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Review
. 2023 May;24(3):103-112.
doi: 10.1177/17571774231159574. Epub 2023 Feb 22.

An International Systematic Review Concerning the Effect of Social Media Exposure on Public Compliance with Infection Prevention and Control Measures During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Rachel Wall  1 , Jean Evers  1 , Deborah Haydock  1
Affiliations
Review

An International Systematic Review Concerning the Effect of Social Media Exposure on Public Compliance with Infection Prevention and Control Measures During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Rachel Wall et al. J Infect Prev. 2023 May.

Abstract

Background: Effective health communication is crucial for achieving positive population health outcomes. This is important for infection prevention and control (IPC), which relies on widespread public compliance to be effective. Whilst social media (SM) platforms disseminate health information, there is conflicting evidence to suggest their influence on compliance with public health guidelines.

Objective: To appraise the available evidence and determine the extent to which social media exposure contributes to public compliance with IPC measures.

Methods: A systematic protocol based on the MOOSE and PRISMA guidelines was followed. Observational studies were identified through systematic searches of four electronic databases and a hand search. Following data extraction, eligible studies were quality assessed, and the findings were integrated using narrative synthesis.

Findings: 15 studies were included. The studies located presented heterogeneous designs and findings. A weak positive association was identified, with 60% of the studies observing a positive association between social media and compliance with IPC measures. 26.7% identified a negative correlation, and 13.3% identified no correlation. Several factors were identified to mediate the relationship, including knowledge and conspiracy beliefs.

Discussion: This systematic review identified a weak positive correlation between exposure to social media and public compliance with recommended IPC measures, suggesting that social media should be utilised in future IPC related communication strategies. Social media provides a cost-effective, publicly accessible platform to disseminate accurate information, and neutralise misinformation. Recommendations are made for further research to reduce the uncertainty created by the identification of heterogenous studies.

Keywords: COVID-19; Social media; adherence; compliance; health communication; infection prevention and control.

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Conflict of interest statement

The author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
PRISMA Flow Diagram of Included Studies from ‘Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses’, by D. Moher, J. Tetzlaff, and D. G. Altman, 2009, PLoS Med, 6, p. e1000097.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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