Accepted for/Published in: JMIR Research Protocols
Date Submitted: Jan 12, 2023
Open Peer Review Period: Jan 12, 2023 - Mar 9, 2023
Date Accepted: Feb 27, 2023
(closed for review but you can still tweet)
The use of social media for dissemination of research evidence to health and social care practitioners: a systematic review protocol
ABSTRACT
Background:
Effective dissemination of research to health and social care practitioners enhances clinical practice and evidence-based care. Social media use has potential to facilitate dissemination to busy practitioners.
Objective:
This is a protocol for a systematic review that will quantitatively synthesise evidence of the effectiveness of social media, compared to no social media, for dissemination of research evidence to health and social care practitioners. Social media platforms, formats and sharing mechanisms used for effective dissemination of research evidence will also be identified and compared.
Methods:
Electronic database searches (Medline, PsycINFO, CINAHL, ERIC, LISTA and OpenGrey) will be conducted from 1st January 2010 to 10th January 2023 for studies published in English language. Randomised, non-randomised, pre/post study designs or case studies evaluating the effect of social media on dissemination of research evidence to post-registration health and social care practitioners will be included. Studies will be excluded that do not involve social media or dissemination, or that evaluate dissemination of non-research information (for example multi-source educational materials), to students or members of the public only, or without quantitative data on outcomes of interest. Screening will be carried out by two independent reviewers. Independent data extraction and quality assessment, using either the Cochrane tool for assessing risk of bias (ROB-2) and the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS) will be completed by two reviewers. Outcomes of interest will be reported in four domains (reach, engagement, dissemination, and impact). Data synthesis will include quantitative comparisons using narrative text, tables and figures. A meta-analysis of standardised pooled effects will be undertaken, and subgroup analyses will be applied, if appropriate.
Results:
Searches and screening will be completed by the end of May 2023. Data extraction and analyses will be completed by the end of July 2023. After which findings will be synthesised and reported by the end of October 2023.
Conclusions:
This systematic review will summarise the evidence for the effectiveness of social media for the dissemination of research evidence to health and social care practitioners. Limitations of the evidence may include multiple outcomes or methodological heterogeneity that limit meta-analyses, potential risk of bias in included studies and potential publication bias. Limitations of the study design may include potential insensitivity of the electronic database search strategy. The findings from this review will inform the dissemination practice of health and care research. Clinical Trial: PROSPERO Registration: CRD42022378793
Citation
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Copyright
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