#celiacdisease: The Use of Instagram in Contending with Chronic Illness

The Reel Health Care Professionals of Instagram: A Systematic Review

Social media and health research have covered the benefits for the public and patients as users. Specifically, this has focused on searching for health information, connecting with others experiencing similar health issues, and communicating with their health professionals. Recently, there has been a shift in research to focus on health care professionals as users as they participate in professional development, improve communication with patients, and contribute to health research and service. However, such research has predominantly focused on text-based platforms, namely Facebook and Twitter. The scope of this article is a systematic review of publications on health care professionals' use of the image-based platform Instagram, according to the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses guidelines. This study, drawing from 51 articles, shows how health care professionals use Instagram, and reveals that these professionals utilize the platform to address health concerns that may not necessarily align with their specific expertise. Images were the common format of posts created by health care professionals, with six content types identified: (a) educational, (b) promotional, (c) patient experience, (d) personal, (e) emotion based, and (f) other. Three measures of post engagement were used by researchers, including (a) likes and comments, (b) use of hashtags, and (c) number of followers. This study also identified the dangers of misleading users, including (a) lack of credentials reported, (b) edited images, (c) quality of content, and (d) patient and client confidentiality issues. In conclusion, insights into the advantages of health care professionals' use of Instagram and ways in which they can maximize its use to reach and engage with their target audience are provided.

Discussing health while seeking community: A descriptive study of celiac disease on TikTok

Background: For individuals suffering from chronic disease, more than being an information source for health information, social media serves as a dynamic forum for shared goals, emotional and practical support through the sharing of lived experiences. Aim: This study envisaged a content analysis of the 100 most widely-viewed English language videos related to celiac disease posted on TikTok. Methods: TikTok was searched using the hashtag #celiacdisease. This search term was chosen as it represented the broadest summation of the desired topic with the most views (80 million) of any related hashtag. The first 100 English language videos were selected. The video content was analyzed against predetermined descriptive categories, deductively derived content related to facts about celiac disease from a reliable source, and inductive content categories derived during the coding process. Results: The 100 videos included in this study received a total of 44,056,600 likes. The average number of likes across all videos was 440,566 with a standard deviation of 656,642.06. Two of the three categories were present in a majority (>50) of the videos. They were practical information on diet therapy management (n = 63) and challenges in managing celiac disease (n = 73). In both instances, videos featuring this content also garnered a majority of the likes, 74.18% and 82.9% respectively. Independent one-tailed t-tests (α = .05) returned significant results for the diagnosis-related information (p = .0390) and practical information in diet therapy management (p = .0358) categories. On average, videos that included diagnosis-related information received more likes than those that did not: 672,983.33 vs. 340,958.57. Similarly, the average number of likes was significantly higher for videos that included practical information on diet therapy management (518,715.87) vs. those that did not (307,500). Conclusions: This study further confirms the growing trend of people using social media to discuss health issues in a way that is free and easily accessible among communities with shared experiences. The long-term effects of using personal narratives as credible sources of behavioral change for health, medical, or professional resources can be further investigated.

Detection of Gluten in Gluten-Free Foods of Plant Origin

The work deals with the issue of standardization and more accurate methodology for the isolation of gluten DNA in gluten-free products of plant origin, which is more demanding due to the more complex structure of plant cells. Three isolation methods were compared, of which the combination of glass and zirconium beads, Proteinase K and a commercially produced isolation kit was confirmed to be the most effective procedure. The given isolation procedure was more effective in one-component gluten-free foods, where the concentration of the obtained DNA ranged from 80.4 ± 0.7 to 99.0 ± 0.0 ng/µL. The subsequent PCR reaction revealed the presence of gluten not only in guaranteed gluten-free products (40%), but also in naturally gluten-free foods (50%). These were mainly gluten-free sponge cakes, gluten-free biscuits “Cranberries”, cocoa powder, coffee “3in1”, and instant coffee.

Purposive and non-purposive information behaviour on Instagram

User information behaviour on Instagram was explored via 274 responses to an online survey. Instagram is recognised as a powerful visual platform and consistently reports high engagement statistics across its variety of users. Research on Instagram to date has focussed on marketing communications theory, in particular its production of influencers as a new type of celebrity and source. The authors undertook an exploratory study to examine user interaction with the platform from the perspective of information behaviour research. The survey sought data relating to the rich body of information behaviour theory, particularly in relation to the needs or motivations underpinning information seeking, preferred sources of information and criteria for their evaluation, trust of Instagram creators and purposive and non-purposive engagement with information. An evolutionary model of information behaviour on Instagram is proposed, which draws on previous studies of information behaviour. The credibility of information on Instagram was a key theme in the survey findings, with respondents varying in the degree to which they trusted information on the platform and adopting complex, time-consuming and sometimes conflicting strategies to fact check where they felt reliability was important; future research exploring this further is recommended, to help understand the role and motivations of the information seeker in this process. The research also reveals a heightened blurring in comprehension surrounding the concepts of information and opinion amongst users and academics.

Quality of Information about Accelerated Orthodontics on Instagram

Background/Aim: Social media has become popular in recent years in dentistry. This study aims to evaluate the posts shared on Instagram related to accelerated orthodontic treatment.

Material and Methods: The first 100 posts were selected for #acceleratedorthodontics and #speedbraces hashtags and analyzed. The type of posts, posts’ purpose, the source of posts, the number of likes and comments, the number of followers and followings of the users who uploaded the posts were recorded. Four posts in #speedbraces were irrelevant and the remaining 196 posts were evaluated.

Results: The sources of the posts include 60 orthodontists, 20 dental pages, 9 dental clinics, 8 periodontologists, 3 surgeons in #acceleratedorthodontics hashtag. Also, 37 posts were preop-postopt, 34 of them were advertising, 14 of them were surgical information, 12 of them were professional information, and 3 of them were personal sharing in #acceleratedorthodontics hashtag. When the aims of the shares were evaluated, it was observed that 56 were for advertisement, 23 were for patient information, 7 were for entertainment, 6 were experience and 4 were preop-postop comparison in #speedbraces hashtag.

Conclusions: The posts related to accelerated orthodontics on Instagram are insufficient in terms of the content. The patients should be guided to reach the correct sources of information by orthodontists.

Discussion of Weight Loss Surgery in Instagram Posts: Successive Sampling Study

BACKGROUND

The majority of American adults search for health and illness information on the internet. However, the quality and accuracy of this information are notoriously variable. With the advent of social media, US individuals have increasingly shared their own health and illness experiences, including those related to bariatric surgery, on social media platforms. Previous research has found that peer-to-peer requesting and giving of advice related to bariatric surgery on social media is common, that such advice is often presented in stark terms, and that the advice may not reflect patient standards of care. These previous investigations have helped to map bariatric surgery content on Facebook and YouTube.

OBJECTIVE

This objective of this study was to document and compare weight loss surgery (WLS)-related content on Instagram in the months leading up to the COVID-19 pandemic and 1 year later.

METHODS

We analyzed a total of 300 Instagram posts (50 posts per week for 3 consecutive weeks in late February and early March in both 2020 and 2021) uploaded using the hashtag #wls. Descriptive statistics were reported, and independent 1-tailed chi-square tests were used to determine if a post's publication year statistically affected its inclusion of a particular type of content.

RESULTS

Overall, advice giving and personal responsibility for outcomes were emphasized by WLS posters on Instagram. However, social support was less emphasized. The safety, challenges, and risks associated with WLS were rarely discussed. The majority of posts did not contain references to facts from reputable medical sources. Posts published in 2021 were more likely to mention stress/hardships of living with WLS (45/150, 30%, vs 29/150, 19.3%; P=.03); however, those published in 2020 more often identified the importance of ongoing support for WLS success (35/150, 23.3%, vs 16/150, 10.7%; P=.004).

CONCLUSIONS

Given that bariatric patients have low rates of postoperative follow-up, yet post-operative care and yet support are associated with improved health and weight loss outcomes, and given that health content on the web is of mixed accuracy, bariatric professionals may wish to consider including an online support forum moderated by a professional as a routine part of postoperative care. Doing so may not only improve follow-up rates but may offer providers the opportunity to counter inaccuracies encountered on social media.

Use of the Instagram Hashtags #winemom and #momjuice Among Mothers During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Descriptive, Cross-sectional Study

BACKGROUND

The tendency of parents to consume alcohol during the COVID-19 pandemic is likely to be moderated by pandemic-related stress combined with the ongoing demands of childcare and home-based education, which are reported to be more burdensome for females than males.

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this study was to describe alcohol-related content posted by mothers on Instagram during the COVID-19 pandemic.

METHODS

Using two popular hashtags, #momjuice and #winemom, 50 Instagram posts on each were collected from the "top posts" tab. The coding categories were created inductively and were as follows: displays alcohol (drinking/holding alcohol or alcohol itself), person is making alcoholic beverages, type of alcohol featured or discussed, highlights anxiety and/or depression/mental state, highlights struggling (in general), highlights parenting challenges, encourages alcohol consumption, discourages alcohol consumption, features a person wearing clothing or shows products promoting alcohol, promotes alcohol rehabilitation, highlights caffeine to alcohol daily transition throughout the day, and highlights other drugs besides caffeine and alcohol.

RESULTS

Overall, the 100 selected posts had a total of 5108 comments and 94,671 likes. The respective averages were 51.08 (SD 77.94) and 946.71 (SD 1731.72). A majority (>50%) of the posts reviewed encouraged alcohol consumption (n=66) and/or displayed alcohol (n=56). Of the 66 that encouraged and/or displayed alcohol, the common type of alcohol discussed or featured was wine (n=55). Only 6 posts discouraged alcohol use and only 4 provided the audience with a disclaimer. None of the videos promoted or endorsed alcohol rehabilitation in any way. Only 37 posts highlighted struggle. However, these posts garnered more than a majority of the likes (n=50,034, 52.3%). Posts that showed struggle received an average of 1359.57 (SD 2108.02) likes. Those that did not show struggle had an average of 704.24 (SD 1447.46) likes. An independent one-tailed t test demonstrated this difference to be statistically significant (P=.0499).

CONCLUSIONS

The findings of this investigation suggest that though these hashtags ostensibly exist to valorize excess alcohol consumption, they may be serving as a support system for mothers who are experiencing increased burdens and role stress during the pandemic. Given the strains placed on mothers overall and especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, efforts must be taken to increase access to and affordability of telehealth-based mental health care.

How did individuals on Instagram discuss COVID-19 in the month following official pandemic status? A examination of user content

OBJECTIVES

Instagram is a popular social media site used by high numbers of young people. This study was designed to investigate COVID-19 content on Instagram during the month following official pandemic status from the World Health Organization (WHO).

METHODS

A total of 200 posts were collected and analyzed over a four-week period between mid-February and mid-March 2020.

RESULTS

The vast majority of posts did not address recommended prevention measures. Further, only approximately one-third of the posts referenced a reputable source. Finally, the nature of posts changed over time was impacted by type of poster and reflected a tone of anxiety.

CONCLUSIONS

The findings underscore the urgent need for public health officials to be aware of and address social media content on novel health threats. Furthermore, it is imperative that communicating risk on social media, such as Instagram be geared to young people. Failure to do so may hinder prevention, mitigation, and suppression strategies.

Characterising experiences with acute myeloid leukaemia using an Instagram content analysis

Instagram has more than one billion monthly users, which presents a unique research opportunity particularly in rare diseases or hard to reach populations. This study focuses on acute myeloid leukaemia, a rare haematological malignancy and aims to characterise who posts acute myeloid leukaemia-related content and the type of content created. The findings can provide information and a method for future studies, particularly those focused on online or social media based interventions. Acute myeloid leukaemia-related Instagram posts were identified by searching specific and relevant hashtags (#). A content analysis systematically classified themes in the data. A convenience sample of 100 posts (138 photos) were manually extracted and coded. Data are described using descriptive statistics and demonstrated by qualitative examples. The most frequent users in our sample were patients (66%), patient support networks (24%) and professional organisations (10%). Patients who were communicating their health update (31%) were the most frequently posted content and 25% of these posts described a symptom experience. Our findings demonstrate that patients and their support networks are frequenting Instagram and therefore may be able to receive and benefit from tailored intervention, however there is an identified gap in health-organisations participating in this virtual online community.