Promoting public health equity through strategic information campaigns on social media during the COVID-19 pandemic: An analysis of pandemic health information campaigns on Twitter in Houston, Texas

Abstract

Throughout the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, reports have indicated vulnerable communities have suffered disproportionately from chronic illness, higher death rates, and unequal access to healthcare. This calls into question the equity of the nationwide vaccination program launched in the United States in 2021, a program with the potential to mitigate the disproportionate burden of the pandemic in these communities. This study investigates the extent to which local government agencies, elected officials, and community-based organizations (CBOs) engaged in equitable information campaigns during the COVID-19 pandemic to address health barriers common in vulnerable communities, including issues of access, fear, and language barriers. Using a sui generis data set of COVID-19 testing and vaccine-related Twitter posts from local government agencies, elected officials, and CBOs from Houston, Texas, we find that local government agencies were more likely than elected officials and CBOs to engage in equitable information campaigns and that among elected officials, Democrats were more likely than Republicans to engage in equitable messaging. These findings have important implications for communication strategies such as targeted and culturally sensitive messaging. These findings also signal an opportunity for elected officials and CBOs to engage further with their constituents and social networks to share public health information on their public communication platforms.