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Murri R, Segala FV, Del Vecchio P, Cingolani A, Taddei E, Micheli G, Fantoni M. Social media as a tool for scientific updating at the time of COVID pandemic: Results from a national survey in Italy. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0238414. [PMID: 32881933 PMCID: PMC7470601 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0238414] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2020] [Accepted: 08/16/2020] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
In the face of the rapid evolution of the COVID-19 pandemic, healthcare
professionals on the frontline are in urgent need of frequent updates in the
accomplishment of their practice. Hence, clinicians started to search for
prompt, valid information on sources that are parallel to academic journals. Aim
of this work is to investigate the extent of this phenomenon. We administered an
anonymous online cross-sectional survey to 645 Italian clinicians. Target of the
survey were all medical figures potentially involved in the management of
COVID-19 cases. 369 questionnaires were returned. 19.5% (n = 72) of respondents
were younger than 30 years-old; 49,3% (n = 182) worked in Infectious Diseases,
Internal Medicine or Respiratory Medicine departments, 11.5% (n = 42) in
Intensive Care Unit and 7.4% (n = 27) were general practitioner. 70% (n = 261)
of respondents reported that their use of social media to seek medical
information increased during the pandemic. 39.3% (n = 145) consistently
consulted Facebook groups and 53.1% (n = 196) Whatsapp chats. 47% (n = 174) of
respondents reported that information shared on social media had a consistent
impact on their daily practice. In the present study, we found no difference in
social media usage between age groups or medical specialties. Given the urgent
need for scientific update during the present pandemic, these findings may help
understanding how clinicians access new evidences and implement them in their
daily practice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rita Murri
- Dipartimento di Scienze di Laboratorio e Infettivologiche, Fondazione
Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, Rome, Italy
- Dipartimento di Sicurezza e Bioetica, Università Cattolica del Sacro
Cuore, Rome, Italy
| | | | | | - Antonella Cingolani
- Dipartimento di Scienze di Laboratorio e Infettivologiche, Fondazione
Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, Rome, Italy
- Dipartimento di Sicurezza e Bioetica, Università Cattolica del Sacro
Cuore, Rome, Italy
| | - Eleonora Taddei
- Dipartimento di Scienze di Laboratorio e Infettivologiche, Fondazione
Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, Rome, Italy
- Dipartimento di Sicurezza e Bioetica, Università Cattolica del Sacro
Cuore, Rome, Italy
| | | | - Massimo Fantoni
- Dipartimento di Scienze di Laboratorio e Infettivologiche, Fondazione
Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, Rome, Italy
- Dipartimento di Sicurezza e Bioetica, Università Cattolica del Sacro
Cuore, Rome, Italy
| | - COVID II Columbus Group
- Dipartimento di Scienze di Laboratorio e Infettivologiche, Fondazione
Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, Rome, Italy
- Dipartimento di Sicurezza e Bioetica, Università Cattolica del Sacro
Cuore, Rome, Italy
- Dipartimento di Scienze Mediche e Chirurgiche, Unità Operativa Complessa
di Pneumologia, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, Rome,
Italy
- Dipartimento Scienze dell’Invecchiamento, Neurologiche, Ortopediche e
Della Testa-Collo, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, Rome,
Italy
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