HomePsychology and Education: A Multidisciplinary Journalvol. 48 no. 10 (2025)

The Framing of Public Campaigns in Health Digital Platforms: A Critical Discourse Analysis

Nelson Rosios

Discipline: Information Technology

 

Abstract:

This qualitative study employed critical discourse analysis to examine how public health campaigns are framed on digital platforms. The study analyzed 51 corpora in the research. The study revealed that framing public health campaigns in terms of linguistic features—such as nominalization, active and passive voice, pronoun usage, and mood Furthermore, the framing strategies used—such as natural versus social frames, problem framing, solution framing, and motivational action—were also present in most corpora. Moreover, the study revealed that a public health campaign carefully crafted for a digital platform was designed to enhance clarity, emotional resonance, and public engagement. Language choices shape meaning, convey ideologies, and influence public perception and behavior.



References:

  1. Abu-Odeh, D., El-Sayed, A. M., & Galea, S. (2020). Health in all policies: A call for health system reform in the neoliberal era. The Lancet Public Health, 5(4), e169–e170.
  2. Ahmed, I. (2024). Research methodology and transferability in qualitative studies. Academic Press.
  3. Ahmed, S. K. (2024). The pillars of trustworthiness in Qualitative research.
  4. Al-Khafaji, R. (2021). Mood and interpersonal meaning in public health communication. Discourse & Communication, 15(2), 237–254. https://doi.org/10.1177/1750481320975153
  5. Allington, D., McAndrew, S., & Duffy, B. (2021). Media usage predicts intention to comply with COVID-19 health guidelines: Evidence from the UK and US. PLOS ONE, 16(5), e0250764. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0250764
  6. Arora, M., & Cruz, J. (2020). Supporting children’s health through targeted campaigns during COVID-19. Journal of Health Management, 12(3), 215-226.
  7. Arora, M., & Gray, P. (2022). Digital health communication strategies during global health crises. Journal of Public Health, 48(2), 223-235.
  8. Ayo, N. (2012). Understanding health promotion in a neoliberal climate and the making of health-conscious citizens. Critical Public Health, 22(1), 99–105. https://doi.org/10.1080/09581596.2010.520692
  9. Baker, L., & Rojek, C. (2021). Technocracy and public trust in health communication: Expert authority in digital campaigns. Journal of Health Promotion, 36(5), 621–635.
  10. Baker, T., & Cruz, M. (2023). Engaging audiences through tailored digital health campaigns. Health Communication Research, 29(1), 50-65.
  11. Basch, C. H., Hillyer, G. C., Meleo-Erwin, Z. C., & Jaime, C. (2022). Public health communication in the age of social media: Analysis of COVID-19 content on TikTok. Journal of Community Health, 47(1), 1–7.
  12. Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2013). Successful qualitative research: A practical guide for beginners. SAGE.
  13. Breza, E., Chandrasekhar, A. G., Goldberg, B., Macé, A., & Paintsil, E. (2023). Effects of a large-scale social media advertising campaign on COVID-19 vaccination: Evidence from 819 randomized experiments. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 120(9), e2208110120. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2208110120
  14. Broom, A., & Tovey, P. (2021). The power of the clinic: Knowledge, uncertainty and biomedical authority in online health narratives. Health: An Interdisciplinary Journal for the Social Study of Health, Illness and Medicine, 25(2), 169–184.
  15. Brown, L., & Lee, S. (2023). Framing Health Messages: Lessons from Global Campaigns. Routledge.
  16. Brown, P., & Levinson, S. C. (1987). Politeness: Some universals in language usage. Cambridge University Press.
  17. Brown, T., & Lee, C. (2023). Health communication in the digital era: Strategies for framing public messages. Journal of Health Promotion, 37(2), 145–160.
  18. Brown, W. (2015). Undoing the Demos: Neoliberalism’s Stealth Revolution. MIT Press.
  19. Brugnoli, E., & Delmastro, M. (2025). Dynamics and triggers of misinformation on vaccines. PLOS ONE. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0316258
  20. Chen, Y. (2022). Voice and persuasion in public health messaging: Active versus passive constructions. Journal of Pragmatics, 190, 11–22. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pragma.2021.10.006
  21. Chen, Y., & Li, X. (2022). Modality in digital health discourse: Authority, agency, and persuasion. Discourse & Society, 33(2), 153–172.
  22. Chen, Y., & Moore, D. (2023). Framing responsibility: Neoliberal health discourses and the limits of individual choice. Journal of Health Communication, 78(2), 117–134.
  23. Cheng, L., & Sin, K. (2022). Nominalization and institutional discourse in global health campaigns. Journal of Language and Politics, 21(4), 567–586.
  24. Cheng, W., & Sin, K. (2022). Nominalization and authority in public health texts: A critical discourse approach. Discourse & Society, 33(3), 355–373.
  25. Choi, Y., & Song, H. (2022). Inclusive pronouns and audience trust in health communication. Journal of Health Communication, 27(5), 389–400. https://doi.org/10.1080/10810730.2022.2036184
  26. Chou, W. Y. S., & Gaysynsky, A. (2021). Communication and misinformation in the time of COVID-19. Journal of Health Communication, 26(3), 113-116.
  27. Chung, S., & Kim, E. (2021). Persuasive power of evaluative language in health campaigns: A cross-cultural study. Journal of Health Communication, 26(8), 565–575.
  28. Clarke, A. E., Shim, J. K., Mamo, L., Fosket, J. R., & Fishman, J. R. (2010). Biomedicalization: Technoscience, health, and illness in the U.S. Duke University Press.
  29. Clarke, J. N., & van Amerom, G. (2021). Framing chronic illness: A comparative analysis of diabetes and obesity in public health discourse. Health, Risk & Society, 23(1), 1–17.
  30. Creswell, J. W., & Poth, C. N. (2018). Qualitative inquiry and research design: Choosing among five approaches (4th ed.). SAGE Publications.
  31. Cruz, M., & Dela Peña, J. (2022). Digital Health Campaigns in the Philippines: Lessons from COVID-19. Ateneo de Manila University Press.
  32. Denzin, N. K. (2012). The qualitative manifesto: A call to arms. Left Coast Press.
  33. Denzin, N. K., & Lincoln, Y. S. (2018). The SAGE handbook of qualitative research (5th ed.). SAGE.
  34. Denzin, N. K., & Lincoln, Y. S. (2018). The SAGE handbook of qualitative research (5th ed.). SAGE Publications.
  35. Entman, R. M. (1993). Framing: Toward clarification of a fractured paradigm. Journal of Communication, 43(4), 51–58.
  36. Entman, R. M. (1993). Framing: Toward clarification of a fractured paradigm. Journal of Communication, 43(4), 51–58.
  37. Fairclough, N. (1992). Discourse and social change. Polity Press.
  38. Fairclough, N. (1995). Critical discourse analysis: The critical study of language. Longman.
  39. Fairclough, N. (1995). Critical discourse analysis: The critical study of language. London: Longman.
  40. Fairclough, N. (2013). Critical discourse analysis: The critical study of language. Routledge.
  41. Fairclough, N. (2021). Critical discourse analysis and social change. Routledge.
  42. Fang, Z. (2020). Demystifying academic language in health education. Routledge.
  43. Finset, A., Bosworth, H., Butow, P., Gulbrandsen, P., Hulsman, R. L., Pieterse, A. H., & Street, R. (2020). Effective health communication – a key factor in fighting the COVID-19 pandemic. Patient Education and Counseling, 103(5), 873–876. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pec.2020.03.027
  44. Fischer, F. (2009). Democracy and Expertise: Reorienting Policy Inquiry. Oxford
  45. Foucault, M. (1973). The Birth of the Clinic: An Archaeology of Medical Perception. Vintage Books.
  46. Garcia, L., & Santos, R. (2023). Framing Mental Health Campaigns in Cagayan de Oro: A Cultural Perspective. University of the Philippines Press.
  47. Geertz, C. (1973). The interpretation of cultures. Basic Books. general-misinformation-advisory.pdf
  48. Goffman, E. (1974). Frame analysis: An essay on the organization of experience. Harvard University Press.
  49. Goffman, E. (1974). Frame analysis: An essay on the organization of experience. New York: Harper & Row.
  50. Halliday, M. A. K., & Hasan, R. (1976). Cohesion in English. Longman.
  51. Halliday, M. A. K., & Hasan, R. (2014). Cohesion in English (2nd ed.). Routledge.
  52. Halliday, M. A. K., & Matthiessen, C. M. I. M. (2014). Halliday’s introduction to functional grammar (4th ed.). Routledge.
  53. Halliday, M. A. K., & Matthiessen, C. M. I. M. (2020). Halliday’s introduction to functional grammar (4th ed.). Routledge.
  54. Hassan, T. (2023). Meta-analysis of WHO digital campaigns: Knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors during COVID-19. Yale School of Public Health Theses. https://elischolar.library.yale.edu/ysphtdl/2368
  55. Huang, Y., & Zhang, L. (2020). Mood structures in health campaign discourse: Authority, engagement, and persuasion. Journal of Pragmatics, 162, 39–50. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pragma.2020.03.004
  56. Hunston, S., & Thompson, G. (2000). Evaluation in text: Authorial stance and the construction of discourse. Oxford University Press.
  57. Hyland, K. (2021). Second language writing (3rd ed.). Cambridge University Press.
  58. Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI). (2024). How the power of shared identity can help defuse health misinformation. https://www.ihi.org/insights/how-power-shared-identity-can-help-defuse-health-misinformation
  59. Jasanoff, S. (2013). Epistemic subsidiarity: Coexistence, consensus and knowledge controversies in democratic decision-making. Science and Public Policy, 41(1), 65–73.
  60. Jiang, Y., & Wang, X. (2022). Appraisal-based analysis of public health messaging: Evaluation in COVID-19 prevention discourse. Discourse & Society, 33(4), 567–585.
  61. Joffe, H. (2021). The power of visual and narrative communication in health messaging during crises. Health Psychology Review, 15(1), 1–14.
  62.  Jones, A., Smith, R., & Patel, K. (2022). Audience resistance and cultural sensitivity in health communication: Beyond biomedical framings. Health Communication, 37(8), 1012–1024.
  63. Kaur, S., & Rafik-Galea, S. (2020). Politeness and health campaign messages: A cross-cultural perspective. International Journal of Language and Communication Disorders, 55(3), 456–470. https://doi.org/10.1111/1460-6984.12502
  64. Kessy, A. T. (2016). Research ethics: A foundation for responsible research. Scholars Press.
  65. Kim, H. K., & Cameron, G. T. (2021). The effects of humor and fear in health messages: A meta-analytic review. Journal of Health Communication, 26(6), 402–412. https://doi.org/10.1080/10810730.2021.1947462
  66. Kim, J., & Lee, H. (2022). The effects of emotional tone in health campaign messages: Exploring audience engagement and trust. Health Communication, 37(5), 610–620.
  67. Kim, S. (2020). The role of modality in public health campaign effectiveness. Journal of Language and Communication in Society, 5(3), 201–215.
  68. Kim, S., & Avery, E. J. (2021). Effects of emotional appeals and crisis message framing on health compliance in public health emergencies. Health Communication, 36(3), 311–320. https://doi.org/10.1080/10410236.2019.1700439
  69. Kim, S., & Niederdeppe, J. (2020). The role of emotional responses in crisis health communication: Testing fear, anger, and hope appeals. Health Communication, 35(3), 240–249.
  70. Kirkpatrick, S., & Neff, G. (2021). The biomedicalization of public health messaging: Authority, expertise, and audience trust. Journal of Health Promotion, 35(4), 455–468.
  71. Kreps, G. L., & Neuhauser, L. (2020). New directions in eHealth communication: Opportunities and challenges. Patient Education and Counseling, 103(10), 2025–2030. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pec.2020.06.011
  72. Kreps, G. L., & Neuhauser, L. (2020). New directions in eHealth communication: Opportunities and challenges. Patient Education and Counseling, 103(10), 2025–2030. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pec.2020.06.011
  73. Kreuter, M. W., & Wray, R. J. (2020). Tailored and targeted health communication: Strategies for enhancing information relevance. American Journal of Health Behavior, 44(3), 325–330.
  74. Lakoff, G., & Johnson, M. (1980). Metaphors we live by. University of Chicago Press.
  75. Lee, J., & Park, S. (2020). Personal and collective address in health campaigns: A discourse analysis of pronoun use. Discourse & Society, 31(6), 621–638. https://doi.org/10.1177/0957926520939687
  76. Li, X., & Zhang, W. (2021). Voice in health communication: A corpus-based study of directives in public campaigns. Discourse & Communication, 15(4), 441–460. https://doi.org/10.1177/17504813211006123
  77. Limaye, R. J., Sauer, M., Ali, J., Bernstein, J., Wahl, B., Barnhill, A., & Labrique, A. (2020). Building trust while influencing online COVID-19 content in the social media world. The Lancet Digital Health, 2(6), e277–e278. https://doi.org/10.1016/S2589-7500(20)30084-4
  78. Lincoln, Y. S., & Guba, E. G. (1985). Naturalistic inquiry. SAGE Publications.
  79. Liu, Y., Li, J., & Wang, C. (2021). Analyzing the narratives of public health campaigns. Journal of Health Psychology, 27(2), 206-215.
  80. Lupton, D. (2013). The digitally engaged patient: Self-monitoring and self-care in the digital health era. Social Theory & Health, 11(3), 256–270. https://doi.org/10.1057/sth.2013.10
  81. Lupton, D. (2016). The Quantified Self: A Sociology of Self-Tracking. Polity Press.
  82. Lupton, D. (2021). Data Selves: More-than-Human Perspectives. Polity Press.
  83. Martin, J. R., & White, P. R. R. (2005). The language of evaluation: Appraisal in English. Palgrave Macmillan.
  84. Miles, M. B., & Huberman, A. M. (1994). Qualitative data analysis: An expanded sourcebook (2nd ed.). SAGE Publications.
  85. Moreno, A., & Suárez, L. (2022). Lexical cohesion and health communication effectiveness in digital campaigns. Discourse, Context & Media, 46, 100592. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dcm.2022.100592
  86. Nguyen, P., & Patel, S. (2022). Data-driven health messaging and the digital divide: Audience perceptions of participatory communication. Health Communication, 37(12), 1459–1473. https://doi.org/10.1080/10410236.2022.2051125
  87. Nguyen, P., & Patel, S. (2022). Data-driven health messaging and the digital divide: Audience perceptions of technocratic communication. Health Communication, 37(12), 1459–1473. https://doi.org/10.1080/10410236.2022.2051125
  88. Nguyen, T. (2021). Pronouns, identity, and social comparison in digital health discourse. Language & Communication, 78, 45–55. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.langcom.2021.01.003
  89. Nguyen, T. T., & Lee, H. (2021). Effective communication strategies for children during pandemics. Global Health Journal, 14(2), 145-158.
  90. Noar, S. M., & Austin, L. (2020). Crisis and emergency risk communication: Lessons from COVID-19 and beyond. Health Communication, 35(14), 1743–1746.
  91. Park, H., & Lee, S. (2022). Framing health solutions in infectious disease campaigns: Effects on perceived efficacy and behavioral intention. Journal of Health Communication, 27(4), 295–307.
  92. Park, J. (2020). The rhetorical functions of passive voice in institutional health discourse. Health Communication, 35(12), 1537–1546. https://doi.org/10.1080/10410236.2019.1652385
  93. Park, J., & Lim, Y. (2020). Strategic intertextuality in global health discourse: The case of NCD prevention. Health Communication, 35(14), 1781–1790.
  94. Park, J., & Ryu, H. (2021). Persuasive strategies in health campaigns: The interaction of mood and modality. Health Communication, 36(12), 1467–1476. https://doi.org/10.1080/10410236.2020.1762711
  95. Patton, M. Q. (2002). Qualitative research and evaluation methods (3rd ed.). SAGE Publications.
  96. Patton, M. Q. (2005). Qualitative research and evaluation methods (3rd ed.). Sage Publications.
  97. Petersen, A., & Lupton, D. (2021). The new public health and the neoliberal citizen: Responsibility, risk, and self-management in health campaigns. Critical Public Health, 31(5), 567–580.
  98. Resnick, D. B. (2013). Ethical dilemmas in scientific research: A guide for students and early career professionals. Cambridge University Press.
  99. Reyes, P., & Lim, S. (2021). Combating Misinformation in Public Health Campaigns: The Zamboanga Experience. University of Santo Tomas Publishing House.
  100. Rice, R. E., & Atkin, C. K. (Eds.). (2013). Public communication campaigns (4th ed.). SAGE Publications.
  101. Rizvi, F., & Hall, J. (2021). Cultural contextualization in global health communication: Lessons from digital campaigns. Critical Public Health, 31(7), 812–825. https://doi.org/10.1080/09581596.2021.1928745
  102. Rutsaert, P., Pieniak, Z., & Verbeke, W. (2021). Effective digital communication strategies for health promotion. European Journal of Public Health, 31(3), 535-540.
  103. Ryu, H., & Park, J. (2022). Interpersonal metafunctions in digital health campaigns: The role of mood and modality. Health Communication, 37(14), 1741–1751. https://doi.org/10.1080/10410236.2021.1921908
  104. Sanders, J., & Hall, K. (2020). Constructing credibility in public health campaigns: Solution framing and the power of specificity. Health Communication Research, 35(3), 241–258. https://doi.org/10.1080/10410236.2020.1723048
  105. Sarabia-Cobo, C., Pérez, V., De Lorena, P., & Sáenz-Jalón, M. (2021). Addressing barriers in digital health communication for vulnerable populations. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(4), 1736. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18041736
  106. Schrecker, T., & Bambra, C. (2015). How Politics Makes Us Sick: Neoliberal Epidemics. Palgrave Macmillan.
  107. Seale, H., Heywood, A. E., Leask, J., Sheel, M., Thomas, S., & Durrheim, D. N. (2021). COVID-19 is rapidly changing: Examining public perceptions and behaviors in response to evolving health messaging. BMJ Global Health, 6(1), e004540. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjgh-2020-004540
  108. Semino, E. (2021). Not soldiers but fire-fighters – Metaphors and COVID-19. Health Communication, 36(1), 50–58.
  109. Shaw, J., & Bailey, T. (2023). Framing health communication: The impact of biomedical and social perspectives on audience engagement. Journal of Communication in Health, 78(1), 33–49.
  110. Smith, A., & Johnson, M. (2022). Digital Health Communication: Strategies and Challenges. Sage Publications.
  111. Smith, R. D., & Green, J. (2023). Engaging children in public health practices through digital campaigns. Public Health Insights, 5, 100320.
  112. Smith, R., & Johnson, P. (2022). Framing health risks: The role of digital media in shaping COVID-19 responses. Health Communication, 37(10), 1182–1194.
  113. Snow, D. A., & Benford, R. D. (1988). Ideology, frame resonance, and participant mobilization. International Social Movement Research, 1, 197-217.
  114. Tan, B. H., & Yap, N. T. (2020). The role of cohesion in enhancing trust and clarity in online health communication. Journal of Technical Writing and Communication, 50(4),
  115. Tang, L., & Park, S. H. (2021). The impact of digital technology on public health campaigns. Journal of Communication in Healthcare, 14(3), 212-220.
  116. Thompson, A., & Miller, D. (2023). Framing, persuasion, and health campaigns: A systematic review of strategies and outcomes. Journal of Communication in Health, 76(1), 23–41.
  117. Tierney, K. (2022). Disasters: A Sociological Approach. Polity Press.
  118. Tsai, W. S. (2021). Communicating health messages effectively: The role of politeness strategies in public service announcements. Health Communication, 36(12), 1516–1524. https://doi.org/10.1080/10410236.2020.1773706
  119. University Research Co. (2024). Health Promotion and Communication Project (HealthPRO). https://www.urc-chs.com/projects/healthpro/
  120. Van Dijk, T. A. (2020). Ideology and discourse: A multidisciplinary approach. Journal of Language and Politics, 19(5), 721-742.
  121. Ventola, C. L. (2014). Social media and health care professionals: Benefits, risks, and best practices. P&T, 39(7), 491–520.
  122. Vraga, E. K., & Bode, L. (2020). Correction as a solution for health misinformation on social media. American Journal of Public Health, 110(S3), S278-S280.
  123. Wahl-Jorgensen, K., & Boelle, J. (2023). Vernacular journalism: Local news and everyday life Paper accepted for publication in Journalism, October 5, 2023.
  124. Waisbord, S., & Larson, H. J. (2021). Why invest in communication for immunization: Evidence and lessons learned. Vaccine, 39(3), 386–392. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.vaccine.2020.10.089
  125. Wakefield, M. A., & Jordan, J. E. (2021). Cultural tailoring for public health: Opportunities and challenges. Health Promotion International, 36(2), 295–304. https://doi.org/10.1093/heapro/daaa004
  126. Wakefield, M. A., Loken, B., & Hornik, R. C. (2010). Use of mass media campaigns to change health behaviour. The Lancet, 376(9748), 1261–1271.
  127. Wakefield, M. A., Loken, B., & Hornik, R. C. (2020). Mass media campaigns to change health behavior. The Lancet, 396(10260), 1261-1271.
  128. Wang, H., & Yang, L. (2021). Nominalization and clarity in digital health communication. Discourse & Society, 32(3), 251–270.
  129. Wang, L., & Yang, Y. (2021). Language strategies in digital health communication: A study of nominalization and audience engagement. Journal of Pragmatics, 180, 40–52. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pragma.2021.06.002
  130. Williams, R., & Thompson, J. (2021). Public Health and Digital Media: Best Practices. Springer.
  131. Williams, T., & Carter, J. (2022). Guilt, shame, and resistance: Audience reception of neoliberal health campaigns. Health Promotion International, 37(6), 1455–1468.
  132. World Health Organization. (2022). Promoting children’s safety and well-being during COVID-19. WHO Publications.
  133. Yuan, Y., & Crookes, G. (2021). Clarity and control in infectious disease messaging: The role of solution framing. Discourse & Communication, 15(6), 659–678. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.568212
  134. Zarocostas, J. (2020). How to fight an infodemic. The Lancet, 395(10225), 676. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(20)30461-X
  135. Zeng, X., & Chen, Y. (2022). Intertextuality in public health communication: A discourse analysis of Chinese COVID-19 messaging. Journal of Pragmatics, 189, 66–77. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pragma.2021.12.017
  136. Zhao, H., Xu, M., & Sun, L. (2023). Moral judgment in health risk communication: A discourse analysis of government messaging. Health Communication, 38(1), 72–82. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2025.1557786