Open AccessAn Appraisal of Social Network Theory and Analysis as Applied to Public Health: Challenges and Opportunities
Author(s) -
Thomas W. Valente,
Stephanie Pitts
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
annual review of public health
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 6.239
H-Index - 144
eISSN - 1545-2093
pISSN - 0163-7525
DOI - 10.1146/annurev-publhealth-031816-044528
Subject(s) - public health , field (mathematics) , public relations , social network analysis , psychological intervention , health communication , public health interventions , management science , sociology , engineering ethics , data science , social media , psychology , political science , computer science , medicine , engineering , nursing , mathematics , psychiatry , pure mathematics , law
The use of social network theory and analysis methods as applied to public health has expanded greatly in the past decade, yielding a significant academic literature that spans almost every conceivable health issue. This review identifies several important theoretical challenges that confront the field but also provides opportunities for new research. These challenges include (a) measuring network influences, (b) identifying appropriate influence mechanisms, (c) the impact of social media and computerized communications, (d) the role of networks in evaluating public health interventions, and (e) ethics. Next steps for the field are outlined and the need for funding is emphasized. Recently developed network analysis techniques, technological innovations in communication, and changes in theoretical perspectives to include a focus on social and environmental behavioral influences have created opportunities for new theory and ever broader application of social networks to public health topics.