How Portuguese Health Entities Used Social Media to Face the Public Health Emergency during COVID-19 Disease

Daniela Azevedo, Ana Isabel Plácido, Maria Teresa Herdeiro, Fátima Roque and Vítor Roque ()
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Daniela Azevedo: Research Unit for Inland Development, Polytechnic of Guarda (UDI-IPG), 6300-559 Guarda, Portugal
Ana Isabel Plácido: Research Unit for Inland Development, Polytechnic of Guarda (UDI-IPG), 6300-559 Guarda, Portugal
Maria Teresa Herdeiro: Institute of Biomedicine (iBiMED), Department of Medical Sciences, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal
Fátima Roque: Research Unit for Inland Development, Polytechnic of Guarda (UDI-IPG), 6300-559 Guarda, Portugal
Vítor Roque: Research Unit for Inland Development, Polytechnic of Guarda (UDI-IPG), 6300-559 Guarda, Portugal

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 19, 1-13

Abstract: Background: During the COVID-19 pandemic, social media became an important and easily accessible source of information to keep the population informed. In this study, we explored how Portuguese health entities used social media during the public health emergency caused by COVID-19 disease. Methods: A retrospective study on Portuguese public health entities’ communication with the public using social media platforms was performed. Data were retrieved from Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. All retrieved posts were analyzed, and the engagement of the public was calculated. A thematic analysis of all COVID-19-related posts was conducted. Results: The analysis of each social media platform revealed that during the COVID-19 pandemic, health entities reinforced their presence on social media platforms. The most published posts were related to “epidemiological context” and “encouragement to take actions” to avoid the spread of COVID-19. High engagement frames were not associated with the most frequently published posts. Conclusions: Although health entities have reinforced their presence on social media platforms, they do not take full advantage of these platforms to improve health literacy.

Keywords: communication; COVID-19 disease; health entities; interaction; public health emergency; social media (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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