Open AccessPerceptions of Social Media Use to Augment Health Care Among Adolescents and Young Adults With Cystic Fibrosis: Survey Study
Author(s) -
Ryan Perkins,
R Gross,
Kayla Regan,
Lara Bishay,
G.S. Sawicki
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
jmir pediatrics and parenting
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
ISSN - 2561-6722
DOI - 10.2196/25014
Subject(s) - social media , psychosocial , perception , medicine , health care , social support , young adult , psychology , gerontology , social psychology , world wide web , computer science , psychiatry , neuroscience , economics , economic growth
Background For individuals with cystic fibrosis (CF), adolescence and young adulthood are times of significant vulnerability and have been associated with clinical and psychosocial challenges. Social media may offer innovative care delivery solutions to address these challenges. Objective This study explored motivations and attitudes regarding current social media use and preferences for a social media platform in a sample of adolescents and young adults (AYA) with CF. Methods A cross-sectional survey was administered to 50 AYA with CF followed at a large pediatric-adult CF center. The survey included questions regarding social media platform utilization, attitudes toward general and CF-specific online activities, and preferences for a CF-specific care delivery platform. Results YouTube, Snapchat, and Instagram were the most commonly used social media platforms. AYA with CF do not report routinely using social media for health-related information acquisition, social support, or help with adherence. However, their perceptions of social media utilization and preferences for platform development suggest interest in doing so in the future. Conclusions AYA with CF use social media and expressed interest in the development of a social media platform. Platform development will allow for gaps in health care delivery to be addressed by improving social support and adherence while augmenting current methods of health information acquisition.