Optimising health communication to young people via social media in public health emergencies

Abstract

Social media is a key source of health information for the public, especially during health emergencies. During the recent COVID-19 pandemic, social media became a vital channel for public health agencies to reach priority populations who rarely engage with traditional health communication, like young people.

This thesis explores the perspectives of young people and public health agencies on social media health communication during emergencies, focusing on the COVID-19 pandemic and the Australian context using mixed-methods and participatory design.

The research includes (1) a survey of young people’s COVID-19 vaccine information sources, (2) a content analysis of COVID-19 social media communication to young people, (3) interviews with public health agencies and young people about social media health communication in emergencies, and (4) co-design of a framework to improve future social media health communication to young people in emergencies.