scholarly journals Social Media and its Use in Health Promotion

Author(s):  
Joëlle J Levac ◽  
Tracey O'Sullivan

Social media holds considerable potential for health promotion and other health intervention activities, as it addresses some of the limitations in traditional health communication by increasing accessibility, interaction, engagement, empowerment and customization. The use of social media increases the potential for easy access to preventive medicine, interaction with health care providers, interprofessional communication in emergency management, and public health. However, more research is needed to determine its long term effectiveness and to maximize the strategic presence of health organizations on social networking websites. This paper provides encouraging information about the possibilities of using social media to improve access to health information and health care providers, as well as to promote positive health behaviour change. It is essential for health promotion organizations to capitalize on the opportunities provided by social media, in order to modernize strategies to reach all age groups and to tailor programs to current communication trends, all of which are offered at a relatively low cost. 

Author(s):  
Premal Patel ◽  
James Gomes

Social media holds considerable potential for health promotion and other health intervention activities, as it addresses some of the limitations in traditional health communication by increasing accessibility, interaction, engagement, empowerment and customization. The use of social media increases the potential for easy access to preventive medicine, interaction with health care providers, interprofessional communication in emergency management, and public health. However, more research is needed to determine its long term effectiveness and to maximize the strategic presence of health organizations on social networking websites. This paper provides encouraging information about the possibilities of using social media to improve access to health information and health care providers, as well as to promote positive health behaviour change. It is essential for health promotion organizations to capitalize on the opportunities provided by social media, in order to modernize strategies to reach all age groups and to tailor programs to current communication trends, all of which are offered at a relatively low cost. 


2021 ◽  
pp. 089443932110257
Author(s):  
Md Irfanuzzaman Khan ◽  
Jennifer (M.I.) Loh

With the advent of telecommunication technologies and social media, many health care professionals are using social media to communicate with their patients and to promote health. However, the literature reveals a lacuna in our understanding of health care professionals’ perception of their behavioral intentions to use innovations. Using the Unified Technology Acceptance Framework (unified theory of acceptance and use of technology), in-depth interviews were conducted with 16 Australian health care experts to uncover their intent and actual use of social media in their medical practices. Results revealed that social media tools offered five significant benefits such as (i) enhanced communication between health care professionals and their patients, (ii) community support, (iii) enabled e-learning, (iv) enhanced professional network, and (v) expedited health promotion. However, result also revealed barriers to social media usage including (i) inefficiency, (ii) privacy concerns, (iii) poor quality of information, (iv) lack of trust, and (v) blurred professional boundary. Peer influence and supporting conditions were also found to be determinants of social media adoption behaviors among health care professionals. This study has important implications for health care providers, patients, and policy makers on the responsible use of social media, health promotion, and health communication. This research is also among the very few studies that explore Australian health care professionals’ intent and actual use of innovations within a health care setting.


CHEST Journal ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 149 (4) ◽  
pp. A234
Author(s):  
Lauren Quisenberry ◽  
Zoya Surani ◽  
Saherish Surani ◽  
Sivakumar Sudhakaran ◽  
Salim Surani

Author(s):  
Syed Hamad Hassan Shah ◽  
Saleha Noor ◽  
Atif Saleem Butt ◽  
Habiba Halepoto

Background: This study enriched our understanding by systematically reviewing knowledge management twitter health (KMTH) articles extracted from Web of Science (WoS) using cartography analysis through VOSviewer–for the last 11 years. Methods: A total of 798 KMTH articles were found from 2009 to 2019, analyzed based on the most co-occurrence keywords of KMTH articles. Results: Three clusters emerged through cartography analysis; Cluster 1: Twitter as health education and health promotion platform; Cluster 2: Twitter as public health promotion platform and Cluster 3: Twitter as health sentiment platform through big data and machine learning. Conclusion: This study opened new avenues for all health care providers to utilize Twitter as a KM platform to promote health care. This is the first bibliometric analysis of KMTH publications according to our best knowledge.


Curationis ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 38 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Nokulunga H. Cele ◽  
Maureen N. Sibiya ◽  
Dudu G. Sokhela

Background: Homosexual patients are affected by social factors in their environment, and as a result may not have easy access to existing health care services. Prejudice against homosexuality and homosexual patients remains a barrier to them seeking appropriate healthcare. The concern is that lesbians and gays might delay or avoid seeking health care when they need it because of past discrimination or perceived homophobia within the health care thereby putting their health at risk.Aim of the study: The aim of the study was to explore and describe the experiences of homosexual patients utilising primary health care (PHC) services in Umlazi in the province ofKwaZulu-Natal (KZN).Method: A qualitative, exploratory, descriptive study was conducted which was contextual innature. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 12 participants. The findings of this study were analysed using content analysis.Results: Two major themes emerged from the data analysis, namely, prejudice against homosexual patients by health care providers and other patients at the primary health care facilities, and, homophobic behaviour from primary health care personnel.Conclusion: Participants experienced prejudice and homophobic behaviour in the course of utilising PHC clinics in Umlazi, which created a barrier to their utilisation of health services located there. Nursing education institutions, in collaboration with the National Department of Health, should introduce homosexuality and anti-homophobia education programmes during the pre-service and in-service education period. Such programmes will help to familiarise health care providers with the health care needs of homosexual patients and may decrease homophobic attitudes.


2021 ◽  
pp. 152483992110571
Author(s):  
Behnoosh Momin ◽  
Danielle Nielsen ◽  
Spencer Schaff ◽  
Jennifer L. Mezzo ◽  
Charlene Cariou

Introduction: The Idaho Comprehensive Cancer Control Program (ICCCP) collaborated with the Idaho Immunization Program (IIP) to plan and implement activities to increase knowledge and awareness of liver cancer prevention through tailored hepatitis B immunization messaging to the Idaho community and health care providers. Purpose and Objectives: In this article, we report findings from an evaluation of these activities. Interventions Approach: The two programs implemented liver cancer prevention activities between May 2017 and December 2017; strategies included a social media vaccination awareness campaign and health care provider education. Evaluation Methods: Facebook Insights was used to report, and descriptive statistics were used to analyze, data from the social media campaign. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze data collected from a retrospective pre–post survey for the health care provider presentations and paired t-tests were conducted to detect differences between pre- and postexposure. Results: For the social media campaign, ICCCP and IIP posted a total of 32 liver cancer and hepatitis B vaccination posts on their respective Facebook pages, which reached 42,804 unique users. For the health care provider presentations, there was a statistically significant increase in awareness, knowledge, ability, and intention among health care providers. Implications for Public Health: Our evaluation serves as an example of how public health social media can reach consumers and how educating providers can raise awareness on the importance of hepatitis B vaccination as a means of preventing liver cancer.


2015 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 172 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yulong Gu ◽  
Martin Orr ◽  
Jim Warren

Health literacy has been described as the capacity to obtain, process, and understand basic health information and services needed to make appropriate health decisions. Improving health literacy may serve to promote concordance with therapy, engage patients in their own health care, and improve health outcomes. Patient portal technology aims at enabling patients and families to have easy access to key information in their own medical records and to communicate with their health care providers electronically. However, there is a gap in our understanding of how portals will improve patient outcome. The authors believe patient portal technology presents an opportunity to improve patient concordance with prescribed therapy, if adequate support is provided to equip patients (and family/carers) with the knowledge needed to utilise the health information available via the portals. Research is needed to understand what a health consumer will use patient portals for and how to support a user to realise the technology?s potential.


2017 ◽  
Vol 16 (4) ◽  
pp. 606-609 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rabeya Yousuf ◽  
Sheikh Muhammad Abu Bakar ◽  
Mainul Haque ◽  
Md Nurul Islam ◽  
Abdus Salam

Social media connect people by sharing text, photos, audio and videos among themselves. Medical professional and patients also communicate through social media; however, issues of privacy and confidentiality of medical professions in regards to medical and health care decisions contradict with the openness of the usage of social media. Member of the medical profession can use social media but need to abide by the code of conduct of medical ethics in order to render the best possible services. This paper emphasizes on the needs of inclusion of social media usage in future health care providers’ curriculum by the higher educational institutions in order to aware of the ethical and professional aspect.Bangladesh Journal of Medical Science Vol.16(4) 2017 p.606-609


2008 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 22-32 ◽  
Author(s):  
Terry Peak ◽  
Julie Gast ◽  
Denice Ahlstrom

Historically, Latino men are an understudied group. Researchers know little about the impact of culture or gender on health concerns. In this study, focus groups with Latino men were held that investigated their health concerns, barriers, motivators, and access to health information and health services. Additionally, the researchers wished to determine if a church-based design might help reach men who might not be responsive to more traditional health education or public health routes. Results included that the Latino male participants in this study wanted health information but wanted it to be more specific and in an accessible format. They also desired more Spanish-speaking health care providers and were acutely interested in low-cost health care. Prevention was not of much interest to these participants. Church-attending participants were interested in church-based health education.


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