Health Communication via Social Media: How Pharmaceutical Companies are using Instagram for Corporate Social Responsibility

• Main Author: Akinboboye, Abisoluwa
• Format: Others
• Language: English
• Published: Digital Commons @ East Tennessee State University 2020
• Subjects: CSR; Social media; Health communication; Content Analysis; Voluntary Disclosure Theory
• Online Access: https://dc.etsu.edu/etd/3731; https://dc.etsu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=5182&context=etd

This study examines the depth of audience engagement with six dimensions of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) via the Instagram platforms of pharmaceutical companies. Recent research on the relationship between CSR and health communication has established a robust link between both variables but created a gap on the level of audience engagement. Drawing on Voluntary Disclosure, Agenda Setting and Media System Dependency theories, this study finds that voluntary communication of CSR strategies has the maximum potential to set the agenda for audience engagement on social media. The remodeled digitization of the media has increased the level of media dependency making social media a tool to be leveraged for effective health communication. The results revealed that Community Volunteering had the strongest impact on total audience engagement and revealed that engagement is higher with image posts than video posts. This study is important for the burgeoning field of CSR in the healthcare industry.