Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42344777›Full record

ReviewJournal of pharmaceutical policy and practice2026

A scoping review of the views and experiences of health professionals in the Middle East and North Africa regions regarding social media use.

Maan Ababneh, Derek Stewart, Scott Cunningham, Sarah Pedersen, Zachariah Nazar

Abstract readReview
In one paragraph

Review in Journal of pharmaceutical policy and practice, 2026. 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

5 authors.

Maan AbabnehSchool of Pharmacy, Applied Sciences and Public Health, Robert Gordon University, Aberdeen, UK.
Derek StewartCollege of Pharmacy, QU Health, Qatar University, Doha, Qatar.
Scott CunninghamSchool of Pharmacy, Applied Sciences and Public Health, Robert Gordon University, Aberdeen, UK.
Sarah PedersenGraduate School, Robert Gordon University, Aberdeen, UK.
Zachariah NazarCollege of Pharmacy, QU Health, Qatar University, Doha, Qatar.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4104-4221

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Background: Integrating social media into healthcare practice presents opportunities and poses key challenges for health professionals. While multiple reviews have been published, Western contexts receive the most attention, despite the distinct cultural and regulatory contexts that may shape social media use in other regions. The aim of this review was to scope the views and experiences of health professionals in the Middle East and North Africa region regarding social media use. Methods: Six databases were systematically searched from inception to November 2022 (updated search in March 2025). Studies published in English reporting the views and experiences of health professionals regarding social media use in 24 MENA countries were included. Two reviewers independently screened articles for selection, followed by data extraction and synthesis. Results: Thirty-eight studies were included; the majority adopted cross-sectional methodology ( Conclusions: Despite the substantial volume of existing studies, the evidence remains largely descriptive and lacking in theoretical grounding. More rigorous, in-depth research encompassing all health professional groups is needed to clarify the mechanisms through which social media influences practice. Such work is essential for informing robust policies, practical guidelines, and targeted educational strategies that can mitigate risks while maximising the professional and clinical benefits of social media use.

Identifiers

PMID42344777
PMCPMC13288534

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Registered trials

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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.