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A Study on the Responsiveness of Local Health Departments that Use Facebook

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  • Fallon L. Fleming

    (Distinguished Teaching Professor of Public Health, Bowling Green State University, 234 Health Center, Bowling Green, OH 43403, USA)

  • Schmalzried Hans D.

    (Professor of Public Health, Bowling Green State University, 231 Health Center, Bowling Green, OH 43403, USA)

Abstract

Local health departments (LHDs), in concert with many other organizations, have begun to explore the potential of social media sites during emergencies. The most widely discussed and adapted social media site is Facebook. Apparently, once a decision to include Facebook is made, the Facebook logo is displayed on the organization’s homepage. The focus of this study was to assess the presence of Facebook on LHD websites and then determine whether LHDs actually used them as tools for communicating with the public or planned to do so during emergency or disaster situations. Secondary objectives were to test for the presence of two-way communications and to measure how quickly LHDs with two-way Facebook walls responded to a request for information received after regular office hours. We looked at 1970 LHD websites. Of those, 489 (24.6%) displayed the Facebook logo; 458 (93.7%) had a wall; 208 had walls with bi-directional (inbound and outbound) capability. A message was posted on each of the 208 bi-directional Facebook walls. Of the 208 LHDs receiving a message, 25 (12.0%) sent responses. The mean time for a response was 77.7±94.2 h.

Suggested Citation

  • Fallon L. Fleming & Schmalzried Hans D., 2013. "A Study on the Responsiveness of Local Health Departments that Use Facebook," Journal of Homeland Security and Emergency Management, De Gruyter, vol. 10(1), pages 201-208, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:bpj:johsem:v:10:y:2013:i:1:p:201-208:n:15
    DOI: 10.1515/jhsem-2012-0066
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