Global Health and Social Media Marcus Messner, Ph.D. Virginia Commonwealth University
#vcuglobalhealth
Agenda In the News Introduction to Global Health and Social Media Case Studies Haiti Earthquake ALS Ice Bucket Challenge Ebola Outbreak in Africa
In the News
Global Health and Social Media
Social Media Platforms
Social Media & Global Health: Advantages Influence conversations/calm panic Rectify misinformation Distribute correct information Influence behaviors Social support Present information visually Raise funds Track diseases Patient-provider interactions
Public Health Education Source: Pinterest
Global Health & Social Media: Problems Quality/reliability/speed: misinformation All sources perceived as equal Epidemic of fear Conspiracy theories Privacy/confidentiality Potential of information overload
Case Study: Haiti 2010 Source: New York Times
Case Study: Haiti 2010 Earthquake devastates Haiti in January 2010: 7.0 magnitude 220,000 died 320,000 injured 70% lived on $2/day 4,000 schools damaged/destroyed 300,000 houses damaged/destroyed
Case Study: Haiti 2010 Source: Washington Post
Case Study: Haiti 2010 Source: CNN
Case Study: Haiti 2010 Social media fundraising played crucial role: Spreading information and awareness Fundraising Red Cross started a fundraising texting campaign (text 90999) 2.3 million tweets with “Haiti” or “Red Cross” in three days Most tweets: direct calls to action More than $30 million raised
Case Study: Haiti 2010 Source: BBC
Case Study: ALS Ice Bucket Challenge becomes worldwide phenomenon in 2014: April 2014: Ice Bucket Challenge July 2014: Challenge focus on ALS (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis) 2.5 million Instagram posts tagged with #ALSicebucketchallenge More than $100 million raised ALS Association relaunched the initiative in August 2015
Case Study: ALS
Case Study: Ebola Ebola outbreak in Africa in 2014: In March 2014, Ebola was diagnosed in Liberia, West Africa 30,000 cases, 11,000 deaths A virus of panic on social media
Case Study: Ebola
Source: Information Week
Ebola: Epidemic of fear
Ebola: Conspiracies
Ebola: Rectify misinformation
Ebola: Information
Outlook