploaded by mental health organizations. We discuss how these presentations may influence stigmatizing attitudes and depression literacy among people with and without depression and suggest future research directions to better understand how to optimize public presentations.
Backgrounds: To evaluate the quality of information in
YouTube videos about vaginismus.
Methods: A search for “vaginismus” was performed on
YouTube in January 5, 2019. Two researchers watched
and analyzed each video’s overall information and scientific
content and rated it as good, fair or poor as a co-decision.
for their sources, suggestions and information contents
(good, fair or poor).
Results: Of the three hundred videos viewed on You-
Tube, 106 videos were included and analyzed. Mean video
length (mean ± standard deviation) was 4.63 ± 2.73
minute. The information content was good only in 19
(17.9%) of all videos while for a majority of them it was
poor (44.3% n = 47). There was no relation between the
reliability of the videos’ contents and their viewings (p
= 0.073). Videos uploaded by health professionals were
more reliable than those uploaded by laypersons (p <
0.001).
Conclusions: The study suggests that the videos at You-
Tube could not be a reliable source of for patients with
vaginismus. Health professions should be encouraged to
upload more videos with good content and the patients with
vaginismus should be warned about the unedited videos
uploaded by laypersons and canalized to watch videos uploaded
by health professions.
Background:
Girls and women need effective, safe, and affordable menstrual products. Single-use products are regularly selected by agencies for resource-poor settings; the menstrual cup is a less known alternative. We reviewed international studies on menstrual cup leakage, acceptability, and safety and explored menstrual cup availability to inform programmes.
Methods:
In this systematic review and meta-analysis, we searched PubMed, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, Popline, Cinahl, Global Health database, Emerald, Google Scholar, Science.gov, and WorldWideScience from database inception to May 14, 2019, for quantitative or qualitative studies published in English on experiences and leakage associated with menstrual cups, and adverse event reports. We also screened the Manufacturer and User Facility Device Experience database from the US Food and Drug Administration for events related to menstrual cups. To be eligible for inclusion, the material needed to have information on leakage, acceptability, or safety of menstrual cups. The main outcome of interest was menstrual blood leakage when using a menstrual cup. Safety outcomes of interest included serious adverse events; vaginal abrasions and effects on vaginal microflora; effects on the reproductive, digestive, or urinary tract; and safety in poor sanitary conditions. Findings were tabulated or combined by use of forest plots (random-effects meta-analysis). We also did preliminary estimates on costs and environmental savings potentially associated with cups. This systematic review is registered on PROSPERO, number CRD42016047845.
Findings:
Of 436 records identified, 43 studies were eligible for analysis (3319 participants). Most studies reported on vaginal cups (27 [63%] vaginal cups, five [12%] cervical cups, and 11 [25%] mixed types of cups or unknown) and 15 were from low-income and middle-income countries. 22 studies were included in qualitative or quantitative syntheses, of which only three were of moderate-to-high quality. Four studies made a direct comparison between menstrual cups and usual products for the main outcome of leakage and reported leakage was similar or lower for menstrual cups than for disposable pads or tampons (n=293). In all qualitative studies, the adoption of the menstrual cup required a familiarisation phase over several menstrual cycles and peer support improved uptake (two studies in developing countries). In 13 studies, 73% (pooled estimate: n=1144; 95% CI 59-84, I2=96%) of participants wished to continue use of the menstrual cup at study completion. Use of the menstrual cup showed no adverse effects on the vaginal flora (four studies, 507 women). We identified five women who reported severe pain or vaginal wounds, six reports of allergies or rashes, nine of urinary tract complaints (three with hydronephrosis), and five of toxic shock syndrome after use of the menstrual cup. Dislodgement of an intrauterine device was reported in 13 women who used the menstrual cup (eight in case reports, and five in one study) between 1 week and 13 months of insertion of the intrauterine device. Professional assistance to aid removal of menstrual cup was reported among 47 cervical cup users and two vaginal cup users. We identified 199 brands of menstrual cup, and availability in 99 countries with prices ranging US$0·72-46·72 (median $23·3, 145 brands).
Interpretation:
Our review indicates that menstrual cups are a safe option for menstruation management and are being used internationally. Good quality studies in this field are needed. Further studies are needed on cost-effectiveness and environmental effect comparing different menstrual products.
Funding:
UK Medical Research Council, Department for International Development, and Wellcome Trust.
This paper explores the level of awareness people have about the environmental impact of menstrual products. Currently the most popular types of product are also the most detrimental to the natural environment, particularly due to the amount of hidden plastic in disposable items. This research seeks to find out whether people realize that this is the case and whether those that are more aware of the damage are likely to make choices that are less harmful to the environment. A mixed method approach was taken, using online surveys and focus groups. The results of the study show that most participants were not aware at the amount of plastic in disposable menstrual products, and that there are other issues linked to their environmental impact that people are generally not aware of. Some participants were more aware of the issues than others and the research suggests that those with a higher awareness are more likely to choose products that are less harmful to the environment. Based on these findings, future actions and areas of further research are suggested.
Menstruation is a salient, and sometimes scary, communication topic for young women. The presentstudy reports on the early communication experiences about menstruation from 165 women usingopen-ended survey data. Through the framework of supportive communication, findings reveal that adiscrepancy occurs between the health and practical information and needs to which young peoplewho menstruate desire access, and their social and emotional needs. The present study indicates aninadequacy of both aspects of menstruation communication from important others in childhood andadolescence. Themes of boundary management, impersonal, silence, and accidents also characterizeearly communication experiences about menstruation. Our participants identified a desire for conversations that normalize menstruation as typical and acceptable, validate period pain and prescribe management tactics, and describe the existence of feminine hygiene products other than pads and tampons.Limitations and directions for future research are discussed.
Background
YouTube’s online archive of video testimonials related to health information are more commonly viewed than those developed by clinicians and professional groups, suggesting the importance of the patient experience to viewers. We specifically sought to examine the accuracy of information on, and projected acceptability of, the intrauterine device (IUD) from these YouTube testimonials.
Methods
We searched YouTube for videos about individual uploaders’ IUD experiences, using the search terms ‘intrauterine device’, ‘IUD’, ‘Mirena’ and ‘Paragard’. Given interest in user testimonials, we excluded professional and instructional videos belonging to commercial or non-profit entities. Two reviewers independently analysed the videos using a structured guide, with attention to inaccurate information.
Results
Of 86 identified videos, four videos featured clinicians and were excluded; 62 met inclusion criteria. Interrater agreement on IUD portrayal was good (K=0.73). Young (mean age 25, range 19–38, years), white (75%), nulliparous (61%) women primarily uploaded content. Most described placement of the LNG-IUS (65%), were posted within 1 month of insertion (45%), and mentioned side effects (66%) – bleeding, pain, and partner sensation of the strings. About one-third of videos contained inaccurate information (34%) and were thought to project an overall negative experience (30%). Videos portraying IUDs negatively were associated with inaccurate information and/or mention of side effects.
Conclusion
While one-third of IUD user testimonials on YouTube contained inaccurate information, the majority of IUD experiences were perceived by our study viewers to be positive.
This study investigated videos about Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) on YouTube in terms of issues, sources, and episodic–thematic aspects. A total of 685 videos uploaded onto YouTube between 2006 and 2014 were content analyzed. Results demonstrated that the top three key issues about ADHD were symptom, child, and treatment. Doctor, patient, and supporter were the three most interviewed sources. Videos from the public sector including the government, company representative, and public organizations were relatively rare compared to other sources suggesting the potential for a greater role for the government and public sector contributions to YouTube to provide credible information relevant to public awareness, campaigns, and policy announcements. Meanwhile, many personal videos in the episodic frame advocated social solutions. This result implies that YouTube videos about health information from the private sectors have the potential to affect change at the social level.
ABSTRACT
This essay explores the various associations, conflicts, and resolutions that converge in consumer research to produce an advertising campaign for a
feminine hygiene product. Ethnographic research identified a correspondence in beliefs and values among women who discuss menstruation as a natural process of rhythms and flow in their changing bodies. Building off the work of gender discourses in advertising, this paper claims women’s “natural” discourse located in research differs from “protection” discourse in advertising, which holds a binary view of menstruation and associates menstruation socially with shame and
secrecy. The research reveals that while women adopt a “natural” discourse of menstruation, discourses of “protection” still dominate
marketing. Paradoxically, women incorporate both discourses in assemblages of constructing “feminine identities.” This research
proposes a correspondence model that regards the consumption of consumer personal-care products in terms of embodiment rather than
binary categories as a way to interpret such paradoxes.
Fears of loss of control and utilization of dualistic discourse (e.g., me/not me; my PMS self/my real self) are hallmarks of premenstrual syndrome (PMS), as described in self-help books and articles in the popular press. In the present study, 182 North American women, ages 18-46 years, were recruited online to complete measures of self-silencing, perfectionism, affective control, and use of dualistic discourse. Women who reported that they experience PMS (N = 90) scored significantly higher on the measure of concern about affective control and used more dualistic discourse than did women who did not report PMS (N = 78). High scores on the self-silencing and perfectionism scales predicted greater concern about affective control. Our findings can be useful in designing psychotherapeutic interventions to reduce distress and assist women in coping with their symptoms.
Medical tourism is international travel with the intention of receiving medical care. Medical tourists travel for many reasons, including cost savings, limited domestic access to specific treatments, and interest in accessing unproven interventions. Medical tourism poses new health and safety risks to patients, including dangers associated with travel following surgery, difficulty assessing the quality of care abroad, and complications in continuity of care. Online resources are important to the decision-making of potential medical tourists and the websites of medical tourism facilitation companies (companies that may or may not be affiliated with a clinic abroad and help patients plan their travel) are an important source of online information for these individuals. These websites fail to address the risks associated with medical tourism, which can undermine the informed decision-making of potential medical tourists. Less is known about patient testimonials on these websites, which can be a particularly powerful influence on decision-making.
A thematic content analysis was conducted of patient testimonials hosted on the YouTube channels of four medical tourism facilitation companies. Five videos per company were viewed. The content of these videos was analyzed and themes identified and counted for each video.
Ten main themes were identified. These themes were then grouped into three main categories: facilitator characteristics (e.g., mentions of the facilitator by name, reference to the price of the treatment or to cost savings); service characteristics (e.g., the quality and availability of the surgeon, the quality and friendliness of the support staff); and referrals (e.g., referrals to other potential medical tourists). These testimonials were found either not to mention risks associated with medical tourism or to claim that these risks can be effectively managed through the use of the facilitation company. The failure fully to address the risks of medical tourism can undermine the informed decision-making of potential medical tourists, particularly given the considerable influence on decision-making by patient testimonials.
Regulation of these global companies is difficult, making the development of testimonials highlighting the risks of medical tourism essential. Additional research is needed on the impact of patient testimonial videos on the decision-making of potential medical tourists.
Increasingly, people with diverse health conditions turn to social media to share their illness experiences or seek advice from others with similar health concerns. This unstructured medium may represent a platform on which individuals with severe mental illness naturally provide and receive peer support. Peer support includes a system of mutual giving and receiving where individuals with severe mental illness can offer hope, companionship, and encouragement to others facing similar challenges. In this study we explore the phenomenon of individuals with severe mental illness uploading videos to YouTube, and posting and responding to comments as a form of naturally occurring peer support. We also consider the potential risks and benefits of self-disclosure and interacting with others on YouTube. To address these questions, we used qualitative inquiry informed by emerging techniques in online ethnography. We analyzed n = 3,044 comments posted to 19 videos uploaded by individuals who self-identified as having schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, or bipolar disorder. We found peer support across four themes: minimizing a sense of isolation and providing hope; finding support through peer exchange and reciprocity; sharing strategies for coping with day-to-day challenges of severe mental illness; and learning from shared experiences of medication use and seeking mental health care. These broad themes are consistent with accepted notions of peer support in severe mental illness as a voluntary process aimed at inclusion and mutual advancement through shared experience and developing a sense of community. Our data suggest that the lack of anonymity and associated risks of being identified as an individual with severe mental illness on YouTube seem to be overlooked by those who posted comments or uploaded videos. Whether or not this platform can provide benefits for a wider community of individuals with severe mental illness remains uncertain.
This study examines how dominant societal discourses of menstruation are appropriated, rejected, or interpreted as adolescent girls make meaning of their menarche. Thirteen women ages 18–21 participated in flexible in-depth interviews to retrospectively recount their menarcheal experience. A variation of the Reading Guide was used for primary data analysis, which identified four themes highlighting girls’ ambivalence regarding menarche. Participants were conflicted at menarche about their putative status as ‘women’; used imprecise, distancing language when discussing menstruation; engaged in material and discursive practices of concealing menstruation; and referenced a community of menstrual suffering. Further, discourse analysis of participants’ talk suggests their continued discomfort. We argue that girls experience menarche ambivalently in relation to menstrual taboos, body shame and emergent womanhood. Negative discourses of menstruation and women’s bodies converge to set girls on a problematic gendered trajectory at menarche that can be expected to inform meaning making and experiences across the lifespan.
Strong cultural messages are sent to women that their bodies are unacceptable as they are, thus encouraging engagement in a variety of body-altering practices. It seems that one of the obligations that women have in a culture that sexually objectifies their bodies is to conceal their bodies' more physical functions, such as menstruation. A new scale was constructed to measure women's attitudes and emotions toward menstruation. A study was conducted to test the relationship between self-objectification and women's menstrual self-evaluations. Results showed that women who internalize a more sexually objectified view of their physical selves have more negative attitudes and emotions, including disgust and shame, toward their own menstrual cycles.
Venoplasty has been proposed, alongside the theory of chronic cerebrospinal venous insufficiency (CCSVI), as a treatment for multiple sclerosis (MS). Despite concerns about its efficacy and safety, thousands of patients have undergone the procedure. This paper analyses YouTube videos where patients have shared their treatment experiences.
Content analysis on the 100 most viewed videos from over 4000 identified in a search for 'CCSVI', and qualitative thematic analysis on popular 'channels' demonstrating patients' experiences.
Videos adopt an overwhelmingly positive stance towards CCSVI; many were uploaded by patients and present pre- and/or post-treatment experiences. Patients demonstrate rather than merely describe their symptoms, performing tests on themselves before and after treatment to quantify improvement. Videos combine medical terminology and tests with personal experiences of living with MS.
Social media technologies provide patients with novel opportunities for advocating for particular treatments; generating alternative forms of 'evidence' built on a hybrid of personal experience and medical knowledge.
Healthcare practitioners need to engage with new digital forms of content, including online social media. Instead of disregarding sources not considered 'evidence-based', practitioners should enhance their understanding of what 'experiential-evidence' is deemed significant to patients, particularly in contested areas of healthcare.
Do different design and information content factors
influence trust and mistrust of online health sites? Fifteen women faced with a risky health decision were observed while searching the Internet for information and advice over four consecutive weeks. In some sessions their searches were unstructured, whilst in other sessions they were directed to review specific sites, chosen for their trust design elements. Content analysis of concurrent
verbalisations and group discussion protocols provided
support for a staged model wherein design appeal predicted
rejection (mistrust) and credibility of information and
personalisation of content predicted selection (trust) of
advice sites.
To determine whether menstrual cups are a viable alternative to tampons.
Randomized controlled trial.
Prince George, Victoria, and Vancouver, BC.
A total of 110 women aged 19 to 40 years who had previously used tampons as their main method of menstrual management.
Participants were randomized into 2 groups, a tampon group and a menstrual cup group. Using online diaries, participants tracked 1 menstrual cycle using their regular method and 3 menstrual cycles using the method of their allocated group.
Overall satisfaction; secondary outcomes included discomfort, urovaginal infection, cost, and waste.
Forty-seven women in each group completed the final survey, 5 of whom were subsequently excluded from analysis (3 from the tampon group and 2 from the menstrual cup group). Overall satisfaction on a 7-point Likert scale was higher for the menstrual cup group than for the tampon group (mean [standard deviation] score 5.4 [1.5] vs 5.0 [1.0], respectively; P=.04). Approximately 91% of women in the menstrual cup group said they would continue to use the cup and recommend it to others. Women used a median of 13 menstrual products per cycle, or 169 products per year, which corresponds to approximately 771,248,400 products used annually in Canada. Estimated cost for tampon use was $37.44 a year (similar to the retail cost of 1 menstrual cup). Subjective vaginal discomfort was initially higher in the menstrual cup group, but the discomfort decreased with continued use. There was no significant difference in physician-diagnosed urovaginal symptoms between the 2 groups.
Both of the menstrual management methods evaluated were well tolerated by subjects. Menstrual cups are a satisfactory alternative to tampons and have the potential to be a sustainable solution to menstrual management, with moderate cost savings and much-reduced environmental effects compared with tampons. Trial registration number C06-0478 (ClinicalTrials.gov).
Stigma can affect the types of products women know about and feel comfortable using. In the present study, we examined the extent to which message framing, prior awareness, attitudes toward one’s own menstruation, and self-objectification predict attitudes toward two lesser-known reproductive health products: the menstrual cup and the intrauterine device (IUD). Female undergraduates (N = 128) were presented with either basic information or benefit-framed information about the menstrual cup or IUD, then asked questions about their attitudes toward the product, likelihood to use or recommend the product, attitudes toward menstruation, and self-objectification. Participants had significantly more positive attitudes toward the IUD than the menstrual cup. For both products, the benefit-framed information and prior awareness were associated with more positive attitudes. Positive emotions about menstruation predicted more positive attitudes toward the menstrual cup, but not the IUD. These findings have implications for how to increase positive attitudes and intentions toward lesser-known reproductive health products.
Reusable menstrual products (RMPs) are an economical and environmentally sound alternative to disposable tampons and pads; however, disposable products remain popular. Because self-objectification and body shame encourage women to distance themselves from their bodies, these psychosocial variables may explain some individuals’ low willingness to use RMPs, which require close contact with the body or with menstrual fluid. In a cross-sectional study, undergraduate students with menstrual periods (N = 62) completed surveys that assess the variables of interest. Greater self-objectification predicted higher body shame, which in turn predicted negative attitudes toward and low willingness to use RMPs after we controlled for pro-environmental orientation and BMI.
Aims:
People with serious mental illness are increasingly turning to popular social media, including Facebook, Twitter or YouTube, to share their illness experiences or seek advice from others with similar health conditions. This emerging form of unsolicited communication among self-forming online communities of patients and individuals with diverse health concerns is referred to as peer-to-peer support. We offer a perspective on how online peer-to-peer connections among people with serious mental illness could advance efforts to promote mental and physical wellbeing in this group.
Methods:
In this commentary, we take the perspective that when an individual with serious mental illness decides to connect with similar others online it represents a critical point in their illness experience. We propose a conceptual model to illustrate how online peer-to-peer connections may afford opportunities for individuals with serious mental illness to challenge stigma, increase consumer activation and access online interventions for mental and physical wellbeing.
Results:
People with serious mental illness report benefits from interacting with peers online from greater social connectedness, feelings of group belonging and by sharing personal stories and strategies for coping with day-to-day challenges of living with a mental illness. Within online communities, individuals with serious mental illness could challenge stigma through personal empowerment and providing hope. By learning from peers online, these individuals may gain insight about important health care decisions, which could promote mental health care seeking behaviours. These individuals could also access interventions for mental and physical wellbeing delivered through social media that could incorporate mutual support between peers, help promote treatment engagement and reach a wider demographic. Unforeseen risks may include exposure to misleading information, facing hostile or derogatory comments from others, or feeling more uncertain about one's health condition. However, given the evidence to date, the benefits of online peer-to-peer support appear to outweigh the potential risks.
Conclusion:
Future research must explore these opportunities to support and empower people with serious mental illness through online peer networks while carefully considering potential risks that may arise from online peer-to-peer interactions. Efforts will also need to address methodological challenges in the form of evaluating interventions delivered through social media and collecting objective mental and physical health outcome measures online. A key challenge will be to determine whether skills learned from peers in online networks translate into tangible and meaningful improvements in recovery, employment, or mental and physical wellbeing in the offline world.
The contemporary online environment is often touted as a democratic space, open to perspectives that might regularly be excluded from professionally-controlled media platforms. However, females are underrepresented on YouTube, a popular video-sharing internet social media platform. This underrepresentation of women suggests that gender matters on YouTube. In order to contribute to research on gender dynamics on YouTube, this study focuses on the most-subscribed female YouTuber, Jenna Mourey. The first part investigates the degree to which Mourey's YouTube reception could be understood as misogynistic and hostile. To this end, comments on Mourey's top-ten videos were compared to viewer comments on the top-ten videos of a male counterpart: Ryan Higa. The second part of the study focuses on the content and style of Mourey's video oeuvre in order to contribute to research on YouTubers who successfully negotiate a hostile environment. Mourey's tendency to perform gender extremes—both masculine and feminine roles—is an ongoing feature of her videos, allowing her to simultaneously critique and benefit from traditional gender roles. This two-part study of gender on YouTube thus both supports research describing harsh responses to women on video-sharing sites and offers one YouTube performer's strategy for achieving success in this environment.
Studies have shown positive impact of video blogs (vlogs) on patient education. However, we know little on how patient-initiated vlogs shape the relationships among vloggers and viewers. We qualitatively analyzed 72 vlogs on YouTube by users diagnosed with HIV, diabetes, or cancer and 1,274 comments posted to the vlogs to understand viewers' perspectives on the vlogs. We found that the unique video medium allowed intense and enriched personal and contextual disclosure to the viewers, leading to strong community-building activities and social support among vloggers and commenters, both informationally and emotionally. Furthermore, the unique communication structure of the vlogs allowed ad hoc small groups to form, which showed different group behavior than typical text-based social media, such as online communities. We provide implications to the Health Care Industry (HCI) community on how future technologies for health vlogs could be designed to further support chronic illness management.
This chapter begins with a history of the theoretical perspectives on the importanceof social relationships for health and well-being. It then presents a seriesof models that explain how social factors can influence health and discusses thechallenges facing the field in regard to the development of measurements andinterventions. The chapter concludes with an overview of the remainder of thevolume.
Health video blogs (vlogs) allow individuals with chronic illnesses to share their stories, experiences, and knowledge with the general public. Furthermore, health vlogs help in creating a connection between the vlogger and the viewers. In this work, we present a qualitative study examining the various methods that health vloggers use to establish a connection with their viewers. We found that vloggers used genres to express specific messages to their viewers while using the uniqueness of video to establish a deeper connection with their viewers. Health vloggers also explicitly sought interaction with their viewers. Based on these results, we present design implications to help facilitate and build sustainable communities for vloggers.
Abstract We extend objectification theory research to consider the relationship between self-objectification and attitudes toward an alternative menstrual product in a diverse sample of female undergraduates from the United States (N = 151). We use a survey design to investigate attitudes toward one's menstruation as a potential mechanism that may explain this relationship. Reactions to an alternative menstrual product were predominantly negative, supporting prior research on stigma and shame surrounding menstruation. Exploratory structural equation modeling revealed attitudes toward one's menstruation mediated the relationship between self-objectification and participants' reactions to an alternative menstrual product. Implications for women's health are discussed.
YouTube is a highly utilized Web site that contains a large amount of medical educational material. Although some studies have assessed the education material contained on the Web site, little analysis of cardiology content has been made. This study aimed to assess the quality of videos relating to heart sounds and murmurs contained on YouTube.
We hypothesized that the quality of video files purporting to provide education on heart auscultation would be highly variable.
Videos were searched for using the terms “heart sounds,” “heart murmur,” and “heart auscultation.” A built-in educational filter was employed, and manual rejection of non-English language and nonrelated videos was undertaken. Remaining videos were analyzed for content, and suitable videos were scored using a purpose-built tool.
YouTube search located 3350 videos in total, and of these, 22 were considered suitable for scoring. The average score was 4.07 out of 7 (standard deviation, 1.35). Six videos scored 5.5 or greater and 5 videos scoring 2.5 or less. There was no correlation between video score and YouTube indices of preference (hits, likes, dislikes, or search page). The quality of videos found in this study was highly variable. YouTube indications of preference were of no value in determining the value of video content. Therefore, teaching institutions or professional societies should endeavor to identify and highlight good online teaching resources.
YouTube contains many videos relating to cardiac auscultation, but very few are valuable education resources.
The authors have no funding, financial relationships, or conflicts of interest to disclose. 1
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a common debilitating autoimmune disease, with unmet need for knowledge among patients and the general population. YouTube is a popular, consumer-generated, video-sharing website, which can be a source of information on RA. We investigated the quality of information on RA on YouTube and analyzed audience interaction.
YouTube was searched using the term "Rheumatoid Arthritis," for videos uploaded on RA. Two physicians independently classified videos as useful, misleading, or patient views, and rated them on a 5-point global quality scale (GQS; 1 = poor quality, 5 = excellent quality). Useful videos were rated for reliability and content, on a 5-point scale (higher scores represent more reliable and comprehensive videos). Source of videos was also noted. Audience interaction was assessed through video viewership.
A total of 102 relevant videos were identified; 54.9% were classified as useful (GQS 2.9 ± 1.0) and 30.4% deemed misleading (GQS 1.3 ± 1.6). Mean reliability and content score of useful videos was 3.2 (± 1.0) and 2.5 (± 1.2), respectively. All videos uploaded by university channels and professional organizations provided useful information but formed only 12.7% of total videos, whereas 73.9% of medical advertisements and videos by for-profit organizations were misleading. There was no difference in the viewership/day (10.0 vs 21.5; p = nonsignificant) of useful and misleading information.
YouTube is a source of information on RA, of variable quality, with wide viewership and potential to influence patients' knowledge and behavior. Physicians and professional organizations should be aware of and embrace this evolving technology to raise awareness about RA, and empower patients to discriminate useful from misleading information.
The different uses made of information from the face in social interaction are reviewed. Also considered are what image quality,
resolution and synchrony are likely to be needed in order for such information to be usable when face-to-face interaction
is achieved via video. It is argued that for most uses which are made of facial information, dramatic reductions in spatial
and pixel resolution of images can be tolerated. However, temporal information is likely to be much more crucial for communication
efficiency.
The purpose of this study was to explore the types of social support messages YouTube users posted on medical videos. Specifically, the study compared messages posted on inflammatory bowel disease-related videos and ostomy-related videos. Additionally, the study analyzed the differences in social support messages posted on lay-created videos and professionally-created videos. Conducting a content analysis, the researchers unitized the comments on each video; the total number of thought units amounted to 5,960. Researchers coded each thought unit through the use of a coding scheme modified from a previous study. YouTube users posted informational support messages most frequently (65.1%), followed by emotional support messages (18.3%), and finally, instrumental support messages (8.2%).
Social media websites, such as YouTube, Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, and Second Life are rapidly emerging as popular sources of health information especially for teens and young adults. Social media marketing carries the advantages of low cost, rapid transmission through a wide community, and user interaction. Disadvantages include blind authorship, lack of source citation, and presentation of opinion as fact. Dermatologists and other health care providers should recognize the importance of social media websites and their potential usefulness for disseminating health information.
The purpose of this study was to examine the messages conveyed in menstrual product advertisements with specific concern given to information that could be learned about menstruation and the female body by menarcheal girls. Over 200 advertisements from popular women's magazines were analyzed using constant comparative analysis. The core variable was Heightening Insecurities. The themes identified in menstrual product advertisements function to heighten insecurities in the female adolescent reader. The findings revealed that the advertisements were a reflection of the negative societal views of menstruation and, because the advertisements function to heighten insecurities, they also function to perpetuate and maintain the silence and shame which surrounds menstruation in our society.
Menstruation Mediated: Monstrous Emergences of Menstruation and Menstruators on YouTube
- L U Andreasen
- I T Winkler
- B Fahs
- K A Hasson
- E A Kissling
- T Roberts
Andreasen, L. U. (2020). Menstruation Mediated: Monstrous Emergences of Menstruation and Menstruators on
YouTube. In Bobel, C. Winkler, I.T., Fahs, B., Hasson, K. A., Kissling, E. A., Roberts T.-A. (Eds). The Palgrave
Handbook of Critical Menstruation Studies, (pp. 901-914). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-0614-7
Acceptability and safety of the menstrual cup: A systematic review of the literature
- C Arenas-Gallo
- G Ramírez-Rocha
- L González-Hakspiel
- C Merlano-Alcendra
- D Palomino-Suárez
- S Rueda-Espinel
Arenas-Gallo, C., Ramírez-Rocha, G., González-Hakspiel, L., Merlano-Alcendra, C., Palomino-Suárez, D., & Rueda-Espinel, S. (2020). Acceptability and safety of the menstrual cup: A systematic review of the literature. Revista
colombiana de obstetricia y ginecologia, 71(2), 163-177. https://doi.org/10.18597/rcog.3425
Introduction: Menstruation as Lens-Menstruation as Opportunity
- C Bobel
Bobel, C, (2020). Introduction: Menstruation as Lens-Menstruation as Opportunity. In Bobel, C. Winkler, I. T.,
Fahs, B., Hasson, K. A., Kissling, E. A., Roberts T.-A. (eds). The Palgrave Handbook of Critical Menstruation Studies.
YouTube: Digital media and society series
- J Burgess
- J Green
Burgess, J., & Green, J. (2009). YouTube: Digital media and society series. Cambridge: Polity. ¨
Menstruation Regulation: A Feminist Critique of Menstrual Product Brands on Instagram. Undergraduate Honors Theses
- M Faust
Faust, M. (2020). Menstruation Regulation: A Feminist Critique of Menstrual Product Brands on Instagram.
Undergraduate Honors Theses. Paper 576. https://dc.etsu.edu/honors/576
Because people can see me: Appropriation of YouTube for chronic illness management
- N Isika
- A Mendoza
- R Bosua
Isika, N., Mendoza, A., & Bosua, R. (2019). Because people can see me: Appropriation of YouTube for chronic
illness management. Research Papers, 13. https://aisel.aisnet.org/ecis2019_rp/13
Comparison between menstrual cups: first step to categorization and improved safety
- H Manley
- J A Hunt
- L Santos
- P Breedon
Manley, H., Hunt, J. A., Santos, L., & Breedon, P. (2021). Comparison between menstrual cups: first step to
categorization and improved safety. Women's Health, 17, https://doi.org/10.1177/1745506521105855
The crimson journey from taboo to etiquette
- R R Mathew
Mathew, R. R. (2018). The crimson journey from taboo to etiquette. Language In India, 18(3), 398-406. Retrieved
from http://www.languageinindia.com/march2018/rosemariacrimsonjourney1.pdf
Motivations and stake management in producing YouTube "bro-science" videos for baldness treatment
- A Mcneill
- E Sillence
McNeill, A., & Sillence, E. (2018). Motivations and stake management in producing YouTube "bro-science" videos
for baldness treatment. International Journal of Web Based Communities, 14(2) 97-113. https://doi:
10.1504/IJWBC.2018.10012584
Global Tampons Market to be worth US$ 6.34 Bn by 2025
Transparency Market Research (2018, May 9.). Global Tampons Market to be worth US$ 6.34 Bn by 2025.
GlobeNewswire. https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2018/05/09/1499625/0/en/Global-Tampons-Market-to-be-worth-US-6-34-Bn-by-2025-TMR.html May 09, 2018