Year of Publication
2023
College
Public Health
Date Available
4-24-2025
Degree Name
Master of Public Health (M.P.H.)
Committee Chair
Anna Goodman Hoover
Committee Member
Kathleen Winter
Committee Member
Erin Haynes
Committee Member
Sarah Vos
Abstract
Purpose: The goal of this study is to examine the availability of disaster-related information online from local health departments in flood-impacted counties in the month following 2022 Eastern Kentucky Floods. This study aims to evaluate Facebook messages by (1) when messages were posted (2) types of posts (3) message content.
Methods: This mix-methods environmental scan of Facebook messages posted by 8 flood-impacted Eastern Kentucky local health departments from July 26th, 2022, to August 26th, 2022. Messages were coded for absence or presence of a message feature. These message features were examined to identify features relevant to our study aims [HAJ1] and population.
Results: A total of 352 messages were posted on the Facebook pages of the local health departments. More messages were posted on CASPER 1 pages (262) compared to CASPER 2 pages (90). CASPER 1 had more messages that were reposts compared to CASPER 2 who had more original posts. The most common messages were those about shelters or disaster recovery centers.
Conclusions: While findings illustrate many local health departments in the flood zone were active during and in the weeks following the flooding, the study points to opportunities to improve the timeliness and volume of social media messaging.
[HAJ1]I don’t think you stated it as a question above. You do talk about “study goals”, so you might want to reframe the way you state it either there or here.
Recommended Citation
Bonds, Delaney, "Evaluation of Facebook Social Media Messages Following the 2022 Eastern Kentucky Floods" (2023). Theses and Dissertations--Public Health (M.P.H. & Dr.P.H.). 375.
https://uknowledge.uky.edu/cph_etds/375
