How people react to Zika virus outbreaks on Twitter? A computational content analysis

Am J Infect Control. 2016 Dec 1;44(12):1700-1702. doi: 10.1016/j.ajic.2016.04.253. Epub 2016 Aug 24.

Abstract

Zika-related Twitter incidence peaked after the World Health Organization declared an emergency. Five themes were identified from Zika-related Twitter content: (1) societal impact of the outbreak; (2) government, public and private sector, and general public responses to the outbreak; (3) pregnancy and microcephaly: negative health consequences related to pregnant women and babies; (4) transmission routes; and (5) case reports. User-generated contents sites were preferred direct information channels rather than those of the government authorities.

Keywords: Health communication; Zika virus disease; pregnancy complications; public response; social media.

Publication types

  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Disease Outbreaks*
  • Humans
  • Public Opinion*
  • Social Media*
  • Zika Virus Infection / epidemiology*