Abstract
PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to analyze the use of social media by people with diabetes in Saudi Arabia and to know the purposes, benefits and risks of its use. METHODS: In this study a cross-sectional survey was carried out with a random sample of 158 people with all type of diabetes living in Saudi Arabia. The survey was distributed using WhatsApp and Twitter accounts of diabetic associations in Saudi Arabia. Descriptive statistics was used to analyze the data. RESULTS: The majority of the respondents were females (69%), and most of them had type 1 diabetes (70%). Almost half (47%) of the sampled population stated that they used social media for obtaining information related to diabetes; 34% employed these platforms to get information not linked to diabetes; and the rest, 19%, were not users of social media. Also, the participants used these tools for different purposes; and the most used social media for obtaining diabetes related information were WhatsApp (67%), Twitter (54%) and Snapchat (39%). The principal benefits involved in the utilization of social media were raising awareness about diabetes (78%), improving education among patients (78%), and facilitation of communication between patients and doctors (44%). The respondents pondered that breaching of patient privacy (5%) and dissemination of inaccurate information (30%) were dangers implicated in the use of social media. CONCLUSION: The outcomes indicated that WhatsApp was the social media most used by the participants to communicate and obtain information about diabetes. According to the participants, social media platforms were useful to improve education, awareness and communication among people with diabetes, family and doctors. However, due to the risks involved in the use of social media, health and educational organizations must work to ensure that the published information is accurate and does not affect the privacy of patients and healthcare providers.