How Public is our Health?

Remember when doctors were the only ones who looked after our health? Professionals in the field? Now, in the world of digital communities, we are all qualified to diagnose, promote and share a multitude of mental and physical health concerns that have plagued humans since before the Internet. Should we all just stick to the health values of the good old days, or embrace this new norm emerging for the younger generations?

The Good and the Ugly of Online Health Communities

There is no shame in forgetting hospitals and physical health centres in the current age we live in, because the methods for treating health has its alternatives available with the ease of the Internet. With social media platforms, or even dedicated sites such as ‘Physicians for Peace’, can “reduce costs of training and even medical care itself” to create digitised alternatives for those without the time, money or convenience for visiting typical medical centres themselves. With this ease of access and efficiency for those sharing information, as well as receiving it, why ever visit anyone for advice in person again? This contemporary need for many organisations, or any online group, to “democratize medical knowledge” can lead to the wrong people giving the wrong information (Thompson 2016). If anyone can create a forum, or group, or webpage – what stops a troll or inexperienced person mass spreading ‘medical knowledge’ on these sites? Whilst the benefits of having almost everything available on the Internet are hard to deny, maybe the diagnosis and treatment of specific medical issues should be left to the professionals...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9OZVcNsza-U

Mental Health Campaigning through Social Media

Whilst we can all be professionals in medical health, maybe not all of us should, but we all still have the opportunity to campaign in what we believe. Similar to how ‘professional’ advice can be transmitted, mental health campaigns can often be facilitated through social media platforms as a way for “public health organisations and practitioners” to spread “mass information” of specific warnings or key points that are relevant in society (Heldman, Schindelar & Weaver 2013, p. 1). Campaigns such as #TWLOHA (To Write Love On Her Arm) can spread generalised perceptions of mental health, whilst promoting body positivity and utilising awareness to invest in the treatment of mental health. These widespread issues and concerns do not involve professional diagnosis or conclusions, nor do they claim to, they simply exist as a form of raising awareness for the health of communities in the real and digital world. With an estimated 67% of Internet users participating in social networking sites, why not take advantage of these sites to help create change? (Heldman, Schindelar & Weaver 2013, p. 2). Mental health specifically, must be addressed within the space where sociality is at its peak in our contemporary lives.

Social media can work best when integrated with traditional public health communication channels.

The complexities of human health can clearly be approached in the digital world with the same method as the real one, with support through campaigning and trusting medical professionals for individual diagnosis. The range of options available on the Internet that can assist in understanding illnesses and issues do not have to be engaged with people in this current society if they do not wish, but the immediacy is always available. It is up to the individual to ultimately be the judge of who they choose to believe in and how they that is achieved, with the best interest of their health in mind.

References

Heldman, A., Schindelar, J. & Weaver, J. (2013). Social Media Engagement and Public Health Communication: Implications for Public Health Organizations Being Truly “Social”, Public Health Reviews. Retrieved from https://publichealthreviews.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1007/BF03391698.

Thompson, S. (2016). How Social Media Is Transforming Medical Care In The Developing World, Fast Company & Inc. Retrieved from https://www.fastcompany.com/3057869/how-social-media-is-transforming-medical-care-in-the-developing-world.