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Social media as a tool for scientific updating at the time of COVID pandemic: Results from a national survey in Italy

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Listed:
  • Rita Murri
  • Francesco Vladimiro Segala
  • Pierluigi Del Vecchio
  • Antonella Cingolani
  • Eleonora Taddei
  • Giulia Micheli
  • Massimo Fantoni
  • COVID II Columbus Group

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.

Suggested Citation

  • Rita Murri & Francesco Vladimiro Segala & Pierluigi Del Vecchio & Antonella Cingolani & Eleonora Taddei & Giulia Micheli & Massimo Fantoni & COVID II Columbus Group, 2020. "Social media as a tool for scientific updating at the time of COVID pandemic: Results from a national survey in Italy," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 15(9), pages 1-7, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:plo:pone00:0238414
    DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0238414
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Michael A. Johansson & Daniela Saderi, 2020. "Open peer-review platform for COVID-19 preprints," Nature, Nature, vol. 579(7797), pages 29-29, March.
    2. Wang, Yuxi & McKee, Martin & Torbica, Aleksandra & Stuckler, David, 2019. "Systematic Literature Review on the Spread of Health-related Misinformation on Social Media," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 240(C).
    3. Cynthia Chew & Gunther Eysenbach, 2010. "Pandemics in the Age of Twitter: Content Analysis of Tweets during the 2009 H1N1 Outbreak," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 5(11), pages 1-13, November.
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