Social Media and Technology Breakthroughs: H1N1 and Seasonal Flu Communication

CDC produced a webinar discussing the importance of utilizing the social media outlets to get health messages out to the public.  During the first presentation, Marsha Vanderford noted the importance of social media channels in order to reach the younger age groups.  It was noted that only 34% of individuals under the age of 25 do not access any type of news media on a daily basis.  However 55% of all young people use social media sites, and 75% of can send/receive text messages.  Young adults are more at risk for pandemic influenza, and thus targeting them in this way will help to get the message out.

CDC Social Media Webinar

One of the greatest take aways for me is knowing they are currently changing the way they view social media, and urging other organizations to do the same.  As stated by Nigel Snoad during his presentation, “The concept of authority is not what it was.  It is a much broader concept.”  Major health organizations cannot just focus on news outlets to spread the word, but there is a new need for diversifying the message over many social media channels to broaden the accessibility to many. 

David Stephenson also stated the importance for emergency agencies to change the way they respond to disasters and make a true partnership with the public.  He later discussed how social media systems, if used in a timely manner, can be used by agencies to directly foster emergent behavior in response to a disaster. 

Bottom line: Health agencies will have to re-think the ways in which the public receives [and believes] their messages.

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