scholarly journals Predatory journals, fake conferences and misleading social media: The dark side of medical information

2021 ◽  
Vol 60 (2) ◽  
pp. 79-81
Author(s):  
Suzana Kert ◽  
Igor Švab
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Health Professionals ◽  
Healthcare Professionals ◽  
Medical Information ◽  
Dark Side ◽  
Information Revolution ◽  
Predatory Journals ◽  
The Public ◽  
Health Damage ◽  
Lay Public

Abstract We live in an age of information revolution, where trends in informing physicians and the lay public bring new challenges that must be faced by healthcare professionals. Predatory journals and fake conferences are common. Social media is full of false information, which results in serious public health damage. Therefore, it is important that health professionals communicate properly with the public and patients and that they address the education of both the public and other health professionals.

scholarly journals Patterns of use and perceived value of social media for population health among population health stakeholders: a cross-sectional web-based survey

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sungwon Yoon ◽  
Sharon Wee ◽  
Vivian S. Y. Lee ◽  
Jing Lin ◽  
Julian Thumboo
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Community Engagement ◽  
Population Health ◽  
Preventive Care ◽  
Health Professionals ◽  
Healthcare Professionals ◽  
Web Based ◽  
Healthy Behaviors ◽  
Time Investment ◽  
Patterns Of Use

Abstract Background Although existing studies have described patterns of social media use in healthcare, most are focused on health professionals in one discipline. Population health requires a multi-disciplinary approach to ensure diversity and to include diverse stakeholders. To date, what is known about using social media in population health is focused on its potential as a communication tool. This study aims to investigate patterns of use and perceived value of social media usage among stakeholders in population health practice, policy, or research. Methods We conducted a web-based survey of delegates attending the Singapore Population Health Conversations and Workshop. We designed a 24-item questionnaire to assess 1) social media use in terms of type of platform and frequency of use; 2) perceptions of social media relevance and impact on population health; and 3) top three areas in population health that would benefit from social media. We used descriptive and logistic regression analyses to assess the relationships between variables. Results Of the 308 survey respondents, 97.7% reported that they use social media in some form. Messaging (96.8%) was the most dominant activity when using social media. Challenges in implementing social media for population health were time investment by health care professionals (56.2%) and patient adoption (52.9%). The top three population health areas that would benefit most from using social media were the promotion of healthy behaviors (60.7%), community engagement (47.7%), and preventive care (40.6%). Older respondents (> = 40 years) were less likely to view social media as useful for the promotion of healthy behaviors (OR = 0.34; 95% CI: 0.19–0.60). Non-social/healthcare professionals were more likely to consider social media to be useful for community engagement (OR = 1.74; 95% CI: 1.10–2.76). For preventive care, older respondents (OR = 0.51; 95% CI: 0.32–0.82) and non-social/healthcare professionals were less likely to view social media as useful (OR = 0.61; 95% CI: 0.38–0.97). Conclusions Our findings suggest that it may be important to select the specific care areas that would benefit most from using social media. The time investment needed by population health professionals should be fully addressed in planning to maximize the application and potential value of social media.

scholarly journals Preserving professional identities, behaviors, and values in digital professionalism using social networking sites; a systematic review

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Shaista Salman Guraya ◽  
Salman Yousuf Guraya ◽  
Muhamad Saiful Bahri Yusoff
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Social Media ◽  
Social Networking ◽  
Health Professionals ◽  
Social Networking Sites ◽  
Healthcare Professionals ◽  
Professional Identities ◽  
Professional Behaviors ◽  
Digital Era ◽  
Use Of Social Media

Abstract Background Despite a rapid rise of use of social media in medical disciplines, uncertainty prevails among healthcare professionals for providing medical content on social media. There are also growing concerns about unprofessional behaviors and blurring of professional identities that are undermining digital professionalism. This review tapped the literature to determine the impact of social media on medical professionalism and how can professional identities and values be maintained in digital era. Methods We searched the databases of PubMed, ProQuest, ScienceDirect, Web of Science, and EBSCO host using (professionalism AND (professionalism OR (professional identity) OR (professional behaviors) OR (professional values) OR (professional ethics))) AND ((social media) AND ((social media) OR (social networking sites) OR Twitter OR Facebook)) AND (health professionals). The research questions were based on sample (health professionals), phenomenon of interest (digital professionalism), design, evaluation and research type. We screened initial yield of titles using pre-determined inclusion and exclusion criteria and selected a group of articles for qualitative analysis. We used the Biblioshiny® software package for the generation of popular concepts as clustered keywords. Results Our search yielded 44 articles with four leading themes; marked rise in the use of social media by healthcare professionals and students, negative impact of social media on digital professionalism, blurring of medical professional values, behaviors, and identity in the digital era, and limited evidence for teaching and assessing digital professionalism. A high occurrence of violation of patient privacy, professional integrity and cyberbullying were identified. Our search revealed a paucity of existing guidelines and policies for digital professionalism that can safeguard healthcare professionals, students and patients. Conclusions Our systematic review reports a significant rise of unprofessional behaviors in social media among healthcare professionals. We could not identify the desired professional behaviors and values essential for digital identity formation. The boundaries between personal and professional practices are mystified in digital professionalism. These findings call for potential educational ramifications to resurrect professional virtues, behaviors and identities of healthcare professionals and students.

scholarly journals It is ethical to diagnose a public figure one has not personally examined

2018 ◽  
Vol 213 (5) ◽  
pp. 633-637 ◽  
Author(s):  
John Gartner ◽  
Alex Langford ◽  
Aileen O'Brien
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Social Media ◽  
British Journal ◽  
Mental Health Professionals ◽  
Health Professionals ◽  
Public Figure ◽  
Duty To Warn ◽  
The Public ◽  
Public Figures ◽  
The Press

SummaryShould psychiatrists be able to speculate in the press or social media about their theories? John Gartner argues the risk to warn the public of concerns about public figures overrides the duty of confidentiality; whereas Alex Langford suggests this is beyond the ethical remit of psychiatric practice.Declaration of interestA.O'B is joint debates and analysis Editor of the British Journal of Psychiatry. J.G. is the founder of Duty To Warn, an association of mental health professionals who advocate the president's removal under the 25th Amendment on the grounds that he is psychologically unfit and dangerous.

scholarly journals The “Obiettivo Antibiotico” Campaign on Prudent Use of Antibiotics in Sicily, Italy: The Pilot Phase

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (9) ◽  
pp. 3077 ◽  
Author(s):  
Martina Barchitta ◽  
Annalisa Quattrocchi ◽  
Andrea Maugeri ◽  
Maria Clara La Rosa ◽  
Claudia La Mastra ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Antimicrobial Resistance ◽  
General Public ◽  
Healthcare Professionals ◽  
Educational Interventions ◽  
World Health ◽  
Pilot Phase ◽  
The Public ◽  
The World ◽  
Health Organization

The issue of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a focus of the World Health Organization, which proposes educational interventions targeting the public and healthcare professionals. Here, we present the first attempt at a regionwide multicomponent campaign in Sicily (Italy), called “Obiettivo Antibiotico”, which aims to raise the awareness of prudent use of antibiotics in the public and in healthcare professionals. The campaign was designed by an interdisciplinary academic team, and an interactive website was populated with different materials, including key messages, letters, slogans, posters, factsheets, leaflets, and videos. The campaign was launched in November 2018 and, as of 21 December 2018, the website had a total of 1159 unique visitors, of which 190 became champions by pledging to take simple actions to support the fight against AMR. Data from social media showed that the audience was between 18 and 54 years of age, with a high proportion of female participants (64%). Interestingly, the LinkedIn page received more than 1200 followers, and Facebook 685 followers. The number of actions taken (pledges) by the audience was 458, evenly divided between experts (53%) and the general public (47%). Additional efforts are needed to reach more people, thus future efforts should focus on further promotion within the Sicilian region to sustain the engagement with the campaign.

Contrasting fake news in oncology: The first declaration of good communication.

2020 ◽  
Vol 38 (15_suppl) ◽  
pp. e19231-e19231
Author(s):  
Rossana Berardi ◽  
Roberto Papa ◽  
Valerio Mattia Scandali ◽  
Mariangela Torniai ◽  
Maurizio Blasi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Health Professionals ◽  
Strategic Alliance ◽  
Medical Information ◽  
Consensus Conference ◽  
Good Communication ◽  
Common Criteria ◽  
Effective Dissemination ◽  
The World ◽  
Considerable Impact

e19231 Background: Nowadays, in the “era of technology”, websites, online journals and social media give access to an extraordinary amount of medical information; moreover, many patients and their families employ websites and social media searching for additional clarifications about their own malignancies and the prescribed treatments. Misleading news are often disseminated generating false expectations, exaggerated anxiety and confusion even on officially supported websites. In oncology setting, disinformation is perhaps more deleterious than in other fields, with a considerable impact on single patients as well as on families and, more in general, on Public Health. In order to promote the best interaction between the world of health and the world of communication, a table of experts was established with the aim to draft a shared document identifying strategies to overcome barriers between communication and health care as well as to propose common criteria for an effective dissemination of medical information. Methods: On the basis of the "consensus conference" method in the RAND/UCLA variant, a modified version of Delphi methodology, a literature research has been conducted with the aim to select studies related to the best practices applied to health journalism regarding oncology setting. Results: Sixteen articles met the inclusion criteria, from which 72 recommendations were extracted and submitted to experts in communication and health professionals included in the technical table. After the evaluation of this panel, 57 recommendations scored more than 7 representing the selected statements shared together by communication experts and health professionals. This consensus and the drawn up shared document represent a concrete attempt to found a renewed and strategic alliance between health and communication operators in order to produce useful and reproducible indications for an effective dissemination of medical information. Conclusions: As the “American Declaration of Independence”, our “Declaration of Good Communication” has identified high-impact recommendations for the best management of patients, providing simple but fundamental concepts and recommendations about effective communication especially in oncology setting.

scholarly journals The role of social media in primary care

2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (2) ◽  
pp. 14-18
Author(s):  
Aneesa Abdul Rashid ◽  
Ahmed Kamarulzaman ◽  
Sakinah Sulong ◽  
Suhazeli Abdullah
Keyword(s):  
Primary Care ◽  
Social Media ◽  
Healthcare Professionals ◽  
Daily Life ◽  
First Line ◽  
The Public ◽  
Business Meetings ◽  
New Information ◽  
Primary Care Doctors

Online activities have become the norm. From searching for new information to conducting business meetings, social media’s role in daily life continues to grow in prominence. It is estimated that the majority of the population uses social media, and users include doctors and other healthcare professionals. It is critical for primary care doctors to note how social media can substantially influence one’s healthcare behaviour and decision making. Because primary care doctors are usually the first line of contact for patients, they are the most easily accessible and most instrumental in using social media to steer the public toward proper information on healthcare.

scholarly journals Social Media as Solace for Psoriasis: Do providers or influencers take the lead? (Preprint)

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sarin Pakhdikian ◽  
Benjamin K P Woo
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Emotional Support ◽  
Healthcare Professionals ◽  
Traditional Approach ◽  
Social Aspects ◽  
Psychosocial Needs ◽  
Inflammatory Skin Disease ◽  
The Public ◽  
Use Of The Internet ◽  
Distinguishing Features

BACKGROUND Psoriasis is a multisystem chronic inflammatory skin disease. It is a relatively common disorder that occurs in children and adults. The burden of psoriasis impacts both the physiologic and psychological areas of one’s life. Given the robust use of the internet and social media, patients have turned to Instagram for educational and social support to discuss psoriasis. OBJECTIVE This study aimed to characterize how patients interact with Instagram to cope with the bio-psycho-social aspects of psoriasis. We analyzed the interaction between journals and organizations compared to public profiles of individuals diagnosed with psoriasis who provided information and refuge. Our goal was to identify how followers engaged and what type of content they were most receptive to. METHODS All journals and organizations representing psoriasis were selected for review. The top 10 public profiles of individuals diagnosed with psoriasis we also selected for comparison. The number of followers, following, and posts were noted to understand the popularity. The number of likes and comments was also recorded to understand engagement. RESULTS When comparing the journals and organizations to the public profiles, the former held a greater number of followers but engaged less with the audience on Instagram based on the number of profiles they followed. Profiles with respect to individuals with psoriasis produced content that was more personal and relatable, including experiences with flares, motivational text, and emotional support. The content produced by journals and organizations was geared towards education, providing peer-reviewed resources and commentary from licensed healthcare professionals. Followers were more engaged via “likes” than “comments” on Instagram profiles of journals and organizations, as well as public profiles of individuals diagnosed with psoriasis. CONCLUSIONS There was an evident online presence of journals and organizations, and public profiles of individuals providing content on psoriasis on Instagram. However, there were distinguishing features of the type of content being produced on these accounts. Where journals and organizations took the traditional approach in providing evidence-based information, the public profiles of individuals related to the psychosocial needs of the psoriasis community. These 10 profiles navigated their posts with creativity and real experiences, which was evidently well-received based on the “likes” and “comments”. This research helps us appreciate what the audience on Instagram is looking for to further address how we merge these needs to provide a holistic platform on Instagram for both providers and patients. Social media creates the space for collaboration, which can be advantageous for journals and organizations to work with individuals who already have a public presence on Instagram. As many more healthcare professionals begin to appreciate its role in medicine, a sense of community can be built with it.

scholarly journals Exploring depressive symptoms among healthcare professionals and the general population during the COVID-19 pandemic in Brazil

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alex Bacadini França ◽  
Clarissa Trzesniak ◽  
Patrícia Waltz Schelini ◽  
Gerson Hiroshi Yoshinari Júnior ◽  
Luciano Magalhães Vitorino
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Depressive Symptoms ◽  
Missing Data ◽  
General Population ◽  
Data Collection ◽  
Health Professionals ◽  
Healthcare Professionals ◽  
Social Media Networks ◽  
Electronic Form ◽  
Application Data

Data collection was carried out between May 11 and June 3, 2020 using an online electronic form, which was prepared by using the Google Forms application. Data collection started three months after the sanction of the Brazilian law which regulates about the quarantine period and specific measures against the new coronavirus. The link was sent through social media networks. The estimated time to fulfill the forms was less than 15 minutes. Participants should be 18 years and over, be in quarantine for at least 15 days (except health professionals), be Brazilian or naturalized and reside in Brazilian territory during the pandemic. Questionnaires with missing data were excluded

scholarly journals Preserving Professional Identities, Behaviors, and Values in Digital Professionalism: A Scoping Review

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shaista Salman Guraya ◽  
Salman Yousuf Guraya ◽  
Muhammad Saiful Bahri Yusoff
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Scoping Review ◽  
Health Professionals ◽  
Healthcare Professionals ◽  
Professional Values ◽  
Rapid Rise ◽  
Professional Identities ◽  
Digital Era ◽  
Use Of Social Media ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Background Despite a rapid rise of use of social media in medical disciplines, uncertainty prevails among healthcare professionals for providing medical content on social media. There are also growing concerns about unprofessional behaviors and blurring of professional identities that are undermining digital professionalism. This review tapped the literature to determine the impact of social media on medical professionalism and how can professional identities and values be maintained in digital era. Methods We searched the databases of PubMed, ProQuest, ScienceDirect, Web of Science, and EBSCO host using (professionalism AND (professionalism OR (professional identity) OR (professional behaviors) OR (professional values) OR (professional ethics))) AND ((social media) AND ((social media) OR (social networking sites) OR Twitter OR facebook)) AND (health professionals). The research questions were based on participants (health professionals), concept (professionalism), and context (social media, digital world). We screened initial yield of titles using pre-determined inclusion and exclusion criteria and selected a group of articles for qualitative analysis. We used the Biblioshiny® software package for generation of popular concepts as clustered keywords. Results Our search yielded 44 articles with four leading themes; marked rise in use of social media by healthcare professionals and students, negative impact of social media on digital professionalism, blurring of medical professional values, behaviors, and identity in digital era, limited evidence for teaching and assessing digital professionalism. A high occurrence of violation of patient privacy and professional integrity and cyberbullying is reported. There are no existing guidelines and policies for digital professionalism that can safeguard healthcare professionals, students and patients. Conclusion Our scoping review reports a rapid rise of unprofessional behaviors on social media among healthcare professionals. The boundaries between personal and professional practices are mystified in digital professionalism. These findings call for potential educational ramifications to resurrect professional virtues, behaviors and identities of healthcare professionals and students.

scholarly journals Dolezal, L., Rose, A., and Cooper, F. COVID-19, Online Shaming and Healthcare Professionals.

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Luna Dolezal ◽  
Arthur Rose ◽  
Fred Cooper
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Social Media ◽  
Health Care Workers ◽  
Health Professionals ◽  
Healthcare Workers ◽  
Healthcare Professionals ◽  
Media Use ◽  
Social Consequences ◽  
Care Workers ◽  
Deadly Disease

As previous pandemics have taught us, coming into contact with, or being associated with, a highly infectious and potentially deadly disease has social consequences. Hence, it is no surprise that stigma and shame have developed around COVID-19. Although there have been outpourings of support and admiration for health-care workers for their work in this pandemic, health professionals have been among those directly affected. This article considers how shame has been part of healthcare workers’ experience during the COVID-19 pandemic because of social media use and instances of online shaming.

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