How can African medical researchers use social media to their advantage?-Pearls and pitfalls
African researchers face multiple challenges, and some of these challenges can be solved with social media. Social media can be used in data collection, recruitment of participants, project administration, and dissemination of findings. One aspect in which social media is essential is scientific com...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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PAMJ
2020-07-01
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| Series: | PAMJ Clinical Medicine |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: |
https://www.clinical-medicine.panafrican-med-journal.com/content/article/3/128/pdf/128.pdf
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| Summary: | African researchers face multiple challenges, and some of these challenges can be solved with social media. Social media can be used in data collection, recruitment of participants, project administration, and dissemination of findings. One aspect in which social media is essential is scientific communication. The dissemination of unverified or fake information regarding public health and research in Africa is a common occurrence. This practice is often perpetrated by non-African researchers or Africans who are not medical researchers through social media. There has been an increase in internet penetration and social media use in Africa, yet, the African scientific community is still to take advantage of social media. To control the narrative, African researchers must leverage social media platforms. Safe utilization of social media requires that users follow guidelines and that they develop a set of skills. Effective use of social media by African academics can bolster medical research on the continent. In this essay, the authors describe the pearls and pitfalls of using social media (Twitter, ResearchGate, WhatsApp, and Instagram) as a researcher or an academic institution. |
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| ISSN: | 2707-2797 2707-2797 |