Pairing research & practice: Creation & implementation of a women’s mental health social media toolkit

Abstract

A social media toolkit (SMT) is a collection of information, materials, and resources designed to help promote and amplify a social media campaign or cause. Built from the foundation of a press kit, SMTs are created for social media platforms with the aim of catalyzing supporters to engage in campaign or cause promotion. Although created for national health observances, SMTs may not be widely adopted. One barrier to adoption may be due to messaging not being tailored to target audiences. For example, although the National Institute of Mental Health reports that approximately 26% of women experience a mental illness, tailored SMTs for women sub-groups is lacking. Thusly, we describe the steps taken to combine research and professional practice in the creation of tailored SMTs promotive of women’s mental health, with the aim of also addressing mental health stigma among the target audience. A group of researchers/practitioners explored social media channels for beliefs, misinformation, and disinformation about women’s mental health to create promotion themes. Following, the group used thematic ideas, literature-based information, and health behavior theory to create SMT content. SMT information and resources were then shown to a sample of women for likability and adoption intentions. Steps to health education/promotion toolkit creation include defining the purpose of the SMT; reviewing published literature; performing observational research; strategizing how to reach your target audience; and piloting SMT materials. Following these steps can facilitate the creation of a SMT campaign that may be more widely adopted and impactful for addressing women’s mental health. SMTs are designed to make it easy for supporters to share content and amplify the campaign’s message. However, it is important that researchers and practitioners blend science, theory, and practice in making SMTs better for wider adoption.