Digital Health (Mar 2022)

What makes an online help-seeking message go far during the COVID-19 crisis in mainland China? A multilevel regression analysis

  • Anfan Chen,
  • Aaron Ng,
  • Yipeng Xi,
  • Yong Hu

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1177/20552076221085061
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 8

Abstract

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Various studies have explored the underlying mechanisms that enhance the overall reach of a support-seeking message on social media networks. However, little attention has been paid to an under-examined structural feature of help-seeking message diffusion, information diffusion depth, and how support-seeking messages can traverse vertically into social media networks to reach other users who are not directly connected to the help-seeker. Using the multilevel regression to analyze 705 help-seeking posts regarding COVID-19 on Sina Weibo, we examined sender, content, and environmental factors to investigate what makes help-seeking messages traverse deeply into social media networks. Results suggested that bandwagon cues, anger, instrumental appeal, and intermediate self-disclosure facilitate the diffusion depth of help-seeking messages. However, the effects of these factors were moderated by the epidemic severity. Implications of the findings on support-seeking behavior and narrative strategies on social media were also discussed.