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Original research
Use of social media for academic and professional purposes by gynecologic oncologists
  1. Geetu Prakash Bhandoria1,
  2. Aarthi S Jayraj2,
  3. Shyamji Tiwari3,
  4. Federico Migliorelli4,
  5. Gregg Nelson5,
  6. Gabriëlle H van Ramshorst6,7,
  7. Joanna Kacperczyk-Bartnik8,
  8. Martina Aida Angeles9,
  9. Navya Nair10,
  10. Houssein El Hajj11 and
  11. Nicolò Bizzarri12
    1. 1Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Command Hospital Kolkata, Kolkata, West Bengal, India
    2. 2South Tees NHS Foundation Trust, James Cook University, Middlesbrough, UK
    3. 3Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Military Hospital Patiala, Patiala, Punjab, India
    4. 4Maternal-Fetal Medicine Department, Hospital Clinic Barcelona, Barcelona Center for Maternal-Fetal and Neonatal Medicine, Barcelona, Spain
    5. 5Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
    6. 6Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, University Hospital Ghent, Ghent, Belgium
    7. 7Human Structure and Repair, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
    8. 8II Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Medical University of Warsaw, Warszawa, Poland
    9. 9Department of Gynecologic Oncology, Centro Sociosanitario y Residencial de la Vall d'Hebron de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
    10. 10Division of Gynecologic Oncology, Dept of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Miami Sylvester Cancer Center, Miami, Florida, USA
    11. 11Department of Gynecologic Oncology, Institute Curie, Paris, France
    12. 12UOC Ginecologia Oncologica, Dipartimento per la salute della Donna e del Bambino e della Salute Pubblica, Policlinico Agostino Gemelli IRCCS, Rome, Italy
    1. Correspondence to Dr Geetu Prakash Bhandoria, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Command Hospital Kolkata, Kolkata, West Bengal 700027, India; bhandoriageetu{at}gmail.com

    Abstract

    Objective To investigate the prevalence and patterns of social media use among gynecologic oncologists for professional and academic purposes.

    Methods A prospective online survey between November and December 2022 targeted gynecologic oncology practitioners (gynecologic oncologists, surgical oncologists, medical oncologists, radiation/clinical oncologists, and onco-pathologists/pathologists). The survey, distributed via various social media platforms, included 40 questions to capture qualitative and quantitative data on social media use.

    Results Of 131 respondents from 32 countries, 106 (80.9%) were gynecologic oncologists and affiliated with academic institutions (84.7%). Facebook (n=110, 83.9%), Twitter (n= 108, 82.4%), and Instagram (n=100, 76.3%) were the most used platforms. Respondents used social media to stay updated (n=101, 77.1%), network (n=97, 74%), learn about conferences and webinars (n=97, 74%), and engage in academic discussions (n=84, 64.1%). Following the COVID-19 pandemic, 100/129 (77.5%) reported increased social media use. However, only 32 (24.4%) used it to connect with patients, and concerns were raised about privacy and the need for separate professional and personal accounts. A quarter of respondents hesitated to share their opinions on social media due to the fear of controversy, with 26 (20%) experiencing cyberbullying, yet 120/130 (92.3%) believed it enabled junior professionals to express their views. Concerns about differentiating valid content, information reliability, and the professional perception of sourcing knowledge from social media were noted. Gender, age, specialty, and income level influenced patterns of social media use, with variations in preferences for platforms, content engagement, and purposes, highlighting a complex landscape of social media interaction among gynecologic oncologists.

    Conclusion While the use of social media among gynecologic oncologists is prevalent, particularly for academic and professional development, challenges such as cyberbullying, privacy concerns, and the need for formal training in social media navigation persist. Tailored training programs and guidelines could enhance social media’s effective and ethical use in this field, promoting a safe environment for professional expression and engagement.

    • Miscellaneous
    • Gynecology
    • Gynecologic Surgical Procedures
    • Medical Oncology
    • Surgical Oncology

    Data availability statement

    Data are available upon reasonable request. In accordance with the journal’s guidelines, we will provide our data for independent analysis by a selected team by the Editorial Team for the purposes of additional data analysis or for the reproducibility of this study in other centers if such is requested.

    https://doi.org/10.1136/ijgc-2024-005573

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      Data availability statement

      Data are available upon reasonable request. In accordance with the journal’s guidelines, we will provide our data for independent analysis by a selected team by the Editorial Team for the purposes of additional data analysis or for the reproducibility of this study in other centers if such is requested.

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      Footnotes

      • X @Bhandoria, @GreggNelsonERAS, @Joanna86992517, @AngelesFite, @housseinelhajj3

      • Contributors Conceptualization: GPB and NN. Study design: GPB, GHvR, JK-B, MAA, NN, and NB. Data collection: GPB. Data interpretation: FM, GPB, and ASJ. Drafting and/or editing manuscript: all authors. All authors approve and agree to be accountable for all aspects of the work. GPB is the guarantor and accepts full responsibility for the finished work and the conduct of the study.

      • Funding The authors have not declared a specific grant for this research from any funding agency in the public, commercial or not-for-profit sectors.

      • Competing interests JK-B is vice president of the European Network of Young Gynecologic Oncologists (ENYGO), ASJ is social media editor for IJGC, GN is Social media editor for Gynecologic Oncology Journal and treasure for Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) Society.

      • Provenance and peer review Not commissioned; externally peer reviewed.

      • Supplemental material This content has been supplied by the author(s). It has not been vetted by BMJ Publishing Group Limited (BMJ) and may not have been peer-reviewed. Any opinions or recommendations discussed are solely those of the author(s) and are not endorsed by BMJ. BMJ disclaims all liability and responsibility arising from any reliance placed on the content. Where the content includes any translated material, BMJ does not warrant the accuracy and reliability of the translations (including but not limited to local regulations, clinical guidelines, terminology, drug names and drug dosages), and is not responsible for any error and/or omissions arising from translation and adaptation or otherwise.