Globally, social media has become the go-to place for information, the sharing of ideas, and the best way to reach out to those who are going through challenges. This platform also plays a role during the pandemic.
According to research by the National Library of Medicine, social platforms have played a pivotal role during the pandemic including relaying recent findings on treatment and prevention.
There are those who made status updates about the challenges of the pandemic, while others use social media to give tips on what to do during the pandemic.
It has been the most effective way to pass information quickly during the worldwide pandemic. Here is how social media impacted healthcare during the pandemic:
It has brought about better information on mental health
As the covid-19 pandemic emerged, scientists are gaining a better understanding of the role of social media on mental health.
For instance, a newsletter by Medical News Today states that a majority of people are turning to social media to express their feelings and how the pandemic is affecting them.
Many social media users express depression due to the looming lockdowns and social distancing rules. This shows that the pandemic negatively impacted mental health but it has also shed light on mental health issues and provided an opportunity for those who are struggling with it to get help.
It keeps people connected and decreases anxiety
During the pandemic, social media has helped in keeping friends and family connected despite the fact that they couldn’t see each other physically. As such, this decreases anxiety amongst those who had not seen their families for long time periods.
In hindsight, this brings comfort and equally betters mental health in different people. Knowing loved ones are safe and sound motivates everyone to go through the pandemic in a much better way.
It promotes digital healthcare practices
Looming lockdowns have motivated healthcare practices to go digital. There are healthcare practices that only relied on their physical presence to attend to patients. But in light of the pandemic, they took their business online.
Practices that did not know how to establish an online presence sought the help of a healthcare digital marketing agency to get the job done. This means more employment opportunities for these agencies.
It helps the masses stay informed
Since the beginning of the pandemic, social media platforms have been widely used for health-related purposes. They offer information on health interventions, medical education, health campaigns, and surveillance on the outbreak of the virus.
This helps everyone to stay informed and keep up with the latest happenings in regards to the virus.
The Final Verdict
When all is said and done, social media has had a positive impact on healthcare during the pandemic. It has advanced health research and promoted social mobilization. While there are still research gaps that exist in the strategic use of social media for the purpose of healthcare, so far, so good.