Social media isn’t all bad
Social media is usually seen as the antithesis of mental health. The data backs it up: social media usage correlates with mental health concerns, anxiety, depression, stress, self-injurious behavior, and suicidality in young people.1
But, as the kids will tell you, social media has its benefits. When used strategically, it can increase feelings of connectedness and educate users about mental health.2, 3 If used mindfully (i.e. no pesky feelings of disappointment or FOMO) it can improve mental health and social wellbeing.4
Because of its proliferation in our lives, US health experts have begun using social media as a health promotion strategy.5
Does social media have a role in our health and wellbeing if it also puts us at risk of negative emotional outcomes?
What kind of content proliferates on social media?
We’ve historically ignored social media as a serious tool for healthcare information - and it’s largely due to the type of content that does flourish online.
Misinformation spreads fast
In one study on Facebook, over 60% of participants accepted claims of misinformation, while only 16% were able to refute the information based on experience or knowledge.6 Misinformation is such a concern that in 2021, the US Surgeon General called it the greatest threat to COVID-19 vaccination efforts.7
Emotional content goes viral
Content that evokes positive (appreciation, admiration) or negative (anger, anxiety) emotions tends to go viral.8
Triggering negative emotions can also drive people to seek an antidote to these feelings.9 While some solutions might be healthy, like taking a screen break or talking with friends, others can be detrimental, like continuing to scroll for hours or turning to substances.
Ethical concerns
When it comes to sharing health information on social media, we have to be careful: there are ethical concerns, like confidentiality of information, that we need to take into account.10, 11
We rely on social media now more than ever
Many already use social media to obtain health information. Now, most young adults use social media to find information about health, both passively and actively.12 And it’s not just the youth - older adults are using social media platforms more than ever before.13
Our reliance on social media for health information is another relic of the pandemic. Almost 60% of US adults reported using social media at least once a week to attain COVID-19 related health information during the pandemic.14
Why do so many people get their information from social media?
It’s easier to access information
Social media allows information to be shared easily, quickly and efficiently, empowering people to change how they make health-related decisions. 15, 16
It’s also a one-stop shop where users can connect with people who have similar health concerns, find out more about medical providers, and even reach out to those providers for online consultations... all without having to leave home.
behavior change 101
Start your behavior change journey at the right place
How (and why) to increase social media presence
Rather than encouraging readers to use traditional methods like print or TV news sources, medical professionals can integrate their content into what people are already consuming.
Experts should make the most of social media’s infectious communication style - they can start by increasing their presence on social media and debunking misinformation.17 (Check out our podcast on disinformation and misinformation with MIT Professor David Rand here).
Health professionals can use social media to:18
- Raise awareness
- Address misinformation
- Manage crises
- Expand accessibility of resources, like peer-reviewed journals
- Answer common questions
- Monitor public health (“likes” and hashtags can help predict disease occurrence)19, 20
- Engage with users and address their concerns
- Recruit participants for research
- Listen to what users are saying to gauge opinions about public health issues or your brand
How to implement changes to your social media strategy
There are a few avenues through which you can better align your social media strategy with what has been proven effective in the literature.
- A way for healthcare providers to address misinformation is to nudge (or encourage) users to think about the information they glean from social media, its sources, and whether or not it’s accurate.21
undefinedundefined - Health experts should create content that reflects how young people already use the platforms.
undefined - On YouTube, medical experts could create instructional videos that are digestible and easily understood.
- Health experts should take advantage of striking headlines and support groups on Facebook.
Using social media to advance our brain health
In a space that has transformed how people learn, think, and interact with others, health experts have substantial opportunities to ensure that accurate information is spread as widely as possible.
Equally as important, health experts can use behaviorally-informed techniques to tackle some of the more sinister downsides of social media and contribute to health equity and better accessibility to information.
