The role of social media during the COVID-19 pandemic: Salvaging its ‘power’ for positive social behaviour change in Africa

Madziva, Roda; Nachipo, Brian; Musuka, Godfrey; Chitungo, Itai; Murewanhema, Grant; Phiri, Bright; Dzinamarira, Tafadzwa

doi:10.34172/hpp.2022.03

Cited by 14 publications

(21 citation statements)

References 25 publications

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“…Social media provides a powerful platform through which people’s attitudes and behaviours may be influenced both positively and negatively in relation to socio-political issues (Lozano-Blasco et al , 2022). Social media posts have been shown to influence off-line behaviour in terms of increasing xenophobia (Madziva et al , 2022), unhealthy restriction of eating (Rounsefell et al , 2020), gang-related violence and self-harm/suicide (House of Commons Social Media Enquiry, 2019).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…For adolescents, social media is also considered a platform to engage in social comparison (Stockdale and Coyne, 2020), self-disclosure and identity construction (Davis, 2012). Social media posts have also been shown to influence off-line behaviour in terms of increasing xenophobia (Madziva et al , 2022), unhealthy restriction of eating (Rounsefell et al , 2020), gang-related violence and self-harm/suicide (House of Commons Social Media Enquiry, 2019).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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“Influencers” – a study investigating the messages people receive about coercive control on social media

Haase

Worthington

2023

JFP

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Purpose Coercive control (which is a form of intimate partner violence [IPV]) is a significant public health concern affecting millions of people throughout the world. Whilst exposure to IPV in childhood and adolescence has been shown to contribute to the intergenerational transmission of IPV, this alone does not explain IPV. A range of bio-psycho-social factors contribute to IPV which includes exposure to peer influence on social media platforms, whereby research has shown this online expression of views and opinions can change off-line behaviour. This has extended to not only purchasing products but also influencing attitudes in relation to illegal behaviour such as sexual harassment and sexual assault. The purpose of this study was to explore what young people are being exposed to online, through social media, surrounding coercive controlling behaviour. Design/methodology/approach According to Fazel et al. (2021), real-time social media data can provide important information about trends in public attitudes and attitudes towards events in the news. This study used data from Twitter to explore what adolescents are being exposed to online surrounding coercive and controlling behaviour. The data was subsequently analysed using reflexive thematic analysis. Findings Three overarching themes were found in relation to coercive control: the Educator; Gaslighter; and the Comedian. Two of these were forms of secondary victimisation. Practical implications Social media provides a powerful platform through which people’s attitudes and behaviours may be influenced both positively and negatively in relation to socio-political issues (Lozano-Blasco et al., 2022). The implications of the findings in this study are discussed with recommendations for how social media platforms could be supported to act prevent them from being used as a tool to facilitate the distribution of hate speech in relation to IPV and instead be used as a platform for psycho-education. Originality/value Previous research in this field has tended to focus on the impact of IPV and the prevalence rates of IPV in young people, but not on the different types of information young people may be exposed to surrounding relationships on social media platforms.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“Influencers” – a study investigating the messages people receive about coercive control on social media

Haase

Worthington

2023

JFP

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“…Blankenship et al (2018) examined the tweets with the "vaccine" hashtag (#vaccine) from 2010 to 2016 and concluded that anti-vaccine tweets were 4.13-fold more likely to be re-tweeted than neutral tweets. Madziva et al (2022) explored the contextual interdependence of social media platforms and behavioral changes in Africa. According to the study, behavioral change is a process where when netizens are exposed to messages on social media, they are not always influenced to behave or act in a particular way but instead serve as behavioral nudges.…”

Section: Motivation Of the Researchmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…(2018) examined the tweets with the “vaccine” hashtag (#vaccine) from 2010 to 2016 and concluded that anti-vaccine tweets were 4.13-fold more likely to be re-tweeted than neutral tweets. Madziva et al . (2022) explored the contextual interdependence of social media platforms and behavioral changes in Africa.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Exploring COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy and behavioral themes using social media big-data: a text mining approach

Yadav

Sagar

2023

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PurposeIndia has the biggest number of active users on social media platforms, particularly Twitter. The purpose of this paper is to examine public sentiment on COVID-19 vaccines and COVID Appropriate Behaviour (CAB) by text mining (topic modeling) and network analysis supported by thematic modeling.Design/methodology/approachA sample dataset of 115,000 tweets from the Twitter platform was used to examine the perception of the COVID-19 vaccination and CAB from January 2021 to August 2021. The research applied a machine-learning algorithm and network analysis to extract hidden and latent patterns in unstructured data to identify the most prevalent themes. The COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy Amplification Model was formulated, which included five key topics based on sample big data from social media.FindingsThe identified themes are Social Media Adaptivity, Lack of Knowledge Providing Mechanism, Perception of Vaccine Safety Measures, Health Care Infrastructure Capabilities and Fear of Coronavirus (Coronaphobia). The study implication assists communication strategists and stakeholders design effective communication strategies using digital platforms. The study reveals CAB themes as with Mask Wearing Issues and Employment Issues as relevant themes discussed on digital channels.Research limitations/implicationsThe themes extracted in the present study provide a roadmap for policy-makers and communication experts to utilize social media platforms for communicating and understanding the perception of preventive measures of vaccination and CAB. As evidenced by the increased engagement on social media platforms during the COVID-19-induced lockdown, digital platforms are indeed valuable from the communication perspective to be proactive in the event of a similar situation. Moreover, significant themes, including social media adaptivity, absence of knowledge-providing mechanism and perception of safety measures of the vaccine, are the critical parameters leading to an amplified effect on vaccine hesitancy.Practical implicationsThe COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy Amplification Themes (CVHAT) equips stakeholders and government strategists with a preconfigured paradigm to tackle dedicated communication campaigns and assess digital community behavior during health emergencies COVID-19.Social implicationsThe increased acceptance of vaccines and the following of CAB decrease the advocacy of mutation of the virus and promote the healthy being of the people. As CAB has been mentioned as a preventive strategy against the COVID-19 pandemic, the research preposition promotes communication intervention which helps to mitigate future such pandemics. As developing, economies require effective communication strategies for vaccine acceptance and CAB, this study contributes to filling the gap using a digital environment.Originality/valueChan et al. (2020) recommended using social media platforms for public knowledge dissemination. The study observed that the value of a communication strategy is increased when communication happens using highly trusted and accessible channels such as Twitter and Facebook. With the preceding context, the present study is a novel approach to contribute toward digital communication strategies related to vaccination and CAB.

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Navigating the digital frontier during the COVID‐19 pandemic and EVALI epidemic: The impact of social media on public health

Ngoma,

Matatiyo,

Oke

et al. 2024

Public Health Challenges

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This commentary explores how social media influenced public health narratives and responses during two recent health crises, the COVID‐19 global pandemic and the e‐cigarette or vaping product use–associated lung injury (EVALI) epidemic. In the context of COVID‐19 pandemic, social media played a dual role, acting as both a catalyst for information dissemination and a breeding ground for misinformation. This situation highlighted the challenges public health institutions face in navigating online narratives and maintaining public trust during crises. Conversely, the EVALI epidemic shed light on how social media narratives can impact public perception and policy decisions. Initially, attributed to nicotine vaping, subsequent investigations revealed that contaminated cannabis oils containing vitamin E acetate were the actual cause, leading to shifts in public discourse and regulatory considerations. This case underscores the importance of accurate information dissemination to prevent misinterpretations that could negatively impact public health interventions. The commentary also highlights the evolving nature of online narratives and the need for public health agencies to adapt their strategies continually. Fact‐checking programs, public health campaigns, and collaborations with technology companies emerged as critical strategies to combat misinformation and promote evidence‐based practices. However, addressing the root causes of misinformation, such as addressing distrust in institutions, remains an ongoing challenge requiring multifaceted approaches. Looking ahead, controlling online narratives during health crises will continue to present challenges as social media platforms evolve and new challenges emerge. Finding a balance between information sharing and privacy protection while fostering digital literacy skills among the public will be paramount. Collaborative efforts among public health agencies, technology companies, and communities will be essential in navigating and managing online narratives effectively. This commentary underscores the interplay between social media and public health, highlighting the need for strategic interventions, accurate information dissemination, and ongoing adaptation to address emerging challenges in the digital age.

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The role of social media during the COVID-19 pandemic: Salvaging its ‘power’ for positive social behaviour change in Africa

Cited by 14 publications

References 25 publications

“Influencers” – a study investigating the messages people receive about coercive control on social media

“Influencers” – a study investigating the messages people receive about coercive control on social media

Exploring COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy and behavioral themes using social media big-data: a text mining approach

Navigating the digital frontier during the COVID‐19 pandemic and EVALI epidemic: The impact of social media on public health

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