Informing social media analysis for public health: a cross-sectional survey of professionals
Abstract Background During the COVID-19 pandemic, the field of infodemic management has grown in response to urgent global need. Social listening is the first step in managing the infodemic, and many organizations and health systems have implemented processes. Social media analysis tools have tradit...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2024-01-01
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| Series: | Archives of Public Health |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s13690-023-01230-z |
| _version_ | 1827388747390386176 |
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| author | Becky K. White Elisabeth Wilhelm Atsuyoshi Ishizumi Surangani Abeyesekera Alhassan Pereira Brian Yau Aleksandra Kuzmanovic Tim Nguyen Sylvie Briand Tina D. Purnat |
| author_facet | Becky K. White Elisabeth Wilhelm Atsuyoshi Ishizumi Surangani Abeyesekera Alhassan Pereira Brian Yau Aleksandra Kuzmanovic Tim Nguyen Sylvie Briand Tina D. Purnat |
| author_sort | Becky K. White |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background During the COVID-19 pandemic, the field of infodemic management has grown in response to urgent global need. Social listening is the first step in managing the infodemic, and many organizations and health systems have implemented processes. Social media analysis tools have traditionally been developed for commercial purposes, rather than public health, and little is known of the experiences and needs of those professionals using them for infodemic management. Methods We developed a cross sectional survey and distributed through global infodemic management networks between December 2022 and February 2023. Questions were structured over four sections related to work-practice and user needs and did not collect any personal details from participants. Descriptive analysis was conducted on the study results. Qualitative analysis was used to categorise and understand answers to open-text questions. Results There were 417 participants, 162/417 who completed all survey questions, and 255/417 who completed some, all responses are included in analysis. Respondents came from all global regions and a variety of workplaces. Participants had an average of 4.4 years’ experience in the analysis of social media for public health. COVID-19 was the most common health issue people had conducted social media analysis for. Results reveal a range of training, technical capacity, and support needs. Conclusions This paper is the first we are aware of to seek and describe the needs of those using social media analysis platforms for public health purposes since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. There are key areas for future work and research, including addressing the training, capacity building and leadership needs of those working in this space, and the need to facilitate easier access to better platforms for performing social media analysis. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-08T16:23:25Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-783e5f37e01c45abbab90adb17c5c615 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2049-3258 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-08T16:23:25Z |
| publishDate | 2024-01-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Archives of Public Health |
| spelling | doaj.art-783e5f37e01c45abbab90adb17c5c6152024-01-07T12:12:12ZengBMCArchives of Public Health2049-32582024-01-0182111210.1186/s13690-023-01230-zInforming social media analysis for public health: a cross-sectional survey of professionalsBecky K. White0Elisabeth Wilhelm1Atsuyoshi Ishizumi2Surangani Abeyesekera3Alhassan Pereira4Brian Yau5Aleksandra Kuzmanovic6Tim Nguyen7Sylvie Briand8Tina D. Purnat9Department of Epidemic and Pandemic Preparedness and Prevention, Health Emergencies Programme, World Health OrganizationVisiting Scholar, University of Memphis School of Public HealthDepartment of Epidemic and Pandemic Preparedness and Prevention, Health Emergencies Programme, World Health OrganizationImmunization Demand Team, UNICEFDepartment of Epidemic and Pandemic Preparedness and Prevention, Health Emergencies Programme, World Health OrganizationDepartment of Epidemic and Pandemic Preparedness and Prevention, Health Emergencies Programme, World Health OrganizationDepartment of Communications, World Health OrganizationDepartment of Epidemic and Pandemic Preparedness and Prevention, Health Emergencies Programme, World Health OrganizationDepartment of Epidemic and Pandemic Preparedness and Prevention, Health Emergencies Programme, World Health OrganizationDepartment of Epidemic and Pandemic Preparedness and Prevention, Health Emergencies Programme, World Health OrganizationAbstract Background During the COVID-19 pandemic, the field of infodemic management has grown in response to urgent global need. Social listening is the first step in managing the infodemic, and many organizations and health systems have implemented processes. Social media analysis tools have traditionally been developed for commercial purposes, rather than public health, and little is known of the experiences and needs of those professionals using them for infodemic management. Methods We developed a cross sectional survey and distributed through global infodemic management networks between December 2022 and February 2023. Questions were structured over four sections related to work-practice and user needs and did not collect any personal details from participants. Descriptive analysis was conducted on the study results. Qualitative analysis was used to categorise and understand answers to open-text questions. Results There were 417 participants, 162/417 who completed all survey questions, and 255/417 who completed some, all responses are included in analysis. Respondents came from all global regions and a variety of workplaces. Participants had an average of 4.4 years’ experience in the analysis of social media for public health. COVID-19 was the most common health issue people had conducted social media analysis for. Results reveal a range of training, technical capacity, and support needs. Conclusions This paper is the first we are aware of to seek and describe the needs of those using social media analysis platforms for public health purposes since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. There are key areas for future work and research, including addressing the training, capacity building and leadership needs of those working in this space, and the need to facilitate easier access to better platforms for performing social media analysis.https://doi.org/10.1186/s13690-023-01230-zSocial mediaInfodemicEmergenciesCOVID-19Social listeningTraining |
| spellingShingle | Becky K. White Elisabeth Wilhelm Atsuyoshi Ishizumi Surangani Abeyesekera Alhassan Pereira Brian Yau Aleksandra Kuzmanovic Tim Nguyen Sylvie Briand Tina D. Purnat Informing social media analysis for public health: a cross-sectional survey of professionals Archives of Public Health Social media Infodemic Emergencies COVID-19 Social listening Training |
| title | Informing social media analysis for public health: a cross-sectional survey of professionals |
| title_full | Informing social media analysis for public health: a cross-sectional survey of professionals |
| title_fullStr | Informing social media analysis for public health: a cross-sectional survey of professionals |
| title_full_unstemmed | Informing social media analysis for public health: a cross-sectional survey of professionals |
| title_short | Informing social media analysis for public health: a cross-sectional survey of professionals |
| title_sort | informing social media analysis for public health a cross sectional survey of professionals |
| topic | Social media Infodemic Emergencies COVID-19 Social listening Training |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s13690-023-01230-z |
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