Dime La Verdad Training Community Health Workers to Share Reliable Respiratory Virus Prevention Information Using Personal Stories on Social Media

What this Trial Is About

This research evaluates storytelling by community health workers as a way to share reliable health information on social media and encourage informed decisions about recommended immunizations in communities heavily impacted by respiratory virus infections. It aims to create a science communication program that empowers these workers to use personal stories to promote virus prevention and immunization, addressing gaps in reliable health messaging for vulnerable populations. Community health workers in seven high-risk communities will participate in a tailored curriculum to learn how to create infographics and share personal narratives on social media to spread reliable information. The study uses a stepped wedge design where different groups of workers receive the training at different times. The program focuses on building communication skills and confidence to act as trusted messengers in their neighborhoods. Participants will be involved in interviews, social media posting, and surveys to assess how well the health messages reach and influence their networks. Researchers will measure social media engagement, satisfaction with the training, and the uptake of respiratory virus protection strategies among followers over several years. The study also tracks the workers confidence in using social media for health communication and collects data on community knowledge and beliefs about respiratory virus prevention.

Dime La VerDAD: Verify, Debunk, and Disseminate