Social Media Applications in Healthcare Communication

Social media platforms have become integral to contemporary healthcare communication, enabling a range of functions from patient education and support to professional networking and public health surveillance. Patients and lay communities use dedicated groups and forums to share experiences, access peer-to-peer advice and gather emotional support, while healthcare professionals leverage microblogging and professional networking sites to disseminate clinical updates, engage in multidisciplinary dialogue and foster continuing professional development. Health organisations and public agencies deploy multimedia campaigns to promote preventive behaviours, monitor outbreaks in real time and counteract health misinformation. Telemedicine and remote consultations increasingly incorporate secure messaging and video channels embedded within social applications to extend access to underserved populations. At the same time, institutions must address challenges of data privacy, content moderation and digital literacy. Global experience during public health emergencies has underscored both the transformative potential of social media in fostering rapid information exchange and the need for robust governance frameworks and user-centred design to ensure safety, equity and trust across diverse settings.

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Social Media Applications in Healthcare Communication publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in social media applications in healthcare communication across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

Virtual community: A digital forum in which health professionals or patients exchange knowledge, share experiences and offer mutual support.

Telemedicine: The remote delivery of clinical services and health advice via telecommunications technology, including video conferencing and secure messaging.

Content moderation: The process of reviewing, curating and managing user-generated content to ensure accuracy, appropriateness and compliance with professional standards.

Health misinformation: False or misleading health information that can influence individuals’ decisions and pose risks to public health.

Patient engagement: Active involvement of individuals in their own healthcare decisions and communication through digital channels and social platforms.

References

1. Influence of Social Media on Applicant Perceptions of Anesthesiology Residency Programs During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Quantitative Survey. JMIR Medical Education (2023).
2. UK midwives’ perceptions and experiences of using Facebook to provide perinatal support: Results of an exploratory online survey. PLOS Digital Health (2023).
3. Social Media Use Among Members of the Assessment of Spondyloarthritis International Society: Results of a Web-Based Survey. Journal of Medical Internet Research (2023).