The role of social media during the COVID-19 pandemic: Salvaging its ‘power’ for positive social behaviour change in Africa
The ongoing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic remains a significant global public health crisis. The unique evolution of the COVID-19 pandemic has seen social media emerging and growing into an important vehicle for rapid information dissemination. This has in turn given rise to multiple...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Tabriz University of Medical Sciences
2022-05-01
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| Series: | Health Promotion Perspectives |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://hpp.tbzmed.ac.ir/PDF/hpp-12-22.pdf |
| _version_ | 1811296978927091712 |
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| author | Roda Madziva Brian Nachipo Godfrey Musuka Itai Chitungo Grant Murewanhema Bright Phiri Tafadzwa Dzinamarira |
| author_facet | Roda Madziva Brian Nachipo Godfrey Musuka Itai Chitungo Grant Murewanhema Bright Phiri Tafadzwa Dzinamarira |
| author_sort | Roda Madziva |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The ongoing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic remains a significant global public health crisis. The unique evolution of the COVID-19 pandemic has seen social media emerging and growing into an important vehicle for rapid information dissemination. This has in turn given rise to multiple sources of information, leading to what has come to be known as ‘infodemic’, associated with the plethora of misinformation and conspiracy theories. In this perspective, we explore the growth of the social media industry and the impact it has had during the ongoing COVID-19 crisis. We argue that while the multiple information pieces circulating on social media cause misinformation and panic, this might not necessarily and in all the cases influence sustained behaviours in the target population groups. We offer suggestions on how the power of social media can be harnessed and integrated into social and public health for a better digital balance for communication for development. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-13T05:57:20Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-fe9b1521780e4ef4809e035ed29665f6 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2228-6497 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-13T05:57:20Z |
| publishDate | 2022-05-01 |
| publisher | Tabriz University of Medical Sciences |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Health Promotion Perspectives |
| spelling | doaj.art-fe9b1521780e4ef4809e035ed29665f62022-12-22T02:59:36ZengTabriz University of Medical SciencesHealth Promotion Perspectives2228-64972022-05-01121222710.34172/hpp.2022.03hpp-38323The role of social media during the COVID-19 pandemic: Salvaging its ‘power’ for positive social behaviour change in AfricaRoda Madziva0Brian Nachipo1Godfrey Musuka2Itai Chitungo3Grant Murewanhema4Bright Phiri5Tafadzwa Dzinamarira6School of Sociology and Social Policy, University of Nottingham, United KingdomMinistry of Health and Child Care, Harare, ZimbabweICAP at Columbia University, Harare, ZimbabweChemical Pathology Unit, Department of Laboratory Diagnostic and Investigative and Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Zimbabwe, Harare, ZimbabweUnit of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Department of Primary Health Care Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Zimbabwe, ZimbabweICAP at Columbia University, Pretoria, South AfricaICAP at Columbia University, Pretoria, South AfricaThe ongoing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic remains a significant global public health crisis. The unique evolution of the COVID-19 pandemic has seen social media emerging and growing into an important vehicle for rapid information dissemination. This has in turn given rise to multiple sources of information, leading to what has come to be known as ‘infodemic’, associated with the plethora of misinformation and conspiracy theories. In this perspective, we explore the growth of the social media industry and the impact it has had during the ongoing COVID-19 crisis. We argue that while the multiple information pieces circulating on social media cause misinformation and panic, this might not necessarily and in all the cases influence sustained behaviours in the target population groups. We offer suggestions on how the power of social media can be harnessed and integrated into social and public health for a better digital balance for communication for development.https://hpp.tbzmed.ac.ir/PDF/hpp-12-22.pdfcovid-19social mediapublic healthcommunication |
| spellingShingle | Roda Madziva Brian Nachipo Godfrey Musuka Itai Chitungo Grant Murewanhema Bright Phiri Tafadzwa Dzinamarira The role of social media during the COVID-19 pandemic: Salvaging its ‘power’ for positive social behaviour change in Africa Health Promotion Perspectives covid-19 social media public health communication |
| title | The role of social media during the COVID-19 pandemic: Salvaging its ‘power’ for positive social behaviour change in Africa |
| title_full | The role of social media during the COVID-19 pandemic: Salvaging its ‘power’ for positive social behaviour change in Africa |
| title_fullStr | The role of social media during the COVID-19 pandemic: Salvaging its ‘power’ for positive social behaviour change in Africa |
| title_full_unstemmed | The role of social media during the COVID-19 pandemic: Salvaging its ‘power’ for positive social behaviour change in Africa |
| title_short | The role of social media during the COVID-19 pandemic: Salvaging its ‘power’ for positive social behaviour change in Africa |
| title_sort | role of social media during the covid 19 pandemic salvaging its power for positive social behaviour change in africa |
| topic | covid-19 social media public health communication |
| url | https://hpp.tbzmed.ac.ir/PDF/hpp-12-22.pdf |
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