scholarly journals Mining Physicians’ Opinions on Social Media to Obtain Insights Into COVID-19: Mixed Methods Analysis

10.2196/19276 ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. e19276 ◽  
Author(s):  
Abdullah Wahbeh ◽  
Tareq Nasralah ◽  
Mohammad Al-Ramahi ◽  
Omar El-Gayar
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Social Media ◽  
Mixed Methods ◽  
Qualitative Analysis ◽  
Health Care Systems ◽  
Supervised Machine Learning ◽  
Machine Learning Techniques ◽  
Medical Professionals ◽  
Social Media Analytics ◽  
Care Systems

Background The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic is considered to be the most daunting public health challenge in decades. With no effective treatments and with time needed to develop a vaccine, alternative approaches are being used to control this pandemic. Objective The objective of this paper was to identify topics, opinions, and recommendations about the COVID-19 pandemic discussed by medical professionals on the Twitter social medial platform. Methods Using a mixed methods approach blending the capabilities of social media analytics and qualitative analysis, we analyzed COVID-19–related tweets posted by medical professionals and examined their content. We used qualitative analysis to explore the collected data to identify relevant tweets and uncover important concepts about the pandemic using qualitative coding. Unsupervised and supervised machine learning techniques and text analysis were used to identify topics and opinions. Results Data were collected from 119 medical professionals on Twitter about the coronavirus pandemic. A total of 10,096 English tweets were collected from the identified medical professionals between December 1, 2019 and April 1, 2020. We identified eight topics, namely actions and recommendations, fighting misinformation, information and knowledge, the health care system, symptoms and illness, immunity, testing, and infection and transmission. The tweets mainly focused on needed actions and recommendations (2827/10,096, 28%) to control the pandemic. Many tweets warned about misleading information (2019/10,096, 20%) that could lead to infection of more people with the virus. Other tweets discussed general knowledge and information (911/10,096, 9%) about the virus as well as concerns about the health care systems and workers (909/10,096, 9%). The remaining tweets discussed information about symptoms associated with COVID-19 (810/10,096, 8%), immunity (707/10,096, 7%), testing (605/10,096, 6%), and virus infection and transmission (503/10,096, 5%). Conclusions Our findings indicate that Twitter and social media platforms can help identify important and useful knowledge shared by medical professionals during a pandemic.

scholarly journals Mining Physicians’ Opinions on Social Media to Obtain Insights Into COVID-19: Mixed Methods Analysis (Preprint)

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Abdullah Wahbeh ◽  
Tareq Nasralah ◽  
Mohammad Al-Ramahi ◽  
Omar El-Gayar
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Social Media ◽  
Mixed Methods ◽  
Qualitative Analysis ◽  
Health Care Systems ◽  
Supervised Machine Learning ◽  
Machine Learning Techniques ◽  
Medical Professionals ◽  
Social Media Analytics ◽  
Care Systems

BACKGROUND The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic is considered to be the most daunting public health challenge in decades. With no effective treatments and with time needed to develop a vaccine, alternative approaches are being used to control this pandemic. OBJECTIVE The objective of this paper was to identify topics, opinions, and recommendations about the COVID-19 pandemic discussed by medical professionals on the Twitter social medial platform. METHODS Using a mixed methods approach blending the capabilities of social media analytics and qualitative analysis, we analyzed COVID-19–related tweets posted by medical professionals and examined their content. We used qualitative analysis to explore the collected data to identify relevant tweets and uncover important concepts about the pandemic using qualitative coding. Unsupervised and supervised machine learning techniques and text analysis were used to identify topics and opinions. RESULTS Data were collected from 119 medical professionals on Twitter about the coronavirus pandemic. A total of 10,096 English tweets were collected from the identified medical professionals between December 1, 2019 and April 1, 2020. We identified eight topics, namely actions and recommendations, fighting misinformation, information and knowledge, the health care system, symptoms and illness, immunity, testing, and infection and transmission. The tweets mainly focused on needed actions and recommendations (2827/10,096, 28%) to control the pandemic. Many tweets warned about misleading information (2019/10,096, 20%) that could lead to infection of more people with the virus. Other tweets discussed general knowledge and information (911/10,096, 9%) about the virus as well as concerns about the health care systems and workers (909/10,096, 9%). The remaining tweets discussed information about symptoms associated with COVID-19 (810/10,096, 8%), immunity (707/10,096, 7%), testing (605/10,096, 6%), and virus infection and transmission (503/10,096, 5%). CONCLUSIONS Our findings indicate that Twitter and social media platforms can help identify important and useful knowledge shared by medical professionals during a pandemic.

Post Your Journey: Instagram as a Support Community for People With Fibromyalgia

2018 ◽  
Vol 29 (2) ◽  
pp. 237-247 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ashley A. Berard ◽  
André P. Smith
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Social Capital ◽  
Social Media ◽  
Content Analysis ◽  
Chronic Illness ◽  
Health Care Systems ◽  
Virtual Community ◽  
Widespread Pain ◽  
Care Systems ◽  
Media Applications

Fibromyalgia is a chronic illness with primary symptoms of widespread pain and fatigue. Social media applications have become a recent resource allowing individuals with fibromyalgia to interact in a virtual community devoted to the illness. This study explores how such a community develops and maintains itself on Instagram and the ways it creates social capital for its users. Data are derived from Instagram posts and open-ended questionnaires completed by users living with fibromyalgia who use the application. Using content analysis and semiotic methodology, the study analyzes the diverse ways in which users shared their experiences with fibromyalgia, the management of its symptoms, and issues encountered in accessing health care systems. Instagram aids in the development of a community by facilitating intimate and supportive interactions about the illness and the creation of personalized day-to-day narratives accessible to all. Norms of trust, acceptance, and reciprocity characterize the diversity of interactions in this community.

scholarly journals Journey of the Patient With Melanoma: Understanding Resource Use and Bridging the Gap Between Dermatologist, Surgeon, and Oncologist in Different Health Care Systems

2019 ◽  
pp. 1-8
Author(s):  
Cássia Rita Pereira da Veiga ◽  
Claudimar Pereira da Veiga ◽  
Ana Paula Drummond-Lage ◽  
Alberto Julius Alves Wainstein ◽  
Andreia Cristina de Melo
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Decision Making ◽  
Health Care Systems ◽  
Scientific Evidence ◽  
Health Resources ◽  
Medical Professionals ◽  
Public And Private ◽  
Patients With Cancer ◽  
Clinical Procedures ◽  
Care Systems

PURPOSE New scientific evidence has led to modifications in the clinical practice of handling melanoma. In health care systems, there is currently a wide variety of clinical procedures to treat cancer, and the various routes have different effects on the survival of patients with cancer. Thus, this article aimed to evaluate the journey of patients with melanoma in the public and private health care systems in Brazil from the viewpoint of different medical professionals involved in the diagnosis and treatment of the disease. The study also considers the resources used for the complete delivery cycle of health care at different stages of the evolution of melanoma. METHODS We conducted a behavioral study by applying a questionnaire to a group of medical professionals. A nonprobabilistic sampling method for convenience was used, justified by the heterogeneous national incidence and the limited availability of medical professionals who diagnose and treat melanoma. RESULTS The questionnaire was answered by 138 doctors, including doctors from the Brazilian states with the highest concentration of medical specialists and regions with a higher melanoma incidence. The results of this study have the potential to enrich our understanding of the reality of Brazilian health care systems and, at the same time, allow us to discuss the multiple ways in which professionals from diverse specialist fields understand and explain decision making in health care. CONCLUSION Health care decision making is complex and, among other factors, depends on the diversity of available health resources and the knowledge of which treatments provide the greatest benefit to patients and greatest value to the system as a whole. This work can inform debates and reflection that are applicable not only in Brazil, but also in various other countries with similar realities.

scholarly journals Rapid Implementation of Video Visits in Neurology During COVID-19: Mixed Methods Evaluation (Preprint)

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Erika A Saliba-Gustafsson ◽  
Rebecca Miller-Kuhlmann ◽  
Samantha M R Kling ◽  
Donn W Garvert ◽  
Cati G Brown-Johnson ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Mixed Methods ◽  
Care Delivery ◽  
Medical Center ◽  
Health Care Systems ◽  
Clinical Care ◽  
Academic Medical Center ◽  
Traditional Health ◽  
Traditional Health Care ◽  
Care Systems

BACKGROUND Telemedicine has been used for decades. Despite its many advantages, its uptake and rigorous evaluation of feasibility across neurology’s ambulatory subspecialties has been sparse. However, the COVID-19 pandemic prompted health care systems worldwide to reconsider traditional health care delivery. To safeguard health care workers and patients, many health care systems quickly transitioned to telemedicine, including across neurology subspecialties, providing a new opportunity to evaluate this modality of care. OBJECTIVE To evaluate the accelerated implementation of video visits in ambulatory neurology during the COVID-19 pandemic, we used mixed methods to assess adoption, acceptability, appropriateness, and perceptions of potential sustainability. METHODS Video visits were launched rapidly in ambulatory neurology clinics of a large academic medical center. To assess adoption, we analyzed clinician-level scheduling data collected between March 22 and May 16, 2020. We assessed acceptability, appropriateness, and sustainability via a clinician survey (n=48) and semistructured interviews with providers (n=30) completed between March and May 2020. RESULTS Video visits were adopted rapidly; overall, 65 (98%) clinicians integrated video visits into their workflow within the first 6 implementation weeks and 92% of all visits were conducted via video. Video visits were largely considered acceptable by clinicians, although various technological issues impacted their satisfaction. Video visits were reported to be more convenient for patients, families, and caregivers than in-person visits; however, access to technology, the patient’s technological capacity, and language difficulties were considered barriers. Many clinicians expressed optimism about future utilization of video visits in neurology. They believed that video visits promote continuity of care and can be incorporated into their practice long-term, although several insisted that they can never replace the in-person examination. CONCLUSIONS Video visits are an important addition to clinical care in ambulatory neurology and are anticipated to remain a permanent supplement to in-person visits, promoting patient care continuity, and flexibility for patients and clinicians alike.

Perspective modification of medical education in the sphere of telemedicine in Ukraine based on experience gained during professional internships in Poland

2018 ◽  
Vol 14 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ilona Michalik ◽  
Anna Kańtoch ◽  
Anna Petiurenko
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Medical Education ◽  
Health Care Systems ◽  
Health Care Facilities ◽  
Medical Professionals ◽  
Medical Specialties ◽  
Professional Activities ◽  
Medical Education System ◽  
Care Facilities ◽  
Care Systems

Abstract The processes of globalization and integration, as well as technologies and computerization, occurring in public life cause significant changes in all its spheres, especially in medicine. Nowadays, computerization of health-care facilities has become the norm of their development. However, rapid technological change requires the modernization of medical education system, revising the approaches to the training of competitive medical professionals who will able to adapt quickly to changes in the field of health care. The research issue concerns the processes of future medical professionals’ training. The importance of telemedicine in health-care systems of Ukraine and Poland is justified. It is suggested that the problem of telemedicine and e-health usage in the process of medical professionals’ training in Ukraine is not studied sufficiently and does not have practical consolidation. The didactic methodology of medical specialties students training for the use of telemedicine technologies in future professional activities is developed.

scholarly journals Trans*Forming Access and Care in Rural Areas: A Community-Engaged Approach

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (23) ◽  
pp. 12700
Author(s):  
Megan E. Gandy ◽  
Kacie M. Kidd ◽  
James Weiss ◽  
Judith Leitch ◽  
Xavier Hersom
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Mixed Methods ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Health Care Systems ◽  
Community Advisory Board ◽  
Care Needs ◽  
Gender Diverse ◽  
Care Systems ◽  
Quantitative Results ◽  
And Gender

Research indicates that rural transgender and gender diverse (TGD) populations have a greater need for health services when compared with their urban counterparts, face unique barriers to accessing services, and have health disparities that are less researched than urban TGD populations. Therefore, the primary aim of this mixed-methods study (n = 24) was to increase research on the health care needs of TGD people in a rural Appalachian American context. This study was guided by a community-engaged model utilizing a community advisory board of TGD people and supportive parents of TGD children. Quantitative results indicate that travel burden is high, affirming provider availability is low, and the impacts on the health and mental health of TGD people in this sample are notable. Qualitative results provide recommendations for providers and health care systems to better serve this population. Integrated mixed-methods results further illustrate ways that rural TGD people and families adapt to the services available to them, sometimes at significant economic and emotional costs. This study contributes to the small but growing body of literature on the unique needs of rural TGD populations, including both adults and minors with supportive parents, by offering insights into strategies to address known disparities.

scholarly journals Mobile Health Solutions for Hypertensive Disorders in Pregnancy: Scoping Literature Review (Preprint)

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Octavio Rivera-Romero ◽  
Alberto Olmo ◽  
Rocío Muñoz ◽  
Pablo Stiefel ◽  
María Luisa Miranda ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Clinical Practice ◽  
Health Care Systems ◽  
Medical Professionals ◽  
Current Clinical Practice ◽  
Hypertensive Disorders ◽  
Resource Poor ◽  
Hypertensive Disorders In Pregnancy ◽  
Care Systems ◽  
Positive Results

BACKGROUND Hypertensive disorders are the most common complications during pregnancy, occurring in 5% to 11% of pregnancies; gestational hypertension and preeclampsia are the leading causes of perinatal and maternal morbidity and mortality, especially in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC) where maternal and perinatal mortality ratios are still high. Pregnant women with hypertensive disorders could greatly benefit from mobile health (mHealth) solutions as a novel way to identify and control early symptoms, as shown in an increasing number of publications in the field. Such digital health solutions may overcome access limiting factors and the lack of skilled medical professionals and finances commonly presented in resource-poor environments. OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to conduct a literature review of mHealth solutions used as support in hypertensive disorders during pregnancy, with the objective to identify the most relevant protocols and prototypes that could influence and improve current clinical practice. METHODS A methodological review following a scoping methodology was conducted. Manuscripts published in research journals reporting technical information of mHealth solutions for hypertensive disorders in pregnancy were included, categorizing articles in different groups: Diagnosis and Monitoring, mHealth Decision Support System, Education, and Health Promotion, and seven research questions were posed to study the manuscripts. RESULTS The search in electronic research databases yielded 327 articles. After removing duplicates, 230 articles were selected for screening. Finally, 11 articles met the inclusion criteria, and data were extracted from them. Very positive results in the improvement of maternal health and acceptability of solutions were found, although most of the studies involved a small number of participants, and none were complete clinical studies. Accordingly, none of the reported prototypes were integrated in the different health care systems. Only 4 studies used sensors for physiological measurements, and only 2 used blood pressure sensors despite the importance of this physiological parameter in the control of hypertension. The reported mHealth solutions have great potential to improve clinical practice in areas lacking skilled medical professionals or with a low health care budget, of special relevance in LMIC, although again, no extensive clinical validation has been carried out in these environments. CONCLUSIONS mHealth solutions hold enormous potential to support hypertensive disorders during pregnancy and improve current clinical practice. Although very positive results have been reported in terms of usability and the improvement of maternal health, rigorous complete clinical trials are still necessary to support integration in health care systems. There is a clear need for simple mHealth solutions specifically developed for resource-poor environments that meet the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (SDG); of enormous interest in LMIC.

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