Tamar Ginossar

Background: The digital divide is a recognized public health problem caused by social determinants that exacerbate health disparities. Despite the " tectonic shift " in how most of the public obtains cancer information, underserved communities are at increased risk of being digitally marginalized. However, research that examines factors underlying eHealth information seeking in diverse health contexts is lacking.

Internet cancer communities (ICCs) provide a new and unique collective setting for people with cancer. Thus, these communities have the potential to advance public health and to promote health by encouraging collective action. The current study utilized a qualitative analysis of participation in ICCs to examine advocacy processes in ICCs. The analysis included over 1,000 email messages posted to two different ICCs. Findings: the content of email messages in these groups included attempts to promote three types of advocacy: (a) self-advocacy in communication with health care providers, (b) rallies and fund-raising for awareness, research and treatment for the type of cancer the community suffered from. To a lesser degree, communication in ICCs related to (c) issues related to health insurance and/or to larger health-policy issues. In addition, communication in the lung-cancer ICC related to Tobacco Companies were raised. Finally, grass-root organization utilized lung ICCs to gain vis...

This study analyzes Israeli students' memories of television in the context of family life, and considers culture and systems as well. The study was geared toward broadening the understanding of individuals' perceptions of the role of television in the family, as well as gaining insight into the collective story or stories of life with television in Israel. Forty-three Israeli university students were asked to write about their personal histories and experiences of and with television; similar autobiographies by American students from a study in the late 1980s were used for comparison. The analysis of the autobiographies covered the categories of television use, interaction, play and imitation, cognition, emotions, consumer behavior, and national identity/world knowledge. The analysis showed that most respondents had pleasant memories of watching the children's programs on ITV, remembered the introduction of color television, and grew up in families that did not limit vi...

One of the major challenges facing those working with people living with HIV (PLWH) is the increased potential for burnout, which results in increased turnover and reduces quality of care provided for PLWH. The goal of this study was to examine the relationship among HIV health-care providers' burnout (emotional exhaustion and depersonalization) and organizational culture including teamwork, involvement in decision-making, and critical appraisal. Health-care providers for PLWH (N = 47) in federally funded clinics in a southwestern state completed a cross-sectional survey questionnaire about their perceptions of organizational culture and burnout. The results of multiple regression analysis indicated that positive organizational culture (i.e., teamwork) was negatively related to emotional burnout (p < .005, R(2) = .18). Further negative organizational culture (i.e., critical appraisal) was positively related to depersonalization (p < .005, R(2) = .18). These findings suggest that effective organizational communication interventions might protect HIV health-care providers from burnout.

Low-income Hispanics are the most digitally underserved population in the U.S. This article examines the potential of community-based participatory research approach to e-health to decrease the disparities in access to technology and health information in low-income Hispanic communities. To demonstrate this framework, we describe the process of designing a community-based e-health intervention to increase knowledge and parental self-efficacy in coping with young children's mental health problems including mental health service utilization. Our model incorporates utilizing promotoras de salud (lay community health educators) and community media principles to create the content of e-health interventions and train community members in using the technology. This case study illustrates the processes involved in using this approach, barriers for participatory e-health interventions in bridging the Digital Divide, and lessons learned.