CDC (2012) defines social media as online communication tools that facilitate exchange of information, interaction, engagement, and sharing of ideas and other content over networks. In the recent past, the use of social has gained immense popularity, and the healthcare industry has not been left behind. Disease prevention through health promotion depends heavily on shared information, as the information empowers the public on issues affecting their health. Information access has been revolutionalized by social media, and as Heldman, Schindelar & Weaver (2013) posits, it is imperative to take the information to the people.
67% of internet users are active users of social media, making it one of the most viable means of sharing information meant to reach a mass of people (Heldman, Schindelar & Weaver, 2013). This paper will discuss a health problem – obesity – with the aim of developing a social media campaign for the prevention of the disease among the target population. The discussion will also facilitate the identification of health disparities related to the health issue, in addition to helping with the identification of evidence-based practices for obesity. The overall exercise will help gather knowledge on how social media can be positively used to promote health and prevent diseases.
Problem Description - Obesity
Obesity is a health issue characterized by excess fat in the body (Ligibel et al, 2014). The Body Mass Index, BMI, is used as a standard used to determine if a person has obesity. Also, waist circumference is incorporated in diagnosing obesity. The primary prevention topic for obesity is lifestyle change, which is composed of physical activity and healthy eating. The target population is children and adolescents/teenagers between the age of 10 and 17 years.
Forsyth County in North Carolina is one of the most populous counties in the United States, with an estimated population of 350,000 people (USCB, 2015). Winston-Salem constitutes most of the population in Forsyth County, with an estimated population of 235,527 people in the 132.4 square miles area, as of 2013 census (USCB, 2015). Female population is more prominent in Winston-Salem at 53% and the median age for the population is 35 years, which is half the national median age. 24.6% of the total population is below the age of 18 years.
The windshield survey revealed that the population below 18 years has the highest prevalence of obesity, especially among the African Americans and the Hispanics. Winston-Salem’s economic activities include local businesses, healthcare and social care, and large industries. The area has sufficient public transportation, connecting the town to other major cities. The area is also sufficiently served by public and private schools at all levels. Healthcare centers and centers for social care are also available for the community, in addition to parks and outdoor areas. Most of the population prefers to drive to and from work and school, even for short distances. The windshield survey also indicates that children do not prefer outdoor games, as there are few children on play grounds.
Target Population
The target population is the school-going age group between 10 and 18 years. This age group is at the risk of acquiring obesity, in addition to the high prevalence of the disease among this target group. A review of literature indicates that the most common cause for obesity is lifestyle, including physical inactivity, unhealthy eating habits, and excessive drinking and smoking. This stage of development is characterized by identity versus role confusion. Children at this stage are most likely to be influenced by peers, which may result to some developmental issues if not addressed.
The target age group is currently in high school. There are more females in this target population compared to males. Obesity is prevalent among this target population due to their lifestyles. At this age, the children are in a quest to resolve their identities in the society, and this is characterized by relations to peers and groups. Unhealthy relations can have profound impacts on the health of individuals at this age group. At this stage of development, children are at the risk of becoming obese, developing mental issues if they encounter rejection, and developing unhealthy eating disorders such as anorexia in an effort to fit into a group. Therefore, the age of this target group causes the disparity in obesity.
The primary community and prevention resources currently involved with the health concern include health care centers, healthy foods, and safe public parks, and play grounds. Health care centers are essential in health promotion, as the care professionals can share important information with the target population. At-risk people can also get weight measurements at the health centers, and receive advice on prevention. Unhealthy eating is one of the main causes of obesity. Individuals from low socioeconomic households are most affected as they do not have access to healthy foods. Therefore, ensuring that healthy foods are available to the community is an important prevention strategy.
Obesity is also associated with sedentary lifestyles and inactivity. The population at this age group, in the contemporary community, spends most of their time on computers, mobile phones, and watching television. Some even only engage in physical activity during mandatory physical activity exercises at school. For this reason, they are predisposed to obesity and its related complications. Sufficient, clean and safe playgrounds and public parks can be an encouragement for the target population to participate in physical activities. In addition to safe and clean play areas, organizing events that encourage the target population to participate in physical activities is also essential.
Evidence-Based Practice Associated with the Selected Primary Intervention
Lifestyle change has been proven through studies to bear positive impacts on prevention of obesity. However, when it comes to treatment and management of obesity, more than lifestyle changes might be needed. However, prevention of obesity can be achieved primarily through lifestyle change. Ligibel et al. (2014) posits that healthy eating and engagement in physical exercises has been proven to significantly reduce the prevalence of obesity among target populations. Although this article focuses on the effect that weight management has on cancer patients, it is evidence that managing weight has benefits in not only preventing obesity, but also in averting other complications that accompany obesity.
a study by Rejeski et al. (2012) sought to assess the effect of lifestyle change and mobility in obese adults with type 2 diabetes. The results of the study revealed that in patients who received the lifestyle management intervention, immobility caused by disability was lower, compared to the group that didn’t receive intervention. This study is significant to this paper in that it provides sufficient information regarding the benefits of lifestyle change in managing obesity and related health issues. Ochner, Tsai, Kushner & Wadden (2015) posit that it is imperative for clinicians to understand other factors that may inhibit achievement of weight loss among obese patients. These factors can also impact the process of prevention of obesity through lifestyle changes negatively.
Another study by Temelkova-Kurktschiev & Stefanov (2012) indicates that the use of lifestyle change to prevent and manage obesity and related diseases is effective. However, clinicians should be aware of other factors that may affect lifestyle change as an intervention. Genetics and environment are mentioned by these authors as factors that have profound impacts on the success of lifestyle change as an intervention for prevention and management of obesity. Understanding the elements that affect the success of lifestyle change as an intervention for prevention of obesity is important in delineating what to avoid when implementing the intervention.
Best Practices for Implementing Social Media Tools for Health Marketing
In the recent past, the use of social media for dissemination of mass information has gained popularity. Major healthcare facilities and public health organizations are using social media to communicate to their target groups. Social media pages are the most commonly used tools for interaction on social networking sites. Promotion of health in disease prevention requires sharing of health information with as many people as possible. While print and radio/TV media were mainly used for communication, social media has brought changes on how people access and share information, including health information. With the advent and increased use of the internet, social media presents the perfect platform for sharing health information.
There are challenges, however, associated with the use of social media to share health information. Sharing sensitive health information, such as that related to outbreaks, can cause mayhem among the public. Therefore, organizations should follow the guidelines for social media use when implementing the tools. Also, healthcare professionals should adhere to guidelines for writing for social media, so as to avoid misunderstandings and misinterpretation of information.
The CDC (2013) identifies a communication strategy for healthcare professionals who wish to use social media for communication. According to this guideline, the professionals must first identify the target audience, define the objectives, select the appropriate channel of communication, and make a choice about the amount of time that will be invested in social media communication. When posting messages to social media, the CDC (2012) recommends use of plain language instead of medical jargon. Health literacy is also an essential strategy when using social media to communicate health information. Health literacy helps the care professionals understand their audiences, including identification of information gaps.
CDC (2015) also suggests the use of active voice when writing, since active voice is easier to understand. The writer should maintain professionalism at all times, while at the same time pursuing friendliness. Social media users can sometimes be rude, but it is the duty of healthcare professionals to address the issues raised by such users calmly. Like other forms of marketing, healthcare marketing also incorporates the 4Ps of marketing – price, place, product, and promotion (CDC, 2012). Social media users should also ensure that the information availed to the public is consumer-centered. To avoid confusion, CDC (2015) suggests tying a message to a specific product, in addition to simplicity. Other factors that are considered best practice when using social media for health marketing include consideration of the time of sharing the information, the content of the message, and the reactions that the message may elicit.
Community Health Nurse Planning Process to address Primary Prevention Topic
Research Questions
How often do you use the internet?
How many social networking sites are you on?
Do you use the internet to search for health related information?
How many health organizations do you follow or subscribe to from your social networking sites?
Do you find the information posted by the health organizations useful?
These research questions are important in understanding the characteristics of the target population, their beliefs, and potential barriers to overcoming the health concerns. Questions 1 & 2 will help determine the frequency of use of the internet by the target population. Determine the frequency of use helps evaluate the number of people that the information will reach. The other questions will help verify if the target population uses social media to search for health information. The target population could be users of the internet and social media, but they may not be interested in health information. The methods that will be used to analyze data gathered from the research questions are surveys and interviews.
After capturing the characteristics of the target population and their patterns of internet use, the next step is to implement and analyze data and research. The stakeholders include the target population, parents, healthcare professionals, and the government. The target population and the parents are the consumers of the information, while the healthcare professionals are the deliverers of the information. The government plays a critical role, as they can use the data gathered from the social sites to drive change through policy development.
Managing the data gathered through interviews and surveys will require training professionals on how to gather the information. Training the staff gathering the data ensures that as much credible data is gathered as possible. Gathering sufficient credible data is critical in decision making.
Community Health Nursing Social Media Campaign Strategy to address the Primary Prevention Topic
The objective of the social media campaign is to promote health among the target population by encouraging healthy eating and engagement in physical activity. In a period of three months, the primary intervention is expected to produce positive results regarding lifestyle change among the target population. This change will be characterized by more people consuming healthy diets, in addition to increased physical activity.
The two population-focused social marketing interventions for improving the health message related to the lifestyle change topic include the use of simple language, and being active in engaging the target population in discussions. The CDC (2013) posits that use of simple language, as compared to the use of medical jargon, has the potential to attract and maintain the attention of the consumers. Simplicity also ensures less misunderstanding and misconceptions about the message. In addition to simplicity, active interaction with the target population on social media is also imperative. The interaction helps in clarifying any doubts that the users may have regarding the topic. Also, interaction helps demystify myths help by the users, which may have an impact on their health.
The appropriate social media platforms that I will use to communicate to the target population are Facebook and Twitter. Facebook offers a special feature where organizations have special profiles that the public can view (CDC, 2012). When the organization updates a status, all the followers can view it in their newsfeed. Facebook also encourages the use of casual but professional language. Also, an organization can tag other people or organizations that may have an interest on the posted information. Twitter, on the other hand, is a social media platform that can reach many people, even without the organization having such people as mutual friends. The main functionalities of Twitter – Retweets, hash tags, and mentions facilitate a wider reach of the target population. Twitter doesn’t allow use of more than 140 characters, which makes it sufficient for only posting short messages. Facebook can be used to post lengthy messages.
Action-oriented words will be mainly used for the writing approach of the social marketing plan. According to the CDC (2012), action-oriented words create awareness and curiosity among the users, prompting the users to take the next step. Also, I will encourage interaction with the users through the use of professional and friendly language. Engaging and interacting with the users is also another way of prompting action from them. The benefits for the target population that I will include in the health messages will be highlighted and will use action-oriented words such as ‘learn’, and ‘join’, ‘prevent’, among other action-oriented words.
Social Media Campaign Implementation Plan
Partnerships are important in enhancing the outcomes of the social media campaign for preventing obesity among the target population. Public partnerships that could be formed to aid in the implementation of the plan include collaboration with organizations such as the CDC and WHO. Potential private partnerships can be formed with healthcare professionals, health nutritionists, and physical exercise expertise practicing privately. The specific timeline for the implementation of the campaign plan is shown in figure 1.
Managing and directing the implementation of the campaign will require substantial investment of time, funds, and human resources. I will manage the implementation of the plan by ensuring that the resources are enough. This will include seeking for the necessary funds to facilitate the implementation, in addition to hiring and vetting of the human resources.
The summative and formative evaluation methods will be used to assess the effectiveness of the campaign. Interviews and focus groups will be used to gather data regarding the impact of the campaign on the users. The formative evaluation will be done frequently, twice a week, by gathering data directly from the users. Summative evaluation will be done at the end of the implementation, by inviting participants for interviews and focus group to gather the relevant data. Questionnaires will be used as the measurable tools to evaluate the campaign. The implementation of this campaign is estimated to cost $100,000.
Reflection
Social media is a powerful tool, which can be used by community health nurses to promote healthier populations. Social media has revolutionalized communication and interaction between public health providers and community members. Most people are active members of one or more social networking sites, making social media effective tools for reaching out to masses of people. This social media campaign can apply to my future nursing practice, where I can use a similar campaign to promote health in the community.
Appendix
References
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http://www.cdc.gov/socialmedia/Tools/guidelines/pdf/GuidetoWritingforSocialMedia.pdf
CDC. (2015). Facebook guidelines and best practices. Retrieved from
http://www.cdc.gov/socialmedia/tools/guidelines/facebook-guidelines.html
CDC. (2013). CDC enterprise social media policy. Retrieved from
http://www.cdc.gov/socialmedia/tools/guidelines/pdf/social-media-policy.pdf
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Rejeski, W. J., Ip, E. H., Bertoni, A. G., Bray, G. A., Evans, G., Gregg, E. W., & Zhang, Q.
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United States Census Bureau. (2015). Quick facts: Forsyth County, North Carolina.
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