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Friday, December 11, 2009

Officials Turn to Social Media To Inform Young People About H1N1 Flu

Public health agencies are pursuing new social media strategies to educate young people about H1N1 influenza, also known as swine flu, the Boston Globe reports.

Experts say young people are particularly vulnerable to H1N1 flu but might not respond to public health messages conveyed through brochures, television news shows or other traditional channels.

Therefore, officials are turning to blogs, Twitter, YouTube and other Web-based outlets to reach the younger generation.

For example, the Boston Public Health Commission recruited its interns to create a rap music video for YouTube about H1N1 flu.

The Massachusetts Department of Public Health also publishes H1N1 blogs in three languages and accepts comments in an online forum.

Meanwhile, CDC's YouTube videos have attracted about three million views.

CDC officials also use Twitter updates and cell phone text messages to provide advice and guidance on H1N1 prevention.

Although it remains unclear whether such strategies are improving health outcomes, a CDC survey suggests that consumers who engaged with the agency's social media tools were more satisfied with the flu information they received than those who did not (Smith, Boston Globe, 12/11).