Social media in health communication: A literature review of information quality

2021 ◽  
pp. 183335832199268
Author(s):  
Eric Afful-Dadzie ◽  
Anthony Afful-Dadzie ◽  
Sulemana Bankuoru Egala

Background: Social media is used in health communication by individuals, health professionals, disease centres and other health regulatory bodies. However, varying degrees of information quality are churned out daily on social media. This review is concerned with the quality of Social Media Health Information (SMHI). Objective: The review sought to understand how SMHI quality issues have been framed and addressed in the literature. Health topics, users and social media platforms that have raised health information quality concerns are reviewed. The review also looked at the suitability of existing criteria and instruments used in evaluating SMHI and identified gaps for future research. Method: The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses and the forward chaining strategy were used in the document search. Data were sourced according to inclusion criteria from five academic databases, namely Scopus, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, PubMed and MEDLINE. Results: A total of 93 articles published between 2000 and 2019 were used in the review. The review revealed a worrying trend of health content and communication on social media, especially of cancer, dental care and diabetes information on YouTube. The review further discovered that the Journal of the American Medical Association, the DISCERN and the Health on the Net Foundation, which were designed before the advent of social media, continue to be used as quality evaluation instruments for SMHI, even though technical and user characteristics of social media differ from traditional portals such as websites. Conclusion: The study synthesises varied opinions on SMHI quality in the literature and recommends that future research proposes quality evaluation criteria and instruments specifically for SMHI.

Pain Medicine ◽  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daly Geagea ◽  
Zephanie Tyack ◽  
Roy Kimble ◽  
Lars Eriksson ◽  
Vince Polito ◽  
...  

Abstract Objective Inadequately treated pain and distress elicited by medical procedures can put children at higher risks of acute and chronic biopsychosocial sequelae. Children can benefit from hypnotherapy, a psychological tailored intervention, as an adjunct to pharmacological agents to address the multiple components of pain and distress. Despite providing evidence on the effectiveness and potential superiority of hypnotherapy to other psychological interventions, research on hypnotherapy for paediatric procedural pain and distress has been predominantly limited to oncology and needle procedures. Plus, there is a lack of reporting of intervention manuals, factors influencing hypnotic responding, pain unpleasantness outcomes, theoretical frameworks, adverse events, as well as barriers and facilitators to the feasibility of delivering the intervention and study procedures. The proposed review aims to map the range and nature of the evidence on hypnotherapy for procedural pain and distress in children to identify gaps in literature and areas requiring further investigation. Methods This review will follow the Arksey and O'Malley (2005) methodology and incorporate additional scoping review recommendations by The Joanna Briggs Institute and Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses. Relevant studies will be identified through searching published literature databases (PubMed, Cochrane Library, PsycINFO, Embase, CINAHL, Scopus and Web of Science) and grey literature in addition to hand-searching of reference lists and key journals. Two authors will independently screen titles and abstracts of search results followed by full-texts review against eligibility criteria. Conclusion Findings are anticipated to guide future research and inform the development of tailored hypnotic interventions in children.


2020 ◽  
pp. 0032258X2096858
Author(s):  
Alexander E Carter ◽  
Mariea Hoy ◽  
Betsy Byrne DeSimone

Despite law enforcement’s best efforts to use social media as a means of community policing, some engagement tactics may lead citizens to disclose personally identifiable information (PII). We coded 200 tweets with the popular #9PMRoutine that tagged @PascoSheriff (Florida) for participant PII. We found numerous postings of adults’ and children’s PII that are problematic including pictures, health information and security-related comments about their routines or vacations. Implications for law enforcement to protect their communities are discussed as well as opportunities to continue to cultivate their online relationships in a more secure forum. We also provide future research directions.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jingzhong Xie ◽  
Jun Lai ◽  
Dongying Zhang

BACKGROUND Social media has become an important tool to implement risk communication in COVID-19 pandemic, and made health information can gain more exposure by re-posting. OBJECTIVE This paper attempts to identify the factors associated with re-posting of social media messages about health information METHODS Content analysis was applied to scrutinize 4396 Weibo posts that were posted by national and provincial public health agencies Weibo accounts and identified features of information sources and information features, and adopted Zero-Inflated Negative Binomial (ZINB) model to analyze the association between these features and the frequency of message being re-posted. RESULTS Results showed that the followers and the governmental level of information sources are correlated with increased message reposting. The information features, such as hashtags#, picture, video, emotional(!), and the usage of severity, reassurance, efficacy and action frame were associated with increased message reposting behaviors, while hyperlink and usage of uncertainty frame correlated with reduced message reposting behaviors. CONCLUSIONS The features of health information sources, structures , style and content should be paid close attention by health organizations and medical professionals to satisfy the public’s information needs and preferences, promote the public's health engagement. Suitable information systems designing, and health communication strategies making during different stages of the pandemic may improve public awareness of the COVID-19, alleviate negative emotions, promote preventive measures to curb the spread of the virus.


2017 ◽  
Vol 44 (2) ◽  
pp. 148-164 ◽  
Author(s):  
Beth St. Jean ◽  
Natalie Greene Taylor ◽  
Christie Kodama ◽  
Mega Subramaniam

As young people are increasingly turning to the Internet to meet their information needs, it is imperative to investigate their perceptions regarding various potential sources of health information. A series of card-sorting exercises were administered to new participants in an after-school programme (HackHealth) to find out which sources of health information these greater Washington DC metro area middle school students would turn to, which they would not and their reasons behind these judgements. The findings revealed that participants were very aware of the importance of trustworthiness when looking for health information and they valued both professional expertise based on formal education and expertise born of personal experience with a particular health condition. However, they also valued convenience, ease and speed, and sometimes sacrificed information quality. Some important implications of these findings for healthcare and information professionals are identified and suggestions for future research in this area are offered.


2016 ◽  
Vol 23 (2) ◽  
pp. 83-95 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mowafa Househ ◽  
Nassif Hossain ◽  
Amr Jamal ◽  
Nasriah Zakaria ◽  
Ashraf Elmetwally ◽  
...  

Providing patients opportunities for self-management and education about their disease, asthma applications designed for use on an Android operating system can have positive health outcomes across the range of demographics who use mHealth applications. This study provides a content analysis of freely available Google Android Platform Mobile Applications for Asthma. A list of applications was collected on 26 October 2014, using the search feature of the Google Play Android platform and using the words and phrases “Asthma,” “Lung Function” and “Peak Flow.” Each application was coded for its approach to asthma self-management, based on categories adapted by Huckvale et al., which are based on the Global Initiative for Asthma and the National Asthma Education and Prevention Program. The characteristics of the 15 asthma applications are described. Most of the asthma applications’ primary function focused on patient self-monitoring and self-assessment. Using the HON Code, we found low health information quality across all asthma applications. Android asthma applications can have positive outcomes in helping patients as they provide opportunities for self-management and education about their disease. Future research should continue to monitor and evaluate the development and use of mHealth Asthma Applications. Based on these findings, and their indication of a gap in existing research, subsequent studies can continue to evaluate the development and use of mHealth Asthma Applications with increasing methodological consistency to improve the quality of in-app health information.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Huiping Sun ◽  
Lin Qian ◽  
Mengxin Xue ◽  
Ting Zhou ◽  
Jiling Qu ◽  
...  

BACKGROUND With the popularization of the Internet, it has become possible to widely disseminate health information via social media. Medical staff’s health communication through social media can improve the public’s health literacy, and improving the intention of health communication among nursing undergraduates is of great significance for them to actively carry out health communication after entering clinical practice. OBJECTIVE To explore the relationship among eHealth literacy, social media self-efficacy, and health communication intention and to determine the mediating role of social media self-efficacy in the relationship between eHealth literacy and health communication intention. METHODS A cross-sectional descriptive correlation design was used in this study.Stratified cluster sampling was used to select 958 nursing students from four nursing colleges in Jiangsu Province, China, from June to July 2021.Data were collected using the eHealth Literacy Scale, the Social Media Self-efficacy Scale, and the Health Communication Intention Questionnaire. Sociodemographic data were also collected. Correlation analysis and regression analysis were used to determine the relationship between eHealth literacy, social media self-efficacy, and health communication intention. RESULTS Health communication intention is positively correlated with eHealth literacy and social media self-efficacy. eHealth literacy directly affects the intention of health communication significantly (p < 0.001), and social media self-efficacy played a mediating role in the influence of eHealth literacy on health communication intention (the mediating effect accounted for 37.2% of the total effect). CONCLUSIONS Improving the eHealth literacy of nursing undergraduates can directly affect or promote health communication intention and can also indirectly improve health communication intention through improving social media self-efficacy. In view of these results, targeted educational programs must be developed to improve eHealth literacy and social media self-efficacy among nursing undergraduates, thereby promoting their health information transmission.


2019 ◽  
Vol 26 (1) ◽  
pp. 107327481984144 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jinhai Huo ◽  
Raj Desai ◽  
Young-Rock Hong ◽  
Kea Turner ◽  
Arch G. Mainous ◽  
...  

The number of social media users has increased substantially in the past decade, creating an opportunity for health-care professionals and patients to leverage social media for health communication. This study examines the recent use and predictors of social media for health communication in a nationally representative sample of US adults over time. We used 2013, 2014, and 2017 National Cancer Institute’s Health Information National Trends Survey to identify respondents’ use of social media for sharing health information or exchanging medical information with a health-care professional. We conducted bivariate analysis using the Pearson χ2 test to assess the association of respondents’ basic demographic characteristics as well as health status and the use of social media for health communication. We performed multivariable logistic regression models to examine factors associated with the use of social media for health communication. We identified 4242 respondents (weighted sample size: 343 465 241 [2-year pooled sample]) who used social media for sharing health information and 4834 respondents (weighted sample size: 354 419 489 [2-year pooled sample]) who used social media for exchanging medical information. Multivariable analyses indicated the proportion of respondents who used social media for sharing health information has decreased (odds ratio [OR], 0.65; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.49-0.85, P = .002), while the use of social media for exchanging medical information with a health-care professional has increased (OR, 1.88; 95% CI, 1.09-3.26, P = .025). The younger population had significantly higher odds of using social media for health communication. The study found no racial/ethnic disparities in the use of social media for health communication. Use of social media for sharing health information has declined, while exchanging medical information with health-care professionals has increased. Future research is needed to determine how to engage the population in social media–based health interventions, particularly for older adults.


BMJ Open ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. e036203
Author(s):  
Aislinn Conway ◽  
Jessica Reszel ◽  
Mark C Walker ◽  
Jeremy M Grimshaw ◽  
Sandra I Dunn

IntroductionOptimising the safety of obstetric patient care is a primary concern for many hospitals. Performance indicators measuring aspects of patient care processes can lead to improvements in health systems and the prevention of harm to the patient. We present our protocol for a scoping review to identify indicators for obstetric safety in low risk births. We aim to identify indicators addressing preventable hospital harms, to summarise the data and synthesise results.Methods and analysisWe will use methods described by Arksey and O’Malley and further expanded by Levacet al. We will search electronic databases such as Medline, Embase, CINAHL and the Cochrane Library, and websites from professional bodies and other organisations, using an iterative search strategy.Two reviewers will independently screen titles and abstracts of search results to determine eligibility for inclusion. If eligibility is not clear, the reviewers will screen the full text version. If reviewers’ decisions regarding eligibility differ, a third reviewer will review the record. Two reviewers will independently extract data from records that meet our inclusion criteria using a standardised data collection form. We will narratively describe quantitative data, such as the frequency with which indicators are identified, and conduct a thematic analysis of the qualitative data. We will compile a comprehensive list of patient safety indicators and organise them according to concepts that best suit the data such as the Donabedian model or the Hospital Harm Framework. We will discuss the implications for future research, clinical practice and policy-making. We will report the conduct of the review using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for scoping reviews checklist.Ethics and disseminationThe sources of information included in this scoping review will be available to the public. Therefore, ethics approval is not warranted. We will disseminate results in a peer-reviewed publication, conference/event presentation(s) and stakeholder communications.


2019 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Albert Liu ◽  
Joy Lee ◽  
Michael Weiner

Background: Transgender people face many potential barriers in healthcare, such as real or perceived discrimination, inability to pay for healthcare services, and misinformation about transgender health needs. It has been hypothesized that, because of these barriers, transgender people may be more receptive to using health information technology than other populations. The purpose of this scoping review was to understand the ways transgender people use health information technology. Methods: This scoping review included English studies that addressed use of technology by transgender people in health sciences literature. The inclusion criteria was studies that documented transgender technology use and did not include studies that only focused on technology use by healthcare providers. Included studies were sorted into categories based on the type of technology transgender participants used. Results: Twenty-nine articles met the study inclusion criteria from an initial pool of 1,276 articles searched from online databases. Many studies were involved with multiple categories. Fourteen articles addressed websites targeting transgender people, twelve included the usage of online social media sites, seven articles involved transgender usage of online surveys, and four articles discussed transgender usage of smartphones in health management. Conclusion and potential impact: Twenty-two studies focused on the application of interventions through websites and social media sites, nineteen of which concluded that web-based health information or interventions were feasible methods to affect the health of transgender people. Sixteen studies concluded that online interactions were accepted, if not preferred, by their transgender participants. This review suggests that further integration of online interventions and healthcare information into these mediums may increase transgender engagement in healthcare and reduce healthcare barriers. Future research to improve understanding of the outcomes of health information technology on the health of transgender people would be an asset for treating a historically medically underserved community.


2021 ◽  
pp. JCO.21.00471
Author(s):  
Jennifer J. Griggs ◽  
Kari Bohlke ◽  
Edward P. Balaban ◽  
James J. Dignam ◽  
Evan T. Hall ◽  
...  

PURPOSE To provide recommendations for appropriate dosing of systemic antineoplastic agents in obese adults with cancer. METHODS A systematic review of the literature collected evidence regarding dosing of chemotherapy, immunotherapy, and targeted therapies in obese adults with cancer. PubMed and the Cochrane Library were searched for randomized controlled trials, meta-analyses, or cohort studies published from November 1, 2010, through March 27, 2020. ASCO convened an Expert Panel to review the evidence and formulate recommendations. RESULTS Sixty studies, primarily retrospective, were included in the review. Overall, the evidence supported previous findings that obese adult patients tolerate full, body-size–based dosing of chemotherapy as well as nonobese patients. Fewer studies have addressed the dosing of targeted therapies and immunotherapies in relation to safety and efficacy in obese patients. RECOMMENDATIONS The Panel continues to recommend that full, weight-based cytotoxic chemotherapy doses be used to treat obese adults with cancer. New to this version of the guideline, the Panel also recommends that full, approved doses of immunotherapy and targeted therapies be offered to obese adults with cancer. In the event of toxicity, the consensus of the Panel is that dose modifications of systemic antineoplastic therapies should be handled similarly for obese and nonobese patients. Important areas for future research include the impact of sarcopenia and other measures of body composition on optimal antineoplastic dosing, and more customized dosing based on pharmacokinetic or pharmacogenetic factors. Additional information is available at www.asco.org/supportive-care-guidelines .


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