Using social media in health literacy research: A promising example involving Facebook with young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander males from the Top End of the Northern Territory

Abstract

Issue addressed The term 'health literacy' is used in various ways in health promotion contexts. An increased global interest in health literacy has resulted in diverse methods to measure health literacy at individual, population and organisational levels. In this brief report we begin to discuss how social media platforms can be a useful source of information - when used in conjunction with other methods - to ascertain broader understandings of health literacy among marginalised populations. We use empirical research with young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander males in the Top End of the Northern Territory (NT), Australia to demonstrate the utility of social media, specifically Facebook, in this regard. Method We used content from Facebook posts of young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander males living in the Top End of the NT to gauge their understanding of health and wellbeing. Facebook posts were only accessed and used with individual consent in accordance with ethics approval provided by the Charles Darwin University Human Research Ethics Committee. Results We found triangulating social media content with transcripts from nine yarning sessions was a useful way to explore the synergies and differences in the way our participants convey understandings of their health and wellbeing. Paying attention to the content of Facebook posts was a particularly useful and non-invasive way to assess their health literacy from a qualitative perspective. Conclusion This approach provided an alternative strengths-based narrative about the health and wellbeing of young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander males that differs markedly to more regular negative, and arguably health-damaging, public and popular media portrayals of this population. SO WHAT?: We argue that innovative methodological approaches that are non-invasive and reflect the use of Facebook, and potentially other social media platforms, should be better utilised in qualitative health literacy research aiming to engage marginalised populations.