From Posts to Patterns: Using Social Media to Investigate Drivers of Population Health

Harness social media data to improve population health and reduce disparities From Posts to Patterns solves an urgent problem in public health research: the underutilization of social media as a data source.With adults spending 2.5 hours daily on social platforms, social media is a pervasive exposure that influences how people communicate, the information they receive, and their interactions and behaviors both online and offline.In this book, leading social epidemiologists provide practical guidance for leveraging social media data to address health disparities. The book delivers a comprehensive roadmap for collecting, cleaning, and analyzing social media data in accessible language.It explores measuring cultural racism, investigating underground health behaviors, and deploying social media interventions.The authors present evidence-based strategies for reducing health disparities and improving population health. Readers will also find: • Practical tools and methods for collecting, cle