The use of social media platforms by migrant and ethnic minority populations during the COVID-19 pandemic: a systematic review

Lucy Pollyanna Goldsmith; May Rowland-Pomp; Kristin Hanson; Anna Deal; Alison F. Crawshaw; Sally E. Hayward; Felicity Knights; Jessica Carter; Ayesha Ahmad; M. Razai; Tushna Vandrevala; Sally Hargreaves

doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2022-061896

The use of social media platforms by migrant and ethnic minority populations during the COVID-19 pandemic: a systematic review

Lucy Pollyanna Goldsmith, May Rowland-Pomp, Kristin Hanson, Anna Deal, Alison F. Crawshaw, Sally E. Hayward, Felicity Knights, Jessica Carter, Ayesha Ahmad, M. Razai, Tushna Vandrevala, Sally Hargreaves

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Abstract

Objective: Migrants and ethnic minority groups have been disproportionately impacted by COVID-19 and have lower levels of vaccine uptake in some contexts. We aimed to determine the extent and nature of social media use in migrant and ethnic minority communities for COVID-19 information, and implications for preventative health measures including vaccination intent and uptake. Design: A systematic review of published and grey literature following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. We searched databases including Embase, Web of Science, PubMed NIH, CINAHL, facilitated through the WHO Global Research on COVID-19 database from 31 December 2019 to 9 June 2021. Eligibility criteria for study selection: Research reporting the use of social media by migrants and/or ethnic minority groups in relation to COVID-19. Data extraction: We extracted data on key outcomes, study design, country, population under study and sample size. Results: 1849 unique records were screened, and 21 data sources were included, including populations in the UK, USA, China, Jordan, Qatar and Turkey. We found evidence of consistent use of a range of social media platforms for COVID-19 information in some migrant and ethnic minority populations (including WeChat, Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube), which may stem from difficulty in accessing COVID-19 information in their native languages or from trusted sources. Some evidence suggested circulating misinformation and social media use may be associated with lower participation in preventative health measures, including vaccine intent and uptake, findings which are likely relevant to multiple population groups. Conclusions: Social media platforms are an important source of information about COVID-19 for some migrant and ethnic minority populations. Urgent actions and further research are now needed to better understand effective approaches to tackling circulating misinformation, and to seize on opportunities to better use social media platforms to support public health communication and improve vaccine uptake.

Original language	English
Article number	e061896
Journal	BMJ Open
Volume	12
Issue number	11
Early online date	17 Nov 2022
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2022-061896
Publication status	Published - 30 Nov 2022

Bibliographical note

Note: This work was supported by the National Institute for Health Research [grant number: NIHR300072], the Academy of Medical Sciences [grant number: SBF005\1111], the Novo Nordisk Foundation (Mobility- Global Medicine and Health Research), the World Health Organization, the Medical Research Council [grant number: MRC/N013638/1], the Rosetrees Trust [grant number: M775], the National Institute for Health Research [In-Practice Clinical Fellowships grant number: NIHR 302007 and NIHR 300290].

Keywords

Communication, cultural and media studies

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10.1136/bmjopen-2022-061896

Hanson-K-52507-VoRFinal published version, 1.13 MBLicence: CC BY

http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2022-061896

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Goldsmith, L. P., Rowland-Pomp, M., Hanson, K., Deal, A., Crawshaw, A. F., Hayward, S. E., Knights, F., Carter, J., Ahmad, A., Razai, M., Vandrevala, T., & Hargreaves, S. (2022). The use of social media platforms by migrant and ethnic minority populations during the COVID-19 pandemic: a systematic review. BMJ Open, 12(11), Article e061896. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2022-061896

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title = "The use of social media platforms by migrant and ethnic minority populations during the COVID-19 pandemic: a systematic review",

abstract = "Objective: Migrants and ethnic minority groups have been disproportionately impacted by COVID-19 and have lower levels of vaccine uptake in some contexts. We aimed to determine the extent and nature of social media use in migrant and ethnic minority communities for COVID-19 information, and implications for preventative health measures including vaccination intent and uptake. Design: A systematic review of published and grey literature following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. We searched databases including Embase, Web of Science, PubMed NIH, CINAHL, facilitated through the WHO Global Research on COVID-19 database from 31 December 2019 to 9 June 2021. Eligibility criteria for study selection: Research reporting the use of social media by migrants and/or ethnic minority groups in relation to COVID-19. Data extraction: We extracted data on key outcomes, study design, country, population under study and sample size. Results: 1849 unique records were screened, and 21 data sources were included, including populations in the UK, USA, China, Jordan, Qatar and Turkey. We found evidence of consistent use of a range of social media platforms for COVID-19 information in some migrant and ethnic minority populations (including WeChat, Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube), which may stem from difficulty in accessing COVID-19 information in their native languages or from trusted sources. Some evidence suggested circulating misinformation and social media use may be associated with lower participation in preventative health measures, including vaccine intent and uptake, findings which are likely relevant to multiple population groups. Conclusions: Social media platforms are an important source of information about COVID-19 for some migrant and ethnic minority populations. Urgent actions and further research are now needed to better understand effective approaches to tackling circulating misinformation, and to seize on opportunities to better use social media platforms to support public health communication and improve vaccine uptake.",

keywords = "Communication, cultural and media studies",

author = "Goldsmith, \{Lucy Pollyanna\} and May Rowland-Pomp and Kristin Hanson and Anna Deal and Crawshaw, \{Alison F.\} and Hayward, \{Sally E.\} and Felicity Knights and Jessica Carter and Ayesha Ahmad and M. Razai and Tushna Vandrevala and Sally Hargreaves",

note = "Note: This work was supported by the National Institute for Health Research [grant number: NIHR300072], the Academy of Medical Sciences [grant number: SBF005\textbackslash{}1111], the Novo Nordisk Foundation (Mobility- Global Medicine and Health Research), the World Health Organization, the Medical Research Council [grant number: MRC/N013638/1], the Rosetrees Trust [grant number: M775], the National Institute for Health Research [In-Practice Clinical Fellowships grant number: NIHR 302007 and NIHR 300290].",

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doi = "10.1136/bmjopen-2022-061896",

language = "English",

volume = "12",

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TY - JOUR

T1 - The use of social media platforms by migrant and ethnic minority populations during the COVID-19 pandemic

T2 - a systematic review

AU - Goldsmith, Lucy Pollyanna

AU - Rowland-Pomp, May

AU - Hanson, Kristin

AU - Deal, Anna

AU - Crawshaw, Alison F.

AU - Hayward, Sally E.

AU - Knights, Felicity

AU - Carter, Jessica

AU - Ahmad, Ayesha

AU - Razai, M.

AU - Vandrevala, Tushna

AU - Hargreaves, Sally

N1 - Note: This work was supported by the National Institute for Health Research [grant number: NIHR300072], the Academy of Medical Sciences [grant number: SBF005\1111], the Novo Nordisk Foundation (Mobility- Global Medicine and Health Research), the World Health Organization, the Medical Research Council [grant number: MRC/N013638/1], the Rosetrees Trust [grant number: M775], the National Institute for Health Research [In-Practice Clinical Fellowships grant number: NIHR 302007 and NIHR 300290].

PY - 2022/11/30

Y1 - 2022/11/30

N2 - Objective: Migrants and ethnic minority groups have been disproportionately impacted by COVID-19 and have lower levels of vaccine uptake in some contexts. We aimed to determine the extent and nature of social media use in migrant and ethnic minority communities for COVID-19 information, and implications for preventative health measures including vaccination intent and uptake. Design: A systematic review of published and grey literature following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. We searched databases including Embase, Web of Science, PubMed NIH, CINAHL, facilitated through the WHO Global Research on COVID-19 database from 31 December 2019 to 9 June 2021. Eligibility criteria for study selection: Research reporting the use of social media by migrants and/or ethnic minority groups in relation to COVID-19. Data extraction: We extracted data on key outcomes, study design, country, population under study and sample size. Results: 1849 unique records were screened, and 21 data sources were included, including populations in the UK, USA, China, Jordan, Qatar and Turkey. We found evidence of consistent use of a range of social media platforms for COVID-19 information in some migrant and ethnic minority populations (including WeChat, Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube), which may stem from difficulty in accessing COVID-19 information in their native languages or from trusted sources. Some evidence suggested circulating misinformation and social media use may be associated with lower participation in preventative health measures, including vaccine intent and uptake, findings which are likely relevant to multiple population groups. Conclusions: Social media platforms are an important source of information about COVID-19 for some migrant and ethnic minority populations. Urgent actions and further research are now needed to better understand effective approaches to tackling circulating misinformation, and to seize on opportunities to better use social media platforms to support public health communication and improve vaccine uptake.

AB - Objective: Migrants and ethnic minority groups have been disproportionately impacted by COVID-19 and have lower levels of vaccine uptake in some contexts. We aimed to determine the extent and nature of social media use in migrant and ethnic minority communities for COVID-19 information, and implications for preventative health measures including vaccination intent and uptake. Design: A systematic review of published and grey literature following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. We searched databases including Embase, Web of Science, PubMed NIH, CINAHL, facilitated through the WHO Global Research on COVID-19 database from 31 December 2019 to 9 June 2021. Eligibility criteria for study selection: Research reporting the use of social media by migrants and/or ethnic minority groups in relation to COVID-19. Data extraction: We extracted data on key outcomes, study design, country, population under study and sample size. Results: 1849 unique records were screened, and 21 data sources were included, including populations in the UK, USA, China, Jordan, Qatar and Turkey. We found evidence of consistent use of a range of social media platforms for COVID-19 information in some migrant and ethnic minority populations (including WeChat, Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube), which may stem from difficulty in accessing COVID-19 information in their native languages or from trusted sources. Some evidence suggested circulating misinformation and social media use may be associated with lower participation in preventative health measures, including vaccine intent and uptake, findings which are likely relevant to multiple population groups. Conclusions: Social media platforms are an important source of information about COVID-19 for some migrant and ethnic minority populations. Urgent actions and further research are now needed to better understand effective approaches to tackling circulating misinformation, and to seize on opportunities to better use social media platforms to support public health communication and improve vaccine uptake.

KW - Communication, cultural and media studies

UR - https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36396309

U2 - 10.1136/bmjopen-2022-061896

DO - 10.1136/bmjopen-2022-061896

M3 - Article

SN - 2044-6055

VL - 12

JO - BMJ Open

JF - BMJ Open

IS - 11

M1 - e061896

ER -

The use of social media platforms by migrant and ethnic minority populations during the COVID-19 pandemic: a systematic review

Abstract

Bibliographical note

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