scholarly journals Social Media Use Among Young Adults With Connective Tissue Disorders: Cross-Sectional Pilot Study (Preprint)

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Erin F Kelleher ◽  
Philip F Giampietro ◽  
Megan A Moreno

BACKGROUND Young people with genetic conditions often face challenges coping with their health condition. It can be difficult for them to meet someone with a similar condition, which is important for reinforcement of chronic illness management recommendations. Social media is used by 97% of young people in the United States and may provide those with these disorders a space for emotional expression and support. However, there is a scarcity of literature related to the use of social media among adolescents with genetic conditions as an indicator of their perception regarding their own condition. OBJECTIVE The purpose of this pilot study was to obtain preliminary data to assess and understand social media use by young people with connective tissue disorders and determine whether they use social media to connect with patients with similar conditions or whether they would be interested in doing so. METHODS We undertook a pilot study of selected connective tissue disorders occurring in young people between the ages of 11 and 25 years, including Marfan syndrome; Ehlers-Danlos syndrome subtypes classical, classical-like, cardiac-valvular, and vascular; Beals congenital contractual arachnodactyly; and Alport hereditary nephritis. The study took place within one pediatric clinical system. Patients were identified through electronic medical record search and International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, coding at a Midwest university–based clinical system. Study subjects completed a short survey describing their experiences with their connective tissue disorders, their means of self-expression, their existing network of persons to communicate with, and their use of social media. Data analysis included nominal and bivariate regressions to compare social media use in relation to age. RESULTS Our 31 participants (42% response rate) were 55% female (17/31) and their average age was 18 years (SD 5). All participants used social media and there were no statistically significant differences between social media use and age. The majority of participants (25/30, 83%) reported that they never used social media to discuss their condition (<i>P</i>=.09), and only 17% (5/30) knew someone online with a similar condition (<i>P</i>=.50). Most participants (19/30, 63%) said they would communicate with someone with a similar disorder (<i>P</i>=.64). CONCLUSIONS We found that young individuals with connective tissue disorders use at least one type of social media. A majority did not use social media to discuss their condition or know someone online with a similar condition. However, many persons were interested in finding others similarly affected. Social media could serve as a platform for young people with connective tissue disorders to connect. Peer support is important in disease management and adolescent development. Future studies should aim at understanding social media use among young people with connective tissue disorders and helping them connect with other people who have similar conditions.

10.2196/16367 ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. e16367
Author(s):  
Erin F Kelleher ◽  
Philip F Giampietro ◽  
Megan A Moreno

Background Young people with genetic conditions often face challenges coping with their health condition. It can be difficult for them to meet someone with a similar condition, which is important for reinforcement of chronic illness management recommendations. Social media is used by 97% of young people in the United States and may provide those with these disorders a space for emotional expression and support. However, there is a scarcity of literature related to the use of social media among adolescents with genetic conditions as an indicator of their perception regarding their own condition. Objective The purpose of this pilot study was to obtain preliminary data to assess and understand social media use by young people with connective tissue disorders and determine whether they use social media to connect with patients with similar conditions or whether they would be interested in doing so. Methods We undertook a pilot study of selected connective tissue disorders occurring in young people between the ages of 11 and 25 years, including Marfan syndrome; Ehlers-Danlos syndrome subtypes classical, classical-like, cardiac-valvular, and vascular; Beals congenital contractual arachnodactyly; and Alport hereditary nephritis. The study took place within one pediatric clinical system. Patients were identified through electronic medical record search and International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, coding at a Midwest university–based clinical system. Study subjects completed a short survey describing their experiences with their connective tissue disorders, their means of self-expression, their existing network of persons to communicate with, and their use of social media. Data analysis included nominal and bivariate regressions to compare social media use in relation to age. Results Our 31 participants (42% response rate) were 55% female (17/31) and their average age was 18 years (SD 5). All participants used social media and there were no statistically significant differences between social media use and age. The majority of participants (25/30, 83%) reported that they never used social media to discuss their condition (P=.09), and only 17% (5/30) knew someone online with a similar condition (P=.50). Most participants (19/30, 63%) said they would communicate with someone with a similar disorder (P=.64). Conclusions We found that young individuals with connective tissue disorders use at least one type of social media. A majority did not use social media to discuss their condition or know someone online with a similar condition. However, many persons were interested in finding others similarly affected. Social media could serve as a platform for young people with connective tissue disorders to connect. Peer support is important in disease management and adolescent development. Future studies should aim at understanding social media use among young people with connective tissue disorders and helping them connect with other people who have similar conditions.


Societies ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 27 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jan Hruska ◽  
Petra Maresova

Social media has evolved over the last decade to become an important driver for acquiring and spreading information in different domains such as business, entertainment, crisis management, and politics. The increasing popularity of social media raises a number of questions regarding why we use it so much and what aspects influence this activity. What about gender? What about education, income, age or social status? This paper answers some of these questions using statistical analyses and by dividing overall social media use into selected social media, i.e., Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, YouTube, and Twitter. The analysis used a dataset that contains information related to 2002 respondents from the U.S. and their social media activity. The results show that people with high household incomes and high education use social media the most. As age increases, social media use decreases, while bigger household income means that social media are used more. Overall, understanding where and at what frequency users are on social media can be a key competitive advantage. When using social networks correctly for marketing, companies can significantly improve their brand awareness, customer satisfaction, quality, reach, and profit.


2016 ◽  
Vol 30 (2) ◽  
pp. 161-175 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jorge Garcia ◽  
Robert J. Zeglin ◽  
Shari Matray ◽  
Robert Froehlich ◽  
Ronica Marable ◽  
...  

Purpose: The purpose of this article was to gather descriptive data on the professional use of social media in public rehabilitation settings and to analyze existing social media policies in those agencies through content analysis.Methods: The authors sent a survey to all state administrators or directors of these agencies (N = 50) in the United States, requesting frequency and other descriptive information, plus a copy of their social media policies (if available). The available policies were reviewed using content analysis procedures.Results: The results showed that although the frequency of social media use was high, training and inclusion of ethics was low. Regarding policy, approximately 42% reported a lack of an existing policy, and 38% were unsure about having a policy guide. The analysis of the available policies yielded 11 themes around which these policies were organized.Discussion: The authors offer a discussion of these results and its implications for policy and practice as well as future research. These include the need for more comprehensive social media policy creation in agencies and the role of clinical supervisors in ensuring ethical practice.


2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Justine Dol ◽  
Perri R Tutelman ◽  
Christine T Chambers ◽  
Melanie Barwick ◽  
Emily K Drake ◽  
...  

BACKGROUND Health researchers are increasingly using social media in a professional capacity, and the applications of social media for health researchers are vast. However, there is currently no published evidence synthesis of the ways in which health researchers use social media professionally, and uncertainty remains as to how best to harness its potential. OBJECTIVE This scoping review aimed to explore how social media is used by health researchers professionally, as reported in the literature. METHODS The scoping review methodology guided by Arksey and O’Malley and Levac et al was used. Comprehensive searches based on the concepts of health research and social media were conducted in MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, PsycINFO, ERIC, and Web of Science databases, with no limitations applied. Articles were screened at the title and abstract level and at full text by two reviewers. One reviewer extracted data that were analyzed descriptively to map the available evidence. RESULTS A total of 8359 articles were screened at the title and abstract level, of which 719 were also assessed at full text for eligibility. The 414 articles identified for inclusion were published in 278 different journals. Studies originated from 31 different countries, with the most prevalent being the United States (52.7% [218/414]). The health discipline of the first authors varied, with medicine (33.3% [138/414]) being the most common. A third of the articles covered health generally, with 61 health-specific topics. Papers used a range of social media platforms (mean 1.33 [SD 0.7]). A quarter of the articles screened reported on social media use for participant recruitment (25.1% [104/414]), followed by practical ways to use social media (15.5% [64/414]), and use of social media for content analysis research (13.3% [55/414]). Articles were categorized as <italic>celebratory</italic> (ie, opportunities for engagement, 72.2% [299/414]), <italic>contingent</italic> (ie, opportunities and possible limitations, 22.7% [94/414]) and <italic>concerned</italic> (ie, potentially harmful, 5.1% [21/414]). CONCLUSIONS Health researchers are increasingly publishing on their use of social media for a range of professional purposes. Although most of the sentiment around the use of social media in health research was celebratory, the uses of social media varied widely. Future research is needed to support health researchers to optimize their social media use.


10.2196/13687 ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 21 (11) ◽  
pp. e13687 ◽  
Author(s):  
Justine Dol ◽  
Perri R Tutelman ◽  
Christine T Chambers ◽  
Melanie Barwick ◽  
Emily K Drake ◽  
...  

Background Health researchers are increasingly using social media in a professional capacity, and the applications of social media for health researchers are vast. However, there is currently no published evidence synthesis of the ways in which health researchers use social media professionally, and uncertainty remains as to how best to harness its potential. Objective This scoping review aimed to explore how social media is used by health researchers professionally, as reported in the literature. Methods The scoping review methodology guided by Arksey and O’Malley and Levac et al was used. Comprehensive searches based on the concepts of health research and social media were conducted in MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, PsycINFO, ERIC, and Web of Science databases, with no limitations applied. Articles were screened at the title and abstract level and at full text by two reviewers. One reviewer extracted data that were analyzed descriptively to map the available evidence. Results A total of 8359 articles were screened at the title and abstract level, of which 719 were also assessed at full text for eligibility. The 414 articles identified for inclusion were published in 278 different journals. Studies originated from 31 different countries, with the most prevalent being the United States (52.7% [218/414]). The health discipline of the first authors varied, with medicine (33.3% [138/414]) being the most common. A third of the articles covered health generally, with 61 health-specific topics. Papers used a range of social media platforms (mean 1.33 [SD 0.7]). A quarter of the articles screened reported on social media use for participant recruitment (25.1% [104/414]), followed by practical ways to use social media (15.5% [64/414]), and use of social media for content analysis research (13.3% [55/414]). Articles were categorized as celebratory (ie, opportunities for engagement, 72.2% [299/414]), contingent (ie, opportunities and possible limitations, 22.7% [94/414]) and concerned (ie, potentially harmful, 5.1% [21/414]). Conclusions Health researchers are increasingly publishing on their use of social media for a range of professional purposes. Although most of the sentiment around the use of social media in health research was celebratory, the uses of social media varied widely. Future research is needed to support health researchers to optimize their social media use.


2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 629-645
Author(s):  
Tahani Alruwaili ◽  
Heng-Yu Ku

This study explored 14 Saudi female international college students’ self-identities through social media use while they were studying in the United States. Data was collected by semistructured interviews. In addition, participants were asked to draw pictures that represented how they experience social media use in Saudi Arabia and in the United States as part of the interviews. The findings revealed that many participants indicated they experienced some changes to their identities after coming to the United States. Many of the participants expressed they were more open and more independent after coming to the United States. They felt they could express their identities on social media to a greater degree and enjoyed using it to connect with others. Although most of the participants became more comfortable with interaction and expression on social media in the United States, many of them still retained some measures to ensure their privacy.


Subject Control of social media in Turkey. Significance Average daily use of social media among users in Turkey is relatively high at 152 minutes. More than half the population (42 million) are active users. Of these, 32% prefer Facebook, 24% Whatsapp, 20% Facebook Messenger, 17% Twitter, 16% Instagram and 15% Google Plus. Turkey's ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) has been censoring the internet vigorously since 2008. Impacts The new censorship institution replacing TIB is likely to be even more of a government instrument. Advocating civil liberties and freedom of speech will fall to Turks in exile in Europe or the United States. They will use similar methods to dissident movements in other repressive polities such as Iran, Russia, Egypt or China.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Deema Farsi ◽  
Hector R Martinez-Menchaca ◽  
Mohammad Ahmed ◽  
Nada Farsi

BACKGROUND People are now connected in a borderless web-based world. The modern public, especially the younger generation, relies heavily on the internet as the main source of health-related information. In health care, patients can use social media for more tailored uses such as telemedicine, finding a provider, and for peer support. OBJECTIVE The aim of this narrative review is to discuss how social media has been used in the health care industry from the perspective of patients and describe the main issues surrounding its use in health care. METHODS Between March and June 2020, a review of the literature was conducted on PubMed, Google Scholar, and Web of Science for English studies that were published since 2007 and discussed the use of social media in health care. In addition to only English publications that discussed the use of social media by patients, publications pertaining to ethical and legal considerations in the use of social media were included. The studies were then categorized as <i>health information</i>, <i>telemedicine</i>, <i>finding a health care provider</i>, <i>peer support and sharing experiences</i>, and <i>influencing positive health behavior</i>. In addition, two more sections were added to the review: <i>issues pertaining to social media use in health care</i> and <i>ethical considerations</i>. RESULTS Initially, 75 studies were included. As the study proceeded, more studies were included, and a total of 91 studies were reviewed, complemented by 1 textbook chapter and 13 web references. Approximately half of the studies were reviews. The first study was published in 2009, and the last was published in 2021, with more than half of the studies published in the last 5 years. The studies were mostly from the United States (n=40), followed by Europe (n=13), and the least from India (n=1). WhatsApp or WeChat was the most investigated social media platform. CONCLUSIONS Social media can be used by the public and patients to improve their health and knowledge. However, due diligence must be practiced to assess the credibility of the information obtained and its source. Health care providers, patients, and the public need not forget the risks associated with the use of social media. The limitations and shortcomings of the use of social media by patients should be understood.


2021 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 314-320
Author(s):  
Isaac MGEKN ◽  
Isaac M ◽  
Pete B

Background: The use of social media has been growing rapidly with easy access for young people. Psychologists have studied the social and psychological impact of social media use on adolescents; however there is very little qualitative data of social media use among adolescents and their views.Aims: To explore the views of adolescents in Sussex about the educational, social and psychological impacts of using social media sites and analyze adolescents’ descriptions of their own personal experiences of social media use.Method: 500 young people between the ages of 11 to 18 years in Sussex (UK) were invited to take part in a questionnaire survey exploring their use and views about social media.Results: A total of 465 (93%) of students completed the questionnaire. 73% of participants used three or more sites. On average each participant spent 22 hours weekly on social media sites. In all five domains explored, the majority of participants scored the negative impact of use of social media as low with an overall mean of 2 out of possible 5. Over 70% scored low negative impact for Education, 75% for relationships, 64% for Self-esteem, 73% for Health and 71% for Safety. On the other hand, the percentage scoring 4 or 5 for positive impact were 22% for Education, 36% for Relationships, 24% for Self-esteem, 12% for Health and 15% for Safety. However there was a difference between younger and older teens.Conclusion: Studies have shown negative social media impact on teens including self-esteem, anxiety and depression. However young people have a different view. Young people have balanced views about the effects of social media. They felt that social media use improved their relationships, particularly among younger students. Older teens perceived higher negative effect on their safety. Further work is needed to improve the safety awareness of young teens.


2019 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 47
Author(s):  
Ntongha Eni Ikpi ◽  
Veronica Akwenabuaye Undelikwo

The use of social media platforms has over the years become a veritable tool for individuals, groups, institutions and corporate bodies for the promotion of health and wellness. In recent times, social media has become one of the most potent agents of the media through which health issues are addressed as well as generated and disseminated to different populations in society. The study was conducted to examine social media use and students’ health lifestyle modification in the University of Calabar, Nigeria. It sought to determine the extent to which students’ use of social media (Facebook, Twitter, and WhatsApp) influences the modification of their health-related lifestyles such as eating habits, sexual behaviour, cigarette and alcohol consumption, drug use and the engagement in fitness activities. The study adopted a randomized descriptive survey design and used a sample of 300 undergraduate students. The questionnaire was the main instrument used for collection of data while simple percentages and means were used to determine the difference between the expected mean of 2.50 and the observed means across various items in the questionnaire. The results showed that apart from Twitter, social media use by University of Calabar students has significantly influenced the modification of their health lifestyles. Since social media has become a veritable tool for the promotion of positive health lifestyle, effort should be made by government through the health sector to create more awareness among students and the entire population of social media users, on the health benefits accruing from use of social media.


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