My research is primarily focused on chronic health conditions, particularly inflammatory bowel disease (I disease I’ve had since 2007). I study how people with IBD provide social support in online spaces, challenge stigma, build online communities, educate one another, and make sense of their disease. I’ve also published articles on pedagogy and popular culture.

I use qualitative methods for most of my research, including digital ethnography, content analysis, interviews, and autoethnography.

Recently, I have begun reviewing books (and even a board game) related to popular culture as a way of giving back to the discipline and alerting scholars to books they might find of interest.

Journal Articles (18)

Frohlich, D. O., & Abdul Wahab, S. (2024). Making sense of the COVID-19 pandemic: The use of blogging by people with inflammatory bowel disease. Health Communication, 1–10. https://doi.org/10.1080/10410236.2024.2394717

Rohde, J. A, Fisher, E. B., Boynton, M. H., Freelon, D., Frohlich, D. O., Barnes, E. L., & Noar, S. M. (2022). A self-management SMS text messaging intervention for people with inflammatory bowel disease: Feasibility and acceptability study. JMIR Formative Research 6(5), e34960. doi: 10.2196/34960.

Frohlich, D. O. & Magolis, D. (2020). Developing a responsive and adaptable emergent media curriculum. Journal of Media Literacy Education, 12(1), 123-131.

Frohlich, D. O. (2019). Quick Fix: Requiring students to end discussion posts with a question. College Teaching, published online Dec. 18, 2019.

Frohlich, D. O. (2019). Multimedia in Mass Communication I. Syllabus, 8(1), 1-29.

Frohlich, D. O. (2019). Inflammatory bowel disease patient leaders’ responsibility for disseminating health information. Gastroenterology Nursing, 42(1), 29-40. doi: 10.1097/SGA.0000000000000361

Frohlich, D. O. (2016). The social construction of inflammatory bowel disease using social media technologies. Health Communication. 31(11), 1412-1420, first published online on April 6, 2016. doi: 10.1080/10410236.2015.1077690

Frohlich, D. O., & Zmyslinski-Seelig, A. (2016). How Uncover Ostomy challenges ostomy stigma, and encourages others to do the same. New Media & Society, 18(2), 220-238, first published online on July 9, 2014. doi: 10.1177/1461444814541943

Birnbrauer, K., Frohlich, D. O. & Treise, D. (2015). Inconsistencies in reporting risk information: A pilot analysis of online news coverage of West Nile Virus. Global Health Promotion. Prepublished August 11, 2015. doi: 10.1177/1757975915594603

Frohlich, D. O. (2014). The social support model for people with chronic health conditions. Social Theory and Health, 12(2), 218-234. doi: 10.1057/sth.2014.3

Frohlich, D. O. (2014). For people with inflammatory bowel disease, support often outweighs stigma. Gastroenterology Nursing, 37(2), 126-136. doi: 10.1097/SGA.0000000000000030

Frohlich, D. O., & Birnbrauer, K. (2014). Discrepancies in health information found on websites discussing cures for inflammatory bowel disease, an “incurable” disease. Inflammatory Bowel Diseases, 20(3), 458-463. doi: 10.1097/01.MIB.0000442013.45038.47

Frohlich, D. O. (2013). Let there be highlights: A framing analysis of The Green Bible. Journal for the Study of Religion, Nature & Culture, 7(2), 208-230.

Frohlich, D. O. (2012). Self-disclosing my ostomy to the dominant culture: An autoethnography. Journal of Wound, Ostomy and Continence Nursing, 39(6), 627-631. doi: 10.1097/WON.0b013e31826a4b83

Frohlich, D. O. (2012). Evil must be punished: Apocalyptic religion in the television series Death Note. Journal of Media and Religion, 11(3), 141-155. doi: 10.1080/15348423.2012.706158

Frohlich, D. O. (2012). Defining Moments: People supersede illness. Health Communication, 27(6), 623-627. doi: 10.1080/10410236.2012.666713

Frohlich, D. O., & Zmyslinski-Seelig, A. (2012). The presence of social support messages on YouTube videos about inflammatory bowel disease and ostomies. Health Communication, 27(5), 421-428. doi: 10.1080/10410236.2011.606524

Yu, N., Frohlich, D. O., Fougner, J., & Ren, L. (2011). Communicating a health epidemic: A risk assessment of the swine flu coverage in U.S. newspapers. International Public Health Journal, 3(1), 63-76.

Book Reviews (10)

Frohlich, D. O. (2024). Marco Arnaudo The Tabletop Revolution: Gaming Reimagined in the 21st Century. Popular Culture Studies Journal 12(2), 135-138.

Frohlich, D. O. (2023). Dale Leorke and Danielle Wyatt The Library as Playground: How Games and Play are Reshaping Public Culture. Popular Culture Studies Journal 11(2), 270-273.

Frohlich, D. O. (2023). Brian Boxer Wachler. Influenced: The Impact of Social Media on Our Perception. Popular Culture Studies Journal 11(1), 135-137.

Frohlich, D. O. (2022). Melanie Swalwell. Homebrew Gaming and the Beginnings of Vernacular Digitality. Popular Culture Studies Journal 10(2), 153-156.

Frohlich, D. O. (2022). Paul Booth. Board Games as Media. Popular Culture Studies Journal 10(1), 379-381.

Frohlich, D. O. (2022). William L. Benoit and Andrew C. Billings. The Rise and Fall of Mass Communication. Journal of Broadcasting & Electronic Media,online, 1-3.

Frohlich, D. O. (2021). Josh Grimm. Fake News! Misinformation in the Media. Popular Culture Studies Journal, 9(1), 365-367.

Frohlich, D. O. (2020). Bradley E. Wiggins. The Discursive Power of Memes in Digital Culture: Ideology, Semiotics, and Intertextuality. Popular Culture Studies Journal, 8(2), 276-278.

Frohlich, D. O. (2020). Ramon Labato. Netflix Nations: The Geography of Digital Distribution. Popular Culture Studies Journal, 8(1), 206-208.

Frohlich, D. O. (2019). Megan Sapnar Ankerson. Dot-Com Design: The Rise of a Usable, Social, Commercial Web. Popular Culture Studies Journal, 7(1), 185-187.

Game Reviews (1)

Frohlich, D. O. (2024). Garphill Games. The Legacy of Yu. Popular Culture Studies Journal 12(1), 376-379.

Conference Presentations (17)

Wahab, S. A., & Frohlich, D. O. (2022, November). Making sense of the COVID-19 pandemic: The use of blogging by people with inflammatory bowel disease. Paper presented at the National Communication Association 2022 conference, New Orleans, LA.

Frohlich, D. O., & Magolis, D. (2019, November). Developing a responsive and adaptable emergent media curriculum. Paper presented at the 2019 Northeast Regional Media Literacy Conference, Providence, RI.

Birnbrauer, K., Frohlich, D. O., & Strekalova, Y. (2018, April). Social influence and group cohesion in communication about diabetes risks and prevention on Facebook. Paper presented at the Eastern Communication Association 2018 conference, Pittsburgh, PA.

Frohlich, D. O. (2017, March). Video game press coverage: How gamers respond to press coverage critical of violent video games. Paper presented at the Eastern Communication Association 2017 conference, Boston, MA.

Frohlich, D. O. (2016, June). Play mechanics of sexy female characters in video games. Paper presented at the International Communication Association 2016 conference, Fukuoka, Japan.

Frohlich, D. O. (2015, November). Creation and maintenance of online health communities using social media technology. Paper presented at the National Communication Association 101st convention, Las Vegas, NV.

Birnbrauer, K., & Frohlich, D. O. (2014, October). An examination of health topics that influence how the diabetes and heart disease communities interact on Facebook. Paper presented at the 36th Annual Meeting of the Society for Medical Decision Making, Miami, FL.

Birnbrauer, K., Frohlich, D. O. & Treise, D. (2014, June). Communication patterns among the diabetes and heart disease communities on Facebook. Poster presented at University of Florida’s Clinical and Translational Science Institute’s 2014 Research Day, Gainesville, FL.

Frohlich, D. O. (2013, November). The social support model for people with chronic health conditions. Paper presented at the National Communication Association 2013 convention, Washington, D.C.

Birnbrauer, K., Frohlich, D. O., & Treise, D. (2013, November). The value of communicating risk: A framing analysis of West Nile Virus news coverage. Paper presented at the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene 62nd annual meeting, Washington, D.C.

Frohlich, D. O., & Birnbrauer, K. (2013, August). A content analysis of websites promoting cures for inflammatory bowel disease, an “incurable” disease. Poster presented at the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication 2013 convention, Washington, D.C.

Frohlich, D. O. (2012, November). Environmental twaddle and tommyrot: A framing analysis of The Green Bible. Paper presented at the National Communication Association 2012 convention, Orlando, Florida.

Frohlich, D. O., & Zmyslinski-Seelig, A. (2012, November). How Uncover Ostomy challenges ostomy stigma, and encourages others to do the same. Paper presented at the National Communication Association 2012 convention, Orlando, Florida.

Frohlich, D. O., & Zmyslinski, A. (2011, April). The presence of social support messages on YouTube videos about inflammatory bowel disease and ostomies. Paper presented at the Central States Communication Association 2011 convention, Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Top paper in the health communication interest group.

Frohlich, D. O. (2011, April). Self-disclosing ostomies to the dominant culture. Paper presented at the Central States Communication Association 2011 convention, Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Frohlich, D., Weber, A., Okigbo, K., Hinrichs, S., & Napakol, A. (2011, March). How instructors’ use and misuse of technology leads to student resistance. Paper presented at the Red River Graduate Student Conference 2011, Fargo, North Dakota.

Yu, N., Frohlich, D. O., Fougner, J., & Ren, L. (2010, August). Communicating a health epidemic: A risk assessment of the swine flu coverage in U.S. newspapers. Paper presented at the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication 94th annual conference, Denver, Colorado.