Social media is being increasingly used for health awareness. It is not only used to promote health and wellness but also to motivate and guide public for various disease and ailments. Use of social media was proven to be cornerstone for awareness during COVID-19 management.[1] In recent times, it is one of the most cost effective tool for cardiovascular health awareness since it can be used to motivate people for adoption of healthy lifestyle practices.[2] Over the span of a decade, cardiologist Dr. Om Murti Anil utilized social media to significantly impact the public about cardiovascular health awareness. [3] Similarly, social media is proven to be useful for various chronic and incurable diseases where patients form groups and connect to each other for sharing of knowledge.[4] Similarly health professionals, health institutions and various other individuals and organizations have their own social media accounts for health information, awareness, guidance or motivation for their patients.[5] The utilization of social media for health awareness campaigns has become increasingly prevalent in recent years. The history of utilizing social media in health campaigns can be traced back to the early 2000s with the rise of platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube.[6]

Health campaigns

Health campaigns especially for chronic diseases like Cancer and heart diseases are increasingly common on different social media platforms because Social media serves as a cost-effective medium for launching and promoting health campaigns. Many organizations and governmental bodies use platforms like Twitter and Instagram to reach a wide audience.[7][8]

Patient education

Patients increasingly turn to social media for health communication and health-related information. Online health communities, forums, and blogs enable individuals to share their experiences, offer support, and seek advice from peers. Healthcare professionals also use social media to provide valuable insights and address common health concerns.[9]

Influencers and advocates

Influential figures and health advocates like Doctor Mike, Willie Ong on social media platforms have emerged as key drivers of health awareness. They use their large followings to educate the public about various health topics and share personal stories that resonate with their audience.[10]social media influencers have huge potential for health awareness and its getting slowly recognized.

Use of social media for health awareness carries more significant in lower and middle income countries (LMICs) where health infrastructure are poor and access to medical care is limited. In LMICs non communicable diseases are major cause of premature deaths. Social media can be used as very low cost tools to prevent these NCDs for wider population.

Challenges

While social media is a powerful tool for health awareness, it comes with challenges. Misinformation can spread rapidly, potentially leading to incorrect or harmful health practices. Ensuring the accuracy of health-related information on social media is an ongoing concern.[11]

Privacy and ethical issues

The sharing of personal health information on social media raises privacy and ethical concerns. Striking a balance between raising awareness and respecting individuals' privacy remains a delicate issue.[12]

References

  1. ↑ Karhu, Mari; Suoheimo, Mari; Häkkilä, Jonna (2021-05-12). "People's Perspectives on Social Media Use during COVID-19 Pandemic". 20th International Conference on Mobile and Ubiquitous Multimedia (PDF). New York, NY, USA: ACM. pp. 123–130. doi:10.1145/3490632.3490666. ISBN 9781450386432. S2CID 247085160.
  2. ↑ Ladeiras-Lopes, Ricardo; Baciu, Lavinia; Grapsa, Julia; Sohaib, Afzal; Vidal-Perez, Rafael; Bohm, Allan; Silvola, Harri; Gimenez, Maria Rubini; Muscoli, Saverio; Wallner, Markus; Rakisheva, Amina; Nagy, Vivien Klaudia; Cowie, Martin R.; Clarke, Sarah C.; Achenbach, Stephan (2020). "Social media in cardiovascular medicine: A contemporary review". European Heart Journal - Digital Health: 10–19. doi:10.1093/ehjdh/ztaa004. PMC 9707982. PMID 36713964. (Erratum: doi:10.1093/ehjdh/ztab098)
  3. ↑ https://kathmandupost.com/art-culture/2023/01/01/a-doctor-using-social-media-to-spread-health-awareness
  4. ↑ "How Social Media Support Groups Enhance Patient Experience".
  5. ↑ Bender, Jacqueline L.; Hueniken, Katrina; Eng, Lawson; Brown, M. Catherine; Kassirian, Shayan; Geist, Ilana; Balaratnam, Karmugi; Liang, Mindy; Paulo, Chelsea B.; Geist, Arielle; Rao, Pryangka; Magony, Alexander; Smith, Elliot C.; Xu, Wei; Liu, Geoffrey (September 2021). "Internet and social media use in cancer patients: association with distress and perceived benefits and limitations". Supportive Care in Cancer. 29 (9): 5273–5281. doi:10.1007/s00520-021-06077-0. ISSN 1433-7339. PMID 33651181. S2CID 232083963.
  6. ↑ "The Evolution of Social Media: How Did It Begin and Where Could It Go Next?". Maryville Online. 2020-05-28. Retrieved 2023-10-27.
  7. ↑ "5 Effective Public Health Social Media Campaigns – Top Masters in Public Health Degrees". Retrieved 2023-10-27.
  8. ↑ "Young female influencers energise the campaign against menstrual taboos in Nepal – and beyond". Healthy DEvelopments. 2022-05-12. Retrieved 2023-11-25.
  9. ↑ Chirumamilla, S.; Gulati, M. (2021). "Patient Education through Social media". Current Cardiology Reviews. 17 (2): 137–143. doi:10.2174/1573403X15666191120115107. PMC 8226210. PMID 31752656.
  10. ↑ "What can we learn from health influencers on social media?". www.linkedin.com. Retrieved 2023-10-27.
  11. ↑ HealthManagement.org; shabbir-syed-abdul-1533818; FutureLearn. "Radiology Management, ICU Management, Healthcare IT, Cardiology Management, Executive Management". HealthManagement. Retrieved 2023-10-27.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  12. ↑ Azer, Samy A. (2017-11-01). "Social Media Channels in Health Care Research and Rising Ethical Issues". AMA Journal of Ethics. 19 (11): 1061–1069. doi:10.1001/journalofethics.2017.19.11.peer1-1711. ISSN 2376-6980. PMID 29168677.
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