Social networks are fundamental in informing citizens (Díaz-Campo et al., 2021). The health field is no exception; networks and the Internet are generally one of the main sources for health consultations. 70% of citizens resort to them as one of their main channels in this field (Link et al., 2021; Ducrot et al., 2021). Likewise, visiting a website before going to the doctor has become a constant (Cano-Orón et al., 2020).

In this sense, the potential of social networks in health communication is enormous (Cuesta et al., 2017). On the one hand, when connecting, generating debate, and creating synergies between health professionals, citizens, patient associations, or the media (Cuesta et al., 2019). Conversely, to disseminate information quickly or deal with crises (Yoo, 2019).

However, it is also necessary to warn of the risks involved in using social networks in the health field. The WHO speaks of infodemia (Aleixandre-Benavent et al., 2020) to refer to the excess of information the individual is subjected to the Internet. Therefore, differentiating content, identifying and selecting sources, or limiting the contagion of misinformation is essential for health (Zhao & Zhang, 2017).

This is a phenomenon whose intensity has increased, if possible, during the covid-19 pandemic, in which the number of consultations on these issues has increased (Eurostat, 2021) and, at the same time, users of social networks have been configured as true opinion leaders or influencers (Sued & Cebral, 2020).

The literature recommends paying particular attention to these profiles in research on communication and health because of their growing importance in creating states of opinion in this field (McCosker, 2018).

According to social cognitive theory (Bandura, 2001), influencers are assumed to shape the opinions of their followers, as they are seen as "close, close friends" (Meyers, 2017), which reinforces the idea that anyone can achieve their popularity (Silva et al., 2021). Therefore, the analysis of the role of this type of profile in the field of health is particularly relevant and necessary (Castaldelli-Maia et al., 2019).

 

Thematic axes:

1.  Health communication and social networks.
2.  Influencers as ambassadors of health-related brands.
3.  Disinformation in the field of health communication.
4.  Effects of health communication on young people.
5.  Ethical Aspects and regulation of health communication through social networks.

Keywords: Health communication, social networks, influencers, misinformation, brands, young people.

 

Deadline: 12-December-2023

 

 

References:

Aleixandre-Benavent, R., Castelló-Cogollos, L. y Valderrama-Zurián, J. C. (2020). Información y comunicación durante los primeros meses de covid-19. Infodemia, desinformación y papel de los profesionales de la información. El Profesional de la Información, 29(4). https://doi.org/10.3145/epi.2020.jul.08

Bandura, A. (2001). Social cognitive theory: An agentic perspective. Annual review of psychology, 52(1), 1-26. https://www.annualreviews.org/doi/abs/10.1146/annurev.psych.52.1.1

Cano-Orón, L., Vengut-Climent, E. y Moreno-Castro, C. (2020). Mental health images on the Internet: A Facebook and digital media content analysis in Spanish. Prisma Social, (29), 240- 259.
https://revistaprismasocial.es/article/view/3338

Castaldelli-Maia, J. M., Gallinaro, J. G. M. E., Falcão, R. S., Gouttebarge, V., Hitchcock, M. E., Hainline, B., Reardon, C. L. y Stull, T. (2019). Mental health symptoms and disorders in elite athletes: a systematic review on cultural influencers and barriers to athletes seeking treatment. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 53(11), 707-721. https://doi.org/10.1136/bjsports-2019-100710

Cuesta, U., Peñafiel, C., Terrón, J. L., Bustamante, E. y Gaspar, S. (coords.) (2017). Comunicación y salud. Dextra Editorial.

Cuesta-Cambra, U., Martínez-Martínez, L. y Niño-González, J. I. (2019). An analysis of pro-vaccine and anti-vaccine information on social networks and the internet: Visual and emotional patterns. El Profesional de la Información, 28(2), e280217. https://doi.org/10.3145/epi.2019.mar.17

Díaz-Campo, J., Segado-Boj, F. y Fernández-Gómez, E. (2021). Hábitos del usuario y tipo de red social como predictores de consumo y difusión de noticias. Profesional de la Información, 30(4). https://doi.org/10.3145/epi.2021.jul.17

Ducrot, P., Montagni, I., Nguyen Thanh, V., Serry, A. J. y Richard, J. B. (2021). Evolution of online health-related information seeking in France from 2010 to 2017: results from nationally representative surveys. Journal of Medical Internet Research, 23(4), e18799. https://doi.org/10.2196/18799

Eurostat (2021). Community survey on ICT usage in households and by individuals. https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/cache/metadata/en/isoc_i_esms.htm

McCosker, A. (2018). Engaging mental health online: Insights from beyond blue’s forum influencers. New Media & Society, 20(12), 4748-4764. https://doi.org/10.1177/1461444818784303

Meyers, C. B. (2017). Social media influencers: A lesson plan for teaching digital advertising media literacy. Advertising & Society Quarterly, 18(2). https://doi.org/10.1353/asr.2017.0018

Silva, M. D. B., Farias, S. A., Grigg, M. H. y Barbosa, M. L. (2021). The body as a brand in social media: analyzing digital fitness influencers as product endorsers. Athenea Digital, 21(1), 1-34. https://doi.org/10.5565/rev/athenea.2614

Sued Palmeiro, G. E. y Cebral Loureda, M. (2020). Voces autorizadas en Twitter durante la pandemia de COVID-19: Actores, léxico y sentimientos como marco interpretativo para usuarios ordinarios. Revista de Comunicación y Salud, 10(2), 549-568. https://doi.org/10.35669/rcys.2020.10(2).549-568

Yoo, W. (2019). How Risk Communication via Facebook and Twitter Shapes Behavioral Intentions: The Case of Fine Dust Pollution in South Korea. Journal of Health Communication, 24, 663-673. https://doi.org/10.1080/10810730.2019.1655607

Zhao, Y. y Zhang, J. (2017). Consumer health information seeking in social media: a literature review. Health Information & Libraries Journal, 34(4), 268-283. https://doi.org/10.1111/hir.12192

 

 

 

 

 

Coordinated by:

 

Jesús Díaz-Campo
International University of La Rioja (UNIR)

Ph.D. in Journalism from the Complutense University of Madrid. Professor of Communication, Assistant Vice-Rector for Research, Deputy Director of the Doctoral School and Secretary of the Research Ethics Committee. He co-directs the research group Communication and Digital Society (COYSODI) and has been the principal investigator of the Newsharing project (funded in the call for R&D Project 2017 Challenges). His lines of research focus on communication ethics and corporate social responsibility, communication through social networks, and health communication.

https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9430-750X

 

 

 

Beatriz Feijoo
International University of La Rioja (UNIR)

Ph.D. in Communication and degree in Advertising and Public Relations and Audiovisual Communication from the University of Vigo. Professor currently teaches at the Faculty of Business and Communication of the UNIR, where she is also Vice-Dean of Research. She also worked as a teacher and researcher at the Universidad de los Andes (Chile) and the Universidade de Vigo. Author of several publications and scientific articles on communication and children and PI of funded research projects on the same subject (Fondecyt N°11170336 - Chile; ADKIDSMOBILE - R+D+i project with ref. PID2020-116841RA-I00; PENSACRIGITAL-UNIR; DIGITAL_FIT-Fundación Mapfre).

https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5287-3813

 

 

 

María Isabel Pavez
University of Los Andes (Chile)

Isabel Pavez is Associate Professor at Universidad de los Andes (Chile). She holds a Ph.D. in Communication from London School of Economics (LSE). She is a principal researcher at the Millennium Nucleus to Improve the Mental Health of Adolescents and Youths, Imhay, and the Millennium Nucleus to or the Study of Politics, Public Opinion and Media in Chile (MEPOP).

https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8367-4793