Papers by Saud Alsulaiman
Journal of Health Management
While the world is struggling with a Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic in 2020, one country, the Ki... more While the world is struggling with a Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic in 2020, one country, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, has been tackling a different strain of the Coronavirus, the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV), since 2012. The Ministry of Health (MOH) has been working to ensure the safety and health of Saudi residents, particularly during the annual pilgrimage season. This study examined information-seeking behaviours among Saudi people regarding MERS-CoV and the level of adherence to health preventive measures during the Hajj season. The study used the Health Belief Model (HBM) to assess perceived severity among Saudis. The study aimed to measure Saudi’s levels of fear from being infected with MERS-CoV. Snowball sampling and simple random probability sampling methods were utilized. A total of 1,206 participated in the study. Mann–Whitney U test, Kruskal-Wallis test, Chi-Square test of independence, Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient tests were conduc...
Online Journal of Communication and Media Technologies
Understanding news consumption among young adults in a digital era that has witnessed drastic cha... more Understanding news consumption among young adults in a digital era that has witnessed drastic changes is imperative. While news consumption behaviors among the younger generations have been well documented in many countries, little or no research has been conducted on this phenomenon among young people in Saudi Arabia. In this context and through the lens of uses and gratifications theory, this study looked at how young Saudis consume news on traditional and social media platforms, which media they trust the most, and if there are any gender differences related to news consumption. The study used an online survey sent to a simple random sampling (N=840) at a large public university in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Different statistical analyses were conducted, including the nonparametric Kruskal Wallis test, Mann-Whitney test, and Chi-square test of independence. The study's findings suggest that Saudi millennials heavily rely on social media platforms, such as Twitter and WhatsApp, to obtain news using their smartphones. The study also indicates that young Saudis trust traditional media more than social media, but those who are more engaged in social media perceive the news as trustworthy. Other interesting findings suggest that females use various news platforms when consuming news more than males and are interested in different news topics. The implications of this study could be valuable for researchers and organizations when communicating with young Saudis.
As of September 2017, more than 600 people died in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) since the Co... more As of September 2017, more than 600 people died in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) since the Coronavirus outbreak in 2012. The Ministry of Health (MOH), in cooperation with international health organizations such as the World Health Organization (WHO), launched a public health campaign to increase awareness of preventive measures. Initial responses from this campaign left people confused by the mixed messages disseminated and led to distrust of the MOH and its website, the primary source for communication to the public. A new minister launched a comprehensive campaign that incorporated key messages, trustworthy sources, and specific actions. The purpose of the study was to explore whether the MOH in Saudi Arabia has implemented best public relations practices during a major health crisis or not. The study adapted Champion\u27s Health Belief Model (HBM) and Meyer\u27s Media Credibility Scale to formulate an online survey of 875 students from King Saud University in Riyadh, Saudi Ar...
Journal of Media and Communication Studies, 2021
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) was the only country to ban women from driving until a royal de... more The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) was the only country to ban women from driving until a royal decree changed this in June 2018. The controversy before and after the ban gained media attention and is the foundation for this study, examining how US and UK media covered the women driving ban. Framing theory and thematic analysis were used to examine 80 articles randomly chosen from 10 prominent and most trusted US and UK news outlets before and after the ban. The study found that the majority of the coverage was supportive of women driving before and after the ban in the KSA, but coverage of KSA women vividly shifted after lifting the driving ban. Western ideologies and perspectives, present in most articles, did not consider the main differences between cultures. False information and exaggerations in some articles provided inaccurate information about women in the KSA.
Terry Rentner, Advisor As of September 2017, more than 600 people died in the Kingdom of Saudi Ar... more Terry Rentner, Advisor As of September 2017, more than 600 people died in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) since the Coronavirus outbreak in 2012. The Ministry of Health (MOH), in cooperation with international health organizations such as the World Health Organization (WHO), launched a public health campaign to increase awareness of preventive measures. Initial responses from this campaign left people confused by the mixed messages disseminated and led to distrust of the MOH and its website, the primary source for communication to the public. A new minister launched a comprehensive campaign that incorporated key messages, trustworthy sources, and specific actions. The purpose of the study was to explore whether the MOH in Saudi Arabia has implemented best public relations practices during a major health crisis or not. The study adapted Champion’s Health Belief Model (HBM) and Meyer’s Media Credibility Scale to formulate an online survey of 875 students from King Saud University in...
As the mixed-mode survey is increasingly used, this study examines the response quality in a mixe... more As the mixed-mode survey is increasingly used, this study examines the response quality in a mixed-mode telephone and Web survey across different types of questions. Survey data were collected by telephone and Web from 273 members of a U.S. public broadcasting TV station’s members who donated to the TV station. We compared the participation rates of the telephone survey and the Web survey and the gain in responses using mixed mode surveys; the overall item-completion rate, the effect of question format, order, and type on item non-response rates of telephone and Web modes; and assessed whether demographic characteristics of respondents predict item non-response in different survey modes. Although the response quality in Web surveys was superior to telephone surveys in most types of questions by contents and formats, demographic questions were the ones with highest item non-response in Web surveys, but not in telephone surveys. We found survey mode was the single most significant and...
This thesis would not have been possible without the support of many people in my life. Thanks to... more This thesis would not have been possible without the support of many people in my life. Thanks to my adviser Dr. Becky McDonald who guided me throughout my study and provided me with support and encouragement. Also thanks to my committee members, Dr. Melvin Sharpe and Prof. O'Malley who offered valuable guidance and support for my study. I am also grateful to my lovely wife, Fatimah, who has supported and encouraged me to success in my life. Thanks to my parents and my family for their endless supports and prayers. I am grateful for everyone who contributed to the success of the study. Finally, I am thankful to my God who gives me the patient to achieve my goals. CHAPTER I: INTRODUCTION The Internet has changed the nature of interactions between people and organizations. The Internet changes the way perceptions are shaped and how relationships are built between organizations, stakeholders, and the public. Studies have found that the emergence of social media and blogs has changed the way public relations is practiced and the way organizations communicate, especially to external audiences (Wright & Hinson, 2008). According to Bingqi & Han (2009), the availability of social media encourages organizations to respond quickly to any criticism of the organization. Public relations practitioners are considered one of the most important departments to help the organization handle a crisis (Coombs, 2007). Public relations practitioners must control the flow of information from an organization by developing and disseminating appropriate messages for key publics and the media during a crisis (Wigley & Zhang, 2011). A crisis must be handled effectively by public relations practitioners to prevent any damages and losses to an organization (Coombs, 2007). According to Coombs (2007), a crisis is-a significant threat to operations that can have negative consequences if not handled properly‖. Fern-Banks
Atlantic Journal of Communication, 2021
The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly impacted educational institutions around the world. Publi... more The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly impacted educational institutions around the world. Public health authorities have been at the forefront of the crisis launching public health campaigns to c...
Journal of International Crisis and Risk Communication Research, 2018
As of August 2017, approximately 684 people have died in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia since the co... more As of August 2017, approximately 684 people have died in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia since the coronavirus Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS-CoV) outbreak in 2012. Saudi Arabia became the leading country for the number of illnesses and deaths related to MERS-CoV, making this a health megacrisis. Early Ministry of Health (MOH) communication efforts proved ineffective and created anger, confusion, and mistrust. Changes in command, implementation of new guidelines and policies, and a health preventive campaign have been instrumental in the fight. The MOH launched the “We Can Stop It” campaign in 2015. This study shares results from a survey of 875 students from King Saud University on the credibility of MOH information and effectiveness of the campaign’s prevention recommendations. Results show that the MOH is a credible source of information and that Saudis are following most, but not all, recommended preventive measures. Those persons with higher perceived benefits and lower bar...
Saudi Arabia is considered as the largest country in the Arabian Peninsula and the second largest... more Saudi Arabia is considered as the largest country in the Arabian Peninsula and the second largest Arab state. Saudi Arabia is believed to be the only country in the world that forbid women from driving cars. Although Saudi women have played crucial roles in the development of many aspects of Saudi society, such as educaBon, poliBcs, and social changes, Saudi women sBll struggle to gain some of their rights, like driving cars. Throughout history,
Computers in Human Behavior, 2015
This study extends Uses and Gratifications theory by examining the uses and gratifications of a n... more This study extends Uses and Gratifications theory by examining the uses and gratifications of a new technological device, the tablet computer, and investigating the differential uses and gratifications of tablet computers across the lifespan. First, we utilized a six-week tablet training intervention to adapt and extend existing measures to the tablet as a technological device. Next, we used paper-based and online surveys (N=847), we confirmed four main uses of tablets: 1) Information Seeking, 2) Relationship Maintenance, 3) Style, 4) Amusement and Killing time, and added one additional use category 5) Organization. We discovered differences among the five main uses of tablets across the lifespan , with older adults using tablets the least overall. Builders, Boomers, GenX and GenY all reported the highest means for information seeking. Finally, we used a structural equation model to examine how uses and gratifications predicts hours of tablet use. The study provides limitations and suggestions for future research and marketers. In particular, this study offers insight to the relevancy of theory as it applies to particular information and communication technologies and consideration of how different periods in the lifespan affect tablet motivations.
Proceedings of the International Crisis and Risk Communication Conference Volume 2, 2019
Every year, millions of Muslims converge in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) to perform the Hajj... more Every year, millions of Muslims converge in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) to perform the Hajj pilgrimage. So how does a government prepare for a potential crisis when hosting an event of this magnitude? A content analysis guided this study on crisis communication strategies taken by the Saudi government before, during, and after Hajj 2018 and how Saudi Arabia utilized the media to deliver proactive messages to ensure a successful Hajj season. The study found that the government created and built a positive image in the media through the use of effective management, preemptive messages, and multiple communication channels.
Journal of American College Health
Journal of Public Health Research, 2021
Background This study utilized the Health Belief Model to examine college students’ perceptions o... more Background This study utilized the Health Belief Model to examine college students’ perceptions of the COVID-19 pandemic. It examined the extent to which the Health Belief Model and perceived threat are associated with the adoption of COVID-19 preventive measures among college students. Design and methods An online questionnaire was utilized and sent to a simple random sample of college students at a large Midwestern university in the United States between May and July of 2020. The number of undergraduate and graduate students who participated in this study was 1,723. Results The study found that the Health Belief Model and perceived threat are significantly associated with COVID-19 preventive measures. College students with higher Health Belief Model scores were more likely to adhere to COVID-19 preventive measures than those with lower scores. College students also reported high cues to action and low perceived barriers to most of the COVID-19 preventive measures. Conclusion Apply...
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Papers by Saud Alsulaiman