228123 Social networking as audience segmentation strategy

Monday, November 8, 2010 : 2:45 PM - 3:00 PM

Suellen Hopfer, PhD , Prevention & Methodology Centers, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA
Michael Hecht, PhD , Communication Arts and Sciences, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA
Eighth grade middle school students completed a posttest survey following exposure to keepin' it REAL (a school-based substance abuse prevention program emphasizing resistance skills). Students were asked about their substance use attitudes, norms, and self-reported use as well as about their friendship networks (e.g., with whom they spend time with during and outside of school, and with whom they talk about drugs and drug use). The structure of peer friendship networks was modeled using UCINET to identify subgroups of substance users, non-users, and mixed groups as well as identify communication networks characterized by how 8th grade students talked about drugs and drug use. Non-penetrated social networks were identified as potential targets for follow-up booster sessions of keepin' it REAL. Based on the network diffusion of innovations model (Valente, 1995) liaisons (students who are friends with and spend time in more than one social network; also called bridgers) were identified as a potential novel strategy to accelerate diffusion of prevention messages (i.e., drug resistance). Implications for prevention campaigns will be discussed.

Learning Areas:
Communication and informatics
Public health or related education
Public health or related research
Social and behavioral sciences

Learning Objectives:
1. Define social networking. 2. Describe how social networking can be applied as an audience segmentation strategy for health campaigns. 3. Describe how social networking can be applied to accelerate diffusion of health messages.

Keywords: Adolescent Health, Immigrants

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I have been trained in the areas of health communication, social networking, and public health
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.