Co‐Designing a Framework for Social Media Health Communication to Young People: A Participatory Research Study
ABSTRACT Background Social media became a key communication channel for public health agencies during the COVID‐19 pandemic, especially for reaching younger populations less engaged with traditional channels. However, official social media health communication often fails to appeal to young people....
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Wiley
2025-04-01
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| Series: | Health Expectations |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1111/hex.70203 |
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| author | Melody Taba Julie Ayre Kirsten McCaffery Diana Vassilenko Ivan C. K. Ma Tara Haynes Julie Leask Andrew Wilson Carissa Bonner |
| author_facet | Melody Taba Julie Ayre Kirsten McCaffery Diana Vassilenko Ivan C. K. Ma Tara Haynes Julie Leask Andrew Wilson Carissa Bonner |
| author_sort | Melody Taba |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | ABSTRACT Background Social media became a key communication channel for public health agencies during the COVID‐19 pandemic, especially for reaching younger populations less engaged with traditional channels. However, official social media health communication often fails to appeal to young people. Improving public health agency use of social media for health communication is vital to ensure health messages reach this priority population effectively, especially during public health emergencies. Objective This study aimed to co‐design a social media communication framework for health messaging to young people with consideration to emergency settings. It integrated the perspectives of young people and professional stakeholders, health communicators responsible for social media messaging of government health departments. Methods An iterative co‐design process was conducted in partnership with youth co‐researchers. The framework was co‐designed over three workshops with young people (18–24 years) and professional stakeholders. Workshop data were analysed collaboratively and the framework was updated iteratively following each workshop. The final framework was approved by the youth co‐researchers and a new group of professional stakeholders. Results Twenty‐one young people and four professional stakeholders participated in workshops. Three youth co‐researchers and three external professional stakeholders approved the final framework. Five recommendations for communicating health messages to young people on social media were developed following two iterations: (1) involve young people, (2) pitch at right level, (3) capture attention fast, (4) use current social media marketing techniques and (5) engage more with the public. The main barrier in emergency contexts was time constraints, but the recommendations were considered feasible if embedded in business‐as‐usual processes prior to the emergency. Conclusion These findings provide public health agencies a guide for health communication to young people on social media. Co‐designing the recommendations centres the needs and preferences of young people, while ensuring they are feasible for professional stakeholders. By incorporating a variety of messaging approaches and actively involving young people in content development, public health agencies can better reach and engage young people, including during public health emergencies. Patient or Public Contribution Young people were involved in study recruitment, workshop facilitation, data analysis and manuscript preparation as co‐researchers. Methods also included co‐design with young people and stakeholders. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-76078db51b2d4e52970a9a7a79f40bad |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 1369-6513 1369-7625 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-04-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Health Expectations |
| spelling | doaj-art-76078db51b2d4e52970a9a7a79f40bad2025-08-20T03:08:28ZengWileyHealth Expectations1369-65131369-76252025-04-01282n/an/a10.1111/hex.70203Co‐Designing a Framework for Social Media Health Communication to Young People: A Participatory Research StudyMelody Taba0Julie Ayre1Kirsten McCaffery2Diana Vassilenko3Ivan C. K. Ma4Tara Haynes5Julie Leask6Andrew Wilson7Carissa Bonner8Sydney Health Literacy Lab, Faculty of Medicine and Health The University of Sydney Sydney AustraliaSydney Health Literacy Lab, Faculty of Medicine and Health The University of Sydney Sydney AustraliaSydney Health Literacy Lab, Faculty of Medicine and Health The University of Sydney Sydney AustraliaSydney Health Literacy Lab, Faculty of Medicine and Health The University of Sydney Sydney AustraliaSydney Health Literacy Lab, Faculty of Medicine and Health The University of Sydney Sydney AustraliaSydney Health Literacy Lab, Faculty of Medicine and Health The University of Sydney Sydney AustraliaSydney Infectious Diseases Institute The University of Sydney Sydney AustraliaLeeder Centre for Health Policy, Economics and Data, Faculty of Medicine and Health The University of Sydney Sydney AustraliaSydney Health Literacy Lab, Faculty of Medicine and Health The University of Sydney Sydney AustraliaABSTRACT Background Social media became a key communication channel for public health agencies during the COVID‐19 pandemic, especially for reaching younger populations less engaged with traditional channels. However, official social media health communication often fails to appeal to young people. Improving public health agency use of social media for health communication is vital to ensure health messages reach this priority population effectively, especially during public health emergencies. Objective This study aimed to co‐design a social media communication framework for health messaging to young people with consideration to emergency settings. It integrated the perspectives of young people and professional stakeholders, health communicators responsible for social media messaging of government health departments. Methods An iterative co‐design process was conducted in partnership with youth co‐researchers. The framework was co‐designed over three workshops with young people (18–24 years) and professional stakeholders. Workshop data were analysed collaboratively and the framework was updated iteratively following each workshop. The final framework was approved by the youth co‐researchers and a new group of professional stakeholders. Results Twenty‐one young people and four professional stakeholders participated in workshops. Three youth co‐researchers and three external professional stakeholders approved the final framework. Five recommendations for communicating health messages to young people on social media were developed following two iterations: (1) involve young people, (2) pitch at right level, (3) capture attention fast, (4) use current social media marketing techniques and (5) engage more with the public. The main barrier in emergency contexts was time constraints, but the recommendations were considered feasible if embedded in business‐as‐usual processes prior to the emergency. Conclusion These findings provide public health agencies a guide for health communication to young people on social media. Co‐designing the recommendations centres the needs and preferences of young people, while ensuring they are feasible for professional stakeholders. By incorporating a variety of messaging approaches and actively involving young people in content development, public health agencies can better reach and engage young people, including during public health emergencies. Patient or Public Contribution Young people were involved in study recruitment, workshop facilitation, data analysis and manuscript preparation as co‐researchers. Methods also included co‐design with young people and stakeholders.https://doi.org/10.1111/hex.70203co‐designco‐researchhealth communicationparticipatory action researchpublic health agencyrecommendations |
| spellingShingle | Melody Taba Julie Ayre Kirsten McCaffery Diana Vassilenko Ivan C. K. Ma Tara Haynes Julie Leask Andrew Wilson Carissa Bonner Co‐Designing a Framework for Social Media Health Communication to Young People: A Participatory Research Study Health Expectations co‐design co‐research health communication participatory action research public health agency recommendations |
| title | Co‐Designing a Framework for Social Media Health Communication to Young People: A Participatory Research Study |
| title_full | Co‐Designing a Framework for Social Media Health Communication to Young People: A Participatory Research Study |
| title_fullStr | Co‐Designing a Framework for Social Media Health Communication to Young People: A Participatory Research Study |
| title_full_unstemmed | Co‐Designing a Framework for Social Media Health Communication to Young People: A Participatory Research Study |
| title_short | Co‐Designing a Framework for Social Media Health Communication to Young People: A Participatory Research Study |
| title_sort | co designing a framework for social media health communication to young people a participatory research study |
| topic | co‐design co‐research health communication participatory action research public health agency recommendations |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1111/hex.70203 |
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