Two-thirds of spondyloarthritis society members use social media for work
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As many as 66% of surveyed members of the Assessment of Spondyloarthritis International Society use social media for “work-related purposes,” including collaboration, according to data published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research.
“Although many medical organizations and agencies have developed social media platforms, there has been limited inquiry regarding the use of social media in rheumatology,” Yu Heng Kwan, MD, PhD, of the Duke-National University of Singapore Medical School, and colleagues wrote. “However, there has been no study on social media use in different areas in rheumatology, such as spondyloarthritis, which would be important as trends of social media use might vary across different specialties based on their unique job responsibilities and characteristics.”
To investigate the social media habits of members of the Assessment of Spondyloarthritis International Society (ASAS), Kwan and colleagues conducted a survey using Google Forms. They distributed the survey, which was designed using the Checklist for Reporting Results of Internet E-Surveys, through email to all members of the ASAS. Anonymous data were collected between March and June 2021.
The survey included two sections with a total of 24 questions. The first part focused on demographics and the level of knowledge participants had about social media and its applications. Meanwhile, the second part included questions regarding specific platforms used, as well as the frequency, purpose of use, perceived obstacles to efficient use, and the utility of those platforms. Included platforms spanned categories such as messaging, media sharing, networking and microblogging.
A total of 156 ASAS members — out of a total membership of 198 — responded to the survey. Of the respondents, 93.6% reported using at least one social media platform. When physicians reported using social media for clinical updates (OR = 6.25; 95% CI, 2.43-16.03) or research updates (OR = 3.45; 95% CI, 1.35-8.78), they were more likely top report higher levels of usage, according to the researchers.
In all, 66% reported using social media in a way relating to work. In these capacities, physicians reporting work usage demonstrated higher social media consumption when they used web-based resources (OR = 6.55; 95% CI, 2.01-21.37), when they used social media to connect with colleagues overseas (OR = 4.66; 95% CI, 1.21-17.9) and when they were attempting to establish a presence on social media (OR = 4.05; 95% CI, 1.25-13.13). The biggest concerns barring wider adoption of social media by the physicians included time, confidentiality and security.
“This study conducted among clinicians and researchers with an interest in spondyloarthritis showed that the majority (66%) of respondents used social media for work-related purposes, such as international collaboration, establishing a professional web-based presence, and professional development,” Kwan and colleagues wrote. “In addition, social media may be useful as an educational tool for both patients and physicians.”
Perspective
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David A. McLain, MD, MACR, FACP, FRCP
There is a revolution underway since the advent of social media regarding the access to, and dissemination of, knowledge, particularly in the size of the potential audience. Facebook, for example, has more than 2.9 billion monthly active users. Social media has been increasing in popularity because of the accessibility, low cost and availability of information on various topics. By 2027, it is estimated that 6 billion people worldwide will be using social media.
In the health care sector, it is useful for the dissemination of information, particularly through online medical news websites, journals and textbooks for health care professionals (HCPs), which include the latest research findings and care guidelines. It has been extremely useful for networking among HCPs, researchers and patients. On Twitter, there is an online rheumatology journal club (#RheumJC). There are also multiple YouTube videos on rheumatic diseases for patients and HCPs.
For axial spondyloarthritis, the subject of the present paper, studies have demonstrated that the distribution of disease screening tools to high-risk patients over social media is an effective approach for a prompt diagnosis. Social media has had a positive effect on clinical trials with trial recruitment and retention.
Social media became even more important during the COVID-19 pandemic, when social gathering and travel were restricted. Rheumatology leaders worldwide established the COVID-19 Global Rheumatology Alliance, with a registry of rheumatology patients and their treatments, to analyze the effect of COVID-19 on our patients. Since it was established in March 2020, the alliance has published 27 papers and has more than 300 organizational supporters in the rheumatology world. Speed of scientific collaboration, research program development, and then dissemination of results shows the power of social media in this setting.
Despite the benefits of social media in medicine, there are concerns that there may be dissemination of misinformation, promotion of unproven remedies or other unprofessional conduct, HIPAA violations with potential legal implications, and the potential for damage to the provider’s professional reputation. There is also concern that the patient-physician relationship might be blurred through social media interaction. Despite these potential problems, social media has made a major and beneficial impact on the practice of medicine and rheumatology.
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Kwan YH, et al. J Med Internet Res. 2023;doi:10.2196/39155.
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