Social Media News and Research

Latest Social Media News and Research

New scale measures impact of racial discrimination on dating websites for gay, bisexual men

Race-based discrimination and stereotypes are ubiquitous in the online communities and mobile apps that gay and bisexual men use to search for sexual and romantic partners, research indicates.

14 Nov 2019

Terminally ill scientist replumbed as a Cyborg

A 61 year old British scientist suffering from a life threatening muscle wasting disease – motor neurone disease or MND, has managed to convert himself fully into a cyborg called Peter 2.0 making him the first to do so.

14 Nov 2019

Using digital data and AI to improve quality of life for people with diabetes

Until now, medical doctors have used biomarkers to determine the health status of people with diabetes (PWDs).

14 Nov 2019

Limiting the spread of vaccine-related misinformation in social media

In a year that has seen the largest measles outbreak in the US in more than two decades, the role of social media in giving a platform to unscientific anti-vaccine messages and organizations has become a flashpoint.

14 Nov 2019

Ascensia launches campaign for World Diabetes Day to celebrate crucial role of families in diabetes care

Today, Ascensia Diabetes Care, a leading global diabetes care company, has launched its campaign for World Diabetes Day 2019 in celebration of the crucial support that families provide to people with diabetes.

14 Nov 2019

A regulatory haze: Vape marketers are online, creating new headaches for feds

In one picture, Hannah — or, as her 133,000 Instagram followers know her, @__justpeachyy — reclines in a car, her blue vape accenting the matching tattoo ink on her arms. Her curls are messy by design, and eyes heavily lined. (The post has more than 1,300 likes.)

14 Nov 2019

More vapers are making their own juice, but not without risks

Danielle Jones sits at her dining room table, studying the recipe for Nerd Lyfe (v2) vape juice. The supplies she's ordered online are arrayed before her: a plastic jug of unflavored liquid nicotine, a baking scale and bottles of artificial flavors that, combined, promise to re-create the fruity taste of Nerds Rope candy in vapor form.

13 Nov 2019

More adolescents seek medical care for mental health issues

Less than a decade ago, the emergency department at Rady Children's Hospital in San Diego would see maybe one or two young psychiatric patients per day, said Dr. Benjamin Maxwell, the hospital's interim director of child and adolescent psychiatry.

12 Nov 2019

Online information on food allergies has negative impact on medical decisions

The social media stream on food allergies is never-ending. Your Facebook and Twitter friends seem to know what they're talking about. And why shouldn't you believe all those news articles – even if you've never heard of some of the sources?

8 Nov 2019

Top organizations announce awards for emerging leaders in brain health and dementia

To address the growing worldwide public health crisis due to dementia, the prevalence of which is expected to triple worldwide to 152 million by 2050, three leading organizations announced this year's Pilot Awards for Global Brain Health Leaders.

8 Nov 2019

Older adults' smaller networks did not undermine social satisfaction and well-being, study shows

Are younger adults who cultivate numerous connections with friends, families and acquaintances through online social networks any happier than older adults who have smaller circles of face-to-face relationships? The answer may be no, according to research published by the American Psychological Association.

7 Nov 2019

People increasingly using Reddit to 'diagnose' STDs

A new study reveals that people are sharing images of their genitalia on social media in the hope of getting their sexually transmitted infections (STIs) diagnosed by others. This disturbing news not only points at rise in STIs but also misconceptions and lack of motivation to seek authentic medical advice say researchers. The study was published this week in the latest issue of the Journal of American Medical Association (JAMA).

6 Nov 2019

UNLV psychologist shares practical ways to overcome the holiday stress

Charlie Brown might have said it best as he opined to his pal, Linus: "Christmas is coming, but I'm not happy. I don't feel the way I'm supposed to feel."

4 Nov 2019

Twitter use could predict loneliness, mental health issues

For all the rush and busyness of daily life, it gets to be very lonely, for at least 20% of people in the US. And since loneliness is a potent ingredient in the mix that produces heart disease, stroke, dementia and depression – among other health issues – it deserves a place in public health policy.

4 Nov 2019

Preterm birth has lasting consequences for children and their family

In the United States, 1 in 10 babies is born preterm, or at a gestational age of less than 37 weeks. The causes of preterm birth are complicated but the effects are clear: Preterm birth has lasting consequences for the child and their family.

4 Nov 2019

Tweets could be used to predict loneliness in Twitter users

Loneliness is estimated to affect roughly one in five adults in the United States. It also stands as a public health crisis because loneliness has been tied to depression, cardiovascular disease and dementia, among other conditions.

4 Nov 2019

Suicide reporting guidelines not followed by media when reporting a celebrity suicide death

Research shows media coverage of a celebrity suicide has the potential to increase the risk for contagion, especially among vulnerable individuals.

2 Nov 2019

Popular health campaigns aren’t always the most productive, says new study

Researchers have found that just because a public health campaign is popular among the digital community, it doesn’t mean it will produce gains in healthy behavior. This study, published in Lancet Oncology, concludes that in addition to attractive slogans or easy-to-understand captions and images, the relevance of the focused health issue to the target audience and to current guidelines may guide audience behavior.

31 Oct 2019

Internet popularity of health awareness campaigns may not always inspire action

A new study published in Lancet Oncology reveals that the internet popularity of health awareness campaigns may not always translate into a greater interest in related health behaviors.

31 Oct 2019

Portage, Geauga and Lake counties to get new drug prevention infrastructures

Kent State University's College of Public Health is teaming up with the Department of Computer Science to develop and implement drug prevention infrastructure in Portage, Geauga and Lake counties.

30 Oct 2019