Social Media Healthcare Support Groups

Selandy Girard, MSN, RN

Americans spend an average of 2 hours 14 minutes daily on social media sites¹. Smartphones make it easier for all to access popular social media sites such as facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Twitter. Social media sites allow one to connect with others worldwide and discuss assorted topics. Healthcare is no exception. Healthcare support groups are available on social media to help one find the support they may need about a medical condition.

The Pandemic and Its Impact on Healthcare

The Covid-19 pandemic changed the ways healthcare was delivered. Some people could not seek physical healthcare treatment during the earlier days of the pandemic because hospitals were inundated with treating persons with the Covid-19 infection or were freeing up hospital beds if a bed was needed for the severely ill. In some cases, physician offices were closed and not accessible to the public². And some people may have been terrified to leave their homes during the height of the pandemic.

Being confined to home during the earlier stages of the pandemic, people turned to social media to connect with loved ones, seek emotional support from others, and engage with others who share similar life experiences. An example is someone dealing with a chronic health condition or a recent illness who could find solace in healthcare support groups on social media.

Healthcare Support Groups on Social Media

Support groups on social media can include groups for those with chronic illnesses, those who have or undergoing surgical procedures, and support groups for friends and family members of persons with medical conditions. Social media has allowed us the flexibility to continue living our lives without the physical access that the pandemic caused. More people can take part in those groups versus being in a physical group setting because of the available time required for active participation.

Who Would Engage in Social Media Healthcare Groups?

Healthcare groups on social media are not recommended for everyone; not everyone will enjoy partaking in that setting. Some can get overwhelmed with the multiple available healthcare treatment options. Some will be unable to research further to sort through the presented information. Some would rather their health provider guide their treatment plan. And some will find social media healthcare groups beneficial. Those taking part in healthcare groups on social media sites include but are not limited to the following:

Tech-savvy People. For the average person, searching for and joining a health group on social media is easy. Finding and joining the available groups is easy if one is willing to learn how to use and interact with social media sites.
People who seek different opinions. A person who is open-minded and interested in learning from others. One must realize that the information given in those groups will allow further thinking and research. One should never solely rely on what is discussed on social media healthcare groups.
People who actively engage in their health care treatment plan. Some people prefer to obtain as much information as possible about their health condition in anticipation of meeting with their health care provider. Thereby seeking clarification and advice from a healthcare professional about information obtained in those groups.
Healthcare professionals. Healthcare professionals are not experts in everything medical. Therefore, some may seek the support of those in healthcare social media groups. A healthcare professional, without realizing it, may help someone else in a group with an issue unrelated to that of the group.

Benefits of Social Media Healthcare Groups

Social media health support groups allow one to feel less lonely, knowing that there is someone else who shares the same or similar experiences. Being a member of a health group on social media provides one with opportunities for teaching and learning. One can learn about treatment practices for a health problem offered beyond their geographic location. And on the other hand, one can educate others about what can be expected with a particular medical condition.

A Nurse’s Role in Social Media Healthcare Groups

A nurse is not an expert in all things medical. A nurse, however, can use their expertise to help others. If physical volunteering is unavailable, nurses should consider volunteering their time in the virtual world. A nurse who is an expert in diabetes can join a diabetic support group on one of the social media sites and offer guidance to others on the care and management of diabetes.

Volunteering one’s time in a virtual support group allows for flexibility in volunteering. One can spend as much or as little time as possible with varied hours. Nurses actively engaged in social media health groups can affect the information disseminated among group members. Besides, volunteering one’s time brings satisfaction in knowing that you have positively affected someone.

Conclusion

Support groups on social media sites are created to help persons with chronic illnesses and other health conditions. Those groups can help build camaraderie and motivate one on their health care journey. As technology advances, virtual support groups may continue to be enhanced. Social media healthcare groups should never replace healthcare advice from one’s healthcare practitioner. Instead, healthcare advice from social media sites should be used to complement and enhance the care received from one’s healthcare provider.

References

¹Which countries spend the most time on social media?

²The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Access to Health Care