{
  "abstract": "Background/purpose Social media (SM) has become an indispensable tool in healthcare, providing platforms for networking and education. However, its use presents challenges including misinformation, professional boundaries and platform-specific limitations. Building on the EULAR EMEUNET survey, we aimed to characterise SM utilisation within rheumatology globally.Methods The EULAR study group on social media (SoMeR) designed a 30-item survey, which was validated, translated into six languages and distributed via mailing lists and SM channels of EMEUNET, PANLAR Joven, AFLAR and APLAR Young Rheumatology. Analysis employed Human Development Index (HDI) and Internet Freedom Index (IFI) to assess digital divides.Results Among 597 respondents from 59 countries (42.2% female), 92.3% used SM professionally. Female professionals demonstrated significantly higher SM use (94.4% vs 88.8%, p=0.02). Knowledge acquisition was the primary driver (73.0%), with 67.2% using SM for academic research updates. SM adoption varied regionally (Europe 97.3% vs Asia-Pacific 88.6%). Lower HDI regions reported more connectivity issues (28.1% vs 16.7%), while higher HDI cited legal restrictions (24.4%). Countries with restricted internet freedom paradoxically reported higher positive SM impact (4.04/5 vs 3.86/5, p<0.01).Cross-cohort analysis (2015–2023) revealed trends toward professional applications and away from networking functions. Over half (56.9%) reported feeling overwhelmed by SM content, particularly in South America and Africa (73.3%/70.3%, p<0.01). Interest in digital communication was high (83.3%), with webinars being the preferred format (41.1%).Conclusions This survey demonstrates SM’s integral role in rheumatology with significant regional variations, calling for targeted interventions addressing connectivity and legal concerns while maintaining professionalism and scientific integrity.",
  "authors": [
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Department of Rheumatology, Royal Wolverhampton Hospitals NHS Trust, Birmingham, Wolverhampton, UK",
        "School of Infection, Inflammation and Immunology, College of Medicine and Health, University of Birmingham, Wolverhampton, UK",
        "Francis Crick Institute, Camden, London"
      ],
      "name": "Latika Gupta"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Sir H. N. Reliance Foundation Hospital and Research Centre, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India"
      ],
      "name": "Manali Sarkar"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Division of Rheumatology, Inflammation, and Immunity, Brigham and Women's Hospital, and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA"
      ],
      "name": "Jeffrey Sparks"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Instituto de Salud Musculoesquelética (INMUSC), Madrid, Spain"
      ],
      "name": "Loreto Carmona"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Department of Clinical Immunology and Rheumatology, Sanjay Gandhi Postgraduate Institute of Medical Sciences, Lucknow, India"
      ],
      "name": "Lekshmi Minikumari Rahulan"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Seth G.S. Medical College and King Edward Memorial Hospital, Mumbai, India"
      ],
      "name": "Taanya Vijay Talreja"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Department of Clinical Immunology and Rheumatology, Sanjay Gandhi Postgraduate Institute of Medical Sciences, Lucknow, India"
      ],
      "name": "Vikas Agarwal"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Department of Medicine, Hospital Universidad del Norte, Barranquilla, Atlantico, Colombia"
      ],
      "name": "Carlo V Caballero Uribe"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Rheumatology Unit, Department of Medicine and Therapeutics, University of Ghana School of Medical School, College of Health Sciences, Korle-Bu, Accra, Ghana"
      ],
      "name": "Dfiza Dey"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Department of Rheumatology and NIHR Clinical Research Facility, University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust, Southampton, UK"
      ],
      "name": "Christopher J Edwards"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Department of Rheumatology, Sorbonne University, INSERM CRSA, AP-HP Saint-Antoine hospital, Paris, France"
      ],
      "name": "Francis Berenbaum"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Centre for Rheumatic Diseases, King’s College London, London, UK",
        "Rheumatology Department, King's College Hospital, London, UK",
        "Centre for Education, King’s College London, London, UK"
      ],
      "name": "Elena Nikiphorou"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [],
      "name": "On behalf of the EULAR Social Media for Rheumatology (SoMeR) Study Group"
    }
  ],
  "title": "Global social media use among rheumatology professionals: the EULAR SoMeR Study Group survey",
  "uid": "9d7528b6-9b36-5633-bf4f-da012655c91a"
}