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Health Communication in COVID-19 Era: Experiences from the Italian VaccinarSì Network Websites

Author

Listed:
  • Antonella Arghittu

    (Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Sassari, 07100 Sassari, Italy
    University Hospital of Sassari, 07100 Sassari, Italy)

  • Marco Dettori

    (Department of Medical, Surgical and Experimental Sciences, University of Sassari, 07100 Sassari, Italy)

  • Emma Dempsey

    (University Hospital of Sassari, 07100 Sassari, Italy)

  • Giovanna Deiana

    (Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Sassari, 07100 Sassari, Italy)

  • Claudio Angelini

    (Regional Health Unit Marche, Prevention Department, Hygiene and Public Health Service, 60044 Fabriano, Italy)

  • Angela Bechini

    (Department of Health Sciences, University of Florence, 50134 Florence, Italy)

  • Caterina Bertoni

    (Department of Prevention, Local Health Authority of Trento, Autonomous Province of Trento, 38123 Trento, Italy)

  • Sara Boccalini

    (Department of Health Sciences, University of Florence, 50134 Florence, Italy)

  • Paolo Bonanni

    (Department of Health Sciences, University of Florence, 50134 Florence, Italy)

  • Sandro Cinquetti

    (Department of Prevention, Local Health Authority 1 Dolomiti, 32100 Belluno, Italy)

  • Fabrizio Chiesi

    (Department of Health Sciences, University of Florence, 50134 Florence, Italy)

  • Maria Chironna

    (Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche e Oncologia Umana, Università degli Studi di Bari, 70124 Bari, Italy)

  • Claudio Costantino

    (Department of Health Promotion, Maternal and Infant Care, Internal Medicine and Medical Specialties “G. D’Alessandro”, Section of Hygiene, University of Palermo, 90127 Palermo, Italy)

  • Antonio Ferro

    (Department of Prevention, Local Health Authority of Trento, Autonomous Province of Trento, 38123 Trento, Italy)

  • Daniel Fiacchini

    (Regional Health Unit Marche, Prevention Department, Hygiene and Public Health Service, 60044 Fabriano, Italy)

  • Giancarlo Icardi

    (Department of Health Sciences, University of Genoa, 16100 Genoa, Italy)

  • Andrea Poscia

    (UOC ISP Prevention and Surveillance of Infectious and Chronic Diseases, Department of Prevention, Local Health Authority (ASUR-AV2), 60035 Jesi, Italy)

  • Francesca Russo

    (Regional Directorate of Prevention, Food Safety, Veterinary Public Health, Regione del Veneto, 30123 Venice, Italy)

  • Andrea Siddu

    (Ministero della Salute, Ufficio V Prevenzione delle Malattie Trasmissibili e Profilassi Internazionale, 00144 Roma, Italy)

  • Antonietta Spadea

    (UOC Vaccinations, Department of Prevention, Local Health Authority Roma1, 00135 Rome, Italy)

  • Laura Sticchi

    (Department of Health Sciences, University of Genoa, 16100 Genoa, Italy)

  • Maria Triassi

    (Department of Public Health, University of Naples “Federico II”, 80131 Naples, Italy)

  • Francesco Vitale

    (Department of Health Promotion, Maternal and Infant Care, Internal Medicine and Medical Specialties “G. D’Alessandro”, Section of Hygiene, University of Palermo, 90127 Palermo, Italy)

  • Paolo Castiglia

    (University Hospital of Sassari, 07100 Sassari, Italy
    Department of Medical, Surgical and Experimental Sciences, University of Sassari, 07100 Sassari, Italy)

Abstract

In 2013, in a bid to combat Vaccine Hesitancy (VH) and provide information on vaccines by communicating with the general public and the health community (e.g., healthcare workers and public health operators), the Italian Society of Hygiene and Preventive Medicine (S.It.I.) published the national website “VaccinarSì”. The project was subsequently extended to ten Italian Regions. This led to the creation of the VaccinarSì Network, whose websites are publicly owned. The aim of this work was to present the framework of the websites of the VaccinarSì Network and to analyse user behaviour in the pre-COVID-19-era (dating from each website’s publication until 31 January 2020) and in the COVID-19-era (from 1 February 2020 to 31 January 2021). Some metrics such as the number of visits to the site (sessions, number of users and average session duration), user behaviour (pages viewed, bounce rate and organic search) and the session acquisition path (direct traffic, referrals and social traffic) were searched, extrapolated and processed with Google Analytics. Qualitative and normally distributed quantitative variables were summarised with their absolute (relative) frequencies and means. Statistical differences between the means of the two periods were evaluated through paired t -test. A two-tailed p -value less than 0.05 was considered to be statistically significant. When the total values recorded over the period were compared, an overall increase in metrics was observed—the number of individual users, visits and individual pageviews rose in a statistically significant way. Our study aimed to highlight how combining disciplines such as health education and digital communication via Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) represents the best strategy to support citizens. This approach gives them the tools to become independent and responsible players that are capable of voluntarily and consciously choosing to adhere to vaccination programs. The VaccinarSì Network’s goal for the future is to reach an even wider audience. By building each user’s critical knowledge, this network enables users to be active components of a wider, more empowered community.

Suggested Citation

  • 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.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:18:y:2021:i:11:p:5642-:d:561735
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. 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.
    2. Kawaljeet Kaur Kapoor & Kuttimani Tamilmani & Nripendra P. Rana & Pushp Patil & Yogesh K. Dwivedi & Sridhar Nerur, 2018. "Advances in Social Media Research: Past, Present and Future," Information Systems Frontiers, Springer, vol. 20(3), pages 531-558, June.
    3. 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.
    4. Giovanna Deiana & Antonio Azara & Marco Dettori & Fiorenzo Delogu & Gavino Vargiu & Isabella Gessa & Filippo Stroscio & Marcello Tidore & Giorgio Steri & Paolo Castiglia, 2020. "Deaths in SARS-Cov-2 Positive Patients in Italy: The Influence of Underlying Health Conditions on Lethality," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(12), pages 1-10, June.
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    Cited by:

    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. Marco Dettori & Paolo Castiglia, 2022. "COVID-19 and Digital Health: Evolution, Perspectives and Opportunities," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(14), pages 1-4, July.
    3. Antonella Arghittu & Giovanna Deiana & Elena Castiglia & Adolfo Pacifico & Patrizia Brizzi & Andrea Cossu & Paolo Castiglia & Marco Dettori, 2022. "Knowledge, Attitudes, and Behaviors towards Proper Nutrition and Lifestyles in Italian Diabetic Patients during the COVID-19 Pandemic," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(18), pages 1-12, September.
    4. Tianzhen Hu & Li Li & Chuanxue Lin & Zikun Yang & Cheng Chow & Zhipeng Lu & Chen You, 2022. "An Analysis of the Willingness to the COVID-19 Vaccine Booster Shots among Urban Employees: Evidence from a Megacity H in Eastern China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(4), pages 1-14, February.
    5. Lavinia Bianco & Salvatore Raffa & Paolo Fornelli & Rita Mancini & Angela Gabriele & Francesco Medici & Claudia Battista & Stefania Greco & Giuseppe Croce & Aldo Germani & Simona Petrucci & Paolo Anib, 2022. "From Survey Results to a Decision-Making Matrix for Strategic Planning in Healthcare: The Case of Clinical Pathways," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(13), pages 1-30, June.

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