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Current Hematologic Malignancy Reports Dec 2015The advent of social media has led to the ability for individuals all over the world to communicate with each other, in real time, about mutual topics of interest in an... (Review)
Review
The advent of social media has led to the ability for individuals all over the world to communicate with each other, in real time, about mutual topics of interest in an unprecedented manner. Recently, the use of social media has increased among people interested in healthcare and medical research, particularly in the field of hematology and oncology, a field which frequently experiences rapid shifts of information and novel, practice-changing discoveries. Among the many social media platforms available to cancer patients and providers, one platform in particular, Twitter, has become the focus for the creation of disease-specific communities, especially for those interested in, affected by, or those who perform research in the fields of rare cancers, which historically have had a dearth of reliable information available. This article will focus on the initiation and progress of one such Twitter hematology/oncology community, #mpnsm, which was originally created for the purpose of serving as a venue for improving the interaction among patients, providers, researchers, and organizations with interest in the myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs) and to further the availability of reliable up-to-date analysis; relevant expert commentary; and readily usable information for patients, providers, and other groups interested in this field.
Topics: Humans; Myeloproliferative Disorders; Social Media
PubMed: 26411990
DOI: 10.1007/s11899-015-0287-9 -
Journal of Medical Internet Research Nov 2020Social media is commonly used in public health interventions to promote cancer screening and early diagnosis, as it can rapidly deliver targeted public health messages... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
Social media is commonly used in public health interventions to promote cancer screening and early diagnosis, as it can rapidly deliver targeted public health messages to large numbers of people. However, there is currently little understanding of the breadth of social media interventions and evaluations, whether they are effective, and how they might improve outcomes.
OBJECTIVE
This scoping review aimed to map the evidence for social media interventions to improve cancer screening and early diagnosis, including their impact on behavior change and how they facilitate behavior change.
METHODS
Five databases and the grey literature were searched to identify qualitative and quantitative evaluations of social media interventions targeting cancer screening and early diagnosis. Two reviewers independently reviewed each abstract. Data extraction was carried out by one author and verified by a second author. Data on engagement was extracted using an adapted version of the key performance indicators and metrics related to social media use in health promotion. Insights, exposure, reach, and differing levels of engagement, including behavior change, were measured. The behavior change technique taxonomy was used to identify how interventions facilitated behavior change.
RESULTS
Of the 23 publications and reports included, the majority (16/23, 70%) evaluated national cancer awareness campaigns (eg, breast cancer awareness month). Most interventions delivered information via Twitter (13/23, 57%), targeted breast cancer (12/23, 52%), and measured exposure, reach, and low- to medium-level user engagement, such as number of likes (9/23, 39%). There were fewer articles about colorectal and lung cancer than about breast and prostate cancer campaigns. One study found that interventions had less reach and engagement from ethnic minority groups. A small number of articles (5/23, 22%) suggested that some types of social media interventions might improve high-level engagement, such as intended and actual uptake of screening. Behavior change techniques, such as providing social support and emphasizing the consequences of cancer, were used to engage users. Many national campaigns delivered fundraising messages rather than actionable health messages.
CONCLUSIONS
The limited evidence suggests that social media interventions may improve cancer screening and early diagnosis. Use of evaluation frameworks for social media interventions could help researchers plan more robust evaluations that measure behavior change. We need a greater understanding of who engages with these interventions to know whether social media can be used to reduce some health inequalities in cancer screening and early diagnosis.
INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID)
RR2-10.1136/bmjopen-2019-033592.
Topics: Early Detection of Cancer; Humans; Neoplasms; Social Media
PubMed: 33164907
DOI: 10.2196/21582 -
Dermatology Online Journal Jul 2017Launched in 2011, Snapchat is one of the newest social media platforms with over 158 million active daily users. This study investigated the presence of...
Launched in 2011, Snapchat is one of the newest social media platforms with over 158 million active daily users. This study investigated the presence of dermatology-related content on Snapchat. We searched for Snapchat accounts for the top ten most popular dermatology journals, professional dermatological organizations, and dermatology-related patient advocate groups on social media. None of the above-mentioned entities were found on Snapchat. Plastic surgeons were found to primarily utilize the application, although one prominent dermatologist was also found. It was theorized that the brevity of the "snaps" was a contributing factor for dermatological organizations to not use the application. However, Snapchat in the right practice setting may be useful for dermatologists, not only to educate followers, but also as a marketing tool to Millennials.
Topics: Dermatology; Periodicals as Topic; Social Media; Societies, Medical
PubMed: 29469694
DOI: No ID Found -
Proceedings of the National Academy of... Sep 2021Deceased public figures are often said to live on in collective memory. We quantify this phenomenon by tracking mentions of 2,362 public figures in English-language...
Deceased public figures are often said to live on in collective memory. We quantify this phenomenon by tracking mentions of 2,362 public figures in English-language online news and social media (Twitter) 1 y before and after death. We measure the sharp spike and rapid decay of attention following death and model collective memory as a composition of communicative and cultural memory. Clustering reveals four patterns of postmortem memory, and regression analysis shows that boosts in media attention are largest for premortem popular anglophones who died a young, unnatural death; that long-term boosts are smallest for leaders and largest for artists; and that, while both the news and Twitter are triggered by young and unnatural deaths, the news additionally curates collective memory when old persons or leaders die. Overall, we illuminate the age-old question of who is remembered by society, and the distinct roles of news and social media in collective memory formation.
Topics: Communication; Humans; Mass Gatherings; Mass Media; Memory; Social Identification; Social Media; Sociological Factors
PubMed: 34526401
DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2106152118 -
Journal of Preventive Medicine and... May 2020The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has not only caused significant challenges for health systems all over the globe but also fueled the surge of numerous...
The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has not only caused significant challenges for health systems all over the globe but also fueled the surge of numerous rumors, hoaxes, and misinformation, regarding the etiology, outcomes, prevention, and cure of the disease. Such spread of misinformation is masking healthy behaviors and promoting erroneous practices that increase the spread of the virus and ultimately result in poor physical and mental health outcomes among individuals. Myriad incidents of mishaps caused by these rumors have been reported globally. To address this issue, the frontline healthcare providers should be equipped with the most recent research findings and accurate information. The mass media, healthcare organization, community-based organizations, and other important stakeholders should build strategic partnerships and launch common platforms for disseminating authentic public health messages. Also, advanced technologies like natural language processing or data mining approaches should be applied in the detection and removal of online content with no scientific basis from all social media platforms. Furthermore, these practices should be controlled with regulatory and law enforcement measures alongside ensuring telemedicine-based services providing accurate information on COVID-19.
Topics: Betacoronavirus; COVID-19; Communication; Coronavirus Infections; Humans; Pandemics; Pneumonia, Viral; SARS-CoV-2; Social Media
PubMed: 32498140
DOI: 10.3961/jpmph.20.094 -
Anatomical Sciences Education Jul 2020Social Media has changed the way that individuals interact with each other - it has brought considerable benefits, yet also some challenges. Social media in anatomy has...
Social Media has changed the way that individuals interact with each other - it has brought considerable benefits, yet also some challenges. Social media in anatomy has enabled anatomists all over the world to engage, interact and form new collaborations that otherwise would not have been possible. In a relatively small discipline where individuals may be working as the only anatomist in an institution, having such a virtual community can be important. Social media is also being used as a means for anatomists to communicate with the current generation of students as well as members of the public. Posting appropriate content is one of the challenges raised by social media use in anatomy. Human cadaveric material is frequently shared on social media and there is divided opinion among anatomists on whether or not such content is appropriate. This article explores the uses and challenges of social media use in the field of anatomy and outlines guidelines on how social media can be used by anatomists globally, while maintaining professional and ethical standards. Creating global guidelines has shown to be difficult due to the differences in international law for the use of human tissue and also the irregularities in acquiring informed consent for capturing and sharing cadaveric images. These nuances may explain why cadaveric images are frequently shared on social media. This article proposes that as standard practice, anatomists obtain informed consent from donors before sharing images of cadaveric material on social media and ensure posts include a statement stating the same.
Topics: Anatomists; Anatomy; Cadaver; Ethics, Professional; Guidelines as Topic; Humans; Informed Consent; Medical Illustration; Social Media; Societies
PubMed: 32043732
DOI: 10.1002/ase.1948 -
JMIR MHealth and UHealth Jan 2019The use of social media and mobile health (mHealth) apps has been increasing in pregnancy care. However, the effectiveness of these interventions is still unclear. (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
BACKGROUND
The use of social media and mobile health (mHealth) apps has been increasing in pregnancy care. However, the effectiveness of these interventions is still unclear.
OBJECTIVES
We conducted a meta-analysis to examine the effectiveness of these interventions with regard to different health outcomes in pregnant and postpartum women and investigate the characteristics and components of interventions that may affect program effectiveness.
METHOD
We performed a comprehensive literature search of major electronic databases and reference sections of related reviews and eligible studies. A random effects model was used to calculate the effect size.
RESULTS
Fifteen randomized controlled trial studies published in and before June 2018 that met the inclusion criteria were included in the meta-analysis. The interventions were effective in promoting maternal physical health including weight management, gestational diabetes mellitus control, and asthma control with a moderate to large effect size (d=0.72). Large effect sizes were also found for improving maternal mental health (d=0.84) and knowledge about pregnancy (d=0.80). Weight control interventions using wearable devices were more effective.
CONCLUSION
Social media and mHealth apps have the potential to be widely used in improving maternal well-being. More large-scale clinical trials focusing on different health outcomes are suggested for future studies.
Topics: Adult; Female; Humans; Mobile Applications; Perinatal Care; Pregnancy; Pregnant Women; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; Social Media
PubMed: 30698533
DOI: 10.2196/11836 -
Saudi Journal of Gastroenterology :... 2020The aim of this study was to investigate social media usage patterns among celiac patients and explore the potential factors that may influence the frequency of its...
BACKGROUND/AIM
The aim of this study was to investigate social media usage patterns among celiac patients and explore the potential factors that may influence the frequency of its usage.
PATIENTS AND METHODS
A cross-sectional survey was conducted, in which an online questionnaire was sent to celiac patients registered in the Saudi celiac patients' support group through email and its related social media accounts. Eligible participants included all patients with biopsy-confirmed celiac disease or their parents.
RESULTS
In total, 221 participants completed the survey. The majority (96%, n = 212/221) reported using social media networks for their disease management. We included only those participants in the analysis. The median age was 36 years (range; 18-60 years). The majority of respondents (59.4%) were female. Most participants (65.6%) were patients with celiac disease and 34.4% were parents of celiac patients. The median duration of the disease was three years (range; 1 month-26 years). The three most frequently visited social media platforms were WhatsApp by 175 (82.5%) participants, Instagram by 132 (62.3%), and Twitter by 124 (58.5%) participants. The median time spent on social media was 60 min per day (range; 10-720 min). Multivariate logistic regression showed that celiac disease patients used social media two times more than the parents of celiac patients (OR 2.37, 95% CI: 1.19 - 4.72; P = 0.014).
CONCLUSIONS
Celiac patients are highly involved in social media activities for purposes related to their disease. We encourage healthcare providers to be available online to provide trustable and high-quality educational materials.
Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Celiac Disease; Cross-Sectional Studies; Female; Humans; Information Seeking Behavior; Male; Middle Aged; Patient Education as Topic; Social Media; Young Adult
PubMed: 32031161
DOI: 10.4103/sjg.SJG_495_19 -
Journal of Medical Internet Research Feb 2019There has been a rapid rise in the popularity of electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) over the last decade, with growth predicted to continue. The uptake of these... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
There has been a rapid rise in the popularity of electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) over the last decade, with growth predicted to continue. The uptake of these devices has escalated despite inconclusive evidence of their efficacy as a smoking cessation device and unknown long-term health consequences. As smoking rates continue to drop or plateau in many well-developed countries, transnational tobacco companies have transitioned into the vaping industry and are now using social media to promote their products. Evidence indicates e-cigarettes are being marketed on social media as a harm reduction alternative, with retailers and manufacturers utilizing marketing techniques historically used by the tobacco industry.
OBJECTIVE
This study aimed to identify and describe the messages presented in e-cigarette-related social media (Twitter, YouTube, Instagram, and Pinterest) promotions and discussions and identify future directions for research, surveillance, and regulation.
METHODS
Data sources included MEDLINE, Scopus, ProQuest, Informit, the Journal of Medical Internet Research, and Google Scholar. Included studies were published in English between 2007 and 2017, analyzed content captured from e-cigarette-related social media promotions or discussions, and reported results for e-cigarettes separately from other forms of tobacco and nicotine delivery. Database search ceased in October 2017. Initial searches identified 536 studies. Two reviewers screened studies by title and abstract. One reviewer examined 71 full-text articles to determine eligibility and identified 25 studies for inclusion. This process was undertaken with the assistance of the Web-based screening and data extraction tool-Covidence. The review was registered with the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) Systematic Reviews database and followed the methodology for JBI Scoping Reviews.
RESULTS
Several key messages are being used to promote e-cigarettes including as a safer alternative to cigarettes, efficacy as a smoking cessation aid, and for use where smoking is prohibited. Other major marketing efforts aimed at capturing a larger market involve promotion of innovative flavoring and highlighting the public performance of vaping. Discussion and promotion of these devices appear to be predominantly occurring among the general public and those with vested interests such as retailers and manufacturers. There is a noticeable silence from the public health and government sector in these discussions on social media.
CONCLUSIONS
The social media landscape is dominated by pro-vaping messages disseminated by the vaping industry and vaping proponents. The uncertainty surrounding e-cigarette regulation expressed within the public health field appears not to be reflected in ongoing social media dialogues and highlights the need for public health professionals to interact with the public to actively influence social media conversations and create a more balanced discussion. With the vaping industry changing so rapidly, real-time monitoring and surveillance of how these devices are discussed, promoted, and used on social media is necessary in conjunction with evidence published in academic journals.
Topics: Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems; Humans; Social Media
PubMed: 30720440
DOI: 10.2196/11953 -
Journal of Medical Internet Research Feb 2018Social media platforms are increasingly used by registered dietitians (RDs) to improve knowledge translation and exchange in nutrition. However, a thorough understanding... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
Social media platforms are increasingly used by registered dietitians (RDs) to improve knowledge translation and exchange in nutrition. However, a thorough understanding of social media in dietetic practice is lacking.
OBJECTIVE
The objective of this study was to map and summarize the evidence about the users, uses, and effects of social media in dietetic practice to identify gaps in the literature and inform future research by using a scoping review methodology.
METHODS
Stages for conducting the scoping review included the following: (1) identifying the research question; (2) identifying relevant studies through a comprehensive multidatabase and gray literature search strategy; (3) selecting eligible studies; (4) charting the data; and (5) collating, summarizing, and reporting results for dissemination. Finally, knowledge users (RDs working for dietetic professional associations and public health organizations) were involved in each review stage to generate practical findings.
RESULTS
Of the 47 included studies, 34 were intervention studies, 4 were descriptive studies, 2 were content analysis studies, and 7 were expert opinion papers in dietetic practice. Discussion forums were the most frequent social media platform evaluated (n=19), followed by blogs (n=13) and social networking sites (n=10). Most studies targeted overweight and obese or healthy users, with adult populations being most studied. Social media platforms were used to deliver content as part of larger multiple component interventions for weight management. Among intervention studies using a control group with no exposition to social media, we identified positive, neutral, and mixed effects of social media for outcomes related to users' health behaviors and status (eg, dietary intakes and body weight), participation rates, and professional knowledge. Factors associated with the characteristics of the specific social media, such as ease of use, a design for quick access to desired information, and concurrent reminders of use, were perceived as the main facilitators to the use of social media in dietetic practice, followed to a lesser extent by interactions with an RD and social support from fellow users. Barriers to social media use were mostly related to complicated access to the site and time issues.
CONCLUSIONS
Research on social media in dietetic practice is at its infancy, but it is growing fast. So far, this field of research has targeted few social media platforms, most of which were assessed in multiple-component interventions for weight management among overweight or obese adults. Trials isolating the effects and mechanisms of action of specific social media platforms are needed to draw conclusions regarding the effectiveness of those tools to support dietetic practice. Future studies should address barriers and facilitators related to the use of social media written by RDs and should explore how to make these tools useful for RDs to reach health consumers to improve health through diet.
Topics: Dietetics; Health Behavior; Humans; Social Media; Social Support
PubMed: 29463487
DOI: 10.2196/jmir.9230