Abstract
In recent years, the emergence of social media has transformed the ways in which health campaigners communicate with the public. It has been argued to be a crucial communication tool due to its capability for two-way communication, low cost, and its ability to foster co-presence. The latest studies have suggested that social media is widely utilized among breast cancer campaigners to raise awareness of the disease and promote the benefits of attending screenings regularly. Egypt faces high mortality rates due to a lack of understanding, cultural stigma, lack of access and misconceptions including fatalistic beliefs about breast cancer. In order to combat this, social networking platforms have become significant, as they can reach and educate many users at no expense. Building on existing work that targets health campaigns on social media, this research aims to answer: is social media a successful communication tool? This paper focuses on social media’s influence on the promotion of breast cancer check-ups in Egypt, particularly in raising awareness of the disease and encouraging women to attend screenings. Case studies were analyzed, and 10 semi-structured interviews were conducted with Egyptian breast cancer campaigners to better understand online campaigns from multiple perspectives. In addition, a survey was completed by over 100 ordinary Egyptian women. This research observed that social media can effectively raise awareness and prompt women to attend screenings. Nonetheless, the effectiveness of social media in achieving this outcome hinges on the format, the platform being used, and language employed in its posts.
Presenters
Basma SalemMedia and Communication and Public Relations, Newcastle University, Leicestershire, United Kingdom
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
Communications and Linguistic Studies
KEYWORDS
Social media, Breast cancer, Awareness campaigns
