Ethical Considerations in Pediatricians' Use of Social Media

Social media communities for patients and families affected by congenital pediatric surgical conditions

BACKGROUND

Social media has become a means to allow individuals affected by rare diseases to connect with others. This study aimed to characterize the use of three popular social media platforms by individuals affected by common pediatric surgery index conditions.

METHODS

A systematic search of Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter was performed using standardized terms for the following pediatric surgical conditions: anorectal malformation, biliary atresia, bronchopulmonary sequestration, congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH), congenital pulmonary airway malformation, duodenal atresia, esophageal atresia/tracheoesophageal fistula (EA/TEF), gastroschisis, Hirschsprung disease (HD), and omphalocele. Accounts active within the last year were analyzed and assessed.

RESULTS

A total of 666 accounts were identified. Instagram was the most common platform, but accounts dedicated to support and story sharing were most common on Facebook. Biliary atresia and CDH had the largest communities identified. Support groups were most common among those dedicated to EA/TEF (43.3%, p < 0.001). Most accounts were created by parents, but accounts dedicated to HD had the greatest proportion founded by patients (22.4%, p = 0.04).

CONCLUSIONS

Social media use is common among patients and families affected by congenital surgical conditions. Certain diseases have larger communities and support networks. Knowledge about their existence may allow surgeons to direct patients towards supportive communities and resources.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

IV.

TikTok's Sick-Role Subculture and What to Do About It

TikTok is a social media platform that allows users to incorporate music, text, and other special effects into short videos. The app has approximately 30 million monthly users in the United States alone, and was the most downloaded app globally in 2020, with 850 million downloads.¹ Like many popular social media platforms, use is heavily skewed toward youth, with one estimate reporting 62% of all users being between the ages of 10 and 29 years.² TikTok has carved out a niche where youth can virtually congregate to poke fun at shared experiences from within their own homes, with ordinary backgrounds such as their living rooms, rather than heavily idealized lifestyles seen on other social media platforms. As such, youth are more relatable when they produce personal performances from their homes, ranging from lip syncing and complex dance routines, to videos discussing more serious topics, such as personal struggles with mental health conditions.