Social Media and Teens: A Needs Assessment Exploring the Potential Role of Social Media in Promoting Health

Aims: Social media use is widespread in teens. But, few studies have developed recommendations on how social media can be used to promote teen health. The Philadelphia Ujima™ Coalition funded by the Office on Women’s Health conducted a needs assessment to explore social media as a health communication tool. This study aimed to identify (1) social media utilization practices, (2) strategies to effectively engage teens on social media, and (3) recommendations for teen health promotion on social media. Methods: A cross-sectional mixed methods study design was used, in which a survey was administered to 152 youth (ages: 13–18years). In addition, four focus groups were conducted with 26 teens to elaborate on the quantitative findings. Results: We found that while 94.6% of teens use social media, only 3.5% reported using it to seek health-related information. However, when asked about specific topics (i.e., fitness, sexual health, nutrition), 66.7% to 91.7% reported health information seeking. Although, many teens were not able to identify reliable sources of information. Teens felt health messages should be attractive and tailored. Conclusion: Social media holds promise as an effective health communication tool; however, information must be reliable and composed of attractive messages tailored to meet teens’ diverse needs. The findings from this study are indicative of the critical need to further explore how social media platforms enhance usage in health promotion

A conceptual understanding of the impact of interconnected forms of racism on maternal hypertension through Black Women’s lived experiences

Rationale: Significant racial disparities in maternal mortality and morbidity rates in the U.S. have persisted over time, with Black women disproportionately bearing the burden. Studies have documented how experiences of structural racism contributes the disparities we see. However, most of these studies have focused on how domains of racism operate simultaneously, yet little is known about how these domains are interconnected and adversely impact health during pregnancy for Black women. To address this gap in the literature, this study explored how various domains of racism interconnect to shape Black women's lived experience during pregnancy, with a particular focus on factors maternal hypertension. Methods: Using a Charmaz grounded theory approach, this study presents qualitative findings from focus groups with Black women living in Greater New Haven, Connecticut and conducted between August 2020 and October 2020. Results: We identified five domains of racism and four ways these domains interconnect. These findings highlight the multidimensional nature of structural racism and the ways interconnected marginalization across domains creates novel pathways that adversely impact health. Conclusions: Our results show how institutions interact at various levels to create distinct health barriers for Black women that need to be addressed through holistic policies and interventions. To truly dismantle structural racism, we must attend to the underlying ideologies that allow these inequities in resources and opportunities to continue, especially capitalism and white supremacy. As we continue to challenge these larger ideologies, policy is a key tool to mitigate the health harms caused by structural racism