Digital Determinants: The Inclusion of Social Media in Health Conceptualization.

Social media laws; Social media; Digital technology; Social determinants of health; Social workers; Professional ethics; Interprofessional relations; Health; Statistical sampling; Interviewing; Privacy; Information resources; Social worker attitudes; Judgment sampling; Thematic analysis; Advertising; Attitudes of medical personnel; Research; Research methodology; Patient-professional relations; Mental health personnel; Counseling; Phenomenology; Social boundaries; Therapeutic alliance; Psychosocial factors; Medical ethics; Microaggressions

Social determinants of health (SDOH) are vital components to helping address health equity and the social and economic factors that impact health and health outcomes. Two important aspects of SDOH to consider are informational access and accuracy. In an era increasingly influenced by digital platforms, this study delves into the significant role of social media as an SDOH. Through an exploratory sequential mixed-methods design, this study captures mental health professionals' perspectives regarding the professional use of social media. The findings of this study reveal a need for further guidance on how to professionally utilize social media and address boundary and confidentiality concerns. Additionally, the findings demonstrate that social media could be a valuable tool for health education, community support, and public health messaging, and highlights a necessity for accurate informational accessibility. This study underscores the need for a nuanced understanding of social media's role in health, advocating for informed and strategic use in mental health practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Health & Social Work is the property of Oxford University Press / USA and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)