Original Research Article
Year: 2023 | Month: June | Volume: 13 | Issue: 6 | Pages: 241-247
DOI: https://doi.org/10.52403/ijhsr.20230639
Assessment of Social Media Usage for Medical Information Among Medical and Dental Students
Dr. Sindhura Thattapudi1, Dr. B Naveen Kumar2, Dr. V Narayana Rao3, Dr. Anvesh Gandham4, Dr. Akhil Pallepati5, Dr. Zabirunnisa Begum MD6
2,3Head of the Department, 4Senior Lecturer, 5Assistant Professors, 6Reader, 1,2,4,6Lenora Institute of Dental
Science, 3Kona Seema Institute of Dental Sciences, Amalapuram, 5Dental Wing- Mahatma Gandhi Medical College, Warangal, 1,2,3,4,5,6Department of public health dentistry
Corresponding Author: Dr. Sindhura Thattapudi
ABSTRACT
Introduction : social media is used rapidly and effectively to communicate, educate, learn, create, share update information and ideas. medical and dental students use social media for medical/dental information and communications through different websites.
Objective : the objective of the study was to assess the usage of social media for medical / dental information among medical and dental students and to assess the purpose of social media for medical information.
Methodology: a cross-sectional study was conducted among medical and dental students with a pre-designed questionnaire consisting of 33 questions related to the usage of social media, the questionnaire was emailed to 750 students and the final response received was 600. a chi‑square test was employed and p < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. all analyses were performed using spss software version 23.
Results: there was 80% (n= 600) of response rate for filling the questionnaires from medical (n1= 300) and dental (n2=300) professional students, 61.2% reported with usage of social media to inquire medical information. among them 54.2% reported social media is a necessity today and social media is a source to share medical information (51.8%). 49.8% believed social media creates an opportunity to promote themselves and their activities. the observed responses were found to be significant about the social media usage (p ≤0.05).
Conclusion: medical and dental students use social media for medical information through different websites, for sharing medical information, making learning more interesting, reading uploaded educational articles and medical communications.
Key words: Social media, Medical information, Medical communication.