There is significant variability in the standards used to ensure that diabetes-related social media websites provide high-quality health information, according to a survey published in the Archives of Internal Medicine, Healthcare IT News reports.
For the survey, researchers at Harvard University, Brigham and Women's Hospital, and CVS Caremark reviewed 15 social media sites that ranged in size from 3,074 members to more than 300,000 members. About 80% of the sites networked through Facebook, while 66% connected through Twitter.
Survey Findings
The survey found that most of the social media sites required minimal information for site membership, and only one site required the site administrator to approve an extensive user profile. The survey also found that:
- 67% of the sites required site administrators to review posted content;
- 33% of the sites had physicians available to answer questions; and
- 13% of the sites had no apparent policing of information.
In addition, researchers noted that 80% of the social media sites allowed industry advertising. Of those sites, the survey found that:
- 67% had advertisements from diabetes device makers;
- 66% had advertisements related to diet and exercise;
- 50% had information from pharmaceutical manufacturers; and
- 13% had advertisements from insurance companies.
Implications
William Shrank -- lead author of the study and a researcher at Harvard University and Brigham and Women's Hospital -- said, "We are looking at these sites with a critical eye because they represent an important health care tool of the future, and it is essential to determine how they can best help patients treat their chronic disease."
Shrank added, "We were surprised at how differently [the sites] operate. There is clearly work ahead to make social media a powerful tool in helping patients manage their chronic diseases" (Merrill, Healthcare IT News, 9/27).