The next UCL Health Communication Network’s seminar will take place on  18^th May 2023, 1-2pm

Location: IOE – 20 Bedford Way, Room W3.06 (note entry to the building is from Bedford Way only, due to renovation works)

Talks:

• Show RESPECT: Results from a mixed methods study testing different approaches to sharing trial results with participants

Annabelle South, Institute of Clinical Trials and Methodology

Sharing trial results with participants is an ethical imperative but often does not happen. The Show RESPECT study tested three different approaches to sharing trial results with participants in an ovarian cancer treatment trial: webpages; posted printed summaries; and email list. We collected qualitative and quantitative data from trial participants and site staff involved in sharing results. This seminar will explore some of the key findings from both participants’ and site staff perspectives.

• Polarized discourses of abortion in English: Using corpora to explore semantic prosody and discursive salience

Beth Malory, Department of English Language & Literature

There is scant evidence of the role lexis plays in determining public attitudes to reproductive rights, despite linguistic issues being hotly contested within this domain. Official UK health documents in English now use termination of pregnancy (TOP) instead of abortion, prompting backlash from those concerned that avoidance perpetuates stigma. Without empirical research, it is difficult to draw conclusions about linguistic influence in this polarized, often vitriolic debate, however. This talk will present findings of corpus-based research intended to remedy this. Using the framework of semantic prosody and drawing upon salience theory, these findings indicate that abortion may perpetuate stigma and negative public attitudes towards reproductive rights.

Live stream link for those who can’t attend: https://ucl.zoom.us/j/93217430863?pwd=dXVxdTN0YkpwWVBNQ1IrVitaTCs4UT09 (Passcode: 421535)