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Clinical and epidemiological research
Concise report
Social media use among young rheumatologists and basic scientists: results of an international survey by the Emerging EULAR Network (EMEUNET)
  1. Elena Nikiphorou1,
  2. Paul Studenic2,3,
  3. Christian Gytz Ammitzbøll4,
  4. Mary Canavan5,
  5. Meghna Jani6,
  6. Caroline Ospelt7,
  7. Francis Berenbaum8
  8. on behalf of EMEUNET
  1. 1Rheumatology Department, Whittington Hospital, London, UK
  2. 2Department of Internal Medicine 3, Division of Rheumatology, Medical University Vienna, Vienna, Austria
  3. 3Department of Internal Medicine 3, Division of Geriatric Medicine, Medical University Vienna, Vienna, Austria
  4. 4Rheumatology Department, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark
  5. 5Department of Molecular Rheumatology, Trinity Biomedical Sciences Institute, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
  6. 6Arthritis Research UK Centre for Epidemiology, Centre for Musculoskeletal Research, Institute of Inflammation and Repair, University of Manchester, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Manchester, UK
  7. 7Center of Experimental Rheumatology, University Hospital Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
  8. 8Department of Rheumatology, Inflammation–Immunopathology–Biotherapy Department (DHU i2B), Sorbonne University, UPMC Univ Paris 06, INSERM, Centre de Recherche Saint-Antoine (CRSA), AP-HP Saint-Antoine Hospital, Paris, France
  1. Correspondence to
    Dr Elena Nikiphorou, Rheumatology Department, Whittington Hospital, Magdala Avenue, London, N19 5NF, UK; enikiphorou{at}gmail.com

Abstract

Objectives To explore perceptions, barriers and patterns of social media (SM) use among rheumatology fellows and basic scientists.

Methods An online survey was disseminated via Twitter, Facebook and by email to members of the Emerging European League Against Rheumatism Network. Questions focused on general demographics, frequency and types of SM use, reasons and barriers to SM use.

Results Of 233 respondents (47 countries), 72% were aged 30–39 years, 66% female. 83% were active users of at least one SM platform and 71% were using SM professionally. The majority used SM for communicating with friends/colleagues (79%), news updates (76%), entertainment (69%), clinical (50%) and research (48%) updates. Facebook was the dominant platform used (91%). SM was reported to be used for information (81%); for expanding professional networks (76%); new resources (59%); learning new skills (47%) and establishing a professional online presence (46%). 30% of non-SM users justified not using SM due to lack of knowledge.

Conclusions There was a substantial use of SM by rheumatologists and basic scientists for social and professional reasons. The survey highlights a need for providing learning resources and increasing awareness of the use of SM. This could enhance communication, participation and collaborative work, enabling its more widespread use in a professional manner.

  • Health services research
  • Epidemiology
  • Quality Indicators

https://doi.org/10.1136/annrheumdis-2016-209718

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    Footnotes

    • Handling editor Tore K Kvien

    • Twitter Follow Elena Nikiphorou at @ElenaNikiUK and Meghna Jani at @MeghnaJani

    • Contributors EN, PS and CGA contributed to the design, questionnaire construction, data analyses, reviewing and interpreting of the data and manuscript writing. MC, MJ, CO and FB contributed to the review, interpretation of the data, writing and editing the manuscript.

    • Competing interests None declared.

    • Provenance and peer review Not commissioned; externally peer reviewed.