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Social Networks’ Engagement During the COVID-19 Pandemic in Spain: Health Media vs. Healthcare Professionals

Author

Listed:
  • Ana Pérez-Escoda

    (Department of Communication, University of Nebrija, 28015 Madrid, Spain)

  • Carlos Jiménez-Narros

    (Department of Communication, University of Nebrija, 28015 Madrid, Spain)

  • Marta Perlado-Lamo-de-Espinosa

    (Department of Communication, University of Nebrija, 28015 Madrid, Spain)

  • Luis Miguel Pedrero-Esteban

    (Department of Communication, University of Nebrija, 28015 Madrid, Spain)

Abstract

An increased use of social networks is one of the most far-reaching consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic. Aside from the traditional media, as the main drivers of social communication in crisis situations, individual profiles have emerged supported by social networks, which have had a similar impact to the more specialized communication media. This is the hypothesis of the research presented, which is focused on health communication and based on a virtual ethnography methodology with the use of social metrics. The aim is to understand the relationship established between the population in general and digital media in particular through the measurement of engagement. In this regard, a comparative study was carried out that describes this phenomenon over a period of six months on three social networks: YouTube, Twitter and Instagram, with a sample composed of specialized health media versus healthcare professionals. The results point to a new communications model that opens up a new space for agents whose content has a degree of engagement comparable to and even exceeding that of digital media specialized in health communication. The conclusions show that the crisis of the pandemic has accelerated the transformation of the communication sector, creating new challenges for the communication industry, media professionals, and higher education institutions related to market demands.

Suggested Citation

  • Ana Pérez-Escoda & Carlos Jiménez-Narros & Marta Perlado-Lamo-de-Espinosa & Luis Miguel Pedrero-Esteban, 2020. "Social Networks’ Engagement During the COVID-19 Pandemic in Spain: Health Media vs. Healthcare Professionals," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(14), pages 1-17, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:17:y:2020:i:14:p:5261-:d:387532
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Zixuan Weng & Aijun Lin, 2022. "Public Opinion Manipulation on Social Media: Social Network Analysis of Twitter Bots during the COVID-19 Pandemic," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(24), pages 1-17, December.
    2. Przemysław Śleszyński & Amir Reza Khavarian-Garmsir & Maciej Nowak & Paulina Legutko-Kobus & Mohammad Hajian Hossein Abadi & Noura Al Nasiri, 2023. "COVID-19 Spatial Policy: A Comparative Review of Urban Policies in the European Union and the Middle East," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(3), pages 1-30, January.
    3. Elena Andina-Díaz & María Isabel Ventura-Miranda & Enedina Quiroga-Sánchez & Ángela María Ortega-Galán & Isabel María Fernández-Medina & María Dolores Ruiz-Fernández, 2023. "Nursing Students’ Perception about Gender Inequalities Presented on Social Networks: A Qualitative Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(3), pages 1-11, January.
    4. Michael M. Phillips & Rosana Hernandez Weldon & Anam Maniar & Uday Patil & Uliana Kostareva & Joy Agner & Julia Finn & Tetine Sentell, 2022. "Social Networks, Health Information Sharing, and Pandemic Perceptions among Young Adults in Hawai’i during the COVID-19 Pandemic," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(24), pages 1-14, December.
    5. Imane Berni & Aziza Menouni & Younes Filali Zegzouti & Marie-Paule Kestemont & Lode Godderis & Samir El Jaafari, 2021. "MAROCOVID: Snapshot Monitoring of Knowledge and Perceptions of Safety Behaviors during the COVID-19 Outbreak in Morocco," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(11), pages 1-13, May.
    6. Santiago Tejedor & Laura Cervi & Fernanda Tusa & Marta Portales & Margarita Zabotina, 2020. "Information on the COVID-19 Pandemic in Daily Newspapers’ Front Pages: Case Study of Spain and Italy," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(17), pages 1-16, August.

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