Page 270 - Proceedings Collega2023

Introduction

The advent of social media, such as Facebook, has revolutionised information accessibility and
fundamentally transformed the dynamics of health-related communication (Yoo, 2019; Zhang et al., 2013).
Li et al. (2018) underscored the pivotal role of digital media in facilitating the creation of multimedia
content, including images and videos about healthcare, available for instant access around the clock.
Furthermore, social media empowers users by providing access to a vast repository of health-related
information spanning diverse topics, effectively democratising knowledge that was once the domain of
healthcare experts. Individuals turn to social media platforms to seek health information for various
reasons, including personal health problems, advocating for others, or a combination of both (Fox &
Duggan, 2013). These quests for health information on social media encompass various topics, from critical
illnesses to general information searches and even the inquiry of minor health issues. Users frequently
assemble in online communities to facilitate these information-seeking and sharing activities, forming
groups of individuals with similar health concerns (Xu et al., 2021). These online communities, however,
serve as invaluable sources of support, providing an array of resources, including information, emotional
assistance, and social support, to help individuals navigate their health issues (Maloney-Krichmar &
Preece, 2005). These changing dynamics demonstrate that social media expedites seeking health-related
information and fundamentally reshapes how users disseminate and exchange the information they find
with other individuals. Furthermore, such active engagement has drawn the attention of some
communication researchers, who described social media as a source of empowerment for democratising
public healthcare (Koteyko et al., 2015).

However, not many academics and policymakers have paid much attention to how individuals use
social media to seek solutions and best practices for many health issues, particularly infectious diseases.
Conversely, within the scope of this study, we view digital media as a significant source of health
information on local knowledge discourse patterns and contextualised experiences concerning dengue
prevention and related practices. Dengue or dengue fever, a mosquito-borne infection, is a major public
health concern in Malaysia and around the world, particularly in tropical areas (Ministry of Health, 2016).
Individuals infected with dengue may encounter various health complications, including the risk of death.
Since dengue fever has no vaccine or antiviral treatment available, it has become a burden. The critical
phase for dengue patients typically spans from three to seven days. During this pivotal period, individuals
infected with dengue frequently find it imperative to devise intricate approaches to oversee their
condition, expedite the recovery, seek alternative therapeutic options, and support from social networks
(Kannan et al., 2019). Consequently, this scenario has spurred the emergence of numerous social media
groups that engage in the exchange and sharing of disease-related information through the matrix
functions available on social media platforms, such as likes, shares, and comments (Shahid et al., 2020).

This study reports the preliminary findings from ongoing research. The results of this study are
expected to make a significant contribution to the field of dengue prevention and control in Malaysia,
specifically by integrating local knowledge into the framework of dengue awareness campaigns. Within
this paradigm, our research question is as follows: What types of information on local knowledge do
Facebook users share about dengue prevention and controls? The anticipated outcomes will provide

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