Investigating Digital Transformation in Health Emergency: Exploring the Influencing Factors of Official Social Media Usage: A case study of Sierra Leone

Abstract

The digital transformation of public communication and administration has gained prominence during health emergencies such as Kush, with social media playing a pivotal role in information dissemination. In Sierra Leone where the government and its institutions are limited with resources, it is important to understand the factors influencing public behavior with official social media platforms in order to facilitate better crisis intervention and communication strategies.

Social media improved the country governance dynamics and increase the citizen’s participation, so this study seeks to establish the factors that influence the official use of social media in responding to health emergencies in Sierra Leone with particular emphasis on the technological, the organizational, the social, the psychological and the cultural dimensions.

A qualitative research approach was employed, involving in-depth semi structured interviews with diverse participants and citizens who frequently use social media. Through purposeful sampling, 19 participants were recruited aged more than 20 years from the different districts of Sierra Leone.

Thematic analysis identified six key themes based on technological factors, organizational structures, cultural and social variables, internet accessibility factors, psychological factors, and content interactivity. The findings reveal that gaps in governance policies, digital literacy, and infrastructural inequities significantly hinder the effective use of social media platforms. Trust in official sources, community behavior, and culturally tailored content emerged as critical enablers of public behavior. However, challenges like miscommunication, lack of participatory communication, and low technology adoption remain a problem.

The study underscores the need for robust public governance frameworks, development in digital infrastructure, capacity-building initiatives, and culturally sensitive policies to enhance the effectiveness of social media in health emergencies. By addressing these factors, governments and public health organizations can optimize social media as an efficient transformative tool for public health crisis communication, offering valuable insights for policymakers and researchers in similar resource-limited settings.

Key Words: Social Media; Health Emergency; Qualitative Research; Themes

DOI: 10.7176/PPAR/15-1-07

Publication date: April 30^th 2025