Melissa MacKay
Biographic Data
| ID | 5413236 |
|---|---|
| NAME | Melissa MacKay |
| GIVEN NAMES | Melissa |
| FAMILY NAME | MacKay |
| SIGNATURE | MACKAY M |
| AFFILIATIONS | University of Guelph |
| ORCID | 0000-0002-6682-1528 |
| VERIFIED | Yes |
| TOTAL WORKS | 17 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 1 |
| AUTHOR COUNT | 17 |
| EDITOR COUNT | 0 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2021 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2025 |
| H-INDEX | 1 |
Social media messaging by Canadian health organizations to address indoor tanning during policy and scientific shifts
Indoor tanning (IT) is a modifiable risk factor for skin cancer, including melanoma. Social media provides a large potential audience for messaging to address IT, and incorporating elements of evidence and theory-based message design may be an effective way to impact knowledge, attitudes, and behaviours within these audiences. However, few studies have investigated whether these elements are used in practice. This content analysis explored whethe…
Best practices in public risk communication during enteric illness outbreak investigations
Introduction Public risk communication is intended to inform and protect the health of individuals during enteric illness outbreaks. However, there is limited practical research that assesses the effectiveness of communication during outbreaks. The aim of this study was to identify best practices in public risk communication during enteric illness outbreak investigations. Methods A scoping review of five bibliographic databases and gray literatur…
Evaluating Multi-Jurisdictional Enteric Illness Outbreak Messaging in Canada
Effective risk communication during enteric illness outbreaks requires the provision of clear and consistent information to diverse audiences to reduce risk of exposure, inform behavior changes, and prevent illness. Most enteric illnesses are caused by pathogens transmitted through consumption of contaminated food or water, contact with animals, or person-to-person contact. When multi-jurisdictional outbreaks occur, the Public Health Agency of Ca…
A Pilot Study on Generative Artificial Intelligence’s Reliability in Qualitative Research Quality Appraisal Using Casp and JBI Checklists
Generative artificial intelligence (genAI) tools are transforming workflows, with growing interest in their potential applications in qualitative research. While the use of genAI in facilitating the systematic review process has been explored, its application in the quality appraisal of qualitative research remains to be understood. This pilot study aims to evaluate the degree to which ChatGPT appraises qualitative research using popular appraisa…
The Public Health Communication Competency Framework
The research has resulted in 18 communication competency statements comprising the Public Health Communication Competency Framework, which are intended to serve as a roadmap for public health professionals whose roles encompass communication, guide curricula development in public health programs, catalyze professional development in communication, and support public health systems to achieve the essential public health functions
A content analysis of government-issued social media posts during multi-jurisdictional enteric illness outbreaks in Canada
Introduction Most Canadians use at least one social media platform regularly, making social media a potentially effective tool for reaching broad audiences. The Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) uses social media as one tool for rapidly communicating with the public during multi-jurisdictional enteric illness outbreaks. However, the effectiveness of social media in enhancing public risk communication during these outbreaks remains unexplored.…
Developing competencies in public health
Effective and precise public health practice relies on a skilled and interdisciplinary workforce equipped with integrated knowledge, values, skills, and behaviors as defined by competency frameworks. Competency frameworks inform academic and professional development training, support performance evaluation, and identify professional development needs. The aim of this research was to systematically identify and examine trends in the extent, nature…
Communicating about Covid-19 Vaccines
Given the reasonably low COVID-19 vaccine rates (e.g., <60% fully vaccinated) among Canadian young adults (18–29), we sought to understand the factors that motivated this demographic to get vaccinated. Fifteen post-secondary students and graduates participated in semi-structured interviews about the type of health information they received during the pandemic, and their communication preferences. Analysis of interview data revealed four themes: (…
Modernizing public health communication competencies in Canada
Strong agreement with statements indicates support for a modernized communication competency framework among sampled professionals. Research to gather more evidence surrounding the communication demands of the public health workforce and observed variation in strong agreement for the proposed statements is underway
“There was a lot of that [coercion and manipulation] happening and well, that’s not very trustworthy”
Although a large proportion of the Canadian population is fully vaccinated against COVID-19, millions of eligible individuals remain unvaccinated. Trust in public health and government impacts the effectiveness of crisis communication and the public’s willingness to follow health recommendations. This qualitative study involved semistructured interviews with 12 COVID-19 vaccine-hesitant adults in Canada. Using thematic analysis, four themes were …
Credibility of vaccine-related content on Twitter during Covid-19 pandemic
During national COVID-19 vaccine campaigns, people continuously engaged on Twitter to receive updates on the latest public health information, and to discuss and share their experiences. During this time, the spread of misinformation was widespread, which threatened the uptake of vaccines. It is therefore critical to understand the reasons behind vaccine misinformation and strategies to mitigate it. The current research aimed to understand the co…
Covid-19 Vaccine Communications on Instagram and Vaccine Uptake in Young Adults
In Canada, during the pandemic, young adults (18–29 year-olds) represented one of the least-vaccinated age groups against COVID-19. These low vaccination rates, and high infection rates, left young people vulnerable to severe infections and created a risk for transmission to immunocompromised populations. Given young adults’ unique characteristics, to encourage vaccination among this demographic, public health and government officials must adopt …
A Review and Analysis of the Literature on Public Health Emergency Communication Practices
Canadian Covid-19 Crisis Communication on Twitter
To foster trust on social media during a crisis, messages should implement key guiding principles, including call to action, clarity, conversational tone, compassion and empathy, correction of misinformation, and transparency. This study describes how crisis actors used guiding principles in COVID-19 tweets, and how the use of these guiding principles relates to tweet engagement. Original, English language tweets from 10 federal level government,…
A content analysis of Canadian influencer crisis messages on Instagram and the public’s response during Covid-19
Successful mitigation of emerging infectious disease requires that the public adopt recommended behaviours, which is directly influenced by effective crisis communication. Social media has become an important communication channel during COVID-19 where official actors, influencers, and the public are co-creating crisis messages. Our research examined COVID-19-related crisis messages across Canadian influencer accounts within news media, politicia…
Trust and Engagement on Twitter During the Management of Covid-19 Pandemic
During the COVID-19 pandemic, health and political leaders have attempted to update citizens using Twitter. Here, we examined the difference between environments that social media has provided for male/female or health/political leaders to interact with people during the COVID-19 pandemic. The comparison was made based on the content of posts and public responses to those posts as well as user-level and post-level metrics. Our findings suggest th…
Examining Social Media Crisis Communication during Early Covid-19 from Public Health and News Media for Quality, Content, and Corresponding Public Sentiment
Rising COVID-19 cases in Canada in early 2021, coupled with pervasive mis- and disinformation, demonstrate the critical relationship between effective crisis communication, trust, and risk protective measure adherence by the public. Trust in crisis communication is affected by the communication's characteristics including transparency, timeliness, empathy, and clarity, as well as the source and communication channels used. Crisis communication oc…
Modernizing public health communication competencies in Canada
Strong agreement with statements indicates support for a modernized communication competency framework among sampled professionals. Research to gather more evidence surrounding the communication demands of the public health workforce and observed variation in strong agreement for the proposed statements is underway
Examining Social Media Crisis Communication during Early Covid-19 from Public Health and News Media for Quality, Content, and Corresponding Public Sentiment
Rising COVID-19 cases in Canada in early 2021, coupled with pervasive mis- and disinformation, demonstrate the critical relationship between effective crisis communication, trust, and risk protective measure adherence by the public. Trust in crisis communication is affected by the communication's characteristics including transparency, timeliness, empathy, and clarity, as well as the source and communication channels used. Crisis communication oc…
A Review and Analysis of the Literature on Public Health Emergency Communication Practices
Canadian Covid-19 Crisis Communication on Twitter
To foster trust on social media during a crisis, messages should implement key guiding principles, including call to action, clarity, conversational tone, compassion and empathy, correction of misinformation, and transparency. This study describes how crisis actors used guiding principles in COVID-19 tweets, and how the use of these guiding principles relates to tweet engagement. Original, English language tweets from 10 federal level government,…
A content analysis of Canadian influencer crisis messages on Instagram and the public’s response during Covid-19
Successful mitigation of emerging infectious disease requires that the public adopt recommended behaviours, which is directly influenced by effective crisis communication. Social media has become an important communication channel during COVID-19 where official actors, influencers, and the public are co-creating crisis messages. Our research examined COVID-19-related crisis messages across Canadian influencer accounts within news media, politicia…
Trust and Engagement on Twitter During the Management of Covid-19 Pandemic
During the COVID-19 pandemic, health and political leaders have attempted to update citizens using Twitter. Here, we examined the difference between environments that social media has provided for male/female or health/political leaders to interact with people during the COVID-19 pandemic. The comparison was made based on the content of posts and public responses to those posts as well as user-level and post-level metrics. Our findings suggest th…
“There was a lot of that [coercion and manipulation] happening and well, that’s not very trustworthy”
Although a large proportion of the Canadian population is fully vaccinated against COVID-19, millions of eligible individuals remain unvaccinated. Trust in public health and government impacts the effectiveness of crisis communication and the public’s willingness to follow health recommendations. This qualitative study involved semistructured interviews with 12 COVID-19 vaccine-hesitant adults in Canada. Using thematic analysis, four themes were …
Credibility of vaccine-related content on Twitter during Covid-19 pandemic
During national COVID-19 vaccine campaigns, people continuously engaged on Twitter to receive updates on the latest public health information, and to discuss and share their experiences. During this time, the spread of misinformation was widespread, which threatened the uptake of vaccines. It is therefore critical to understand the reasons behind vaccine misinformation and strategies to mitigate it. The current research aimed to understand the co…
Covid-19 Vaccine Communications on Instagram and Vaccine Uptake in Young Adults
In Canada, during the pandemic, young adults (18–29 year-olds) represented one of the least-vaccinated age groups against COVID-19. These low vaccination rates, and high infection rates, left young people vulnerable to severe infections and created a risk for transmission to immunocompromised populations. Given young adults’ unique characteristics, to encourage vaccination among this demographic, public health and government officials must adopt …
A content analysis of government-issued social media posts during multi-jurisdictional enteric illness outbreaks in Canada
Introduction Most Canadians use at least one social media platform regularly, making social media a potentially effective tool for reaching broad audiences. The Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) uses social media as one tool for rapidly communicating with the public during multi-jurisdictional enteric illness outbreaks. However, the effectiveness of social media in enhancing public risk communication during these outbreaks remains unexplored.…
Developing competencies in public health
Effective and precise public health practice relies on a skilled and interdisciplinary workforce equipped with integrated knowledge, values, skills, and behaviors as defined by competency frameworks. Competency frameworks inform academic and professional development training, support performance evaluation, and identify professional development needs. The aim of this research was to systematically identify and examine trends in the extent, nature…
Communicating about Covid-19 Vaccines
Given the reasonably low COVID-19 vaccine rates (e.g., <60% fully vaccinated) among Canadian young adults (18–29), we sought to understand the factors that motivated this demographic to get vaccinated. Fifteen post-secondary students and graduates participated in semi-structured interviews about the type of health information they received during the pandemic, and their communication preferences. Analysis of interview data revealed four themes: (…
Modernizing public health communication competencies in Canada
Strong agreement with statements indicates support for a modernized communication competency framework among sampled professionals. Research to gather more evidence surrounding the communication demands of the public health workforce and observed variation in strong agreement for the proposed statements is underway
Social media messaging by Canadian health organizations to address indoor tanning during policy and scientific shifts
Indoor tanning (IT) is a modifiable risk factor for skin cancer, including melanoma. Social media provides a large potential audience for messaging to address IT, and incorporating elements of evidence and theory-based message design may be an effective way to impact knowledge, attitudes, and behaviours within these audiences. However, few studies have investigated whether these elements are used in practice. This content analysis explored whethe…
Best practices in public risk communication during enteric illness outbreak investigations
Introduction Public risk communication is intended to inform and protect the health of individuals during enteric illness outbreaks. However, there is limited practical research that assesses the effectiveness of communication during outbreaks. The aim of this study was to identify best practices in public risk communication during enteric illness outbreak investigations. Methods A scoping review of five bibliographic databases and gray literatur…
Evaluating Multi-Jurisdictional Enteric Illness Outbreak Messaging in Canada
Effective risk communication during enteric illness outbreaks requires the provision of clear and consistent information to diverse audiences to reduce risk of exposure, inform behavior changes, and prevent illness. Most enteric illnesses are caused by pathogens transmitted through consumption of contaminated food or water, contact with animals, or person-to-person contact. When multi-jurisdictional outbreaks occur, the Public Health Agency of Ca…
A Pilot Study on Generative Artificial Intelligence’s Reliability in Qualitative Research Quality Appraisal Using Casp and JBI Checklists
Generative artificial intelligence (genAI) tools are transforming workflows, with growing interest in their potential applications in qualitative research. While the use of genAI in facilitating the systematic review process has been explored, its application in the quality appraisal of qualitative research remains to be understood. This pilot study aims to evaluate the degree to which ChatGPT appraises qualitative research using popular appraisa…
The Public Health Communication Competency Framework
The research has resulted in 18 communication competency statements comprising the Public Health Communication Competency Framework, which are intended to serve as a roadmap for public health professionals whose roles encompass communication, guide curricula development in public health programs, catalyze professional development in communication, and support public health systems to achieve the essential public health functions
Medicine (14 works) · Public health (12 works) · Political science (11 works) · Nursing (9 works) · Psychology (9 works) · Public relations (9 works) · Misinformation and Its Impacts (8 works) · Public Relations and Crisis Communication (8 works) · Social media (7 works) · Sociology (7 works)