Retweeting a post on a social media platform is a part of a process of growing significant throug... more Retweeting a post on a social media platform is a part of a process of growing significant through which public opinion formation takes place. A ‘retweet count’ on, say Twitter or Weibo, can be taken as a measure of user influence. The assumption is that when B retweets A’s message, B empathizes with A and wishes to disseminate the message more widely. But this assumption has hardly been tested and preliminary evidence suggests practices for retweeting on Twitter vary. Nor can retweeting practices on Twitter be assumed to apply on Weibo. This paper makes the first effort to understand the practice of reposting on China’s Weibo, focusing on the content of reposts in comparison to that of the original messages. A quantitative comparison is made of the frame (Entman, 1993; Gamson & Modigliani, 1989) of the source post of 21 cases, and their reposts. The posts and reposts all refer to the issue of officials being exposed for corruption on Sina Weibo. The study finds sound evidence of networked framing, in which reposters revised frames of the source posters while disseminating them. Although over half of the reposts merely republished the source post without added content, what emerged were new communicative functions, case definitions, and a diagnosis of the consequences of exposing the cases. However, different types of user accounts drew different reposting frames, which points to a consistent paradigm between the source accounts and the reposters. The results are important for understanding the mechanisms behind the formation of public opinion on Weibo.
ABSTRACT This study explores how China’s indigenous social media weibo was used in the discussion... more ABSTRACT This study explores how China’s indigenous social media weibo was used in the discussion of seven major cases of environmental pollution and related unrest between 2010 and 2012 in China. We found that the majority of Chinese netizens frame these incidents as conflicts between “the state and the people”, and economic development and citizen’s well-being, and attribute responsibility for the wrongdoing to the government. In terms of communicative functions, weibo creates a public sphere for articulating critical opinions as well as requesting and sharing information about the cases, but also expressing strong emotions. We developed a specific research design that helps conduct empirical research (select cases, accumulate data, analyze content, and interpret results) in a censored media environment. In this sense, we present an exercise in de-Westernization (specifically, Sinification) of the methodology of social media research.
ABSTRACT This paper questions whether and to what extent social media matches its many presumed d... more ABSTRACT This paper questions whether and to what extent social media matches its many presumed desirable attributes, through references to social media in the United States and China, and in light of data that indicates that social media use tends to be dominated by a small group of elite users and driven by conventional forces. It concludes with implications for policy development.
The International journal of social psychiatry, Jan 24, 2014
Severe social withdrawal behaviors among young people have been a subject of public and clinical ... more Severe social withdrawal behaviors among young people have been a subject of public and clinical concerns. This study aimed to explore the prevalence of social withdrawal behaviors among young people aged 12-29 years in Hong Kong. A cross-sectional telephone-based survey was conducted with 1,010 young individuals. Social withdrawal behaviors were measured with the proposed research diagnostic criteria for hikikomori and were categorized according to the (a) international proposed duration criterion (more than 6 months), (b) local proposed criterion (less than 6 months) and (c) with withdrawal behaviors but self-perceived as non-problematic. The correlates of social withdrawal among the three groups were examined using multinomial and ordinal logistic regression analyses. The prevalence rates of more than 6 months, less than 6 months and self-perceived non-problematic social withdrawal were 1.9%, 2.5% and 2.6%, respectively. In terms of the correlates, the internationally and locally...
A growing number of studies indicate that sensationalist reporting of suicide is associated with ... more A growing number of studies indicate that sensationalist reporting of suicide is associated with increases in suicide rates, but in the light of some negative findings, the issue has remained controversial. The aim of this study was to evaluate the best current evidence on the association between celebrity suicide stories and subsequent suicides. Literature searches of six data sources (Medline, Psychlit, Communication Abstracts, Education Resources Information Center, Dissertation Abstracts and Australian Public Affairs Database (APAIS)) were conducted. Studies were included if they (1) adopted an ecological design, (2) focused on celebrity suicide, (3) had completed suicide as outcome variable, (4) analysed suicide rates across all suicide methods, (5) used data from after World War II and (6) satisfied basic quality criteria. 10 studies with totally 98 suicides by celebrities met the criteria. The pooled estimate indicated a change in suicide rates (suicides per 100 000 population) of 0.26 (95% CI 0.09 to 0.43) in the month after a celebrity suicide. There was substantial heterogeneity between studies, which was explained by the type of celebrity (entertainment elite vs others) and the region of study, as indicated by mixed-effects meta-regression. The region-of-study-specific effect of reporting a suicide by an entertainment celebrity was 0.64 (95% CI 0.55 to 0.73) in North America, 0.58 (95% CI 0.47 to 0.68) in Asia, 0.36 (95% CI -0.10 to 0.61) in Australia and 0.68 (95% CI 0.51 to 0.85) in Europe. There was no indication of publication bias. Reports on celebrity suicide are associated with increases in suicides. Study region and celebrity type appear to have an impact on the effect size.
Multiple studies have shown that macroeconomic factors are associated with changes in suicide rat... more Multiple studies have shown that macroeconomic factors are associated with changes in suicide rates. We investigated how changes in economic conditions associated with the recent economic crisis in South Korea influenced suicide rates among working-age adults. Time-series analyses were performed to examine the temporal associations of national unemployment rates and sex-employment-specific suicide rates in South Korea from 2003 to 2011, with particular attention to the increases of suicides that occurred during the recessionary period that began in 2008. We also compared the relative risk of suicide among different occupations. National unemployment rates were positively associated with suicide rates among employed and unemployed men and women, with a 2-month to 3 month lagged period. Significant increases of suicide rates among working-age adults during the recession were detected in most of the subgroups stratified by age, sex and employment status. Forty-three per cent of the increase of suicides was derived from the employed population. Compared with workers in elementary occupations, the relative risk of suicide for mangers increased by threefold during the recessionary period. Among those who were employed, half of the increases in suicides occurred among clerks and workers involved in sales and services. Changes in macroeconomic conditions are tied to population-level suicide risks for employed and unemployed persons. However, these associations vary depending on sex, employment status and occupational roles. In advance of future economic crises, it is important to develop prevention initiatives intended to reach the diverse populations potentially exposed to the adverse effects of sudden economic disruptions.
This study analyzed the online suicide-related contents of Chinese-language Web sites compared wi... more This study analyzed the online suicide-related contents of Chinese-language Web sites compared with contents observed in an American study that considered English-language Web sites, so as to examine what differences there might be between Chinese online information and its English counterpart. Online contents were generated by entering 4 suicide-related search queries into 5 popular search engines (Google China, Yahoo! China, Live search, Baidu, and Sogou) in mainland China in September 2008. The search queries were simplified Chinese translations of terms used in a 2008 American study that used similar methodology: Zi Sha (suicide), Ru He Zi Sha (how to commit suicide), Zen Yang Zi Sha (how to kill yourself), and Zi Sha Fang Fa (suicide method). Three coders from mainland China reviewed the first 3 pages of results from each search and rated their contents in terms of the attitude toward suicide reflected therein (pro-suicide, anti-suicide, neutral, not a suicide site, or error [page would not load]). Other characteristics of the Web sites were analyzed. The results were then compared with those of the earlier study of English-language Web sites. Of the Chinese Web sites, a smaller proportion carried pro-suicide information compared with the corresponding results obtained from the study of English-language Web sites (4.2% vs 11.7%), whereas the proportion of anti-suicide Web sites in both languages was almost the same (32.3% vs 34.9%). Anti-suicide Web sites in Chinese, however, provided less information on seeking help, and there were fewer government or professional mental health Web sites in Chinese (1.3% vs 13.3%). The pro-suicide information on Chinese Web sites was mostly found in personal blogs or online forums. Psychiatrists and public health researchers dealing with suicide prevention in China should be aware of the differences between online suicide-related information in the Chinese and English languages.
ABSTRACT The authors investigated censorship practices and the use of microblogs — or weibos, in ... more ABSTRACT The authors investigated censorship practices and the use of microblogs — or weibos, in Chinese — using 111 million microblogs collected between 1 January and 30 June 2012. To better control for alternative explanations for censorship decisions attributable to an individual's characteristics and choices, they used a matched case-control study design to determine a list of Chinese terms that discriminate censored and uncensored posts written by the same microbloggers. This list includes homophones and puns created by Chinese microbloggers to circumvent the censors successfully. The study's design also made it possible to evaluate the real-name registration system's impact on microbloggers' posting activities. Findings suggest that the new policy might have stopped some microbloggers from writing about social and political subjects.
ABSTRACT Although professionals and academics recognize the growing importance of public diplomac... more ABSTRACT Although professionals and academics recognize the growing importance of public diplomacy, little attention has been paid the role of social media in shaping and reporting public opinion in foreign settings. China in particular has a substantial number of netizens who discuss American politics on Sina Weibo. Focusing on Weibo posts about the Obamas during the time period of the 2012 Democratic National Convention (DNC), this paper qualitatively examines the major themes that emerged: the horse race, the role of digital media in the race, the potential impact on American foreign policy, and the eloquence and teleological discourse of the Obamas’ DNC speeches. The paper concludes that, for American public diplomacy especially, the discursive study of the Chinese microblogging public is a necessary and potentially very fruitful line of inquiry.
Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health, 2011
Media guidelines for suicide reporting are available in many countries. However, to what extent t... more Media guidelines for suicide reporting are available in many countries. However, to what extent the mass media comply with the guidelines is unknown. Few studies are available that investigate systematically whether the mass media reflect the epidemiological reality of suicide deaths in their articles. Based on the WHO media guidelines, this study investigated the characteristics of newspaper articles of suicides in three Chinese communities, namely Hong Kong, Taiwan and Guangzhou. Epidemiological comparisons were conducted to identify the age and gender differences between the suicide victims as reported in the newspapers and the official records of suicide deaths in all three places. The results found that one media characteristic complied with the WHO media guidelines (ie, only about 2% of the articles were printed on the front page), but there were a number of instances of non-compliance (ie, only 4-14% provided sources for help-seeking and 27-90% printed with photos). The epidemiological comparisons revealed an over-representation of younger suicides and an under-representation of late-life suicides in the newspapers of all three places. Furthermore, female suicides were found to be under-reported in Taiwan and Guangzhou newspapers, but not in Hong Kong papers. Non-compliant suicide articles are prevalent in the newspapers of these three Chinese settings. The observed media misrepresentations may potentially mislead the public and the policy makers about the actual risk for suicide in some demographic groups.
Journal of Comparative Policy Analysis: Research and Practice, 2012
We use a theoretical sampling approach to investigate and compare communications in two crisis si... more We use a theoretical sampling approach to investigate and compare communications in two crisis situations – the Sichuan earthquake in China and Hurricane Katrina in the US. We propose to re-conceptualize crisis communications, with the possibility of recognizing non-hierarchical and reciprocal interactions between authorities, traditional and social media, and individuals in crisis planning policy. We bring the issues of political and social
This study aimed to identify what information triggered social media users&am... more This study aimed to identify what information triggered social media users' responses regarding infectious diseases. Chinese microblogs in 2012 regarding 42 infectious diseases were obtained through a keyword search in the Weiboscope database. Qualitative content analysis was performed for the posts pertinent to each keyword of the day of the year with the highest daily count. Similar posts were grouped and coded. We identified five categories of information that increased microblog traffic pertaining to infectious diseases: news of an outbreak or a case; health education / information; alternative health information / Traditional Chinese Medicine; commercial advertisement / entertainment; and social issues. News unrelated to the specified infectious diseases also led to elevated microblog traffic. Our study showcases the diverse contexts from which increased social media traffic occur. Our results will facilitate better health communication as causes underlying increased social media traffic are revealed.
This study examines the impact of unemployment on suicide rates in Taiwan and Hong Kong during th... more This study examines the impact of unemployment on suicide rates in Taiwan and Hong Kong during the period of rising unemployment (1997-2003) and its subsequent decline (2003-2007), with 2003 as the turning point. During these initial years of high unemployment, suicide rates increased markedly in Hong Kong and Taiwan; however, as employment conditions improved, suicide rates fell in Hong Kong but continued to increase in Taiwan. ARMAX time-series models with appropriate time lags were used to assess the impact of unemployment on suicide rates for both periods. It was found that for Taiwan, the unemployment rate was positively related with the suicide rate for both males and females during the period of high unemployment, whereas a negative relationship was observed as the rate of unemployment decreased. On the other hand, the reduction in suicide rates since 2003 was not statistically significantly related to the improvement of employment conditions for Hong Kong; whereas the suicide rate in Taiwan still remained at a high level due to the increasing number of charcoal burning suicide deaths despite improvements in employment conditions. In conclusion, lower unemployment was not necessarily associated with lower suicide rates. Exogenous factors other than economic ones have been suggested to be important for understanding differences in suicide patterns in Hong Kong and Taiwan. The impact of employment conditions on suicide across different countries deserves further investigation.
ABSTRACT In October 2014, during heightened news coverage about cases of Ebola in the USA, anecdo... more ABSTRACT In October 2014, during heightened news coverage about cases of Ebola in the USA, anecdotal observations suggested that many Americans were anxious about Ebola. Given the negligible risk of infection, their anxiety was arguably driven by perceived rather than actual risk. Exaggeration or reassurance from the media can inflame or subdue people's perceived risk of Ebola infection.1 Fear can also be acquired by observation of other people's experiences, as expressed on social media.2 Thus, social media amplified fear about the imported Ebola case.
Retweeting a post on a social media platform is a part of a process of growing significant throug... more Retweeting a post on a social media platform is a part of a process of growing significant through which public opinion formation takes place. A ‘retweet count’ on, say Twitter or Weibo, can be taken as a measure of user influence. The assumption is that when B retweets A’s message, B empathizes with A and wishes to disseminate the message more widely. But this assumption has hardly been tested and preliminary evidence suggests practices for retweeting on Twitter vary. Nor can retweeting practices on Twitter be assumed to apply on Weibo. This paper makes the first effort to understand the practice of reposting on China’s Weibo, focusing on the content of reposts in comparison to that of the original messages. A quantitative comparison is made of the frame (Entman, 1993; Gamson & Modigliani, 1989) of the source post of 21 cases, and their reposts. The posts and reposts all refer to the issue of officials being exposed for corruption on Sina Weibo. The study finds sound evidence of networked framing, in which reposters revised frames of the source posters while disseminating them. Although over half of the reposts merely republished the source post without added content, what emerged were new communicative functions, case definitions, and a diagnosis of the consequences of exposing the cases. However, different types of user accounts drew different reposting frames, which points to a consistent paradigm between the source accounts and the reposters. The results are important for understanding the mechanisms behind the formation of public opinion on Weibo.
ABSTRACT This study explores how China’s indigenous social media weibo was used in the discussion... more ABSTRACT This study explores how China’s indigenous social media weibo was used in the discussion of seven major cases of environmental pollution and related unrest between 2010 and 2012 in China. We found that the majority of Chinese netizens frame these incidents as conflicts between “the state and the people”, and economic development and citizen’s well-being, and attribute responsibility for the wrongdoing to the government. In terms of communicative functions, weibo creates a public sphere for articulating critical opinions as well as requesting and sharing information about the cases, but also expressing strong emotions. We developed a specific research design that helps conduct empirical research (select cases, accumulate data, analyze content, and interpret results) in a censored media environment. In this sense, we present an exercise in de-Westernization (specifically, Sinification) of the methodology of social media research.
ABSTRACT This paper questions whether and to what extent social media matches its many presumed d... more ABSTRACT This paper questions whether and to what extent social media matches its many presumed desirable attributes, through references to social media in the United States and China, and in light of data that indicates that social media use tends to be dominated by a small group of elite users and driven by conventional forces. It concludes with implications for policy development.
The International journal of social psychiatry, Jan 24, 2014
Severe social withdrawal behaviors among young people have been a subject of public and clinical ... more Severe social withdrawal behaviors among young people have been a subject of public and clinical concerns. This study aimed to explore the prevalence of social withdrawal behaviors among young people aged 12-29 years in Hong Kong. A cross-sectional telephone-based survey was conducted with 1,010 young individuals. Social withdrawal behaviors were measured with the proposed research diagnostic criteria for hikikomori and were categorized according to the (a) international proposed duration criterion (more than 6 months), (b) local proposed criterion (less than 6 months) and (c) with withdrawal behaviors but self-perceived as non-problematic. The correlates of social withdrawal among the three groups were examined using multinomial and ordinal logistic regression analyses. The prevalence rates of more than 6 months, less than 6 months and self-perceived non-problematic social withdrawal were 1.9%, 2.5% and 2.6%, respectively. In terms of the correlates, the internationally and locally...
A growing number of studies indicate that sensationalist reporting of suicide is associated with ... more A growing number of studies indicate that sensationalist reporting of suicide is associated with increases in suicide rates, but in the light of some negative findings, the issue has remained controversial. The aim of this study was to evaluate the best current evidence on the association between celebrity suicide stories and subsequent suicides. Literature searches of six data sources (Medline, Psychlit, Communication Abstracts, Education Resources Information Center, Dissertation Abstracts and Australian Public Affairs Database (APAIS)) were conducted. Studies were included if they (1) adopted an ecological design, (2) focused on celebrity suicide, (3) had completed suicide as outcome variable, (4) analysed suicide rates across all suicide methods, (5) used data from after World War II and (6) satisfied basic quality criteria. 10 studies with totally 98 suicides by celebrities met the criteria. The pooled estimate indicated a change in suicide rates (suicides per 100 000 population) of 0.26 (95% CI 0.09 to 0.43) in the month after a celebrity suicide. There was substantial heterogeneity between studies, which was explained by the type of celebrity (entertainment elite vs others) and the region of study, as indicated by mixed-effects meta-regression. The region-of-study-specific effect of reporting a suicide by an entertainment celebrity was 0.64 (95% CI 0.55 to 0.73) in North America, 0.58 (95% CI 0.47 to 0.68) in Asia, 0.36 (95% CI -0.10 to 0.61) in Australia and 0.68 (95% CI 0.51 to 0.85) in Europe. There was no indication of publication bias. Reports on celebrity suicide are associated with increases in suicides. Study region and celebrity type appear to have an impact on the effect size.
Multiple studies have shown that macroeconomic factors are associated with changes in suicide rat... more Multiple studies have shown that macroeconomic factors are associated with changes in suicide rates. We investigated how changes in economic conditions associated with the recent economic crisis in South Korea influenced suicide rates among working-age adults. Time-series analyses were performed to examine the temporal associations of national unemployment rates and sex-employment-specific suicide rates in South Korea from 2003 to 2011, with particular attention to the increases of suicides that occurred during the recessionary period that began in 2008. We also compared the relative risk of suicide among different occupations. National unemployment rates were positively associated with suicide rates among employed and unemployed men and women, with a 2-month to 3 month lagged period. Significant increases of suicide rates among working-age adults during the recession were detected in most of the subgroups stratified by age, sex and employment status. Forty-three per cent of the increase of suicides was derived from the employed population. Compared with workers in elementary occupations, the relative risk of suicide for mangers increased by threefold during the recessionary period. Among those who were employed, half of the increases in suicides occurred among clerks and workers involved in sales and services. Changes in macroeconomic conditions are tied to population-level suicide risks for employed and unemployed persons. However, these associations vary depending on sex, employment status and occupational roles. In advance of future economic crises, it is important to develop prevention initiatives intended to reach the diverse populations potentially exposed to the adverse effects of sudden economic disruptions.
This study analyzed the online suicide-related contents of Chinese-language Web sites compared wi... more This study analyzed the online suicide-related contents of Chinese-language Web sites compared with contents observed in an American study that considered English-language Web sites, so as to examine what differences there might be between Chinese online information and its English counterpart. Online contents were generated by entering 4 suicide-related search queries into 5 popular search engines (Google China, Yahoo! China, Live search, Baidu, and Sogou) in mainland China in September 2008. The search queries were simplified Chinese translations of terms used in a 2008 American study that used similar methodology: Zi Sha (suicide), Ru He Zi Sha (how to commit suicide), Zen Yang Zi Sha (how to kill yourself), and Zi Sha Fang Fa (suicide method). Three coders from mainland China reviewed the first 3 pages of results from each search and rated their contents in terms of the attitude toward suicide reflected therein (pro-suicide, anti-suicide, neutral, not a suicide site, or error [page would not load]). Other characteristics of the Web sites were analyzed. The results were then compared with those of the earlier study of English-language Web sites. Of the Chinese Web sites, a smaller proportion carried pro-suicide information compared with the corresponding results obtained from the study of English-language Web sites (4.2% vs 11.7%), whereas the proportion of anti-suicide Web sites in both languages was almost the same (32.3% vs 34.9%). Anti-suicide Web sites in Chinese, however, provided less information on seeking help, and there were fewer government or professional mental health Web sites in Chinese (1.3% vs 13.3%). The pro-suicide information on Chinese Web sites was mostly found in personal blogs or online forums. Psychiatrists and public health researchers dealing with suicide prevention in China should be aware of the differences between online suicide-related information in the Chinese and English languages.
ABSTRACT The authors investigated censorship practices and the use of microblogs — or weibos, in ... more ABSTRACT The authors investigated censorship practices and the use of microblogs — or weibos, in Chinese — using 111 million microblogs collected between 1 January and 30 June 2012. To better control for alternative explanations for censorship decisions attributable to an individual's characteristics and choices, they used a matched case-control study design to determine a list of Chinese terms that discriminate censored and uncensored posts written by the same microbloggers. This list includes homophones and puns created by Chinese microbloggers to circumvent the censors successfully. The study's design also made it possible to evaluate the real-name registration system's impact on microbloggers' posting activities. Findings suggest that the new policy might have stopped some microbloggers from writing about social and political subjects.
ABSTRACT Although professionals and academics recognize the growing importance of public diplomac... more ABSTRACT Although professionals and academics recognize the growing importance of public diplomacy, little attention has been paid the role of social media in shaping and reporting public opinion in foreign settings. China in particular has a substantial number of netizens who discuss American politics on Sina Weibo. Focusing on Weibo posts about the Obamas during the time period of the 2012 Democratic National Convention (DNC), this paper qualitatively examines the major themes that emerged: the horse race, the role of digital media in the race, the potential impact on American foreign policy, and the eloquence and teleological discourse of the Obamas’ DNC speeches. The paper concludes that, for American public diplomacy especially, the discursive study of the Chinese microblogging public is a necessary and potentially very fruitful line of inquiry.
Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health, 2011
Media guidelines for suicide reporting are available in many countries. However, to what extent t... more Media guidelines for suicide reporting are available in many countries. However, to what extent the mass media comply with the guidelines is unknown. Few studies are available that investigate systematically whether the mass media reflect the epidemiological reality of suicide deaths in their articles. Based on the WHO media guidelines, this study investigated the characteristics of newspaper articles of suicides in three Chinese communities, namely Hong Kong, Taiwan and Guangzhou. Epidemiological comparisons were conducted to identify the age and gender differences between the suicide victims as reported in the newspapers and the official records of suicide deaths in all three places. The results found that one media characteristic complied with the WHO media guidelines (ie, only about 2% of the articles were printed on the front page), but there were a number of instances of non-compliance (ie, only 4-14% provided sources for help-seeking and 27-90% printed with photos). The epidemiological comparisons revealed an over-representation of younger suicides and an under-representation of late-life suicides in the newspapers of all three places. Furthermore, female suicides were found to be under-reported in Taiwan and Guangzhou newspapers, but not in Hong Kong papers. Non-compliant suicide articles are prevalent in the newspapers of these three Chinese settings. The observed media misrepresentations may potentially mislead the public and the policy makers about the actual risk for suicide in some demographic groups.
Journal of Comparative Policy Analysis: Research and Practice, 2012
We use a theoretical sampling approach to investigate and compare communications in two crisis si... more We use a theoretical sampling approach to investigate and compare communications in two crisis situations – the Sichuan earthquake in China and Hurricane Katrina in the US. We propose to re-conceptualize crisis communications, with the possibility of recognizing non-hierarchical and reciprocal interactions between authorities, traditional and social media, and individuals in crisis planning policy. We bring the issues of political and social
This study aimed to identify what information triggered social media users&am... more This study aimed to identify what information triggered social media users' responses regarding infectious diseases. Chinese microblogs in 2012 regarding 42 infectious diseases were obtained through a keyword search in the Weiboscope database. Qualitative content analysis was performed for the posts pertinent to each keyword of the day of the year with the highest daily count. Similar posts were grouped and coded. We identified five categories of information that increased microblog traffic pertaining to infectious diseases: news of an outbreak or a case; health education / information; alternative health information / Traditional Chinese Medicine; commercial advertisement / entertainment; and social issues. News unrelated to the specified infectious diseases also led to elevated microblog traffic. Our study showcases the diverse contexts from which increased social media traffic occur. Our results will facilitate better health communication as causes underlying increased social media traffic are revealed.
This study examines the impact of unemployment on suicide rates in Taiwan and Hong Kong during th... more This study examines the impact of unemployment on suicide rates in Taiwan and Hong Kong during the period of rising unemployment (1997-2003) and its subsequent decline (2003-2007), with 2003 as the turning point. During these initial years of high unemployment, suicide rates increased markedly in Hong Kong and Taiwan; however, as employment conditions improved, suicide rates fell in Hong Kong but continued to increase in Taiwan. ARMAX time-series models with appropriate time lags were used to assess the impact of unemployment on suicide rates for both periods. It was found that for Taiwan, the unemployment rate was positively related with the suicide rate for both males and females during the period of high unemployment, whereas a negative relationship was observed as the rate of unemployment decreased. On the other hand, the reduction in suicide rates since 2003 was not statistically significantly related to the improvement of employment conditions for Hong Kong; whereas the suicide rate in Taiwan still remained at a high level due to the increasing number of charcoal burning suicide deaths despite improvements in employment conditions. In conclusion, lower unemployment was not necessarily associated with lower suicide rates. Exogenous factors other than economic ones have been suggested to be important for understanding differences in suicide patterns in Hong Kong and Taiwan. The impact of employment conditions on suicide across different countries deserves further investigation.
ABSTRACT In October 2014, during heightened news coverage about cases of Ebola in the USA, anecdo... more ABSTRACT In October 2014, during heightened news coverage about cases of Ebola in the USA, anecdotal observations suggested that many Americans were anxious about Ebola. Given the negligible risk of infection, their anxiety was arguably driven by perceived rather than actual risk. Exaggeration or reassurance from the media can inflame or subdue people's perceived risk of Ebola infection.1 Fear can also be acquired by observation of other people's experiences, as expressed on social media.2 Thus, social media amplified fear about the imported Ebola case.
Paper presented at the Chinese Internet Research Conference, May 21-22, 2012, USC Annenberg Schoo... more Paper presented at the Chinese Internet Research Conference, May 21-22, 2012, USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism
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Papers by King-wa Fu