Nostalgia and memories after ten years of social media

Peer-Reviewed Publication

UNIVERSITY OF GOTHENBURG

As possibilities have changed and technology has advanced, memories and nostalgia are now a significant part of our use of social media. This is shown in a study from the University of Gothenburg and University West.

Researchers at the University of Gothenburg and University West have been following a group of eleven active social media users for ten years, allowing them to describe and reflect on how they use the platforms to document and share their lives. The study provides insight into the role of technology in creating experiences and reliving meaningful moments.

"These types of studies help us look back and understand the culture as it was in the 2010s and 2020s when social media was a central part of it," says Beata Jungselius, senior lecturer of informatics at University West and one of the researchers behind the study.

Social media users engage in what researchers define as "social media nostalgizing," meaning they actively seek out content that evokes feelings of nostalgia.

Alexandra Weilenmann, professor of interaction design at the University of Gothenburg, explains that participants in the study have described it as "treating themselves" to a nostalgia trip now and then.

"Going back and remembering what has happened earlier in life becomes a bigger part of it over time than posting new content," she says, and explains that in later interviews, it becomes clear that the platforms often serve as diary-like tools that allow memories to be relived.

Social media platforms are introducing increasingly advanced features to help users interact with older content. Personal, music-infused photo albums generated for us or reminders of pictures we posted on the same date one, three, or ten years ago allow for nostalgic experiences, which are often seen as positive. The study describes how these features can lead to users reconnecting with old friends by "tagging" them in a shared memory. Alexandra Weilenmann and Beata Jungselius believe this could be a deliberate move by social media platforms to encourage users to stay active since the publication of new content has decreased.

The researchers have noted that it's not just the content itself that evokes feelings of nostalgia but also memories of the actual usage of social media play a significant role. For example, one of the interviewees reminisces about how rewarding the intense communication in forums was and how it often led to real-life meetings and interactions.

"It's only now that we've lived with social media long enough to make and draw conclusions from a study like this. Through our method of studying the same users over ten years, we've been able to follow how their usage and attitudes toward the platforms have changed as they have evolved," says Beata Jungselius.

Read the full article here: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/20563051231207850

Contact:

Beata Jungselius, senior lecturer of informatics at University West
beata.jungselius@hv.se
073-508 08 88

Alexandra Weilenmann, professor of interaction design at the University of Gothenburg
alexandra.weilenmann@ait.gu.se
031-786 56 34

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JOURNAL

Social Media + Society

DOI

10.1177/20563051231207850 

METHOD OF RESEARCH

Data/statistical analysis

SUBJECT OF RESEARCH

Not applicable

ARTICLE TITLE

Keeping Memories Alive: A Decennial Study of Social Media Reminiscing, Memories, and Nostalgia

 

What leads people to take action on disease prevention?

Researchers from Osaka University demonstrate that the steps we personally take to prevent the spread of disease depend on our own individual circumstances

Peer-Reviewed Publication

OSAKA UNIVERSITY

 

IMAGE: 

STRENGTH OF ASSOCIATION BETWEEN INFORMATION EXPOSURE AND NEW IMPLEMENTATION OF MASK-WEARING AND HAND DISINFECTION AFTER THE COVID-19 OUTBREAK. ERROR BARS REPRESENT 95% CONFIDENCE INTERVALS. A VALUE GREATER THAN 1 INDICATES A STRONG POSITIVE ASSOCIATION. THE VALUES WERE ADJUSTED BY COVARIATE (GENDER, AGE, POPULATION DENSITY, DREAD PERCEPTION OF COVID-19, UNKNOWN PERCEPTION OF COVID-19, PATHOGEN-AVOIDANCE TENDENCY, AND INTEREST IN COVID-19).

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CREDIT: MICHIO MURAKAMI, MEI YAMAGATA, AND ASAKO MIURA: EXPLORATION OF FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH MASK-WEARING AND HAND DISINFECTION IN JAPAN AFTER THE CORONAVIRUS DISEASE OUTBREAK: A LONGITUDINAL STUDY, INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF DISASTER RISK REDUCTION, 2023, DOI: 10.1016/J.IJDRR.2023.104107

Osaka, Japan – When making important decisions about disease prevention, who do you listen to? Medical institutions? Or perhaps the people around you? Your answer might reveal more about your personal circumstances than you would expect.

In a study published this month in the International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction, researchers from Osaka University have revealed that, when taking steps to prevent the spread of disease, we are affected by certain factors surrounding us, such as where we get our information and whether we currently live under a pandemic.

In response to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, many countries implemented social measures, such as lockdowns, and mandated preventive behaviors, such as mask-wearing, for their residents. In Japan, behaviors that prevent infection, such as hand sanitizing and mask-wearing, have been left to individual discretion since the beginning of the COVID-19 outbreak.

“Since COVID-19 continues to circulate globally, it is important to determine the associations between individual characteristics and preventive behaviors to understand how to promote discretion-based preventive behaviors,” explains Michio Murakami, lead author of the study. “We are particularly interested in developing a risk communication strategy for promoting infection-preventive behavior in a timely manner.”

To address this, the researchers investigated the association between certain individual characteristics before and after the outbreak of COVID-19. Using 23 waves of panel data from January 2020 to January 2023, the researchers examined whether individuals consumed medical information on government or medical institution websites, whether they wore masks, and whether they disinfected their hands.

“The results were intriguing,” explains Asako Miura, senior author. “We found that, while medical information had the strong effect on infection-preventive behavior before the COVID-19 outbreak, people who exchanged information with acquaintances were more likely to newly start mask-wearing and hand disinfection after the COVID-19 outbreak.”

The researchers found that people who consumed medical information were more likely to wear masks and disinfect hands even before the COVID-19 outbreak. There were also slight differences in the rates of infection-preventive behavior and gender, with men less likely to implement preventive behaviors than women.

“Our findings clearly show that, in Japan, mask-wearing and hand-disinfection behaviors were the result of different information sources before and after the outbreak,” says Murakami.

Given that infection-preventive behaviors protect not only against COVID-19, but also seasonal and emerging infectious diseases, the insights from this study are a valuable contribution to public health. In particular, implementing the appropriate communication strategies for certain demographics can be an effective aid to disease prevention.

 

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The article, “Exploration of factors associated with mask-wearing and hand disinfection in Japan after the coronavirus disease outbreak: A longitudinal study,” was published in the International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction at DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijdrr.2023.104107

 

About Osaka University

Osaka University was founded in 1931 as one of the seven imperial universities of Japan and is now one of Japan's leading comprehensive universities with a broad disciplinary spectrum. This strength is coupled with a singular drive for innovation that extends throughout the scientific process, from fundamental research to the creation of applied technology with positive economic impacts. Its commitment to innovation has been recognized in Japan and around the world, being named Japan's most innovative university in 2015 (Reuters 2015 Top 100) and one of the most innovative institutions in the world in 2017 (Innovative Universities and the Nature Index Innovation 2017). Now, Osaka University is leveraging its role as a Designated National University Corporation selected by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology to contribute to innovation for human welfare, sustainable development of society, and social transformation.

Website: https://resou.osaka-u.ac.jp/en

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JOURNAL

International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction

DOI

10.1016/j.ijdrr.2023.104107 

METHOD OF RESEARCH

Observational study

SUBJECT OF RESEARCH

People

ARTICLE TITLE

Exploration of factors associated with mask-wearing and hand disinfection in Japan after the coronavirus disease outbreak: A longitudinal study

 

Reducing cyberattacks on Canadian health systems

Peer-Reviewed Publication

CANADIAN MEDICAL ASSOCIATION JOURNAL

Cyberattacks targeting health information systems can cause considerable damage and stress, but there are ways to reduce the risk of these events, write authors in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal) https://www.cmaj.ca/lookup/doi/10.1503/cmaj.230436.

"With respect to cybersecurity, a bit of prevention is worth a terabyte of cure," writes Vinyas Harish, MD/PhD candidate at the University of Toronto's Temerty Faculty of Medicine, with coauthors, in an article outlining the impact of cyberattacks on Canadian health information systems and how clinicians in hospitals and individual clinics can improve their cybersecurity practices.

This advice is particularly relevant, with several hospitals in southwestern Ontario reporting a recent cyberattack that has caused substantial disruptions in patient care.

The authors outline stages to help navigate cyberattacks, based on the US National Institute of Standards and Technology's Cybersecurity Framework:

• Prevention — be vigilant for phishing emails, use strong password and 2-factor authentication, ensure adequate network protection and other actions. This includes creating a cyberattack plan to use in case of an event.
• Detection — use antivirus software and be alert to suspicious activities, such as barred access to files, installation of unrecognized software and more.
• Response — immediately disconnect devices from the Internet, activate your cyberattack plan and notify individuals affected by the attack.
• Recovery — this depends heavily on having health information systems that allow for restoration from back-ups, ensuring external vendors help with data recovery and conducting an internal debrief on the response.

"Preventing cyberattacks involves navigating trade-offs between keeping workflows efficient and reducing risk amid threats that are growing in frequency, severity and sophistication. As national and regional policies develop, health organizations, practices and individual clinicians must take a proactive approach to improving their cybersecurity posture," the authors conclude.

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JOURNAL

Canadian Medical Association Journal

DOI

10.1503/cmaj.230436 

ARTICLE TITLE

Cyberattacks on Canadian health information systems

ARTICLE PUBLICATION DATE

20-Nov-2023

Disclaimer: AAA

 

Alarming rates of suicidal ideation among older transgender adults revealed on Transgender Day of Remembrance

More than one-quarter of respondents have seriously contemplated ending their lives within the past year, new study shows

Peer-Reviewed Publication

TAYLOR & FRANCIS GROUP

Transgender adults aged 50 or older in the United States face a significantly elevated risk of contemplating suicide due to the compounding impact of various challenges in different areas of their lives, according to a population-wide study. 

 

More than one-fourth (25.8%) of this large pool of older transgender people acknowledged having thought about ending their lives at least once the previous year.  
That is a much greater prevalence than the 4.7% figure currently estimated for the adult population-at-large and substantially greater than the current estimated prevalence of 11-17% older adults in the U.S. 

 

The new findings are published in the peer-reviewed journal Aging and Mental Health, today, the Transgender Day of Remembrance – an annual observance honoring the memory of transgender people whose lives were lost due to acts of anti-transgender violence. 

  
The paper’s conclusions highlight the urgent need for targeted support and interventions to reduce the prevalence of suicidal ideation within this vulnerable population. 

 

“Our research has exposed the distressing reality faced by many older transgender adults who are grappling with suicidal thoughts due to the cumulative impact of multiple adverse factors on their lives,” says co-author, Dr Thomas Alex Washington, professor and BASW Program Director in the School of Social Work,  College of Health and Human Services, at California State University, Long Beach. 

 

“This underscores the critical need for comprehensive support, advocacy, and mental health resources to address this growing concern." 

 

This study, which used data from the 2015 US National Transgender Survey, focused on a sample of 3,724 transgender adults aged 50 or older. More than one-quarter of respondents (25.8%) reported they had seriously contemplated ending their lives within the past year.  

 

Notably, this number decreased with age, ranging from 31.7% among those aged 50-54 to 12.0% among those aged 70 or older. 

 

The researchers examined five different areas of potentially-syndemic effects – workplace issues, interactions with professionals, use of public services, personal safety, and socioeconomic disadvantages. They wanted to determine the relationship between experiencing challenges in these areas and the likelihood of suicidal ideation. 

 

The analysis revealed that all five areas examined significantly increased the odds of older transgender individuals contemplating suicide. The risk was heightened: 

 

• by 96% to 121% among those experiencing challenges in any of the areas studied. 

 

• by 258% to 1,552%, depending on the specific area, when individuals faced all of the challenges within a particular domain. 

 

When all syndemic areas were combined, exposure to any of the challenges within an area raised the risk of contemplating suicide by 276%. Exposure to all the challenges examined increased the risk by 861%.  

 

“This study demonstrates that most older transgender individuals encounter persistent challenges in various domains of their lives, significantly increasing their risk of contemplating suicide. These challenges interact in a syndemic manner, amplifying the risk of suicidal ideation,” adds fellow co-author Dr. Hugh Klein, who is the founder and president of Kensington Research Institute, as well as a Research Faculty Associate in the School of Social Work at California State University -- Long Beach. 

 

“But encouragingly, we find that, among the older adults who participated in this large national study, the risk of contemplating suicide tends to diminish with advancing age, possibly due to greater resilience, adaptive strategies, changing life circumstances, and personal growth--all of which positive influence the mental health of transgender individuals as they get older.” 

 

However, the study is not without limitations. It relied on data over eight years old, potentially not fully reflecting the current situation for older transgender individuals in the rapidly evolving sociopolitical climate in the United States. Additionally, the study’s limited scope of syndemic effects examined may not encompass the full spectrum of experiences and factors affecting older transgender adults. 

 

The authors suggest that future research should explore a broader range of factors, compare different age groups and demographic subpopulations, and delve into nuanced aspects of mental health among older transgender individuals to better understand and address their unique needs and risks. 

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JOURNAL

Aging & Mental Health

DOI

10.1080/13607863.2023.2275153 

METHOD OF RESEARCH

Observational study

SUBJECT OF RESEARCH

People

ARTICLE TITLE

Evidence of syndemic effects influencing older transgender persons’ likelihood of contemplating suicide: results from a large national study

ARTICLE PUBLICATION DATE

20-Nov-2023

 

Survey: from inflation to world affairs, stressors pile up for Americans this holiday season

A new survey commissioned by The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center and College of Medicine finds Americans are feeling the strain from inflation and world affairs this year, in addition to other stressors that often come with the holidays

Reports and Proceedings

OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY WEXNER MEDICAL CENTER

 

VIDEO: 

FROM INFLATION TO WORLD AFFAIRS, STRESSORS ARE PILING UP FOR AMERICANS THIS HOLIDAY SEASON. EXPERT OFFERS TIPS TO HELP PREVENT STRESS FROM RUINING YOUR HOLIDAY SPIRIT.

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CREDIT: THE OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY WEXNER MEDICAL CENTER

COLUMBUS, Ohio – The season of comfort and joy is upon us, but a new survey finds that for many Americans, it’s the season of stress and worry. A new survey commissioned by The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center and College of Medicine finds Americans are feeling the strain from inflation and world affairs this year, in addition to other stressors that often come with the holidays.

Of the 1,007 survey respondents, 81% said that national issues and world affairs are causing them stress. In addition, 75% of respondents are experiencing stress from rising prices and holiday spending and 53% are stressed from increasing cases of respiratory illnesses across the nation such as the flu and COVID-19. Memories of last year’s holiday travel meltdown have 44% of survey respondents stressed out.

While they can be stressful, the holidays are supposed to be a time for families and friends to connect and recharge, said Nicole Hollingshead, PhD, a psychologist in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health at the Ohio State Wexner Medical Center.

 “The holidays kind of bring on this feeling of sadness and struggle when we really want it to be more of a joyous time,” said Hollingshead. “I encourage people to reflect on what the holidays meant for you growing up. And most of the time I don't hear people reflect on, ‘I loved having all the presents, or I remember every single thing that someone gave me.’ Instead, it's more of the feeling of the holidays.”

People who are stressed out should take a step back and tackle holiday stress by taking charge of what they can control. 

When someone is feeling overwhelmed, Hollingshead says it’s time to STOP: 

Slow down. 

Take a few deep breaths. 

Observe the issue.

 Proceed with a rational plan.

The survey asked questions about these specific topics, and Hollingshead offers tips to help cope with each stressor:

• Inflation and holiday spending: Rising prices are out of your control, but you can discuss your budget with your family or partner ahead of time and make plans to reduce spending. 
• National/World affairs: The constant stream of headlines about violent crime, political controversy and escalating international conflicts is negatively affecting Americans’ mental health. While there’s not much we can do to control these things, we can control our exposure to it. Limit the time spent watching TV news and avoid doom scrolling through online news stories and social media.
• Rise in seasonal respiratory diseases: Mitigating your risk is the best way to protect you and your family from illnesses like COVID and the flu. Make sure you are caught up on recommended vaccinations, set clear boundaries about being around people who are feeling sick and wash your hands frequently. 
• Unreliable travel industry - When it comes to travel, hope for the best, but prepare for the worst. You can’t control traffic jams or flight delays, but you can ensure all your phones and devices are charged up in case you’re stranded for a while. Always have a plan B in case things go wrong. Be flexible and find ways to enjoy your time together even if your travel doesn’t go as planned.  

While it’s common to feel stress around the holidays, Hollingshead encourages people to avoid emotional spending fueled by advertising messages that tap into desires for a picture-perfect holiday. That desire for perfection often deters from holiday joy, she said.

“It gets close to the holidays, and I worry: ‘Did I buy enough for my family? Did I do enough?’ And so we can lose sight of the importance of having too many gifts or making sure everybody has enough to unwrap. Then we lose sight of the big picture, which is that time together.”

# # #

Study results and methodology

This study was conducted on behalf of The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center by SSRS on its Opinion Panel Omnibus platform. The SSRS Opinion Panel Omnibus is a national, twice-per-month, probability-based survey. Data collection was conducted from Oct. 20-23 among a sample of 1,007 respondents. The survey was conducted via web (n=977) and telephone (n=30) and administered in English. The margin of error for total respondents is +/-3.6 percentage points at the 95% confidence level. All SSRS Opinion Panel Omnibus data are weighted to represent the target population of U.S. adults ages 18 or older.

 

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METHOD OF RESEARCH

Survey

SUBJECT OF RESEARCH

People

 

National Poll: Parents of young children increasingly turn to social media for parenting advice

Most mothers and over two-thirds of fathers of children ages 0-4 use social media for questions on topics like feeding and behavior challenges

Reports and Proceedings

MICHIGAN MEDICINE - UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN

 

IMAGE: 

4 IN 5 PARENTS IN A NEW NATIONAL POLL SAY THEY SEEK PARENTING ADVICE ON SOCIAL MEDIA.

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CREDIT: UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN HEALTH C.S. MOTT CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL NATIONAL POLL ON CHILDREN’S HEALTH.

ANN ARBOR, Mich. –   Potty training, getting kids to sleep and toddler tantrums are just some of the challenges parents of young children face.

And four in five parents in a new national poll say they go to the same place to discuss such parenting issues: social media.

Nearly half of parents rate social media as very useful for getting new ideas to try, according to the University of Michigan Health C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital National Poll on Children’s Health.

“Many parents turn to online communities to exchange advice or discuss parenting challenges because it may seem faster and easier than asking a health professional,” said Mott Poll co-director Sarah Clark, M.P.H.

“Finding parent comradery in this space can have benefits but parents should keep in mind that every family’s experience is different and not everything they hear online may be accurate or the right thing for their child.”

The nationally representative report is based on responses from 614 parents with at least one child aged 0-4. Most mothers and over two-thirds of fathers of children these ages look to social media for parenting advice or to share their experiences – a significant increase since a previous Mott poll explored similar questions in 2015.

The most common discussions included toilet training (44%), kids’ sleep (42%) nutrition/breastfeeding (37%), discipline (37%), behavior problems (33%), vaccination (26%), daycare/preschool (24%), and getting along with other kids (21%).

Three fifths of parents say they talk about these topics on social media because they want to hear different ideas while one in four say it’s convenient or they want to do things differently than their parents. Fewer say they use these platforms because they don’t have family or friends nearby, don’t have enough opportunities to ask their child’s healthcare provider or are too embarrassed to ask in person.

“Often there isn’t a clear ‘best’ way to do things and many parents use a trial-and-error approach to find what works for their child,” Clark said.

More than a third of parents also rate social media as very useful for making them feel like they’re not alone and learning what not to do while a fourth say it helps them decide whether to buy certain products.

One in ten parents of young children who use social media also described it as very useful in deciding when to take their child to the doctor. However, with young children, Clark notes, “it is usually prudent to contact the child’s primary care provider with any questions.”

Telehealth visits and messaging through patient portals, she adds, are efficient ways for parents to ask for guidance and determine if the child needs to be seen in person.  

Sharenting concerns

Most parents identify at least one aspect of social media sharing that concerns them, such as seeing other parents doing something unhealthy or dangerous for their child or others finding out their family’s private information or sharing photos of their child without their child’s permission.   

Nearly 80% of parents also feel other parents overshare on social media by bragging about their child or sharing too often or too much. Meanwhile, over 60 % believe parents may give personal information that could identify the child’s location or embarrass the child when they’re older.

Nearly half also say they have seen parents post information that is false while more than a quarter have noticed some parents sharing inappropriate photos of a child’s body.

“Parents acknowledge concerns related to sharing too much about their kids on social media,” Clark said.

“Families should consider whether their child may one day be embarrassed about having personal information shared without their consent; a good rule is if you have any doubt, don’t share it. In addition, parents should consult with parents of other children in photos for approval before sharing them on social media.”

More than half of parents, however, do use privacy settings or restrict who can see posts about their children. Nearly a third also avoid posting photos or videos of their child while about one in five participate in closed groups.

A small percentage of parents use their child’s initials instead of their name or block out their child’s face. 

“Before posting, think about whether you’re sharing enough information to get someone else's advice without giving away too much personal information about your family,” Clark said. “It’s really about stopping and thinking before you post.”

She says oversharing may create risks, for example, if it reveals a family is on vacation and their home may be unattended.

Weeding out bad information

Another emerging concern, the poll suggests, is parents sharing information that is false or inaccurate either knowingly or unknowingly.

Two in five parents think it’s difficult to distinguish good versus bad advice on social media.

Particularly for first-time parents, access to so many sources may be both helpful and overwhelming, Clark says. But it’s up to them to verify accuracy in what they’re hearing.

“There are so many decisions to make about the best way to care for children during the infant and toddler years, which can be an exciting and overwhelming time,” Clark said.

“Social media is a convenient way for parents to seek information about parenting challenges in real time, especially in between checkups. But it’s important that parents identify reputable sources of information about children’s health and parenting, and that they consult those sources before attempting new strategies with their own child.”

 

Poor work performance among Japanese employees strongly associated with insufficient sleep

Peer-Reviewed Publication

UNIVERSITY OF TSUKUBA

Tsukuba, Japan—In Japan, the decline in productivity has become a major social issue as the working-age population is decreasing owing to a lower birthrate and an increase in aging population. Therefore, companies are focusing on "health and productivity management" initiatives to maintain employee health and enhance their work performance. However, lifestyle habits that impact poor work performance of Japanese employees and the manner in which they differ between men and women have not been identified to date.

A multiple regression analysis was conducted using data from 12,526 corporate employees (aged 21-69) to examine the relationship between 11 lifestyle habits (related to smoking, exercise, diet, alcohol consumption, and sleep) and work performance, segmented by gender. The findings indicated that insufficient sleep was most strongly related to poor work performance for both genders. Additionally, it was noted that lifestyle habits, such as slow walking speed, current smoking, and skipping breakfast, are associated with lower work performance in men, whereas in women, habits such as fast eating speed are influential.

The study suggests that health education and workplace interventions focusing on improved sleep, exercise habits, and dinner timing are vital. Moreover, it highlights the importance of gender-specific support measures.

###
The funding was provided by Tokio Marine dR Co, Ltd.

 

Original Paper

Title of original paper:
Relationships between lifestyle habits and presenteeism among Japanese employees

Journal:
Journal of Public Health

DOI:
10.1007/s10389-023-02136-4

Correspondence

Professor TAKEDA, Fumi
Institute of Health and Sport Sciences, University of Tsukuba

Related Link

Institute of Health and Sport Sciences

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JOURNAL

Journal of Public Health

DOI

10.1007/s10389-023-02136-4 

ARTICLE TITLE

Relationships between lifestyle habits and presenteeism among Japanese employees

Hardly any photos of patients with psoriasis in published studies 

Peer-Reviewed Publication

UNIVERSITY OF GOTHENBURG

 

IMAGE: 

SAM POLESIE, SAHLGRENSKA ACADEMY AT THE UNIVERSITY OF GOTHENBURG.

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CREDIT: PHOTO BY UNIVERSITY OF GOTHENBURG.

Very few patients with psoriasis are depicted in scientific articles – only a fraction of those included in the research are represented in images. This is revealed by a study from the University of Gothenburg, Sweden together with researchers from the University of Copenhagen, Denmark. The lack of images complicates communication with patients, according to the researchers. 

For this systematic review article, the researchers counted images of patients in 152 different randomized scientific studies focusing on treatment outcomes for biological drugs in psoriasis, published over a period of twenty years (2001–2021). These studies encompassed a total of 62,871 patients. 

The results are published in the Journal of Dermatological Treatment. Most of the studies (77 percent) did not contain any patient images at all. In total, the scientific manuscripts, along with all available supplementary material, featured a total of only 203 images depicting 60 patients. This yields an image sharing rate of just under one per thousand of all the patients included in the studies. 

Showing impact of treatments

Sam Polesie, Associate Professor at Sahlgrenska Academy – the University of Gothenburg's faculty of medicine – led the study. Also a dermatologist at Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Polesie argues that sharing images is an exceptionally effective method to illustrate the impact of various treatments on patients, particularly for inflammatory skin diseases. Psoriasis, one of the most prevalent among them, has a lifetime prevalence of 2–3%. 

"Patients often find it challenging to grasp the core messages of scientific manuscripts. The clinical results are most often described in something called PASI values, which is a composite score for redness, scaling, induration, and distribution on predefined body areas. If dermatology researchers were to include more clinical images in their manuscripts, this would improve patients’ understanding of the expected treatment effects,” says Sam Polesie. 

Chronic systemic disease 

Psoriasis is a chronic immune-mediated inflammatory systemic disease characterized by red and scaly plaques. The severity of the disease varies from mild to severe, with patients suffering moderate to severe symptoms being the primary candidate for advanced systemic therapies. Over the past twenty years, biological drugs have been introduced. Despite the significant decrease in the cost of several of these drugs due to patent expiration and the introduction of biosimilars, the societal impact remains substantial. 

The researchers acknowledge that healthcare professionals, rather than patients, are principally the target audience for scientific publications. However, they emphasize that patients' right to shared decision-making has become increasingly important in today's healthcare landscape. Healthcare is undergoing a paradigm shift that underscores the need to bridge the gap between complex research and patients' understanding. 

Sam Polesie again: 

"We hope that this systematic review can serve as an invitation to the pharmaceutical industry and other sponsors, as well as journal editors and authors, to include more images in scientific publications. Including more clinical images with our original manuscripts could better support patient involvement." 

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JOURNAL

Journal of Dermatological Treatment

DOI

10.1080/09546634.2023.2281261 

METHOD OF RESEARCH

Systematic review

ARTICLE TITLE

A systematic review investigating at what proportion clinical images are shared in prospective randomized controlled trials involving patients with psoriasis and biological agents