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Strategic Uses of Facebook in Zika Outbreak Communication: Implications for the Crisis and Emergency Risk Communication Model

May O. Lwin, Jiahui Lu, Anita Sheldenkar and Peter J. Schulz
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May O. Lwin: Wee Kim Wee School of Communication and Information, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 637718, Singapore
Jiahui Lu: Wee Kim Wee School of Communication and Information, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 637718, Singapore
Anita Sheldenkar: Wee Kim Wee School of Communication and Information, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 637718, Singapore
Peter J. Schulz: Institute of Communication and Health, Università Della Svizzera Italiana, 6900 Lugano, Switzerland

IJERPH, 2018, vol. 15, issue 9, 1-19

Abstract: While social media has been increasingly used for communication of infectious disease outbreaks, little is known about how social media can improve strategic communication across various stages of the health crisis. The Crisis and Emergency Risk Communication Model (Reynolds & Seeger, 2005; CERC) outlines strategies across different crisis phases and can guide crisis communication on social media. This research therefore investigates how social media can be utilized to implement and adapt the CERC model, by examining the strategic uses of Facebook in communicating the recent Zika epidemic by health authorities in Singapore. Zika-related Facebook posts of three main Singapore health agencies published within the one year period from January 2016 to December 2016 were thematically analysed. Results suggest that Facebook was used to communicate the crisis strategically, which supported and added to the CERC model. Novel uses of Facebook for outbreak communication were demonstrated, including promoting public common responsibility for disease prevention and expressing regards to the public for cooperation. Results also suggested that preparedness messages might be the most effective, as they produced a great level of public engagement. The adaptability of the CERC model in social media contexts to improve crisis communication is discussed.

Keywords: Zika; CERC; Facebook; social media; outbreak communication; crisis communication; public health (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2018
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (7)

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