ArticleRMD open2025
Global social media use among rheumatology professionals: the EULAR SoMeR Study Group survey.
Article in RMD open, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
What it found
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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.
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Authors and funding
13 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
background/purposeSocial media (SM) has become an indispensable tool in healthcare, providing platforms for networking and education. However, its use presents challenges including misinformation, professional boundaries and platform-specific limitations. Building on the EULAR EMEUNET survey, we aimed to characterise SM utilisation within rheumatology globally.
methodsThe EULAR study group on social media (SoMeR) designed a 30-item survey, which was validated, translated into six languages and distributed via mailing lists and SM channels of EMEUNET, PANLAR Joven, AFLAR and APLAR Young Rheumatology. Analysis employed Human Development Index (HDI) and Internet Freedom Index (IFI) to assess digital divides.
resultsAmong 597 respondents from 59 countries (42.2% female), 92.3% used SM professionally. Female professionals demonstrated significantly higher SM use (94.4% vs 88.8%, p=0.02). Knowledge acquisition was the primary driver (73.0%), with 67.2% using SM for academic research updates. SM adoption varied regionally (Europe 97.3% vs Asia-Pacific 88.6%). Lower HDI regions reported more connectivity issues (28.1% vs 16.7%), while higher HDI cited legal restrictions (24.4%). Countries with restricted internet freedom paradoxically reported higher positive SM impact (4.04/5 vs 3.86/5, p<0.01).Cross-cohort analysis (2015-2023) revealed trends toward professional applications and away from networking functions. Over half (56.9%) reported feeling overwhelmed by SM content, particularly in South America and Africa (73.3%/70.3%, p<0.01). Interest in digital communication was high (83.3%), with webinars being the preferred format (41.1%).
conclusionsThis survey demonstrates SM's integral role in rheumatology with significant regional variations, calling for targeted interventions addressing connectivity and legal concerns while maintaining professionalism and scientific integrity.
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