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Social Media Use in Emergency Response to Natural Disasters: A Systematic Review With a Public Health Perspective

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 March 2020

Kamalich Muniz-Rodriguez ,
Sylvia K. Ofori ,
Lauren C. Bayliss ,
Jessica S. Schwind Open the ORCID record for Jessica S. Schwind [Opens in a new window] ,
Kadiatou Diallo ,
Manyun Liu ,
Jingjing Yin ,
Gerardo Chowell  and
Isaac Chun-Hai Fung Open the ORCID record for Isaac Chun-Hai Fung [Opens in a new window]
Kamalich Muniz-Rodriguez
Affiliation:
Department of Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Environmental Health Sciences, Jiann-Ping Hsu College of Public Health, Georgia Southern University, Statesboro, Georgia
Sylvia K. Ofori
Affiliation:
Department of Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Environmental Health Sciences, Jiann-Ping Hsu College of Public Health, Georgia Southern University, Statesboro, Georgia
Lauren C. Bayliss
Affiliation:
Department of Communication Arts, College of Arts and Humanities, Georgia Southern University, Statesboro, Georgia
Jessica S. Schwind
Affiliation:
Department of Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Environmental Health Sciences, Jiann-Ping Hsu College of Public Health, Georgia Southern University, Statesboro, Georgia
Kadiatou Diallo
Affiliation:
Department of Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Environmental Health Sciences, Jiann-Ping Hsu College of Public Health, Georgia Southern University, Statesboro, Georgia
Manyun Liu
Affiliation:
Department of Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Environmental Health Sciences, Jiann-Ping Hsu College of Public Health, Georgia Southern University, Statesboro, Georgia
Jingjing Yin
Affiliation:
Department of Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Environmental Health Sciences, Jiann-Ping Hsu College of Public Health, Georgia Southern University, Statesboro, Georgia
Gerardo Chowell
Affiliation:
Department of Population Health Sciences, School of Public Health, Georgia State University, Atlanta, Georgia
Isaac Chun-Hai Fung*
Affiliation:
Department of Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Environmental Health Sciences, Jiann-Ping Hsu College of Public Health, Georgia Southern University, Statesboro, Georgia
*
Correspondence and reprint requests to Isaac Chun-Hai Fung, P.O. Box 7989, Department of Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Environmental Health Sciences, Jiann-Ping Hsu College of Public Health, Georgia Southern University, Statesboro, Georgia30460 (e-mail: cfung@georgiasouthern.edu)
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Abstract

Social media research during natural disasters has been presented as a tool to guide response and relief efforts in the disciplines of geography and computer sciences. This systematic review highlights the public health implications of social media use in the response phase of the emergency, assessing (1) how social media can improve the dissemination of emergency warning and response information during and after a natural disaster, and (2) how social media can help identify physical, medical, functional, and emotional needs after a natural disaster. We surveyed the literature using 3 databases and included 44 research articles. We found that analyses of social media data were performed using a wide range of spatiotemporal scales. Social media platforms were identified as broadcasting tools presenting an opportunity for public health agencies to share emergency warnings. Social media was used as a tool to identify areas in need of relief operations or medical assistance by using self-reported location, with map development as a common method to visualize data. In retrospective analyses, social media analysis showed promise as an opportunity to reduce the time of response and to identify the individuals’ location. Further research for misinformation and rumor control using social media is needed.

Keywords

disasteremergencyresponsesocial media
Type
Systematic Review
Information
Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness , Volume 14 , Issue 1 , February 2020 , pp. 139 - 149
Copyright
© 2020 Society for Disaster Medicine and Public Health, Inc.

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