The use of social media for reproductive health advocacy among physicians: a content analysis of tweets by physicians engaged in reproductive health care.

Abstract

Background: Physician voices on social media are important for health policy advocacy. However, the extent to which physicians use best practices around health communications strategy is unknown.

Methods: We implemented a content analysis of 1373 tweets from 12 physicians who specialize in reproductive health care and participated in a reproductive health-related advocacy training program, to describe their reproductive health advocacy tweets in terms of levels of engagement, tone, framing and target audience.

Results: The most common framing centered on identifying abortion and contraception as essential health care services. Approximately one-third used proactive (37%), reactive (33%), and neutral (30%) strategies. Less than one-quarter (19%) of the tweets explicitly self-identified as a physician.

Conclusions: Participants used a range of message frames, tones, and audience engagement tactics, suggesting a deliberate health communications strategy. Advocacy training discusses the importance of these domains when using social media for advocacy.