title: Social media as a risk communication tool following Typhoon Haiyan.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  In the aftermath of Typhoon Haiyan, the World Health Organization (WHO) Representative Office in the Philippines had no social media presence to share timely, relevant public health information.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Risk communication is essential to emergency management for public health message dissemination. As social media sites, such as Facebook, are popular in the Philippines, these were adopted for risk communication during the response to Haiyan.
  The WHO Representative Office in the Philippines established Facebook, Twitter and Instagram accounts. Thirty days after these social medial channels were established, a gradual increase in followers was observed. Facebook saw the largest increase in followers which occurred as posted content gradually evolved from general public health information to more pro-active public health intervention and preparedness messaging. This included information on key health interventions encouraging followers to adopt protective behaviours to mitigate public health threats that frequently occur after a disaster.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  During the response to Haiyan, creating a social media presence, raising a follower base and developing meaningful messages and content was possible. This event underscored the importance of building a social media strategy in non-emergency times and supported the value of developing public health messages and content that both educates and interests the general public.
authors.affiliation: Office of the WHO Representative in the Philippines, Sta Cruz, Manila, Philippines .
authors.forename: Christine Tiffany
authors.initials: CT
authors.lastname: Cool
authors.affiliation: Office of the WHO Representative in the Philippines, Sta Cruz, Manila, Philippines .
authors.forename: Marie Chantal
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Claravall
authors.affiliation: Office of the WHO Representative in the Philippines, Sta Cruz, Manila, Philippines .
authors.forename: Julie Lyn
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Hall
authors.affiliation: Office of the WHO Representative in the Philippines, Sta Cruz, Manila, Philippines .
authors.forename: Keisuke
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Taketani
authors.affiliation: Office of the WHO Representative in the Philippines, Sta Cruz, Manila, Philippines .
authors.forename: John Paul
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Zepeda
authors.affiliation: WHO Headquarters, Geneva, Switzerland .
authors.forename: Monika
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gehner
authors.affiliation: WHO Headquarters, Geneva, Switzerland .
authors.forename: Olivia
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Lawe-Davies
mesh_terms: D003142:Communication; D055867:Cyclonic Storms; D004190:Disasters; D006801:Humans; D033181:Information Dissemination / Q000379:methods*; D010679:Philippines; D012066:Relief Work; D018570:Risk Assessment; D061108:Social Media