Facebook as Platform for Health Communication: Engaging Users in Promoting Orofacial Cleft Programs AmongCleft Communities in Rizal Province, Philippines

Abstract

Two hundred and sixty-one participants from the Noordhoff Craniofacial Foundation (NCF)- Rizal were surveyed to determine the potential of Facebook as a platform for orofacial clefting (OFC) communication. Premised on the Uses and Gratification Theory by Elihu Katz and Jay Blumler (1974), the study assumed that Facebook's special features satisfy the needs of the media consumers, which in turn gives them the motivation to patronize it. The results of the study showed that Facebook holds considerable potential for health communication specifically for OFC communication compared to its traditional counterparts and other social media channels. The survey revealed that Facebook topped the list in terms of respondents' medium preference with 98% share, exceeding the popularity of other traditional media such as television (96%), radio (6%) and print (1%), and other social media accounts such as YouTube (38%), Instagram (1%) and Twitter (1%). It is associated with the Facebook's special features such as accessibility, interactivity, multi-content, customizable that fulfill the respondents' need for OFC communication like connection, support, empowerment, information, and communication. There were also threats exposed using Facebook as a medium for OFC communication; connectivity and concerns on digital gap were raised as well as issues on privacy and bullying. Moreover, the study revealed that Facebook is not fully maximized for health communication but for otther purposes.