scholarly journals Predicting Prediabetes Through Facebook Postings: Protocol for a Mixed-Methods Study (Preprint)

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiaomeng Xu ◽  
Michelle L Litchman ◽  
Perry M Gee ◽  
Webb Whatcott ◽  
Loni Chacon ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Social Media ◽  
Pilot Study ◽  
Health Care Professionals ◽  
Qualitative Content Analysis ◽  
Quantitative Methodology ◽  
Data Coding ◽  
Before And After ◽  
First Results ◽  
Social Media Platforms

BACKGROUND The field of infodemiology uses health care trends found in public networks, such as social media, to track and quantify the spread of disease. Type 2 diabetes is on the rise worldwide, and social media may be useful in identifying prediabetes through behavior exhibited through social media platforms such as Facebook and thus in designing and administering early interventions and containing further progression of the disease. OBJECTIVE This pilot study is designed to investigate the social media behavior of individuals with prediabetes, before and after diagnosis. Pre- and postdiagnosis Facebook content (posts) of such individuals will be used to create a taxonomy of prediabetes indicators and to identify themes and factors associated with an actual diagnosis of prediabetes. METHODS This is a single-center exploratory retrospective study that examines 20 adults with prediabetes. The investigators will code Facebook posts 3 months before through 3 months after prediabetes diagnosis. Data will be analyzed using both qualitative content analysis methodology as well as quantitative methodology to characterize participants and compare their posts pre- and postdiagnosis. RESULTS The project was funded for 2015-2018, and enrollment will be completed by the end of 2018. Data coding is currently under way and the first results are expected to be submitted for publication in 2019. Results will include both quantitative and qualitative data about participants and the similarities and differences between coded social media posts. CONCLUSIONS This pilot study is the first step in creating a taxonomy of social media indicators for prediabetes. Such a taxonomy would provide a tool for researchers and health care professionals to use social media postings for identifying those at greater risk of having prediabetes. INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPOR DERR1-10.2196/10720

scholarly journals Health Care Professionals’ Social Media Behavior and the Underlying Factors of Social Media Adoption and Use: Quantitative Study (Preprint)

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joe Hazzam ◽  
Abdelmounaim Lahrech
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Social Media ◽  
Interpersonal Communication ◽  
Health Care Professionals ◽  
Medical Information ◽  
Care Practice ◽  
Frequency Of Use ◽  
Social Media Platforms ◽  
Use Of Social Media ◽  
Productivity Enhancement

BACKGROUND In the last decade, social media has emerged as a newer platform for knowledge dissemination, information exchange, and interpersonal communication for health care professionals (HCPs). However, the underlying behaviors of HCPs and the ethical use of social media for productivity enhancement and a sustainable health care system remain ambiguous. OBJECTIVE This study seeks to understand the factors that relate to the frequency use of social media in the health care discipline. It also aims to explore the underlying online behaviors of HCPs, which include the exchange of medical information with peers, interpersonal communication, and productivity enhancement in their daily practice. METHODS This study adopted the quantitative method in collecting and analyzing data. A survey instrument based on the behavioral and technology acceptance theories was developed for this purpose. The survey was distributed via social media platforms to 973 participants that included physicians, pharmacists, and allied HCPs working in the United Arab Emirates. The responses from 203 completed questionnaires (response rate 20.3%) were analyzed. RESULTS Of 203 respondents, 133 HCPs used WhatsApp (65.5%); therefore, WhatsApp had the highest number of users compared to Facebook and YouTube, with 101 users out of 203 (49.7%). Overall, 109 of 203 (53.6%) HCPs used social media platforms for the exchange of peer medical information and 108 of 203 (53.2%) used social media several times during the day to improve their interpersonal communication with colleagues. However, only 71 of 203 (34.9%) utilized social media to enhance their productivity in general. The structural model equation showed that behavioral intention (beta=.47; P<.001), habit (beta=.26; P=.001), attitude (beta=.20; P=.002), and perceived usefulness (beta=.12; P=.09) were positively and significantly related to frequency of use. The model explained a rate of 45% variance in the frequency of use and a rate of 17% variance in the social media intention of use. CONCLUSIONS The research highlights the significant factors that relate to the adoption of social media platforms in health care practice. Based on the findings of this study, the use of online platforms facilitates the exchange of medical information among peers and enhances the share of experiences that support HCP’s learning and development. Moreover, social media platforms foster a higher level of communication among practitioners and might improve daily productivity. Future researchers might explore other variables such as training and external factors. For instance, they may draw on areas related to guidelines and policies. From this standpoint, the health care discipline can benefit from highly interactive platforms and adopt them for development, collaboration, and better health outcomes.

scholarly journals Social Media and Medical Education in the Context of the COVID-19 Pandemic: Scoping Review (Preprint)

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marc Katz ◽  
Neilanjan Nandi
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Social Media ◽  
Medical Education ◽  
Health Care Professionals ◽  
Informal Education ◽  
Medical Training ◽  
Leadership Roles ◽  
Cultural Changes ◽  
Social Media Platforms ◽  
Use Of Social Media

BACKGROUND The COVID-19 pandemic has brought virtual web-based learning to the forefront of medical education as training programs adapt to physical distancing challenges while maintaining the rigorous standards of medical training. Social media has unique and partially untapped potential to supplement formal medical education. OBJECTIVE The aim of this review is to provide a summary of the incentives, applications, challenges, and pitfalls of social media–based medical education for both trainees and educators. METHODS We performed a literature review via PubMed of medical research involving social media platforms, including Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, WhatsApp, and podcasts. Papers were reviewed for inclusion based on the integrity and power of the study. RESULTS The unique characteristics of social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, WhatsApp, and podcasts endow them with unique communication capabilities that serve different educational purposes in both formal and informal education settings. However, contemporary medical education curricula lack widespread guidance on meaningful use, application, and deployment of social media in medical education. CONCLUSIONS Clinicians and institutions must evolve to embrace the use of social media platforms for medical education. Health care professionals can approach social media engagement in the same ethical manner that they would with patients in person; however, health care institutions ultimately must enable their health care professionals to achieve this by enacting realistic social media policies. Institutions should appoint clinicians with strong social media experience to leadership roles to spearhead these generational and cultural changes. Further studies are needed to better understand how health care professionals can most effectively use social media platforms as educational tools. Ultimately, social media is here to stay, influencing lay public knowledge and trainee knowledge. Clinicians and institutions must embrace this complementary modality of trainee education and champion social media as a novel distribution platform that can also help propagate truth in a time of misinformation, such as the COVID-19 pandemic.

scholarly journals Social Media Representation of Chronic Cerebrospinal Venous Insufficiency Intervention for Multiple Sclerosis

2016 ◽  
Vol 18 (2) ◽  
pp. 49-57 ◽  
Author(s):  
Setareh Ghahari ◽  
Susan J. Forwell
Keyword(s):  
Multiple Sclerosis ◽  
Health Care ◽  
Social Media ◽  
Health Care Professionals ◽  
Venous Insufficiency ◽  
Scientific Evidence ◽  
Chronic Cerebrospinal Venous Insufficiency ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Social Persuasion

Background: We conducted a rigorous review of videos related to multiple sclerosis (MS) and chronic cerebrospinal venous insufficiency (CCSVI) treatment posted by people with MS on one social media website (YouTube) that describe symptoms before and after the surgical procedure, as well as videos presented by health-care professionals (HCPs). Methods: All relevant videos posted from December 2009 to July 2011 were downloaded, viewed, and systematically organized. Categorical data were classified, and dominant messages were gleaned. Results: A total of 1789 videos were extracted. A total of 621 videos by people with MS and 238 by HCPs were included. Eighty-six percent of people with MS anecdotally reported experiencing some improvement in at least one symptom. The most common message was that “CCSVI is not a miracle but worth trying.” Most HCPs posting videos recommended the procedure but called for continued research. Conclusions: Social media are conveying an anecdotal favorable message about CCSVI treatment for MS. The relative absence of videos offering a negative or more balanced perspective is a concern. Social persuasion through these videos creates a strong positive impression of CCSVI treatment, but the videos do not acknowledge the lack of supporting scientific evidence and the possible role of the placebo effect. Given the strong influence of social media on health-care decision making, researchers and clinicians should actively use social media to reach out to people with MS and describe the state of the evidence for MS treatments, both positive and negative.

Benefits, Challenges, and Social Impact of Health Care Providers’ Adoption of Social Media

2021 ◽  
pp. 089443932110257
Author(s):  
Md Irfanuzzaman Khan ◽  
Jennifer (M.I.) Loh
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Social Media ◽  
Health Promotion ◽  
Health Care Providers ◽  
Health Care Professionals ◽  
Community Support ◽  
Care Providers ◽  
Australian Health ◽  
Actual Use ◽  
Use Of Social Media

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.

scholarly journals How Popular Culture Prompts Youth Collective Political Expression and Cross-Cutting Political Talk on Social Media: A Cross-Platform Analysis

2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 205630512110088
Author(s):  
Ioana Literat ◽  
Neta Kligler-Vilenchik
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Popular Culture ◽  
Qualitative Content Analysis ◽  
Political Expression ◽  
Political Views ◽  
Political Talk ◽  
Social Media Platforms ◽  
Cross Platform ◽  
Symbolic Resource ◽  
Political Differences

Adopting a comparative cross-platform approach, we examine youth political expression and conversation on social media, as prompted by popular culture. Tracking a common case study—the practice of building Donald Trump’s border wall within the videogame Fortnite—across three social media platforms popular with youth (YouTube, TikTok, Instagram), we ask: How do popular culture artifacts prompt youth political expression, as well as cross-cutting political talk with those holding different political views, across social media platforms? A mixed methods approach, combining quantitative and qualitative content analysis of around 6,400 comments posted on relevant artifacts, illuminates youth popular culture as a shared symbolic resource that stimulates communication within and across political differences—although, as our findings show, it is often deployed in a disparaging manner. This cross-platform analysis, grounded in contemporary youth culture and sociopolitical dynamics, enables a deeper understanding of the interplay between popular culture, cross-cutting political talk, and the role that different social media platforms play in shaping these expressive practices.

scholarly journals The South Korean Government’s Response to Combat COVID-19 Misinformation: Analysis of “Fact and Issue Check” on the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Website

2021 ◽  
pp. 101053952110147
Author(s):  
Yaena Song ◽  
Linda Ko ◽  
Sou Hyun Jang
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Disease Control ◽  
Health Care Professionals ◽  
Government Agencies ◽  
Future Studies ◽  
South Korean ◽  
Control And Prevention ◽  
Social Media Platforms ◽  
Fact Checking ◽  
Centers For Disease Control

This study aimed to examine the types of misinformation spreading in South Korea during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic by exploring the fact-checking posts uploaded on the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) website. We conducted a content analysis of the posts written on the KCDC website titled, “COVID-19: Fact and Issue Check,” from February to August 2020 (n = 81). Two coders individually coded the posts using a codebook. Discrepancies in coding were discussed to reach reconciliation. Fifteen different Korean government agencies used the KCDC platform to refute various topics of COVID-19 misinformation, including policy (42.0%), how to prevent the spread (16.0%), health care professionals (12.3%), testing (11.1%), prevention (self-care) (9.9%), masks (8.6%), confirmed cases (8.6%), statistics (3.7%), self-quarantine (2.5%), and treatment (1.2%). We found that there are more dissemination and correction of nonmedical areas of COVID-19 misinformation than medical areas in Korea. Future studies need to examine to what extent the corrected COVID-19 misinformation has been disseminated on different social media platforms, beyond the KCDC website.

Older adults’ philanthropic crafting of face masks during COVID-19

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 223-245 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christine Guy Schnittka
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Health Care ◽  
Social Media ◽  
Virtual Community ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Moral Values ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Front Line ◽  
Social Media Platforms ◽  
Front Line Workers

During the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic, people of all ages began sewing fabric face masks. Organized through separate grassroots movements, oftentimes using social media platforms, people pooled their resources to make masks for front line workers and others in desperate need. While some people sold these face masks, many participated in philanthropic crafting, donating them to hospitals and other health care centres. Older adults were identified early on as being particularly vulnerable to the effects of the virus, and so their response to mitigate the impacts of the pandemic through crafting was salient. This study investigated the experience of philanthropic hand crafting by older adults who were living through the COVID-19 pandemic. Twenty-seven older adults of age 60–87 who sewed masks for others were interviewed. A comprehensive data analysis of these interviews yielded 39 descriptive codes that were collapsed into eight themes: emotions, engagement, meaning, relationships, accomplishment, intellect, moral values and agency. One finding was that there were psychological, relational and existential benefits for the crafters. Making masks allowed participants to help other people, and it gave the participants a feeling of value, worthiness and purpose. Additionally, participants felt more in control in a chaotic world as they made masks to protect themselves, their loved ones, as well as strangers. The philanthropic crafting enhanced older adults’ well-being in many ways, and lessons learned from this study could be extended into ‘normal times’. For example, more older adults would be able to participate in craft-based philanthropy if they had access to the tools and materials. They would be more motivated if they received thank you notes and pictures of the recipients using their handmade gifts, and if they could express their creativity more. Finally, creating a physical or virtual community for older adults around craft philanthropy would help older adults feel more connected to and supported by their peers, and the community at large.

Leveraging Social Media for Human Factors Research in Health Care

2021 ◽  
Vol 65 (1) ◽  
pp. 82-85
Author(s):  
Rupa S. Valdez ◽  
Annie T. Chen ◽  
Andrew J. Hampton ◽  
Kapil Chalil Madathil ◽  
Elizabeth Lerner Papautsky ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Social Media ◽  
Human Factors ◽  
Disaster Response ◽  
Academic Research ◽  
Gender Based Violence ◽  
Ethical Implications ◽  
Social Media Platforms ◽  
Study Participants ◽  
Human Factors Research

There has been a significant increase in using social media for academic research and there is an opportunity for human factors professionals to incorporate these platforms into their research. Social media platforms provide a rich space to study extant data on health information communication, behaviors, and impacts and to recruit study participants. In this session, panelists will discuss using social media to study health-related topics including health management, gender-based violence, disaster response, self-harm, patient ergonomics, and secondary impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. They will share how they have collected and analyzed data and recruited study participants from social media platforms such as Twitter, Reddit, and Facebook. They will also speak to the benefits and challenges of as well as ethical implications for using social media for research. There will be space for a moderated discussion to identify ways social media can be leveraged for human factors research in health care.

scholarly journals In-Home Telerehabilitation for Post-Knee Arthroplasty: A Pilot Study

2009 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 9-16 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michel Tousignant ◽  
Patrick Boissy ◽  
Hélène Corriveau ◽  
Hélène Moffet ◽  
François Cabana
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Pilot Study ◽  
Acute Care ◽  
Knee Arthroplasty ◽  
Health Care Professionals ◽  
Acute Care Hospital ◽  
Rehabilitation Services ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Care Hospital ◽  
Post Discharge

The purpose of this study was to investigate the efficacy of in-home telerehabilitation as an alternative to conventional rehabilitation services following knee arthroplasty. Five community-living elders who had knee arthroplasty were recruited prior to discharge from an acute care hospital. A pre/post-test design without a control group was used for this pilot study. Telerehabilitation sessions (16) were conducted by two trained physiotherapists from a service center to the patient’s home using H264 videoconference CODECs (Tandberg 550 MXP) connected at 512 Kb\s. Disability (range of motion, balance and lower body strength) and function (locomotor performance in walking and functional autonomy) were measured in face-to-face evaluations prior to and at the end of the treatments by a neutral evaluator. The satisfaction of the health care professional and patient was measured by questionnaire. Results are as follows. One participant was lost during follow-up. Clinical outcomes improved for all subjects and improvements were sustained two months post-discharge from in-home telerehabilitation. The satisfaction of the participants with in-home telerehabilitation services was very high. The satisfaction of the health care professionals with the technology and the communication experience during the therapy sessions was similar or slightly lower. In conclusion, telerehabilitation for post-knee arthroplasty is a realistic alternative for dispensing rehabilitation services for patients discharged from an acute care hospital.Keywords: Telerehabilitation, Physical Therapy, Total Knee Arthroplasty, Videoconferencing

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