Analyzing Health Organizations' Use of Twitter for Promoting Health Literacy

Abstract

This study explored health-related organizations' use of Twitter in delivering health literacy messages. A content analysis of 571 tweets from health-related organizations revealed that the organizations' tweets were often quoted or retweeted by other Twitter users. Nonprofit organizations and community groups had more tweets about health literacy than did other types of health-related organizations examined, including health business corporations, educational institutions, and government agencies. Tweets on health literacy topics focused predominantly on using simple language rather than complicated language. The results suggest that health organizations need a more strategic approach to managing positive organizational self-presentations in order to create an optimal level of exposure on social networking sites.

Notes

¹Because the percentage of tweets posted by organizations in the “other” category was less than 5%, those tweets were excluded in subsequent data analysis (for Research Questions 2 and 3) for the clarity of interpretation of the results.

Note. Because the percentages of the cells are those of the column totals, the numbers add up to 100% in each column but not across the rows.

Note. Because this question allowed for multiple mentions, the sums of the numbers and percentages within the columns are not equal to the total for each column. A chi-square analysis was not conducted for health topics with an expected frequency less than 5 to have a valid chi-square approximation.

For each χ ², df = 3.

*p < .05.

Note. The sums of the numbers and percentages within the columns are not equal to the total for each column. For each χ ², df = 3.

*p < .05.

*p < .05.

Note. For each χ ², df = 3.