Using Twitter may increase food-poisoning reporting

Using Twitter may increase food-poisoning reporting

Nearly 1 in 4 U.S. citizens gets food poisoning every year, but very few report it. Monitoring Twitter for food-poisoning tweets and replying to them could improve foodborne illness reporting, according to a new study from the Brown School at Washington University in St. Louis.

Are health departments tweeting to the choir?

The use of social media to disseminate information is increasing in local health departments, but a new study, led by Jenine K. Harris, PhD, assistant professor at the Brown School finds that Twitter accounts are followed more by organizations than individuals and may not be reaching the intended audience.