The Content of Twitter Messages of Different Health Groups: The Role of Social Media in Health

Abstract

Twitter is a popular and widely-used social media tool, which is used to promote corporate branding in healthcare services. The aim of this study was to examine the content of Twitter messages shared by different health groups. In this cross-sectional study, three private health groups (Group A, Group B and Group C) were selected. Their twitter messages were examined through the content of tweets and retweets as well as types of sharing. When the content of the tweets was examined, the highest rates were seen in tweets with photos and tweets with texts; whereas, tweets containing videos and GIF's seemed to be relatively less preferred. When the total number of tweets of the study group were evaluated , most of them were observed to include information related to a healthy life and diseases in the health groups (Group A: 94,1%, Group B: 96,4% and Group C: 94,7%). Most shares contained information about "check-up and preventive medicine" as well as "nutrition and dietary" habits. The selected health groups use Twitter as a social media tool to communicate with patients and the public. A healthy life was the most prominent issue in the Twitter messages of these groups.