Limited Effectiveness of Emergency Health Messaging on Social Media Platforms

During recent public health crises like the COVID-19 pandemic and the mpox outbreak, social media has served as an essential tool for health authorities to deliver information rapidly and reach a broad audience. However, a new study led by researchers from Texas A&M University highlights significant limitations in the effectiveness of emergency health messages disseminated through platforms like X (formerly Twitter).

The research analyzed 1,105 original health-related posts by the Chicago Department of Public Health (CDPH) between May 2022 and April 2023. The study aimed to understand the nature of these posts, the topics covered, and the level of public engagement they received. Notably, in December 2022, X introduced a feature showing the number of views for each post, which researchers used to gauge engagement levels.

Findings revealed that the majority of posts during the study period were one-way communications, with little interaction or dialogue with the audience. This approach contrasts with the interactive potential of social media, which can foster trust and counteract misinformation. Additionally, posts enriched with images or videos significantly outperformed text-only messages in engaging the public.

Interestingly, the study found that topics such as maternal and child health, mental health, and substance use received higher engagement than COVID-19 and mpox-related messages. This indicates that during prolonged health emergencies, the public may prefer or respond more actively to content related to broader health and well-being issues.

Language accessibility was another concern. The CDPH posts were only available in English and Spanish, whereas other cities like Houston provided multilingual messages in Arabic, Chinese, Vietnamese, and others. Spanish-language posts, in particular, garnered lower engagement, emphasizing the need for more inclusive communication strategies.

The analysis also identified moderate, positive correlations between the amount of mpox-related social media content and actual reported cases, especially when messages and cases coincided temporally. This suggests that health authorities effectively provided timely, accurate information during peaks of the outbreak, which is vital during health crises.

However, the study noted several limitations. It only examined text-based media, not videos, and did not assess the impact of social media communication on actual behavioral change. The rapidly changing algorithms of social platforms also pose a challenge to consistent research. Moreover, results from Chicago's department may not be applicable universally.

In conclusion, while social media remains a powerful tool for health communication, it should be complemented with other methods and tailored strategies to maximize public understanding, trust, and behavioral change during health emergencies.

Source: medicalxpress.com