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Bowman-Smart H, Keogh L, Haining CM, O'Rourke A, de Crespigny L, Savulescu J. 'The tabloid test': a qualitative interview study on the function and purpose of termination of pregnancy review committees in Victoria, Australia. Reprod Health 2023; 20:104. [PMID: 37464379 DOI: 10.1186/s12978-023-01624-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/24/2021] [Accepted: 05/17/2023] [Indexed: 07/20/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Termination of pregnancy (TOP) is not an uncommon procedure. Availability varies greatly between jurisdictions; however, additional institutional processes beyond legislation can also impact care and service delivery. This study serves to examine the role institutional processes can play in the delivery of TOP services, in a jurisdiction where TOP is lawful at all gestations (Victoria, Australia). As per the Abortion Law Reform Act 2008, TOPs post-24 weeks require the approval of two medical practitioners. However, in Victoria, hospitals that offer post-24 week TOPs generally require these cases to additionally go before a termination review committee for assessment prior to the service being provided. These committees are not stipulated in legislation. Information about these committees and how they operate is scarce and there is minimal information available to the public. METHODS To trace the history, function, and decision-making processes of these committees, we conducted a qualitative interview study. We interviewed 27 healthcare professionals involved with these committees. We used purposive sampling to gain perspectives from a range of professions across 10 hospitals. Interviews were transcribed verbatim, identifying details removed and inductive thematic analysis was performed. RESULTS Here, we report the three main functions of the committees as described by participants. The functions were to protect: (1) outward appearances; (2) inward functionality; and/or, (3) service users. Function (1) could mean protecting the hospital's reputation, with the "Herald Sun test"-whether the TOP would be acceptable to readers of the Herald Sun, a tabloid newspaper-used as a heuristic. Function (2) related to logistics within the hospital and protecting the psychological wellbeing and personal reputation of healthcare professionals. The final function (3) related to ensuring patients received a high standard of care. CONCLUSIONS The primary functions of these committees appear to be about protecting hospitals and clinicians within a context where these procedures are controversial and stigmatized. The results of this study provide further clarity on the processes involved in the provision of TOPs at later gestations from the perspectives of the healthcare professionals involved. Institutional processes beyond those required by legislation are put in place by hospitals. These findings highlight the additional challenges faced by patients and their providers when seeking TOP at later gestations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hilary Bowman-Smart
- Murdoch Children's Research Institute, 50 Flemington Rd, Parkville, VIC, 3052, Australia
- Monash Bioethics Centre, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia
- Ethox Centre, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- Australian Centre for Precision Health, University of South Australia, Adelaide, Australia
| | - Louise Keogh
- Centre for Health Equity, Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
| | - Casey M Haining
- Centre for Health Equity, Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
| | - Anne O'Rourke
- Monash Business School, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia
| | - Lachlan de Crespigny
- Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, 3052, Australia
| | - Julian Savulescu
- Murdoch Children's Research Institute, 50 Flemington Rd, Parkville, VIC, 3052, Australia.
- Uehiro Centre for Practical Ethics, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.
- Centre for Biomedical Ethics, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore.
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Galea G, Chugh R, Luck J. Why should we care about social media codes of conduct in healthcare organisations? A systematic literature review. ZEITSCHRIFT FUR GESUNDHEITSWISSENSCHAFTEN = JOURNAL OF PUBLIC HEALTH 2023; 32:1-13. [PMID: 37361317 PMCID: PMC10088715 DOI: 10.1007/s10389-023-01894-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2022] [Accepted: 03/17/2023] [Indexed: 06/28/2023]
Abstract
Background The conduct of healthcare organisation employees on social media can impact both their personal reputation and that of the organisation. However, social media has blurred the lines between professional and personal communication, and what is acceptable and ethical conduct is not always clear. Furthermore, the global COVID-19 pandemic has changed how healthcare organisations and their employees approach the use of social media, expediting the need to ensure that employees communicating health-related information adhere to employee codes of conduct. Aims This review aims to investigate the challenges associated with healthcare organisation employees' use of social media for sharing health-related information, identify the crucial elements for inclusion in social media codes of conduct for healthcare organisations, and examine the enablers for good codes of conduct. Methods A systematic review of the literature from six research database platforms on articles related to codes of conduct addressing the use of social media for healthcare organisation employees was conducted. The screening process yielded 52 articles. Results The key finding in this review focuses on privacy, protecting both patients and healthcare organisation employees. While maintaining separate professional and personal social media accounts is a much-discussed approach, training and education on social media codes of conduct can clarify acceptable behaviour both personally and professionally. Conclusion The results raise essential questions about healthcare organisation employees' use of social media. It is evident that organisational support and a constructive culture will enable healthcare organisations to fully realise the benefits of using social media.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gitte Galea
- School of Engineering and Technology, Central Queensland University, 45 Abbott Street, Cairns, QLD 4879 Australia
| | - Ritesh Chugh
- School of Engineering and Technology, Central Queensland University, Bruce Highway, North, Rockhampton, QLD 4702 Australia
| | - Jo Luck
- School of Engineering and Technology, Central Queensland University, Bruce Highway, North, Rockhampton, QLD 4702 Australia
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3
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Iyamu I, Xu AXT, Gómez-Ramírez O, Ablona A, Chang HJ, Mckee G, Gilbert M. Defining Digital Public Health and the Role of Digitization, Digitalization, and Digital Transformation: Scoping Review. JMIR Public Health Surveill 2021; 7:e30399. [PMID: 34842555 PMCID: PMC8665390 DOI: 10.2196/30399] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2021] [Revised: 08/05/2021] [Accepted: 08/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The recent proliferation and application of digital technologies in public health has spurred interest in digital public health. However, as yet, there appears to be a lack of conceptual clarity and consensus on its definition. Objective In this scoping review, we seek to assess formal and informal definitions of digital public health in the literature and to understand how these definitions have been conceptualized in relation to digitization, digitalization, and digital transformation. Methods We conducted a scoping literature search in Ovid MEDLINE, Embase, Google Scholar, and 14 government and intergovernmental agency websites encompassing 6 geographic regions. Among a total of 409 full articles identified, we reviewed 11 publications that either formally defined digital public health or informally described the integration of digital technologies into public health in relation to digitization, digitalization, and digital transformation, and we conducted a thematic analysis of the identified definitions. Results Two explicit definitions of digital public health were identified, each with divergent meanings. The first definition suggested digital public health was a reimagination of public health using new ways of working, blending established public health wisdom with new digital concepts and tools. The second definition highlighted digital public health as an asset to achieve existing public health goals. In relation to public health, digitization was used to refer to the technical process of converting analog records to digital data, digitalization referred to the integration of digital technologies into public health operations, and digital transformation was used to describe a cultural shift that pervasively integrates digital technologies and reorganizes services on the basis of the health needs of the public. Conclusions The definition of digital public health remains contested in the literature. Public health researchers and practitioners need to clarify these conceptual definitions to harness opportunities to integrate digital technologies into public health in a way that maximizes their potential to improve public health outcomes. International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID) RR2-10.2196/preprints.27686
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Affiliation(s)
- Ihoghosa Iyamu
- School of Population and Public Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.,Clinical Prevention Services, British Columbia Centre for Disease Control, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Alice X T Xu
- School of Population and Public Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Oralia Gómez-Ramírez
- School of Population and Public Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.,Clinical Prevention Services, British Columbia Centre for Disease Control, Vancouver, BC, Canada.,CIHR Canadian HIV Trials Network, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Aidan Ablona
- Clinical Prevention Services, British Columbia Centre for Disease Control, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Hsiu-Ju Chang
- Clinical Prevention Services, British Columbia Centre for Disease Control, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Geoff Mckee
- Clinical Prevention Services, British Columbia Centre for Disease Control, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Mark Gilbert
- School of Population and Public Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.,Clinical Prevention Services, British Columbia Centre for Disease Control, Vancouver, BC, Canada
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4
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Allen C, Vassilev I, Kennedy A, Rogers A. The work and relatedness of ties mediated online in supporting long-term condition self-management. SOCIOLOGY OF HEALTH & ILLNESS 2020; 42:579-595. [PMID: 31769045 PMCID: PMC7078997 DOI: 10.1111/1467-9566.13042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
The 'care transition' is characterised by reduced state involvement in chronic illness management in response to socio-political movements aimed at meeting the challenges presented by an increased prevalence of chronic illness. Amongst these changes has been online communities' rising importance in everyday interactions and attention is being increasingly paid towards the ways online contacts might contribute to self-management. Whilst research has illuminated the relevance of personal networks in long-term condition management, it is relevant to extend this work to consider the place of ties mediated online in this bricolage of support, including better understanding the work drawn from them and the strategies involved in eliciting it. This study examined the work and relatedness of 30 participants, who used online communities. Participants were asked about the role of on and offline ties and ego network mapping was used to frame conversations about the nature of this support. The context of engagement followed three main themes. Participants drew from online communities in response to deficits in offline support, they used online ties to leverage support or action from offline ties and they used online ties to substitute offline support, with less intimate online ties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chris Allen
- NIHR Collaboration for Leadership in Applied Health Research (CLAHRC) WessexSchool of Health SciencesUniversity of SouthamptonSouthamptonUK
| | - Ivaylo Vassilev
- NIHR Collaboration for Leadership in Applied Health Research (CLAHRC) WessexSchool of Health SciencesUniversity of SouthamptonSouthamptonUK
| | - Anne Kennedy
- NIHR Collaboration for Leadership in Applied Health Research (CLAHRC) WessexSchool of Health SciencesUniversity of SouthamptonSouthamptonUK
| | - Anne Rogers
- NIHR Collaboration for Leadership in Applied Health Research (CLAHRC) WessexSchool of Health SciencesUniversity of SouthamptonSouthamptonUK
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GMO/GMF on Social Media in China: Jagged Landscape of Information Seeking and Sharing Behavior through a Valence View. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2019; 16:ijerph16234838. [PMID: 31810171 PMCID: PMC6926536 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph16234838] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2019] [Revised: 11/25/2019] [Accepted: 11/25/2019] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
The study examines the critical factors affecting Chinese social media (SM) users’ intentions and behavior to seek and share information on genetically modified organisms/ genetically modified food (GMO/GMF). The proposed framework was conceptualized through benefit-risk analysis and subsequently mapped SM users’ perceived benefits and risks to seeks and share information using Kurt Lewin’s valence view. Quantitative data was collected using survey questionnaires administered from 583 SM users. The results of the path analysis demonstrated two key findings related to SM users’ perceived benefits and risks to seek and share information on GMO/GMF. Among risks, the psychological risk is the strongest predictor of perceived risk to use SM for GMO/GMF, which consequently determines the intentions and behaviors to share information about GMO/GMF on SM in People’s Republic of China. Among benefits, the results showed that perceived usefulness, creditability of GMO/GMF information, and information support are positively related to perceived benefits to use SM for GMO/GMF, which subsequently, predicts the intentions and behaviors to seek information about GMO/GMF on SM. This study suggests scholars and practitioners explore and utilize the efficient communication strategy to fulfill the potential of the SM to increase GMO/GMF acceptance in Chinese society.
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The role of social media in selective dorsal rhizotomy for children: information sharing and social support. Childs Nerv Syst 2019; 35:2179-2185. [PMID: 31079181 DOI: 10.1007/s00381-019-04197-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2019] [Accepted: 05/06/2019] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE Selective dorsal rhizotomy (SDR) is a surgical treatment for spasticity, primarily in cerebral palsy (CP). There is a growing trend for patients to seek medical information from their peers on social media platforms. This study qualitatively and quantitatively assessed the use of social media as an information-sharing and support-seeking tool by patients and caregivers. METHODS A search was performed on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube. Public information was quantitatively assessed by category, users, year of creation, and country of origin. Representative samples of comments and posts were then qualitatively assessed by thematic analysis. RESULTS One hundred eighty-five Facebook groups and pages, 97 YouTube videos, and 14 Twitter accounts were identified, based in 13 countries. SDR and CP groups had a mean membership of 3063 and 2339, respectively; SDR and CP pages had a mean number of "likes" of 1650 and 10,711, respectively. Total YouTube video views were 593,135 (mean 6115). Total Twitter followers were 62,609 (mean 2160). Qualitative analysis identified seven categories of comments: emotional support and forming connections (22.34%), sharing information and advice (15.96%), appreciation and successes (31.91%), challenges and difficulties (8.51%), advertising/offering services (4.79%), inequities and access (4.79%), and social media as a second opinion (11.7%). CONCLUSIONS This study outlines the use of social media platforms in the distribution of information regarding SDR. We highlight the importance placed by patients and caregivers on the advice of their peers. The current report should inform healthcare providers' interactions with patients with respect to information seeking and provision of support.
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Wang MY, Zhang PZ, Zhou CY, Lai NY. Effect of Emotion, Expectation, and Privacy on Purchase Intention in WeChat Health Product Consumption: The Mediating Role of Trust. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2019; 16:E3861. [PMID: 31614749 PMCID: PMC6843468 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph16203861] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2019] [Revised: 09/19/2019] [Accepted: 09/20/2019] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
With the aging of the population and the upgrading of the consumption structure of national health demand in China, it has become a new trend for the public to actively seek health products and services on social networks. Based on the theory of reasoned behavior and the theory of expectancy confirmation, this study aims to analyze the cognitive factors and their effects on WeChat users' purchase intention in the process of health product consumption. Considering that safety is a key feature of health products that distinguishes them from other consumer products, the "satisfaction" concept in the expectancy confirmation model is replaced by "trust" in this study. Two hundred and two (202) valid samples were collected by a questionnaire survey to analyze their intentions to buy health products on WeChat. Theoretical models and corresponding research hypotheses were verified by structural equation modeling. The research results show that emotional price and emotional experience are positively correlated with trust and purchase intention. There is an obvious negative correlation between privacy invasion and trust. Expectation confirmation is positively associated with trust. Moreover, the intermediary test shows that trust has completely mediated between emotional price and purchase intention, and trust also has a full intermediary effect on expectation confirmation and purchase intention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ming-Yan Wang
- Department of Information Management, Management School, Shanghai University of Engineering Science, Shanghai 201620, China.
| | - Peng-Zhu Zhang
- Department of Management Information System, AnTai College of Economics & Management, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200030, China.
| | - Cheng-Yang Zhou
- Department of Information Management, Management School, Shanghai University of Engineering Science, Shanghai 201620, China.
| | - Neng-Ye Lai
- Department of Information Management, Management School, Shanghai University of Engineering Science, Shanghai 201620, China.
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8
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Velan B, Ziv A, Kaplan G, Rubin C, Connelly Y, Karni T, Tal O. Truth-telling and doctor-assisted death as perceived by Israeli physicians. BMC Med Ethics 2019; 20:13. [PMID: 30777058 PMCID: PMC6380017 DOI: 10.1186/s12910-019-0350-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2018] [Accepted: 01/31/2019] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Medicine has undergone substantial changes in the way medical dilemmas are being dealt with. Here we explore the attitude of Israeli physicians to two debatable dilemmas: disclosing the full truth to patients about a poor medical prognosis, and assisting terminally ill patients in ending their lives. Methods Attitudes towards medico-ethical dilemmas were examined through a nationwide online survey conducted among members of the Israeli Medical Association, yielding 2926 responses. Results Close to 60% of the respondents supported doctor-assisted death, while one third rejected it. Half of the respondents opposed disclosure of the full truth about a poor medical prognosis, and the others supported it. Support for truth-telling was higher among younger physicians, and support for doctor-assisted death was higher among females and among physicians practicing in hospitals. One quarter of respondents supported both truth-telling and assisted death, thereby exhibiting respect for patients’ autonomy. This approach characterizes younger doctors and is less frequent among general practitioners. Another quarter of the respondents rejected truth-telling, yet supported assisted death, thereby manifesting compassionate pragmatism. This was associated with medical education, being more frequent among doctors educated in Israel, than those educated abroad. All this suggests that both personal attributes and professional experience affect attitudes of physicians to ethical questions. Conclusions Examination of attitudes to two debatable medical dilemmas allowed portrayal of the multi-faceted medico-ethical scene in Israel. Moreover, this study, demonstrates that one can probe the ethical atmosphere of a given medical community, at various time points by using a few carefully selected questions. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s12910-019-0350-5) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Baruch Velan
- TheGertner Institute for Epidemiology and Health Policy Research, Sheba Medical Center, Ramat Gan, Israel. .,Israeli Center for Emerging Technologies, Shamir Medical Center (Assaf Harofeh), Zerifin, Israel.
| | - Arnona Ziv
- TheGertner Institute for Epidemiology and Health Policy Research, Sheba Medical Center, Ramat Gan, Israel
| | - Giora Kaplan
- TheGertner Institute for Epidemiology and Health Policy Research, Sheba Medical Center, Ramat Gan, Israel.,Israeli Center for Emerging Technologies, Shamir Medical Center (Assaf Harofeh), Zerifin, Israel
| | - Carmit Rubin
- TheGertner Institute for Epidemiology and Health Policy Research, Sheba Medical Center, Ramat Gan, Israel
| | - Yaron Connelly
- Israeli Center for Emerging Technologies, Shamir Medical Center (Assaf Harofeh), Zerifin, Israel
| | - Tami Karni
- Comprehensive Breast Care Institute, Shamir Medical Center (Assaf Harofeh), Zerifin, Israel
| | - Orna Tal
- Israeli Center for Emerging Technologies, Shamir Medical Center (Assaf Harofeh), Zerifin, Israel
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9
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Gasteiger N, Grainger R, Day K. Arthritis-Related Support in a Social Media Group for Quilting Hobbyists: Qualitative Study. Interact J Med Res 2018; 7:e11026. [PMID: 30282623 PMCID: PMC6231755 DOI: 10.2196/11026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2018] [Revised: 08/03/2018] [Accepted: 08/22/2018] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Background People with arthritis are increasingly seeking support online, particularly for information about social role participation while experiencing symptoms of chronic arthritis. Social media enables peer-to-peer support on how serious leisure (eg, hobbies such as quilting) can be adapted to allow participation. Research is needed to understand what type of peer support is provided online and how this support occurs. Objective The aim of our study was to explore what kind of support is offered by fellow hobbyists (with or without arthritis) in response to requests for advice in a social media group. Methods Three vignettes were posted on a Facebook quilting group regarding arthritis-related symptoms or impairments that affect how people quilt. A Facebook Insights report was used to examine the groups’ demographics. Responses to the vignettes were thematically analyzed. Results The members of the quilting Facebook group were mostly women (18,376/18,478, 99.45%), aged 55 to 64 years, and most were located in the United States. In response to the vignettes, the 22 participants predominantly offered emotional support and shared information. Participants shared their real-life experiences and creative means in adapting medical advice to their crafting. More than half (30/54, 56%) of the advice that was offered aligned with the OrthoInfo medical best practice guidelines relevant to the vignettes. Conclusions Serious leisure social media groups can be useful forums for sharing information about arthritis-related issues. People do respond to requests for support and information, although there is a difference between quilting support (eg, “I need a new iron, what should I buy?”) and health support (eg, “I have arthritis, what scissors should I buy?”). People provide emotional support for life events on serious leisure social media platforms (eg, offering condolences when a person states that she is making a memory quilt), and this extends to health issues when group members reveal them.
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Affiliation(s)
- Norina Gasteiger
- Health Systems, School of Population Health, The University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Rebecca Grainger
- Department of Medicine, University of Otago, Wellington, New Zealand
| | - Karen Day
- Health Systems, School of Population Health, The University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
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Fergie G, Hunt K, Hilton S. Social media as a space for support: Young adults' perspectives on producing and consuming user-generated content about diabetes and mental health. Soc Sci Med 2016; 170:46-54. [PMID: 27750067 PMCID: PMC5115652 DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2016.10.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2016] [Revised: 09/22/2016] [Accepted: 10/07/2016] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Social media offer opportunities to both produce and consume content related to health experiences. However, people's social media practices are likely to be influenced by a range of individual, social and environmental factors. The aim of this qualitative study was to explore how engagement with user-generated content can support people with long-term health conditions, and what limits users' adoption of these technologies in the everyday experience of their health condition. Forty semi-structured interviews were conducted with young adults, aged between 18 and 30 years, with experience of diabetes or a common mental health disorder (CMHD). We found that the online activities of these young adults were diverse; they ranged from regular production and consumption ('prosumption') of health-related user-generated content to no engagement with such content. Our analysis suggested three main types of users: 'prosumers'; 'tacit consumers' and 'non-engagers'. A key determinant of participants' engagement with resources related to diabetes and CMHDs in the online environment was their offline experiences of support. Barriers to young adults' participation in online interaction, and sharing of content related to their health experiences, included concerns about compromising their presentation of identity and adherence to conventions about what content is most appropriate for specific social media spaces. Based on our analysis, we suggest that social media do not provide an unproblematic environment for engagement with health content and the generation of supportive networks. Rather, producing and consuming user-generated content is an activity embedded within individuals' specific health experiences and is impacted by offline contexts, as well as their daily engagement with, and expectations, of different social media platforms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gillian Fergie
- MRC/CSO Social and Public Health Sciences Unit, University of Glasgow, 200 Renfield Street, Glasgow G2 3QB, UK.
| | - Kate Hunt
- MRC/CSO Social and Public Health Sciences Unit, University of Glasgow, 200 Renfield Street, Glasgow G2 3QB, UK.
| | - Shona Hilton
- MRC/CSO Social and Public Health Sciences Unit, University of Glasgow, 200 Renfield Street, Glasgow G2 3QB, UK.
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