During recent years, public health organizations have faced the challenges of digitization, adopting new communication practices. The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted on this process, accelerating the digitization of healthcare communication. In this context, utilizing a theoretical framework that intertwines health communication and social media studies, this article investigates how local health authorities located in Lombardy (North of Italy) managed COVID-19 pandemic on their Facebook pages during the first phase of the emergency. The findings highlight the growing number of COVID-19 posts in the pages and a significant response from social media users in terms of interactions and engagement, reiterating the strategic role of these organizations in healthcare communication. Furthermore, they reveal a gradual adaptation of health communication to the dynamics of social media, especially in terms of popularity, programmability, and connectivity. The emergence of a platform-based approach to healthcare communication is also discussed.

When public health communication intertwines with social media logic. A Focus on the Early Phase of COVID-19 Pandemic in Italy

Alessandro Lovari;Nicola Righetti
2024

Abstract

During recent years, public health organizations have faced the challenges of digitization, adopting new communication practices. The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted on this process, accelerating the digitization of healthcare communication. In this context, utilizing a theoretical framework that intertwines health communication and social media studies, this article investigates how local health authorities located in Lombardy (North of Italy) managed COVID-19 pandemic on their Facebook pages during the first phase of the emergency. The findings highlight the growing number of COVID-19 posts in the pages and a significant response from social media users in terms of interactions and engagement, reiterating the strategic role of these organizations in healthcare communication. Furthermore, they reveal a gradual adaptation of health communication to the dynamics of social media, especially in terms of popularity, programmability, and connectivity. The emergence of a platform-based approach to healthcare communication is also discussed.
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11576/2743251
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