Health scientists use several science communication (SC) strategies in the digital and social media ecosystem to change the people’s health-related attitude. Informing the public about health-related findings helps them make lucid decisions about health.
Fontaine G and team conducted a study following the framework of Joanna Briggs Institute Methodological. The study aimed to examine the extent, range, and nature of the evidence regarding SC initiated by the health scientists in digital and social media ecosystem.
The study included any type of literature published in English or French, between the year 2000 and 2018. Data regarding the health scientist, the public, and the communication channels were described.
Overall 960 publications were identified, among those 18 publications has described the process of SC through digital and social media ecosystem. About 75 unique SC strategies were identified, which were used by the health scientists.
These strategies were grouped as into 9 types: content, credibility, engagement, intention, linguistics, planification, presentation, social exchange, and statistics. Social networking platforms, content-sharing platforms, digital research communities, personal blogs, websites, social news aggregation and discussion platforms were used as communication channels.
The study concluded that health scientists use several types of SC strategies and communication channels to improve people’s attitude towards health. However, further is required to examine the appropriateness and effectiveness of the SC strategies used to improve public health-related outcomes through digital and social-media ecosystem.
Reference:
Fontaine G, Maheu-Cadotte MA, Lavallée A, Mailhot T, Rouleau G, Bouix-Picasso J, Bourbonnais A. Communicating Science in the Digital and Social Media Ecosystem: Scoping Review and Typology of Strategies Used by Health Scientists.JMIR Public Health Surveill. 2019 Sep 3;5(3)