Health Hyperbolism: A Study in Health Crisis Rhetoric

Abstract

The Ebola virus had only been in the United States for 2 months before it became a major national health concern. However, while some citizens panicked about the looming health crisis, others remained calm, offering explanations for why a rapid spread of the virus was unlikely. Examining the distinctions between these different reactions can contribute to a better understanding of the coping strategies citizens use when facing a health crisis. We consider how citizens respond to fear by focusing on whether or not hyperbolic rhetoric was used as a means for processing and managing fear. Approximately 400 tweets and Facebook posts from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the White House, and The Alex Jones Show were examined to make conclusions about how citizens respond to messages from these mediated forums. At the intersection of health communication and critical rhetoric, we advance an operational definition of health hyperbolism derived from public response to opinion leaders. Ultimately, we find that health hyperbolism contains language illustrative of distrust, blame, anger, misrepresentation, conspiracy, and curiosity.

Identifying #Addiction Concerns on Twitter during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Text Mining Analysis

“…Problem gambling (and time spent online more broadly) is an important topic for public health officials to track as the risk for gambling addiction has become a widespread health threat that continues to rise, especially with the increased availability of online gambling games. [42][43][44] Tweets captured in this study represented two sides of the video/online gaming argument. On one hand, some Twitter users expressed concern about the increased prevalence of online poker games (promoted by public figures like Brendan Fevola, Dom Thomas, and the Sports Betting Community) but on the other hand, some users suggested that online and video games serve as an outlet for people who are forced to remain at home.…”

“…47 Identifying misinformation can be just as useful as identifying accurate information because it gives health professionals the opportunity to counter false information with facts. 48…”

Collective Emotion During Collective Trauma: A Metaphor Analysis of the COVID-19 Pandemic

“…Primarily, participants articulated uncertainty regarding the pandemic. While there will always be a degree of uncertainty in response to any traumatic event, participants noted that mixed-messaging regarding COVID-19 from government, mainstream media, social media, and public health sources (e.g., Craig, 2020; Glowacki & Taylor, 2020; Tasnim et al, 2020) produced disquiet, variability, and anxiety as participants attempted to make decisions regarding their daily lives. Reflecting on public health recommendations, one participant explained, “I’m in unfamiliar territory.…”

“…Primarily, participants articulated uncertainty regarding the pandemic. While there will always be a degree of uncertainty in response to any traumatic event, participants noted that mixed-messaging regarding COVID-19 from government, mainstream media, social media, and public health sources (e.g., Craig, 2020;Glowacki & Taylor, 2020;Tasnim et al, 2020) (Brashers, 2001;Brashers et al, 2006). For example, when health care providers inadequately manage uncertainty with recently diagnosed breast cancer patients, this may produce negative emotions such as distress, shock, fear, anxiety, depression, difficulties talking about risk, and poor decision-making (Dean, 2016;Dean & Fisher, 2019).…”

It’s Not Just a Virus! Lived Experiences of People Diagnosed With COVID-19 Infection in Denmark

“…This is the first major disease outbreak that poses a global threat in the age of social media. Accounts vary, but research reports that social media and sensationalist reporting of the outbreak may have generated panic and mistrust in the general public (Dubey et al, 2020; Smith & Li, 2020) which has also been reported during other epidemics (Glowacki & Taylor, 2020). A consequence of laying out unchecked mind-boggling rumors, flamboyant news propaganda, and sensationalism may be fake information as well as negatively skewed misinformation which may metastasize faster than the coronavirus itself (Dubey et al, 2020).…”