Upcoming CDC Twitter Chats

Upcoming CDC Twitter Chats

Twitter was launched in 2006 as a simple means to share information in 140 characters. Since its inception, this channel has expanded beyond dissemination to a powerful tool for connecting and engaging with individuals and organizations. According to Marketing Land
[ Twitter Flutters Past The 200 Million Active User Mark ], Twitter now has 200 million active users and an increasing number are accessing the channel through their mobile devices. Along with posting tweets, users typically share links, videos, photos, and retweet information posted by others.

CDC has continued to expand its use of Twitter to engage and interact with followers interested in health and safety information by hosting and conducting Twitter chats. These scheduled events allow CDC to communicate with partners, public health professionals, clinicians, students and others interested in learning more. Chats are typically organized around a specific topic or theme which is designated by a hashtag. Many include free flowing discussions, question and answer sessions, and the dissemination of information to a large audience through sharing and retweeting of content. Upcoming CDC Twitter chats are listed to the right.

For first time Twitter chat participants If you have never participated in a Twitter chat, it is very easy to follow the conversation. Simply login into your account and type the designated hashtag (i.e., #CDCchat) for the specific chat in the search box. All tweets associated with the chat will display in the feed.

If you have do not have a Twitter account, it is very easy to establish one. Before set-up, you will need to determine a unique profile name describing the subject matter of your account, a biography which is a 160 character description of your profile and an image to display in the header. Log  into twitter.com [ Twitter ]to get started. You may want to review some established accounts as examples.
In order to be certain all Twitter chat participants are able to view your tweets, please be sure your Tweet Privacy setting is set at the default (the box is left unchecked.) This can be found under Settings.

To simply follow the conversation without establishing an account, you may search the designated chat hashtag at this link: https://twitter.com/search

Mark your calendars!
January 16 2:00pm EST      Join CDC Director Dr. Tom Frieden and Dr. Bob Brewer, of CDC’s Alcohol Program, to discuss how states, communities,  individuals and health providers can work together to implement effective measures, support women in making wise choices and reduce binge drinking and the many harms associated with it.  Follow @DrFriedenCDC on Twitter and use the hashtag #CDCchat during the chat.
January 17 11:00am EST    
Join CDC's Division of Cancer Prevention and Control for a Twitter chat about cervical cancer, in honor of cervical cancer awareness month. Participants will talk about cervical cancer and how it can be prevented. Follow the chat using the hashtag #CDCCancerChat.
January 23 2:00pm ESTJoin the American Academy of Pediatrics and @DrBoyleCDC and @DrPeacockCDC from CDC’s National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities for a Twitter chat on birth defects. The chat hashtag is #1in33chat.
January 25, 1:00pm ESTThe Million Hearts initiative, part of CDC’s Division of Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention, will join the American Heart Association (AHA) and the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) for a Twitter chat on maintaining heart health through a lower sodium diet and other lifestyle changes. The chat is being held in coordination with AHA’s Sodium Swap Challenge. The hashtag will be #SodiumChat.