Twitter as a source of vaccination information: Content drivers and what they are saying

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American Journal of Infection Control
Vol 41 | No. 6 | June 2013 | Pages 481-574
http://www.ajicjournal.org/current

Twitter as a source of vaccination information: Content drivers and what they are saying
Brad Love, PhD, Itai Himelboim, PhD, Avery Holton, MA, Kristin Stewart, MBA
http://www.ajicjournal.org/article/S0196-6553%2812%2901371-5/abstract

Abstract
Twitter is a popular source of health information. This study reports a content analysis of posts about vaccinations, documenting sources, tone, and medical accuracy. Results can help explain patient knowledge and directions for educational campaigns. A set of 6,827 tweets indicates professional sources were shared most and treated positively. Two-thirds of shared medical content were substantiated. One-third of messages were positive, counter to other research and suggesting that users apply critical thinking when evaluating content.