Using the Health Belief Model to Analyze Instagram Posts about Zika for Public Health Communications

Emerg Infect Dis. 2019 Jan;25(1):179-180. doi: 10.3201/eid2501.180824.

Abstract

We analyzed Instagram posts about Zika by using the Health Belief Model. We found a high presence of threat messages, yet little engagement with these posts. Public health professionals should focus on posting messages to increase self-efficacy and benefits of protective behavior, especially when a vaccine becomes available.

Keywords: #Zika; Instagram; Zika; Zika virus; behavior; health belief model; infectious diseases; internet; posts; public health communications; social media; viruses.

MeSH terms

  • Health Behavior
  • Health Communication*
  • Humans
  • Information Dissemination
  • Photography
  • Public Health*
  • Social Media
  • Statistics, Nonparametric
  • Zika Virus / physiology*
  • Zika Virus Infection / epidemiology*
  • Zika Virus Infection / prevention & control
  • Zika Virus Infection / virology