Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada.
Inform Health Soc Care. 2012 Sep;37(3):177-89. doi: 10.3109/17538157.2012.678448. Epub 2012 Jun 19.
As the 'next generation' guardians of the environment, there appears to be limited inquiry into young Canadians' environmental concerns. At the same time, online social networking is a predominant method of communication among young adults. This research explored online conversations regarding environmental concerns among young Canadian adults targeting the university student population. A qualitative content analysis was conducted using posted conversations from the online social media network Facebook. Conversations addressing environmental issues were summarized into four major themes. The first theme, 'Built Environment' (127 postings) centred on housing and transportation. The second theme, 'Natural Environment' (55 postings) accounted for issues of air quality, pollution and water quality. The third theme, 'Environmental Restoration' (52 postings) highlighted young Canadian adults' plans for environmental recovery. The fourth theme, 'Engagement and Activism' (31 postings) underscored students' use of the online social networking site for environmental advocacy. Young adults appeared to be environmentally conscious and, through the use of social networking, exchanged knowledge and opinions, and advocated for environmental change. Online social networking sites, such as Facebook, can serve as a communication channel that facilitates health information sharing and more importantly cultivates community capacity focused on environmental health promotion among young adult users.
作为环境的“下一代”守护者，对加拿大年轻人的环境问题关注似乎调查有限。与此同时，在线社交网络是年轻人主要的沟通方式。本研究针对大学生群体，探索了加拿大年轻人在在线社交网络 Facebook 上有关环境问题的在线对话。采用定性内容分析法对网络社交媒介上的帖子进行分析。将涉及环境问题的对话总结为四个主要主题。第一个主题是“建筑环境”（127 个帖子），主要关注住房和交通。第二个主题是“自然环境”（55 个帖子），涉及空气质量、污染和水质等问题。第三个主题是“环境恢复”（52 个帖子），突出了加拿大年轻人的环境恢复计划。第四个主题是“参与和行动”（31 个帖子），强调了学生们利用在线社交网络进行环境宣传。年轻人似乎具有环境意识，并通过社交网络交流知识和观点，倡导环境变革。在线社交网络（如 Facebook）可以作为一种促进健康信息共享的沟通渠道，更重要的是，它可以培养社区能力，重点关注年轻用户的环境健康促进。
