How Health Communication via Tik Tok Makes a Difference: A Content Analysis of Tik Tok Accounts Run by Chinese Provincial Health Committees

Chengyan Zhu, Xiaolin Xu, Wei Zhang, Jianmin Chen and Richard Evans
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Chengyan Zhu: College of Public Administration, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China
Xiaolin Xu: College of Public Administration, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China
Wei Zhang: School of Medicine and Health Management, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China
Jianmin Chen: School of Medicine and Health Management, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China
Richard Evans: College of Engineering, Design and Physical Sciences, Brunel University London, Kingston Lane, Uxbridge, Middlesex UB8 3PH, UK

IJERPH, 2019, vol. 17, issue 1, 1-13

Abstract: During the last two decades, social media has immersed itself into all facets of our personal and professional lives. The healthcare sector is no exception, with public health departments now capitalizing on the benefits that social media offers when delivering healthcare education and communication with citizens. Provincial Health Committees (PHCs) in China have begun to adopt the micro-video sharing platform, Tik Tok, to engage with local residents and communicate health-related information. This study investigates the status quo of official Tik Tok accounts managed by PHCs in mainland China. In total, 31 PHC accounts were analyzed during August 2019, while the top 100 most liked micro-videos were examined using content analysis. Coding included three major aspects: Quantified Impact, Video Content, and Video Form. 45.2% (n = 14) of PHCs had official Tik Tok accounts. A limited number of accounts (n = 2) were yet to upload a micro-video, while most (n = 9) had uploaded their first micro-video during 2019. For the top 100 most liked micro-videos, a sharp difference was observed in terms of number of Likes, Comments and Reposts. Videos containing cartoons or documentary-style content were most frequently watched by citizens. Similarly, content that promoted professional health or provided knowledge of diseases was frequently viewed. Content containing original music, formal mandarin language, subtitles, and which lasted less than 60 s, were most frequently followed. It is considered a missed opportunity that most PHCs struggle to take advantage of the Tik Tok platform, especially given its growing popularity and daily increase in account creation.

Keywords: micro-video; Provincial Health Committee; healthcare; Tik Tok; social media; China (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2019
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