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Contextualising the 2019 E-Cigarette Health Scare: Insights from Twitter

Author

Listed:
  • Wasim Ahmed

    (Newcastle University Business School, Newcastle University, 5 Barrack Rd, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 4SE, UK)

  • Xavier Marin-Gomez

    (Health Promotion in Rural Areas Research Group, Gerència Territorial de la Catalunya Central, Institut Català de la Salut, 08272 Sant Fruitós de Bages, Spain
    Servei d’Atenció Primària d’Osona, Gerència Territorial de la Catalunya Central, Institut Català de la Salut, 08500 Vic, Spain)

  • Josep Vidal-Alaball

    (Health Promotion in Rural Areas Research Group, Gerència Territorial de la Catalunya Central, Institut Català de la Salut, 08272 Sant Fruitós de Bages, Spain
    Unitat de Suport a la Recerca de la Catalunya Central, Fundació Institut Universitari per a la recerca a l’Atenció Primària de Salut Jordi Gol i Gurina, 08272 Sant Fruitós de Bages, Spain)

Abstract

A health scare can be described as a campaign that attempts to alert the public of a particular substance or activity that can lead to a negative effect on health. A recent health scare to emerge relates to the health hazards associated with the use of e-cigarettes, which has caused widespread debate, which peaked towards the end of 2019. Health scares need to be studied in the context in which they occur, and one method of studying them is through social media. This paper identifies two key topics of discussion on Twitter, which consisted of pro-vaping and anti-vaping views. The paper then identifies influential users, frequently occurring words, hashtags, and websites related to this time period in order to gain insight into e-cigarette perceptions. The paper then reviews current scientific evidence and develops a flowchart for the general public, which can be used to for public reassurance and guidance.

Suggested Citation

  • Wasim Ahmed & Xavier Marin-Gomez & Josep Vidal-Alaball, 2020. "Contextualising the 2019 E-Cigarette Health Scare: Insights from Twitter," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(7), pages 1-10, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:17:y:2020:i:7:p:2236-:d:337405
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Grzegorz Marek Brożek & Mateusz Jankowski & Joshua Allan Lawson & Andrei Shpakou & Michał Poznański & Tadeusz Maria Zielonka & Ludmila Klimatckaia & Yelena Loginovich & Marta Rachel & Justína Gereová , 2019. "The Prevalence of Cigarette and E-cigarette Smoking Among Students in Central and Eastern Europe—Results of the YUPESS Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(13), pages 1-14, June.
    2. Ziqi Zhang & Wasim Ahmed, 2019. "A comparison of information sharing behaviours across 379 health conditions on Twitter," International Journal of Public Health, Springer;Swiss School of Public Health (SSPH+), vol. 64(3), pages 431-440, April.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Carlos de las Heras-Pedrosa & Dolores Rando-Cueto & Carmen Jambrino-Maldonado & Francisco J. Paniagua-Rojano, 2020. "Exploring the Social Media on the Communication Professionals in Public Health. Spanish Official Medical Colleges Case Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(13), pages 1-17, July.
    2. Wasim Ahmed & Josep Vidal-Alaball & Francesc Lopez Segui & Pedro A. Moreno-Sánchez, 2020. "A Social Network Analysis of Tweets Related to Masks during the COVID-19 Pandemic," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(21), pages 1-9, November.
    3. Wasim Ahmed & Josep Vidal-Alaball & Josep M. Vilaseca, 2022. "A Social Network Analysis of Twitter Data Related to Blood Clots and Vaccines," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(8), pages 1-8, April.

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