Deshpande Aniruddha K, Deshpande Shruti Balvalli, O'Brien Colleen
The Hear-Ring Lab, Department of Speech-Language-Hearing Sciences, Hofstra University, Hempstead, NY.
Long Island Doctor of Audiology (Au.D.) Consortium, NY.
Am J Audiol. 2018 Dec 6;27(4):559-569. doi: 10.1044/2018_AJA-18-0033.
As more people experience tinnitus, social awareness of tinnitus has consequently increased, due in part to the Internet. Social media platforms are being used increasingly by patients to seek health-related information for various conditions including tinnitus. These online platforms may be used to seek guidance from and share experiences with individuals suffering from a similar disorder. Some social media platforms can also be used to communicate with health care providers. The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of tinnitus-related information on social media platforms.
The present investigation analyzed the portrayal of tinnitus-related information across 3 social media platforms: Facebook (pages and groups), Twitter, and YouTube. We performed a comprehensive analysis of the platforms using the key words "tinnitus" and "ringing in the ears." The results on each platform were manually examined by 2 reviewers based on social media activity metrics, such as "likes," "followers," and "comments."
The different social media platforms yielded diverse results, allowing individuals to learn about tinnitus, seek support, advocate for tinnitus awareness, and connect with medical professionals. The greatest activity was seen on Facebook pages, followed by YouTube videos. Various degrees of misinformation were found across all social media platforms.
The present investigation reveals copious amounts of tinnitus-related information on different social media platforms, which the community with tinnitus may use to learn about and cope with the condition. Audiologists must be aware that tinnitus sufferers often turn to social media for additional help and should understand the current climate of how tinnitus is portrayed. Clinicians should be equipped to steer individuals with tinnitus toward valid information.
随着越来越多的人经历耳鸣，耳鸣的社会关注度因此有所提高，部分原因是互联网的作用。患者越来越多地使用社交媒体平台来寻求包括耳鸣在内的各种疾病的健康相关信息。这些在线平台可用于向患有类似疾病的人寻求指导并分享经验。一些社交媒体平台还可用于与医疗保健提供者进行沟通。本研究的目的是调查社交媒体平台上与耳鸣相关信息的流行情况。
本调查分析了3个社交媒体平台上与耳鸣相关信息的呈现情况：脸书（页面和群组）、推特和优兔。我们使用关键词“耳鸣”和“耳鸣声”对这些平台进行了全面分析。两位评审员根据社交媒体活动指标，如“点赞数”“关注者数”和“评论数”，对每个平台的结果进行了人工检查。
不同的社交媒体平台产生了不同的结果，使人们能够了解耳鸣、寻求支持、倡导提高耳鸣认知度并与医学专业人员建立联系。脸书页面上的活动最为活跃，其次是优兔视频。在所有社交媒体平台上都发现了不同程度的错误信息。
本调查揭示了不同社交媒体平台上大量与耳鸣相关的信息，耳鸣群体可利用这些信息来了解和应对这种疾病。听力学家必须意识到耳鸣患者经常会转向社交媒体寻求更多帮助，并且应该了解当前耳鸣信息的呈现情况。临床医生应具备引导耳鸣患者获取有效信息的能力。
