Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40134094›Full record

ArticleHealth promotion journal of Australia : official journal of Australian Association of Health Promotion Professionals2025

From Engagement to Concerns: Social Media Use Among a Sample of Australian Public Health Professionals.

Kahlia McCausland, Zannatul Tazrin, Justine E Leavy, Becky Freeman, Katharina Wolf, Tama Leaver, Hui Jun Chih, Barbara A Mullan, Sonya Girdler, Jonine Jancey

Abstract read
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In one paragraph

Article in Health promotion journal of Australia : official journal of Australian Association of Health Promotion Professionals, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

10 authors.

Kahlia McCauslandCollaboration for Evidence, Research and Impact in Public Health, School of Population Health, Curtin University, Bentley, Western Australia, Australia.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7071-6491
Zannatul TazrinSchool of Population Health, Curtin University, Bentley, Western Australia, Australia.ORCID https://orcid.org/0009-0004-4831-2801
Justine E LeavyCollaboration for Evidence, Research and Impact in Public Health, School of Population Health, Curtin University, Bentley, Western Australia, Australia.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8747-0424
Becky FreemanSchool of Public Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2082-9612
Katharina WolfSchool of Management and Marketing, Curtin University, Bentley, Western Australia, Australia.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6740-4478
Tama LeaverSchool of Media, Creative Arts and Social Inquiry, Curtin University, Bentley, Western Australia, Australia.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4065-4725
Hui Jun ChihSchool of Population Health, Curtin University, Bentley, Western Australia, Australia.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9294-0996
Barbara A MullanSchool of Population Health, Curtin University, Bentley, Western Australia, Australia.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0177-8899
Sonya GirdlerSchool of Allied Health, Curtin University, Bentley, Western Australia, Australia.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7992-0800
Jonine JanceyCollaboration for Evidence, Research and Impact in Public Health, School of Population Health, Curtin University, Bentley, Western Australia, Australia.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7894-2896

Funding

Healthway 34516
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

issue addressedSocial media plays a crucial and diverse role in health promotion and public health. However, professionals often cite various concerns and a lack of knowledge of how to use it effectively. This study aimed to explore the use of social media by Australian health promotion and public health professionals.

methodsA cross-sectional online survey was conducted between July and August 2023 with people aged 18 years or older currently working in a public health or health promotion role in Australia.

resultsOne hundred and fifty eligible responses were obtained. Participants were predominantly female (85%) and aged between 18 and 39 years (50%). Most participants (40%) rated themselves as having an intermediate social media competency level, and 60% had never undertaken social media training. The majority used social media in their professional role (77%) for dissemination (68%), education (62%) and advocacy (54%) purposes. However, several concerns were highlighted, including the validity of information on social media (43%) and inappropriate online behaviour (40%).

conclusionsDespite high levels of social media use for education and advocacy purposes, participants had concerns about using social media in a professional context and about the reliability and quality of information acquired through social media. Training on effectively navigating social media and verifying the accuracy of available information is worthy of future attention. SO WHAT?: These findings will inform the development of a massive open online course that aims to equip health promotion and public health professionals with the skills to use social media for public health education and advocacy.

Indexed as

Health PersonnelHealth PromotionPublic HealthSocial MediaAdolescentAdultAustraliaCross-Sectional StudiesFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedSurveys and QuestionnairesYoung Adulthealth promotionpublic healthpublic health practicesocial media

Identifiers

PMID40134094
PMCPMC11937422

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.