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In the Digital Era, Is Community Outrage a Feasible Proxy Indicator of Emotional Epidemiology? The Case of Meningococcal Disease in Sardinia, Italy

Author

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  • Marco Dettori

    (Department of Medical, Surgical and Experimental Sciences, University of Sassari, Via Padre Manzella 4, 07100 Sassari, Italy)

  • Benedetto Arru

    (Department of Medical, Surgical and Experimental Sciences, University of Sassari, Via Padre Manzella 4, 07100 Sassari, Italy)

  • Antonio Azara

    (Department of Medical, Surgical and Experimental Sciences, University of Sassari, Via Padre Manzella 4, 07100 Sassari, Italy)

  • Andrea Piana

    (Department of Medical, Surgical and Experimental Sciences, University of Sassari, Via Padre Manzella 4, 07100 Sassari, Italy)

  • Gavino Mariotti

    (Department of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Sassari, Via Roma 151, 07100 Sassari, Italy)

  • Maria Veronica Camerada

    (Department of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Sassari, Via Roma 151, 07100 Sassari, Italy)

  • Paola Stefanelli

    (National Health Institute, Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161 Rome, Italy)

  • Giovanni Rezza

    (National Health Institute, Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161 Rome, Italy)

  • Paolo Castiglia

    (Department of Medical, Surgical and Experimental Sciences, University of Sassari, Via Padre Manzella 4, 07100 Sassari, Italy)

Abstract

The aims of this study were (i) to evaluate the relationship between official data on invasive meningococcal disease cases in Sardinia and the reporting of the cases by a regional online newspaper and (ii) to identify indicators useful for understanding the community outrage related to health events. Cases of meningococcal disease, selected from articles published between 1999 and 2016 on a regional newspaper database, were compared to those reported to the Infectious Disease Information Service. In order to evaluate the equality of the two distribution records, the Kolgomorov Smirnov test for two samples was applied. A community outrage indicator was obtained by calculating the number of published articles for each case of meningococcal disease identified. The outrage indicator was evaluated in comparison with other phenomena: drinking water supply limitation and domestic accidents. Overall, 2724 articles on meningitis/sepsis referring to 89 cases related to meningococcal disease were considered. Significant differences between the distribution of cases officially reported and those found in the newspaper (combined K-S = 0.39; p = 0.08) were not observed. The meningococcal disease outrage indicator showed an average of seven items per case. Comparing the meningococcal disease outrage indicator with those regarding the limitation of drinking water supplies and domestic accidents, a different risk perception by the reference media was found, with the highest outrage for meningococcal disease. The present study supports the role played by emotional factors as behavioral determinants in emerging threats to public health. The analysis of the data allowed us to highlight that the proposed outrage indicator could be a feasible proxy of emotional epidemiology. Finally, data confirm that meningitis is perceived as a highly outrageous health threat.

Suggested Citation

  • Marco Dettori & Benedetto Arru & Antonio Azara & Andrea Piana & Gavino Mariotti & Maria Veronica Camerada & Paola Stefanelli & Giovanni Rezza & Paolo Castiglia, 2018. "In the Digital Era, Is Community Outrage a Feasible Proxy Indicator of Emotional Epidemiology? The Case of Meningococcal Disease in Sardinia, Italy," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(7), pages 1-8, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:15:y:2018:i:7:p:1512-:d:158494
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    1. Khan, A.S. & Fleischauer, A. & Casani, J. & Groseclose, S.L., 2010. "The next public health revolution: Public health information fusion and social networks," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 100(7), pages 1237-1242.
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    1. Marco Dettori & Antonella Arghittu & Paolo Castiglia, 2022. "Knowledge and Behaviours towards Immunisation Programmes: Vaccine Hesitancy during the COVID-19 Pandemic Era," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(7), pages 1-6, April.
    2. Antonella Arghittu & Marco Dettori & Emma Dempsey & Giovanna Deiana & Claudio Angelini & Angela Bechini & Caterina Bertoni & Sara Boccalini & Paolo Bonanni & Sandro Cinquetti & Fabrizio Chiesi & Maria, 2021. "Health Communication in COVID-19 Era: Experiences from the Italian VaccinarSì Network Websites," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(11), pages 1-14, May.
    3. Davide Gentili & Andrea Bardin & Elisa Ros & Cinzia Piovesan & Mauro Ramigni & Maria Dalmanzio & Marco Dettori & Antonietta Filia & Sandro Cinquetti, 2020. "Impact of Communication Measures Implemented During a School Tuberculosis Outbreak on Risk Perception among Parents and School Staff, Italy, 2019," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(3), pages 1-15, February.
    4. Martina Barchitta & Annalisa Quattrocchi & Andrea Maugeri & Maria Clara La Rosa & Claudia La Mastra & Guido Basile & Giovanni Giuffrida & Francesco Mazzeo Rinaldi & Giuseppe Murolo & Antonella Agodi, 2020. "The “Obiettivo Antibiotico” Campaign on Prudent Use of Antibiotics in Sicily, Italy: The Pilot Phase," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(9), pages 1-10, April.
    5. Carmelo Gugliotta & Davide Gentili & Silvia Marras & Marco Dettori & Pietro Paolo Muglia & Maria Giuseppina Desole & Marcello Acciaro & Sabina Bellu & Antonio Azara & Paolo Castiglia, 2021. "SARS-CoV-2 Epidemics in Retirement and Nursing Homes in Italy: A New Preparedness Assessment Model after the First Epidemic Wave," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(11), pages 1-22, May.
    6. Marco Dettori & Paolo Castiglia, 2022. "COVID-19 and Digital Health: Evolution, Perspectives and Opportunities," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(14), pages 1-4, July.
    7. Sonia Ruiz de Azua & Naiara Ozamiz-Etxebarria & Miren Agurtzane Ortiz-Jauregui & Ana Gonzalez-Pinto, 2020. "Communicative and Social Skills among Medical Students in Spain: A Descriptive Analysis," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(4), pages 1-8, February.
    8. Marco Dettori & Antonio Azara & Erika Loria & Andrea Piana & Maria Dolores Masia & Alessandra Palmieri & Andrea Cossu & Paolo Castiglia, 2019. "Population Distrust of Drinking Water Safety. Community Outrage Analysis, Prediction and Management," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(6), pages 1-10, March.
    9. Antonella Arghittu & Marco Dettori & Antonio Azara & Davide Gentili & Antonello Serra & Bruno Contu & Paolo Castiglia, 2020. "Flu Vaccination Attitudes, Behaviours, and Knowledge among Health Workers," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(9), pages 1-16, May.
    10. Marco Dettori & Paola Pittaluga & Giulia Busonera & Carmelo Gugliotta & Antonio Azara & Andrea Piana & Antonella Arghittu & Paolo Castiglia, 2020. "Environmental Risks Perception Among Citizens Living Near Industrial Plants: A Cross-Sectional Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(13), pages 1-19, July.
    11. Giovanni Gabutti & Umberto Carioli & Diego Gamberoni & Giulia Masetti & Giulio Matteo & Paola Perrone & Rosaria Cappadona & Pantaleo Greco & Roberta Siliquini & Armando Stefanati, 2019. "Use of Information Sources on Vaccine-Preventable Diseases in Pregnant Women: An Experience in Ferrara, Italy," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(1), pages 1-8, December.

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