Assessing the Use of Online Social Networks by Public Health Agencies during Large Scale Disasters

The emergence of online social media has provided a new outlet for community groups and public health agencies to communicate with each other during large-scale disasters. The National Center for Disaster Preparedness, Columbia University, is currently engaged in a two-year study examining the usage of social media at two regional public health agencies during and immediately following Hurricane Sandy. Based on 3,000 Twitter postings (provided by the US Library of Congress) made by residents of Westchester and Nassau counties, New York, during the storm, investigators are conducting an historical content analysis to identify the types of community concerns conveyed and the extent which these concerns were addressed by the respective public health agencies. Investigators are also conducting in-depth interviews and focus groups with 80 public health staff at the respective health departments to examine how senior leadership and line staff incorporated online social media into their disaster response and recovery efforts and the types of adaptations made to address the highlighted community concerns. Findings will shed light on the nature of instantaneous resource and information exchange between residents and public health agencies, while also highlighting best practices for usage of online social media during future catastrophic events.