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Chapter 55 - Using Social Media to Reduce the Risks of Community-Wide Emergencies, Incidents, Disasters, and Disease Outbreaks

from Section 6 - Designing, Leading, and Managing Responses to Emergencies and Pandemics

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  11 January 2024

By
Neil Dufty
Edited by
Richard Williams ,
Verity Kemp ,
Keith Porter ,
Tim Healing  and
John Drury
Richard Williams
Affiliation:
University of South Wales
Verity Kemp
Affiliation:
Independent Health Emergency Planning Consultant
Keith Porter
Affiliation:
University of Birmingham
Tim Healing
Affiliation:
Worshipful Society of Apothecaries of London
John Drury
Affiliation:
University of Sussex
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Summary

Social media consist of tools that enable open exchange of information through conversation and interaction. Over half of the global population are active social media users. However, several countries that are among the most vulnerable to emergencies, incidents, disasters, and disease outbreaks (EIDD) have relatively low social media uptake rates. This chapter explores and identifies the range of social media usage before, during, and after crises such as disasters and disease outbreaks. It focuses on three serious illnesses – influenza, Ebola virus disease (Ebola), and COVID-19. The research related to the three diseases shows that social media are mainly used by authorities in risk communication and crisis communication. It highlights numerous other uses that can be helpful to emergency managers and health service providers. The chapter concludes with an identification of principles derived from the research and a brief assessment of the short-term and long-term impacts of social media use.

Keywords

communicationCOVID-19disasterEbolaemergencyinfluenzapandemicsocial media
Type
Chapter
Information
Major Incidents, Pandemics and Mental Health
The Psychosocial Aspects of Health Emergencies, Incidents, Disasters and Disease Outbreaks
 , pp. 417 - 422
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2024

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