Tick, Tock, Clock: When is the best time to post on Twitter?

: 2.022_INF Cutaneous Leishmaniasis Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices (KAP) Survey of an Endemic Rainforest Population

Background: Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) is endemic throughout the Pacific coastal rainforest region of Ecuador. We conducted a survey in the same endemic region to examine CLrelated KAP. We also compared these findings with those from prior studies we conducted two decades ago. We did so because extensive primary rainforest destruction and intensive economic development activities have changed the region's ecology and disease distribution patterns. In addition, many subsistence farmers who originally settled have been replaced by migrants from non-endemic areas of Ecuador. We hypothesized that these changes would decrease community familiarity with CL, its vector, disease transmission, and disease prevention and control methods. Tropical disease education and control program acceptability and effectiveness can be enhanced through better understanding of community KAP.
Methods: The survey was conducted during a 24-month period (2013)(2014)(2015). Grid sampling was used to randomly select 10% of households in 21 rural hamlets. A subsample of 351 adults (> 18 years) from each site participated in face-to-face interviews which collected closed-and open-ended data on household and community characteristics, clinical and laboratory indicators of past or current CL, and CL-related KAP. The study received institutional review board approval and participants provided their informed consent.
Findings: One-third of participants had a positive CL history, 75% reported familiarity with CL and 82% with the sandfly vector. Nearly 80% said they knew how CL is transmitted. The most frequent CL transmission theory identified was infection (bacterial, viral, infected snake venom) transmitted by mosquito or sandflies. Of participants familiar with CL, most reported knowing about (85%) or personally practicing (81%) at least one prevention method. Bednets and insect repellants were most frequently reported. Nearly 60% said an effective vaccine was needed when asked to give suggestions for community-based CL prevention programs.
Interpretation: Although familiarity with CL, its vector, and some CL-related KAP has either stayed the same or decreased since the 1990s, knowledge about/use of bednets and insect repellants was increased suggesting that governmental mass media campaigns against dengue, malaria, and other mosquito-borne diseases appear to have produced a beneficial spill-over effect for CL, another vectorborne disease.

Abstract #: 2.023_INF
Tick, Tock, Clock: When is the best time to post on Twitter?
P. Swamy 1 , K. Ngo 2 , A. Mandalakas 2 ; 1 Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA, 2 Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, USA Background: Social media can be utilized for health-related advocacy. Twitter users post "tweets" which are limited to 140 characters. Within a Tweet, users can use hashtags which can later be searchable and utilized to advocate for issues like Tuberculosis. World TB Day which happens annually on March 24 was started in 1882. This day was started to build awareness and advocate for those living with Tuberculosis. This year the #worldTBday was added to the Symplur database. When conducting a social media campaign, businesses often identify when to post to maximize reach. This principle can also be utilized in health related advocacy. This study aimed to look at a 24 hour period to see when the greatest number of posts occurred.
Methods: Utilizing Symplur, a website that collects information on healthcare based hashtags, we viewed the trend of #worldtbday over the period of 03/23/16 (17:00 PT) e 03/24/16( 17:00 PT). For this hashtag, we searched the number of tweets per hour and converted it into Central Standard Time given our location. We then analyzed the data by using frequencies and created graphs using Excel. Interpretation: This graph shows that from 00:00-16:00 CST would the ideal time to post on Twitter to get the maximum audience. If a targetted audience is needed like in time zones in India, and east Asia then tweets can be created and pre-scheduled to post using applications like Hootsuite. While this report presents one data point, it is important to study the trends of post timing in order to maximize reach and engage the desired audience. Infectious Diseases Old and New e Implications for Global Health J a n u a r y eF e b r u a r y 2 0 1 7 : 1 5 6 -1 6 9 Source of Funding: None.
Background: Crowdsourcing, the process of shifting individual tasks to a large group, may reimagine health communication, making it more people-centered. We aimed to compare the effectiveness of a crowdsourced versus a social marketing video in promoting condom use.
Methods: Men who have sex with men (MSM) (16 years old, had condomless sex within three months) were recruited through a nationwide MSM website and randomly assigned to watch one of two videos in 2015. The crowdsourced and social marketing videos were developed through an open contest and designed by a company, using social marketing principles, respectively. Participants completed a baseline survey and follow-up surveys at three weeks and three months post-intervention. Intention-to-treat analyses was used for data analysis, with a non-inferiority margin of +10%.
Interpretation: Our study demonstrates that crowdsourcing is an effective tool for designing media to promote condom use. Crowdsourcing contests could create more imaginative intervention tools that promote HIV prevention and control.
Source of Funding: This work was supported by the NIH NIAID 1R01AI114310 ;NIH FIC 1D43TW009532; NIH 5P30AI050410, NIAID P30 AI027763.

HepTestContest: A Global Innovation Contest Soliciting Descriptions of Hepatitis B and C Testing Programs
J. Tucker 1 , H. Team 2 ; 1 UNC Project-China, Guangzhou, China, 2 HepTestContest, Geneva, Switzerland Background: Innovation contests provide a structured mechanism to solicit community feedback on important public health issues. Innovation contests have been used to develop public health campaigns, clinical algorithms, and inform policy. The purpose of this innovation contest was to solicit descriptions of hepatitis B and C testing from around the world.
Methods: The innovation contest represented a collaboration between SESH (Social Entrepreneurship for Sexual Health) and the World Health Organization. The contest, called HepTestContest, included the following steps: 1) organizing a steering committee to create the open call; 2) engaging the general public through social media; 3) evaluating contributions based on pre-specified criteria; 4) recognizing finalists and sustaining engagement. Information was collected from each contributor regarding when testing programs started, percent of organization's work devoted to hepatitis, availability of direct acting antivirals (DAAs), providing HIV testing, and barriers to testing.
Findings: The HeptTestContest received 64 entries from 27 countries. Thirty-one groups received a commendation of excellence from the World Health Organization. A mean of 9301 individuals were tested for HBV, HCV, or both among the 39 entries that reported. Most (42/64, 66%) entries were from testing programs that started in the past three years. A mean of 44% of each organization's work was devoted to hepatitis. Most entries (49/64, 77%) were from countries in which DAAs were available. Most (45/64, 71%) programs also provided HIV testing and four entries described integration of HIV-hepatitis testing services. The most commonly mentioned barriers were lack of hepatitis awareness among the public and subpopulations (25/64, 39%) and lack of test kits (25/64, 39%).
Interpretation: This innovation contest solicited a wide range of descriptions of hepatitis B and C testing programs. Public policy experts and community health workers alike may benefit from innovation contests that engage end-users of guidelines. As testing for hepatitis B and C programs scale up in many regions, further innovation will be important for achieving WHO service targets towards the elimination of hepatitis B and C.