Benefits and Threats to Using Social Media for Presenting and Implementing Evidence

J Orthop Sports Phys Ther. 2018 Jan;48(1):3-7. doi: 10.2519/jospt.2018.0601.

Abstract

As a potential high-yield tool for disseminating information that can reach many people, social media is transforming how clinicians, the public, and policy makers are educated and find new knowledge associated with research-related information. Social media is available to all who access the internet, reducing selected barriers to acquiring original source documents such as journal articles or books and potentially improving implementation-the process of formulating a conclusion and moving on that decision. The use of social media for evidence dissemination/implementation of research has both benefits and threats. It is the aim of this Viewpoint to provide a balanced view of each. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther 2018;48(1):3-7. doi:10.2519/jospt.2018.0601.

Keywords: dissemination; internet; research; social media.

MeSH terms

  • Administrative Personnel
  • Biomedical Research / standards
  • Biomedical Research / trends*
  • Health Education
  • Humans
  • Information Dissemination*
  • Professionalism
  • Research Personnel
  • Social Media* / standards