Global social media use among rheumatology professionals: the EULAR SoMeR Study Group survey
Authors' conclusion
This survey demonstrates SM's integral role in rheumatology with significant regional variations
Study context
- Population
- Rheumatology professionals from 59 countries, reached via EMEUNET, PANLAR Joven, AFLAR and APLAR Young Rheumatology
- Participants
- 597 professionals59 countries
- Outcome
- SM utilisation within rheumatology globally
Methodological details30-item survey, validated, translated into six languages, international, Analysis used Human Development Index (HDI) and Internet Freedom Index (IFI) to assess digital divides
- 30-item survey
- Validated
- Translated into six languages
- International
- Analysis used HDI and IFI to assess digital divides
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
Professional SM use
Used social media (SM) professionally
92.3%
Female respondents
42.2%
Knowledge acquisition as primary driver
73.0%
SM for academic research updates
67.2%
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
| Outcome | Values | P value |
|---|---|---|
| SM use by sexFemale vs Male | Female 94.4% · Male 88.8% | P = 0.02 |
| SM adoption by region | Europe 97.3% · Asia-Pacific 88.6% | |
| Connectivity issues by HDI | Lower HDI 28.1% · Higher HDI 16.7% | |
| Positive SM impact by internet freedomRestricted internet freedom vs Other countries | Restricted internet freedom 4.04/5 · Other countries 3.86/5 | P < 0.01 |
| Feeling overwhelmed by SM content | South America 73.3% · Africa 70.3% |
- Connectivity issues by HDI — Higher HDI citing legal restrictions
- 24.4%
- Feeling overwhelmed by SM content — Overall feeling overwhelmed
- 56.9%
- Feeling overwhelmed by SM content — Regional difference
- p<0.01
Trends 2015-2023 (cross-cohort)
- Trends toward professional applications and away from networking functions
Digital communication interest
- Interest in digital communication
- 83.3%
- Webinars preferred format
- 41.1%
Original publication
Global social media use among rheumatology professionals: the EULAR SoMeR Study Group survey. RMD Open. Published 23 December 2025. doi:10.
Composed by AI from the published abstract and checked against it. How Briefs are made →