scholarly journals Anxiety among dental professionals and its association with their dependency on social media for health information: insights from the COVID-19 pandemic

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Suhail H. Al-Amad ◽  
Amal Hussein

Abstract Background Social media can play a detrimental role during a global health emergency. In this study, we aimed at assessing the impact social media has on the anxiety level of dental healthcare workers (DHCWs) whilst living through the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods An online questionnaire was disseminated to a cross-sectional sample of DHCWs from 19 countries using social media platforms. The questionnaire enquired about DHCWs’ frequency of using social media and their dependency on health-related information posted on those platforms. Anxiety was measured using General Anxiety Disorder scale (GAD-7). Results Four-hundred and three (403) DHCWs completed the online questionnaire. Sixty-eight percent (68%) frequently use social media for information on COVID-19. The frequency of social media use was higher among younger DHCWs, with shorter clinical experience, and holders of undergraduate qualifications (p = 0.009, p = 0.002, and p = 0.023, respectively). Almost one third of DHCWs had moderate to severe anxiety (31.7%), which was significantly associated with the frequency of social media use (p = 0.016). This association was adjusted for age, years of experience and qualification level (OR 1.75; 95% CI 1.05–2.93; p = 0.032). Conclusion COVID-19 social media infodemic has been adversely impacting the psychological wellbeing of DHCWs. More effective measures are needed to control the quality and spreadability of health information on social media platforms.

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mezna A. AlMarzooqi

Background: Social media became an integral part of the lives of people because it encourages social relations and shares interests, activities, and real-life connections. As quarantine and lockdown orders are prolonged, many people, as well as those physically active individuals, typically responded to this stressful condition by using social media platforms.Objective: This study aimed to examine the level of physical activity of physically active individuals and their attitudes toward social media use during the COVID-19 pandemic.Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional survey was conducted among physically active individuals in Saudi Arabia between June 2020 and July 2020. An online survey was employed among eligible participants who completed a self-administered questionnaire that covered reasons for physical activity and attitudes toward social media platforms during the COVID-19 pandemic.Results: Of these 323 participants, 29.1% were in the age group of 18–24 years, 66.6% were women, and 67.8% were single. The proportion of participants whose metabolic equivalent of tasks-min/week from vigorous activity <1,680 was 31.9%, and all of the participants follow people or pages in social media related to sports teams and fitness models. The average number of hours spent on social media per day was 2.95 ± 0.90 h. The majority of the participants showed positive attitudes toward social media used for exercise and physical activity. Of the eight variables, age, level of physical activity, and the average of hours spent on social media emerged as significant predictors of attitudes toward the use of social media (P < 0.05).Conclusions: The present survey results indicate adverse consequences of home quarantine as reflected by a small proportion of participants who had differences in levels of vigorous activities during the COVID-19 pandemic in Saudi Arabia. Social media appears to be a key avenue to promote and disseminate health interventions to promote physical activity during this COVID-19 pandemic.


Healthcare ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (8) ◽  
pp. 1011
Author(s):  
Ebenezer Larnyo ◽  
Baozhen Dai ◽  
Jonathan Aseye Nutakor ◽  
Sabina Ampon-Wireko ◽  
Ruth Appiah ◽  
...  

Social media has become a valuable tool in providing an opportunity to stay in touch with one’s social networks, providing reassurance and practical advice to individuals to pre-empt panic and rumors in COVID-19. However, the implications of social media use on the everyday emotion (anxiety and depression) of users especially, international students, are not well understood. Thus, this study sought to examine the impact of social media use on the everyday emotion of international students in China during COVID-19. Using a structured online questionnaire based on modified questions from the generalized anxiety disorder 7 (GAD-7) and the Patient Health Questionnaire 9 (PHQ-9) and social media use instruments, data were collected from 480 participants. Of the total responses received, 474 were further analyzed employing the Partial Least Squares Path Modelling (PLS-PM). This study showed a significant positive relationship between social media use and everyday emotion (B = 0.34, 95% CI (0.26, 0.44)). Additionally, self-rated anxiety and depression associated with social media use among international students were generally mild (n = 249, 52.50% and n = 350, 73.80%, respectively). Moderating effects revealed that age and sex do not significantly moderate the relationship between social media use and everyday emotion in COVID-19. Given the nature of social media among international students, who are also prone to suffering from anxiety and depression associated with social media use, the positive effect of social media use and everyday emotion, especially in COVID-19, has important implications for international students’ education stakeholders. Thus, gaining a deeper understanding of this relationship could enable them to harness social media and use it as a valuable tool to overcome the social distancing constraints in COVID-19.


2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Luuk Hilkens ◽  
Maarten Cruyff ◽  
Liesbeth Woertman ◽  
Jeroen Benjamins ◽  
Catharine Evers

Abstract Background Few studies have assessed the use of dietary supplements, anabolic androgenic steroids (AAS) and selective androgen receptor modulators (SARM) in male gym users. The comparison of physical appearance with others on social media and the exposure to fitness-related content on social media (i.e., image-centric social media use) may have a profound role in using these compounds due to its role in creating negative body images in male gym users. Objective Provide contemporary data on the use of dietary supplements, AAS and SARM among young male gym users, and test the hypothesis that social media is associated with the use of dietary supplements, AAS and SARM, as a result of a negative body image. Methods In this cross-sectional study, conducted in the Netherlands, male gym users (N = 2269; 24 ± 6 years) completed an online questionnaire including self-reported measures regarding resistance training participation, image-centric social media use, dietary supplement intake, and body image. The prevalence of AAS and SARM use was assessed with randomized response, a technique to ask sensitive questions indirectly. Results Of all participants, 83% used ergogenic dietary supplements (mainly protein and creatine), and an estimated 9 versus 2.7% had ever used AAS versus SARM. Image-centric social media use was positively associated with the use of dietary supplements (r = .26; p < 0.01) and AAS (p < 0.05), but not SARM. Image-centric social media use was associated with a more dissatisfied body image (r = .34; p < 0.01). Body image did not mediate the relationship between image-centric social media use and the use of doping compounds. Conclusions The use of dietary supplements in young male gym users is exorbitant, with the use of AAS and SARM being substantial. Image-centric social media use is positively associated with the use of dietary supplements and AAS.


Author(s):  
Anna Smout ◽  
Cath Chapman ◽  
Marius Mather ◽  
Tim Slade ◽  
Maree Teesson ◽  
...  

(1) Background: More time spent on social media has been linked to increased alcohol use, with exposure to peer alcohol-related content on social media (content exposure) named as a critical factor in this relationship. Little is currently known about whether early content exposure may have lasting effects across adolescent development, or about the capacity of parental monitoring of social media use to interrupt these links. (2) Methods: These gaps were addressed in both cross-sectional and longitudinal contexts among a longitudinal sample of Australian secondary school students (n = 432) across the ages of 13–16. (3) Results: Evidence was found for links between social media use and alcohol use frequency in early development. Social media time at age 13 was significantly associated with concurrent alcohol use frequency. At age 13, alcohol use frequency was significantly higher among those who reported content exposure compared to those who reported no exposure. Longitudinally, the frequency of alcohol use over time increased at a faster rate among participants who reported content exposure at age 13. In terms of parental monitoring, no longitudinal effects were observed. However, parental monitoring at age 13 did significantly reduce the concurrent relationship between alcohol use frequency and content exposure. (4) Conclusion: The impact of social media content exposure on alcohol use in adolescence may be more important than the time spent on social media, and any protective effect of parental monitoring on content exposure may be limited to the time it is being concurrently enacted.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhaomeng Niu ◽  
Bo Li ◽  
Jessica Willoughby ◽  
Ze Li ◽  
Rongting Zhou

BACKGROUND Empirical research has demonstrated that people frequently use social media for gathering and sharing online health information. Health literacy, social media use, and self-efficacy are important factors that may influence people’s health behaviors online. OBJECTIVE This study aims to examine the associations between health literacy, health-related social media use, self-efficacy and health behavioral intentions online. METHODS We conducted a cross-sectional survey of Chinese adults aged 18 and above (N = 449) to examine predictors of health-related behavioral intentions online including health literacy, social media use, and self-efficacy. Hayes’ PROCESS macro was used to analyze the mediation and moderation models. RESULTS Two moderated mediation models were constructed. Self-efficacy mediated the effects of health literacy (Bindirect=0.213, 95% CI: 0.101 to 0.339) and social media use (Bindirect=0.023, 95% CI: 0.008 to 0.045) on health behavioral intentions on social media. Age moderated the effects of health literacy on self-efficacy (P=.029), while previous experience moderated the effects of social media use on self-efficacy (P<.001). CONCLUSIONS Health literacy and health-related social media use influenced health behavioral intentions on social media via their prior effects on self-efficacy. The association between health literacy and self-efficacy was stronger among younger respondents, whereas the association between health-related social media use and self-efficacy was stronger among those who previously had positive experiences with health information on social media. Health practitioners should target self-efficacy among older population and increase positive media experience related to health. CLINICALTRIAL


2019 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 101-106
Author(s):  
Abed A-H Hamasha ◽  
Nasser Alghofaili ◽  
Abdulrahman Obaid ◽  
Mohammed Alhamdan ◽  
Abdulrahman Alotaibi ◽  
...  

Objective:To assess the dental practitioners' use of social media, concerning demographic and social variables and the impact of social media use on dental practice.Methods:The study was a cross-sectional analytical study of dental practitioners in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. A self-administered 30-items questionnaire was distributed to 438 dentists, which included eight questions related to background and demographic information and 22 questions related to the use of social media within the dental practice. Data were entered and analyzed usingSPSSsoftware. Data analysis included frequency distributions and chi-square tests to assess the association of social media use with demographic and social variables and its impact on dental practice. Significant level was considered ifpwas less than 0.05.Results:Of participating, 338 dentists, 52% were using social media in their practice. Twitter was the most commonly used (35%). Education was the primary purpose of using social media (43%), while entertainment was the least (8%). Approximately 62% and 68% are using social media for marketing of their dental practice and broadcasting treatment outcome, respectively. Social media was observed to be used significantly higher among Non-Saudi, general and private dentists. Participating dentists who used social media in their practice significantly recommended using social media to other dentists.Conclusion:In general, non-Saudis, general practitioners and dentists practicing in private clinics are significantly using more social media during their practice. The majority of dental practitioners indicated that social media has improved their dental practice and become an indicator of successful practice.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Puneet Kaur ◽  
Amandeep Dhir ◽  
Amal Khalifa Alkhalifa ◽  
Anushree Tandon

PurposeThis study is a systematic literature review (SLR) on prior research examining the impact of the nocturnal use of social media platforms on a user's sleep, its dimensions and its perceptually allied problems. This SLR aims to curate, assimilate and critically examine the empirical research in this domain.Design/methodology/approachForty-five relevant studies identified from the Scopus and Web of Science (WoS) databases were analyzed to develop a comprehensive research profile, identify gaps in the current knowledge and delineate emergent research topics.FindingsPrior research has narrowly focused on investigating the associations between specific aspects of social media use behavior and sleep dimensions. The findings suggest that previous studies are limited by research design and sampling issues. We highlight the imperative need to expand current research boundaries through a comprehensive framework that elucidates potential issues to be addressed in future research.Originality/valueThe findings have significant implications for clinicians, family members and educators concerning promoting appropriate social media use, especially during sleep latency.


2021 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 44-54
Author(s):  
Edey P. Agara ◽  
Felix E. Ojong ◽  
Josephat O. Emeka ◽  
A. M. Ogaboh Agba ◽  
Abayomi I. Akintola ◽  
...  

Today, social media becomes the order of the day in which all aspect of life is affected. The study therefore examines the phenomenon of social media use and students' exposure to cybercrimes in Nigeria. Students’ exposure to Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and WhatsApp applications were considered. A cross-sectional survey was conducted on 900 students drawn from Cross River State, Nigeria. Data were retrieved using questionnaire and Focus Group Discussion (FGD). Descriptive analysis for the study revealed that Facebook use, Instagram use, and Twitter use significantly expose students to cybercrimes. The study concluded that social media use, as beneficial as it is, has potential dangers that could impose undesirable costs on users. It was thus recommended among others that the users of social media must carefully determine the information they put on social media to avoid providing explicit personal details that can be used by hackers against them. Furthermore, government must enact appropriate legislation or enforce existing laws to checkmate the activities of cybercriminals in society.


2021 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 106-115
Author(s):  
Paul Antwi ◽  
Samuel Ameyaw

This paper examined the impacts of social media use on the academic performance of students of private tertiary institutions in Ghana using the Valley View University, Oyibi Campus, Accra, as a case study. A cross-sectional survey design method was adopted for the study. The population of the students was two thousand, one hundred and seventy – two (2,172). Instrument used for data collection was the questionnaire. A total of 388 copies of a questionnaire were administered to the students based on probability sampling technique, 362 copies of the questionnaire were filled correctly and thus, were used for the analysis. The quantitative data obtained from the questionnaire were analysed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS version 20). The findings revealed that entertainment and relaxation, posting pictures, and chatting with friends were students' motivators. It was found that the frequent use of social media had negatively affected the academic performance of some students. The study recommended to University management to motivate students to use the various social media platforms for academic activities rather than non-academic activities. The study also recommended that students should be advised to reduce the number of hours spent on the social media platforms.   Citation: Ameyaw, S. (2021). Impacts of social media Use on the Academic Performance of Students of Private Tertiary institutions in Ghana: The Valley View University Perspective. International Journal of Technology and Management Research (IJTMR), Vol. 6 (2): Pp.106-115. Received: January 13, 2021Accepted: September 1, 2021


2021 ◽  
Vol 24 (1) ◽  
pp. 2-23
Author(s):  
Mina Vesal ◽  
◽  
Changiz Rahimi ◽  

Background and Aim: Concerns are increasingly raised about the impact of social media use on depression in adolescents. This article aimed to summarize and synthesize quantitative studies addressing the association between social media and depression in adolescents. Methods & Materials: This systematic review and meta-analysis included studies on the impact of the internet and social media use on depression in adolescents using Persian and English databases. In total, 15 studies met the inclusion criteria and were included in the analysis. Ethical Considerations: All ethical principles are considered in this article. Results: The obtained data revealed a slight (0.18) statistically significant correlation (P<0.000) between social media use and depression in adolescents. However, this relationship was complex and associated with multiple psychosocial, behavioral, and individual factors, necessitating further investigation of mediating and moderating variables. Notably, most explored studies were cross-sectional; thus, they failed to infer the causal relationship between social media use and depression. In Iran, research has only investigated internet dependence. Further research is required in this area. Conclusion: Overall, the mechanism of the impact of social media on depression should be further investigated through qualitative and longitudinal studies.


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