JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

Background:

Introduction: Extant literature suggests that women are more vulnerable to COVID-19 infection and at higher risk for developing long-COVID. Due to quarantine practices, social media was relied upon within various aspects of daily life.

Objective:

Objective:

Differential distributions of COVID-19 infection and pandemic burdens among women, coupled with their higher usage of social media, demonstrates a need to assess the role of social media, within various aspects of daily life, during a time of increased isolation.

Methods:

Methods:

Participants were purposively snowball sampled, from an online health promotion intervention for COVID-19 long-hauler women from March to June 2021. During this time one-on-one, semi-structured interviews were conducted, online, until data saturation was agreed to have been achieved (i.e., 15 interviews). Interview transcripts and field notes were analyzed using an emergent, inductive approach.

Results:

Results:

The main roles of social media included facilitating support group participation, experience sharing, interpersonal connections, and media consumption. Emergent themes demonstrate that participants rely on social media to fulfill needs of emotional support, social engagement, spirituality, health planning, information gathering, professional support, and recreationally for relaxation. As long-hauler women turn to social media to discuss symptom and health management as well as intention to vaccinate, the present study demonstrates both the associated benefits (i.e., decreased isolation) and negative consequences (i.e., rumination, resentment, jealousy).

Conclusions:

Discussion: Public health implications of these findings support the development of gender-tailored health promotion interventions that leverage the benefits of social media, while mitigating the negative impacts, for women living with long-COVID.