Using social media in health literacy research: A promising example involving Facebook with young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander males from the Top End of the Northern Territory

Abstract

This brief report describes three key lessons learned during a health literacy research project with young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander males from the Top End of the Northern Territory (NT), Australia. More specifically, it is a methodologically focused paper that discusses processes associated with using a combination of yarning sessions and social media content as tools to unpack conceptualisations of health and well-being among this marginalised population. The lessons discussed include (a) the utility of using social media in providing an authentic window into the lives of a hard-to-reach populations; (b) the need to carefully consider ethical implications; and (c) the benefits of using social media content to triangulate data and enhance methodological rigour. To understand the methodological contribution social media can make to equity-focused health literacy research, it is first useful to understand what is meant by health literacy.