African Digital Media Studies (Media/Social focus) | 07 November 2002
Social Media Campaigns in Zimbabwean Urban Areas: An Effectiveness Review on HIV/AIDS Awareness and Promotion in Sierra Leone
M, o, r, r, i, s, K, a, m, a, r, a
Abstract
Social media has emerged as a significant tool for public health initiatives, particularly in promoting awareness about diseases like HIV/AIDS. The review method involved systematic searching across multiple databases including PubMed, Google Scholar, and Web of Science, using keywords related to social media campaigns for HIV/AIDS awareness in urban areas. Studies published between and were considered relevant. A thematic analysis revealed that while the majority of campaigns utilised platforms like Facebook and Twitter, there was a notable lack of longitudinal data on campaign effectiveness, with some studies reporting mixed results regarding increased awareness but no significant behavioural changes. The review suggests that social media can be an effective tool for raising HIV/AIDS awareness in urban areas, though its impact may vary based on the specific strategies employed and audience engagement levels. Future research could explore longer-term effects and more comprehensive evaluation methods. Organizations should prioritise user-generated content and community involvement to enhance campaign effectiveness. Additionally, there is a need for more longitudinal studies to better understand long-term impacts of social media campaigns in health promotion contexts. Model estimation used $\hat{\theta}=argmin<em>{\theta}\sum</em>i\ell(y<em>i,f</em>\theta(x<em>i))+\lambda\lVert\theta\rVert</em>2^2$, with performance evaluated using out-of-sample error.