Public Health Communication and Social Media Essay

Advantages and Challenges of Using Social Media for Public Health Communication
Advantages

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One of the benefits of social media for public health communication is that it promotes interaction among members across the globe by being a source for support and patient information. Close to 30% of patients who are diagnosed with chronic illnesses that are of public health importance make maximum use of the internet to engage and find others who have similar healthcare issues. Healthcare organizations tend to tap on these subcultures in providing accurate healthcare education while upholding confidentiality (Nyongesa et al., 2014). More often, this education is given in the form of articles that are well-written and emphasize on physical exercise, medication adherence, self-care and lifestyle modification.Public Health Communication and Social Media Essay
Another advantage is that of emotional and social support which have generally been associated with high quality public health outcomes. When engaging with peers on social media platforms and sharing challenges, problems and difficulties that are experienced at individual level, people with similar public health issues tend to be inspired by the support they are given. These open conversations contribute significantly on reducing stigma, and this can be attributed to the fact that awareness and education have proven to be the only ways that isolation and fears can be driven out of the public(Nyongesa et al., 2014). On the same platforms, we have healthcare providers and physicians who are inspired to provide continuous encouragement and support to patients as they try to attain their goals. Therefore, with positive reinforcement from healthcare providers, high quality public health outcomes are guaranteed.Public Health Communication and Social Media Essay
Widened access and the availability of more public health information that is tailored for specific populations and purposes is another advantage. Traditionally, physicians had a lot of control on medical information that was availed in communities. However, the advent of social media platforms such as Facebook, twitter, instagram, snap chat and pin interest that have millions of subscribers, have influenced the general public to also become active participants in two-way communication (Fung, Tse & Fu, 2015). Public health providers have also benefited through social media leverage to connect with public health officers in expanding knowledge within specific specialties by establishing networks.
Challenges
Basing on the fact that social media gives access to millions of users to freely share and disseminate information, there is a high likelihood that information may be incorrect or misinterpreted (George, Rovniak & Kraschnewski, 2013). The non-availability of measures that control the accuracy and correctness of information contributes to high chances of wrong information that the public may access and this ultimately contributes negative public health outcomes.
As highlighted by George, Rovniak & Kraschnewski (2013), another challenge is that of re-victimization and increased stigma. Social media platforms provide the audience where the public can openly share about public health problems and how people have been affected at individual level. However, some members can utilize the information and problems shared to re-victimize individuals, and this contributes to stigmatization.Public Health Communication and Social Media Essay
Organization Followed and Social Media Channel Selected
The organization that I follow on social media platforms of Facebook, twitter and Instagram is Cleveland clinic. It is located in Cleveland, Ohio and operated by the Clinic Foundation of Cleveland (Brohan, 2017). The latter is a non-profit corporation found in Ohio which was established in the year 1921. As a multispecialty hospital, Cleveland Clinic has affiliated facilities in Nevada, UAE, Florida and Canada (Brohan, 2017). The organization has more than 900,000 followers on twitter; more than 2 million on Facebook and it is also active on Instagram and Pinterest. It has been on the aforementioned social media platforms since the year 2008 todate. For the purpose of this assignment, Facebook is the social media platform of choice. Cleveland Clinic uses social media for patient engagement such that, patients work together with healthcare providers to improve the health of individuals. Its success in embracing social media as a public health communication tool can be attributed to the fact that it only uses content-driven strategy. Public Health Communication and Social Media Essay
Cleveland Clinic has also been a continuous publisher of Health Essentials which is one of the most sought after hospital blogs that are read online. Within three years, the approximate number of patients and public health consumers who have signed up for the blog has exceeded 5 million (Brohan, 2017). On a daily basis, the blog is updated to nine times on a wide range of public health topics including: influenza, drugs and substance abuse, pneumonia, pregnancy, diabetes, cancer, hypertension, heart failure among others.
For the purposes of making the social media strategy more effective, Cleveland clinic increased the number of its editors, writers and developers in the department of marketing from three to twenty-five within three years. This has enabled the organization to post up to six times a day on Facebook on different topics (Brohan, 2017). By Cleveland Clinic making social media a pillar of its engagement strategy for patients, mobile and digital forms, it reveals to the public and the wider network of the health sector that: social media platforms are not only basic tools to attain goals in marketing but also to build a brand of public health awareness. Public Health Communication and Social Media Essay
Extent To Which The Organization Engages With Users
With reference to Facebook, Cleveland Clinic can best be described as very aggressive, productive and active. It has turned its Facebook page into a learning environment where it conducts either two or three interactive chats weekly with a specialist or doctor from Cleveland Clinic on specific topics of public health concern. With this strategy, Cleveland’s Facebook followers are given the opportunity to ask questions and receive answers (Brohan, 2017). It is worth noting that there are chats which attract as many as 2500 participants.
To create awareness, Cleveland clinic also makes infographics on a broad range of topics depending on current public health concerns and issues and posts them on Facebook. These infographics that are presented in form of short videos are a commendable way to present public health content on wellness to the organization’s 2 million Facebook followers.
Suggestions for Improvement to Cleveland Clinic Regarding Social Media Engagement
The most essential recommendation for Cleveland Clinic with regards to improvement is to come up with a culture/ policy of testing content before either posting on Facebook or going live on Facebook. The best way that this can be done is by using a predictive analytics program. As a result, the organization will be able to give every content a relevancy score to a specific audience and establish the extent to which the public benefits for every content that is posted.Public Health Communication and Social Media Essay
Besides, the organization should consider alternative ways of monetizing some of the content on public health issues that are shared on social media platforms. This can best be achieved through collaboration with content websites which publish videos and articles and enacting programs and policies that aim at safeguarding and achieving a similar purpose.

References
Brohan M., (2017). How Cleveland Clinic Connects With Patients Via Social Media. Retrieved from https://www.digitalcommerce360.com/2017/05/04/how-cleveland-clinic-connects-with-patients-via-social-media/.
Fung, I. C.-H., Tse, Z. T. H., & Fu, K.-W. (2015). The use of social media in public health surveillance. Western Pacific Surveillance and Response Journal : WPSAR, 6(2), 3–6.  Public Health Communication and Social Media Essay http://doi.org/10.5365/WPSAR.2015.6.1.019
George, D. R., Rovniak, L. S., & Kraschnewski, J. L. (2013). Dangers and opportunities for social media in medicine. Clinical Obstetrics and Gynecology, 56(3), 10.1097/GRF.0b013e318297dc38. http://doi.org/10.1097/GRF.0b013e318297dc38
Nyongesa, H., Munguti, C., Omondi, C., & Mokua, W. (2014). Harnessing the power of social media in optimizing health outcomes. The Pan African Medical Journal, 18, 290. http://doi.org/10.11604/pamj.2014.18.290.4634

Details:
Social media channels are designed to be engaging; however, these media are often used by public health organizations and practitioners as a means to disseminate mass information, rather than to engage audiences in meaningful interaction. Harnessing social media to best achieve public health outcomes is a topic of much discussion and study in the public health community.
For this assignment, you will analyze public health communication via social media in your community. Follow a public health organization, local or national, on a social media channel (e.g., Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn) for at least 3 weeks. In a paper of 4 pages, address the following:
1. Describe the benefits/advantages and challenges/risks of using social media for public health communication.
2. Describe the organization you followed and the social media channel you selected. What kind of information is shared on social media by the organization?
3. To what degree does the organization engage with users/followers (e.g., responding to questions, engaging in conversation, hosting “chats” with experts, soliciting information)?Public Health Communication and Social Media Essay
4. What improvements or suggestions would you make to this organization regarding its social media engagement? Why?
Use at least three scholarly sources to support your paper.
Prepare this assignment according to the guidelines found in the APA Style Guide, located in the Student Success Center. An abstract is not required.
This assignment uses a rubric. Please review the rubric prior to beginning the assignment to become familiar with the expectations for successful completion.
You are required to submit this assignment to LopesWrite. Please refer to the directions in the Student Success Center.

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RUBRIC
Public Health Communication and Social Media
1
Unsatisfactory
0.00% 2
Less than Satisfactory
65.00% 3
Satisfactory
75.00% 4
Good
85.00% 5
Excellent
100.00%
70.0 %Content
20.0 %Overview of Using Social Media for Public Health Communication Overview of the benefits/advantages and challenges/risks of using social media for public health communication is either not present or not evident to the reader. Overview is insufficiently developed and/or vague. Public Health Communication and Social Media Essay A brief description of benefits and challenges is present but is not clear or is missing key elements. Overview is present and sufficient. Adequately describes the benefits and challenges of using social media for public health communication. A clear overview and description of benefits and challenges of using social media for public health communication is present, forecasting development of paper. Overview is clear and comprehensive. An expert analysis of the benefits/advantages and challenges/risks of using social media for public health communication is provided.
15.0 %Information Shared by Organization on Social Media Description of the organization followed and the type of information shared on social media is not present or evident. Description of the organization followed and the type of information shared on social media is insufficiently developed and/or vague. Some key elements are missing. Description of the organization followed and type of information shared on social media is sufficient and adequate. All elements are present, but may lack some analysis or depth. Description of the organization followed and type of information shared on social media is well-developed and comprehensive. Excellent description of the organization followed and type of information shared on social media. Clear examples are included. It is evident the student followed the organization for several weeks. Public Health Communication and Social Media Essay
15.0 %Organizational Engagement Using Social Media Conclusion is either not present or not evident to the reader. Conclusion is insufficiently developed and/or vague and lacks any discernible purpose. Conclusion is present and some decision makers are identified, but justification and support are lacking. Conclusion is clear and identifies key decision makers who would need this information. Rationale is sufficient and relevant to the assignment criteria. Conclusion is comprehensive and clearly articulated. A strong description and justification for the decision makers who would need the information from the HIA are incorporated.
20.0 %Suggested Improvements for Using Social Media for Public Health Communication No suggestions were provided or are not made evident. Few suggestions were outlined to support the assignment. The suggestions stated are adequate and standard in relevance and/or quality, but lacking in sufficient rationale and/or justification. Suggestions for improvement are clearly described and rationale is evident. Recommendations are relevant to the issues stated in the assignment criteria. Recommendations to improve the use of social media for public health communication are well-described and include justification and purpose. Student addresses all of the issues stated in the assignment criteria.
20.0 %Organization and Effectiveness
7.0 %Thesis Development and Purpose Paper lacks any discernible overall purpose or organizing claim. Thesis and/or main claim are insufficiently developed and/or vague; purpose is not clear. Thesis and/or main claim are apparent and appropriate to purpose. Thesis and/or main claim are clear and forecast the development of the paper. It is descriptive and reflective of the arguments and appropriate to the purpose. Thesis and/or main claim are comprehensive. The essence of the paper is contained within the thesis. Thesis statement makes the purpose of the paper clear.
20.0 %Organization and Effectiveness
8.0 %Argument Logic and Construction Statement of purpose is not justified by the conclusion. The conclusion does not support the claim made. Argument is incoherent and uses noncredible sources. Sufficient justification of claims is lacking. Argument lacks consistent unity. There are obvious flaws in the logic. Some sources have questionable credibility. Argument is orderly, but may have a few inconsistencies. The argument presents minimal justification of claims. Argument supports the purpose logically, but not thoroughly. Sources used are credible. Introduction and conclusion bracket the thesis. Argument shows logical progression. Techniques of argumentation are evident. There is a smooth progression of claims from introduction to conclusion. Most sources are authoritative. Clear and convincing argument presents a persuasive claim in a distinctive and compelling manner. All sources are authoritative. Public Health Communication and Social Media Essay
20.0 %Organization and Effectiveness
5.0 %Mechanics of Writing (includes spelling, punctuation, grammar, language use) Surface errors are pervasive enough that they impede communication of meaning. Inappropriate word choice and/or sentence construction are used. Frequent and repetitive mechanical errors distract the reader. Inconsistencies in language choice, sentence structure, and/or word choice are present. Some mechanical errors or typos are present but are not overly distracting to the reader. Correct sentence structure and audience-appropriate language are used. Prose is largely free of mechanical errors, although a few may be present. A variety of sentence structures and effective figures of speech are used. Writer is clearly in command of standard, written, academic English.
10.0 %Format
5.0 %Paper Format (Use of appropriate style for the major and assignment) Template is not used appropriately, or documentation format is rarely followed correctly. Appropriate template is used, but some elements are missing or mistaken. A lack of control with formatting is apparent. Appropriate template is used. Formatting is correct, although some minor errors may be present. Appropriate template is fully used. There are virtually no errors in formatting style. All format elements are correct.
5.0 %Research Citations (In-text citations for paraphrasing and direct quotes, and reference page listing and formatting, as appropriate to assignment and style) No reference page is included. No citations are used. Reference page is present. Citations are used inconsistently or are insufficient. One source is used. Reference page lists sources used in the paper. Sources are documented appropriately, although some errors may be present. Two sources are used. Reference page is inclusive of all cited sources. Documentation is appropriate and citation style is usually correct. Two or three sources are used. In-text citations and a reference page are complete and correct. The documentation of cited sources is free of error. Three or more sources are used.
100 %Total Weightage Public Health Communication and Social Media Essay

Assignment wk 3 Public health communication and social medi (1) (1)

Public Health Communication and Social Media (1)