Polarization of dentistry scientific content in digital midia: scoping review and qualitative study

Author(s)

Ana Maria Jucá Novaes Ramalho

• Document type: Master's Dissertation
• Press: Bauru.
• Institution: Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Faculdade de Odontologia de Bauru (FOB/SDB)
• Defense date: 2024-07-11

Examining board members

Thiago Cruvinel da Silva; Juliano Pelim Pessan; Ana Paula Pires dos Santos

• Advisor: Thiago Cruvinel da Silva

Abstract

Polarization is a deliberate process occurring within a group, wherein internal discussions tend to reinforce more extreme viewpoints. It is possible to observe the impacts of polarization on science and on the dissemination of content on social media. However, its impact on dentistry-related content on social media remains largely unexplored, as its effect on public perception and professional practices. For this reason, this study aimed to understand the polarization of scientific digital content, specifically in the field of dentistry. The research comprised two main components: a scoping review (Article 1) to establish a theoretical framework regarding polarized scientific content in media; and a qualitative analysis (Article 2) to characterize polarized content about fluoride of posts published in Portuguese and English on Facebook (article 2). The scoping review involved creating a search strategy targeting scientific polarization in digital media, resulting in 3320 references from databases. After screening, 10 articles met inclusion criteria. All the studies covered the health field, whether human or planetary, from 2015 to 2022. The techniques used to polarize the message included presenting only one side\'s view, associating the opposing view with the minority view, emphasizing flaws, using assertive statements, strong intensifiers, skepticism, argumentation with expert opinion, sarcasm, politization and persuasion. These characteristics were synthesized and described in a theoretical framework to characterize polarized content in the media. In the qualitative study, 500 Facebook posts about fluoride (250 each in Portuguese and English) were selected via CrowdTangle. These were categorized as \"polarized\" or \"non-polarized\", with data collected on author profile type and fluoride stance. Polarized posts underwent segmentation of textual content into units of analysis (sentences, n=2132), which were categorized utilizing the theoretical framework established in the preceding study, employing QDAMiner software. Analysis encompassed frequency determination of categories, generation of word clouds, cluster analyses, and topic analyses utilizing WordStat software. Statistical analyses, conducted using SPSS 28.0, considered p<0.05 as significant. Results revealed a higher incidence of polarized posts in English (56.0%) compared to Portuguese (17.2%), alongside a greater prevalence of anti-fluoride posts in English (47.2%) compared to Portuguese (8.8%) (p<0.001). Notably, criticism predominated in pro-fluoride discourse in English (9.4%), while emphasis characterized anti-fluoride discourse in English (44.0%), and disagreement was notable in anti-fluoride discourse in Portuguese (3.9%). Portuguese language posts exhibited a higher proportion of non-polarized content relative to English (p<0.001). The distinct polarization characteristics observed between pro- and anti-fluoride content suggest disparate communicative objectives between these discourses. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 22/12885-6 - Polarization of dental scientific content on social media: scoping review, infodemiology and qualitative study.
• Grantee: Ana Maria Jucá Novaes Ramalho
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master