TWITTER may help prevent heart disease, according to a new Australian study.
The fast and far-reaching way that information spreads through the social network has the potential to save lives by providing education about the illness, which the Heart Foundation says kills one Australian every 12 minutes.
A group of researchers from the University of Sydney reached that conclusion after studying 15 health-focused Twitter accounts with more than one million followers, nine professional organisations and six medical journals.
"The study showed that, through its inherent networking, social media sites like Twitter have the potential to enhance education, awareness and overall management of cardiovascular disease," the university said in a statement.
The findings were published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology on Tuesday.
"The popularity and rise of Twitter has made it a readily available, free, and user-friendly tool to disseminate information rapidly to a diverse audience, for example, to engage health professionals and heart attack survivors," said lead author, Associate Professor Julie Redfern.
"In recent years, a growing number of health professionals have been using social media to share information.
"In a survey of 485 oncologists and physicians, 24 per cent used social media at least daily to scan or explore medical information."
Senior author Professor Chris Semsarian pointed to recent studies which suggested Twitter also spreads key information about quitting smoking and managing epileptic seizures
The fast and far-reaching way that information spreads through the social network has the potential to save lives by providing education about the illness, which the Heart Foundation says kills one Australian every 12 minutes.
A group of researchers from the University of Sydney reached that conclusion after studying 15 health-focused Twitter accounts with more than one million followers, nine professional organisations and six medical journals.
"The study showed that, through its inherent networking, social media sites like Twitter have the potential to enhance education, awareness and overall management of cardiovascular disease," the university said in a statement.
The findings were published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology on Tuesday.
"The popularity and rise of Twitter has made it a readily available, free, and user-friendly tool to disseminate information rapidly to a diverse audience, for example, to engage health professionals and heart attack survivors," said lead author, Associate Professor Julie Redfern.
"In recent years, a growing number of health professionals have been using social media to share information.
"In a survey of 485 oncologists and physicians, 24 per cent used social media at least daily to scan or explore medical information."
Senior author Professor Chris Semsarian pointed to recent studies which suggested Twitter also spreads key information about quitting smoking and managing epileptic seizures
