Online spaces and the control of communicable diseases: implications for nursing practice
Intended for healthcare professionals
Evidence and practice    

Online spaces and the control of communicable diseases: implications for nursing practice

Matthew Wynn Lecturer – digital health and society, University of Salford, Salford, England

Why you should read this article:
  • To recognise the potential benefits of using online spaces in the control of communicable diseases

  • To consider how to address challenges such as the spread of health misinformation online

  • To learn about a framework and resources you could use in your practice to navigate online spaces effectively

The digital revolution has significantly altered healthcare, including communicable disease control, with online spaces emerging as vital tools in preventing, identifying and controlling the spread of diseases. However, healthcare professionals, including nurses, need to find a balance between harnessing the benefits of mass communication and mitigating the potentially harmful effects of online misinformation. This article explores the benefits and challenges of using online spaces such as social media platforms in the control of communicable diseases and discusses the potential use of telehealth in reducing the risk of healthcare-associated infection and antimicrobial resistance. The author also describes a framework that nurses can use to explore potential roles and practice in the context of communicable disease control in online spaces.

Nursing Standard. 39, 5, 39-44. doi: 10.7748/ns.2024.e12174

Peer review

This article has been subject to external double-blind peer review and checked for plagiarism using automated software

@MatthewWynn96

Correspondence

m.o.wynn@salford.ac.uk

Conflict of interest

None declared

Wynn M (2024) Online spaces and the control of communicable diseases: implications for nursing practice. Nursing Standard. doi: 10.7748/ns.2024.e12174

Published online: 19 February 2024

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