Application of Social Media Tool in Disaster Management in Disaster-Prone Communities in Freetown, Sierra Leone

Abstract

This study used both the “digital divide” and “attribution theory” to analyze the propensity of social media use by disaster-prone communities. The study focused on the variables that may affect how social media is used for disaster management. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was utilized in the study to analyze the data and test the hypotheses after using a survey questionnaire to collect the data. The study’s findings show that: 1) communities that are vulnerable to disasters are less likely to use social media for disaster management, 2) personal effort and intention to use social media for disaster management are positively correlated, and 3) task complexity and intention to use social media for disaster management are negatively correlated. The study added to the body of knowledge regarding the role social media plays in disaster management.