Read on Twitter
What happened when health professionals tried to combat anti-vaccine sentiment on social media?
We studied tweets related to the #DoctorsSpeakUp event to see who used the hashtag, what % were pro- vs anti-vaccine, & tweet content.
Thread 1/7 https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0264410X21003650
We studied tweets related to the #DoctorsSpeakUp event to see who used the hashtag, what % were pro- vs anti-vaccine, & tweet content.
Thread 1/7 https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0264410X21003650
To combat anti-vaccine #misinformation on #social media, @ShotsHeard was created. @ZDoggMD posted on #YouTube introducing the #DoctorsSpeakUp hashtag and asking healthcare professionals & pro-vaccine advocates to post on Mar. 5, 2020.
But the hashtag was co-opted. 2/7
But the hashtag was co-opted. 2/7
So, who used the #DoctorsSpeakUp hashtag?
In a sub-sample of 847 tweets:
29% parents
8% health professional
5% both
4% organization
5% bots
54% unknown
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In a sub-sample of 847 tweets:
29% parents 8% health professional 5% both 4% organization 5% bots 54% unknown3/7
Surprisingly, despite being created to promote vaccines, of tweets using #DoctorsSpeakUp:
20% were pro-vaccine
79% were anti-vaccine
1% were neutral
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20% were pro-vaccine 79% were anti-vaccine 1% were neutral4/7
Content analysis revealed that ~20% of anti-vaccine tweets were copied from an infographic shared on Twitter by anti-vaccine activists prior to the #DoctorsSpeakUp event.
~25% of accounts identified as health professionals and ~50% of organizations were anti-vaccine.
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~25% of accounts identified as health professionals and ~50% of organizations were anti-vaccine.
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Guidelines for future pro-vaccine social media events
use best practices for risk communication
leverage partnerships to increase reach
maximize inclusivity of pro-vaccine advocates
generate list of suggested tweets before event
train participants in responses
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use best practices for risk communication leverage partnerships to increase reach maximize inclusivity of pro-vaccine advocates generate list of suggested tweets before event train participants in responses6/7
This collab. began with analyzing anti-vaccines responses to a @kidspluspgh video promoting vaccines.
: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0264410X19303032?via%3Dihub
So proud to continue this work with my amazing coauthors, @ColditzJB, @ashensa, Riley Wolynn, @sanyabt11, @emfelter, @DrToddWo, @jaimesidani
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: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0264410X19303032?via%3DihubSo proud to continue this work with my amazing coauthors, @ColditzJB, @ashensa, Riley Wolynn, @sanyabt11, @emfelter, @DrToddWo, @jaimesidani
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Bonus 8/7: Here's the press release where my co-authors and I talk more about this work! https://www.upmc.com/media/news/041321-hoffman-shots-heard
Hear more about this work on today's episode of @WESAconfluence! Thank you to @wesakevin for a great interview with me and @DrToddWo! https://www.wesa.fm/programs/confluence#stream/0
