It wasn't a surprise when DHC's Cher Desautel and Nick Lawhead stepped up to a podium in front of a packed presentation room to speak on social media trends. After all, public health professionals need communicate timely information about everything from flu immunizations to healthcare reform.
On October 5 and 6, the Washington State Public Health Association hosted its 16th Annual Joint Conference on Health. At the conference, Cher and Nick presented on how social media, like Facebook, Twitter and blogs, is being used to help build awareness around key issues, create engagement and change behavior.
Questions ranged from the basics, like "what is a Twitter?" to how Facebook can be used as a part of an H1N1 prevention campaign. Overall, the session was an indication of the excitement and energy around the changing communication landscape and the way social media is being considered in outreach across different sectors and audiences.
