The Impact of Social Media on Public Health and Education
A special issue of European Journal of Investigation in Health, Psychology and Education (ISSN 2254-9625).
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 December 2024 | Viewed by 830
Special Issue Editor
Interests: health disparities; health promotion & education; health policy; sociology of health
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Social media platforms have become an abundant source of information for a global audience of billions. However, social media can also spread misinformation and potentially harmful health advice. Social networks' complex algorithms prioritize content, regardless of its scientific basis, leading users to act on potentially misleading health information. Influencers, often lacking formal healthcare qualifications, can spread misinformation about topics such as diet, exercise, vaccinations, and medical treatments. Studies have shown that social media followers are more attracted to and affected by social media influencers than health professionals.
The pervasiveness of inaccurate health information on social media platforms poses a significant public health challenge, which can manifest in several health-related behaviors, including vaccination hesitancy, disordered eating, body image issues, excessive exercise, and the use of untested and even hazardous supplements. These concerning trends have the potential to inflict significant harm on individuals' health, potentially increasing susceptibility to chronic conditions and compromising immune function.
This Special Issue aims to explore the effects of social media on health behaviors. Examining this link will enhance our comprehension of the potential challenges and risks associated with social media in relation to health. We welcome original articles (quantitative analysis, both cross-sectional and longitudinal studies) and systematic review works.
Sincerely,
Prof. Keren Dopelt
Guest Editor
Manuscript Submission Information
Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.
Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. European Journal of Investigation in Health, Psychology and Education is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.
Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.
Keywords
- social media
- social media addiction
- infodemic
- health influencers
- health literacy
- food and nutrition literacy
- disordered eating
- body image
- health behaviors
- post COVID-19
- health promotion and education
- intervention programs
- social marketing
