Each month, CREATION.co’s respiratory tracking update brings you the latest insights into the online UK healthcare professional (HCP) conversation regarding respiratory disease.
This month between 21 June and 20 July there were 2,721 online mentions of respiratory disease by UK HCPs. This was an increase of 202 posts and 127 additional authors from the previous month. The most active HCP discussing respiratory diseases in the UK this month was Consultant paediatrician Tushar Banerjee who posted 45 times across the 30 days, primarily about the European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology 2022 congress.
Whilst UK HCPs were most active on 23 June this month, the topic of conversation that generated the most amount of excitement and discussion came later in the month as news broke that over-50s will be offered a COVID-19 booster and flu jab in the autumn this year. The majority of HCPs responded well to the news, but some were concerned with the fact that not all at-risk patient groups were eligible for the jab, including some asthmatics.
All over-50s to be offered COVID-19 booster and flu jab this autumn
Everyone aged 50 and over will be among those offered a COVID-19 booster and a flu jab this autumn under plans to increase protection against respiratory viruses ahead of winter.
— Dr Ellie (@Dr_Ellie) July 15, 2022
The most shared post by UK HCPs in the context of respiratory disease this month was from reporter and presenter Antoine Allen, who posted a video in which a “14-year-old Black boy who was thrown to the floor and handcuffed by police officers in a case of mistaken identity feared for her asthmatic son”. 46 UK HCPs shared Allen’s post which prompted conversation around the use of force amongst police officers, particularly for those suffering from underlying health conditions, such as asthma.
https://twitter.com/AntoineSpeaker/status/1540588751008813062
HCPs in the UK shared a survey from UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) which aimed to identify healthcare workers to take part in a focus group that will explore perceptions about air pollution advice for asthma patients. The wide sharing of the post showcased the spirit of community amongst HCPs online and the value of social media in gathering people around a common cause. The post did create a conversation around the terminology for healthcare professionals however, as “looking for qualified doctors and nurses” could exclude a large number of eligible HCPs.
@UKHSA is looking for healthcare professionals to take part in online focus groups exploring air pollution & air quality heath advice for people living with asthma
If you are interested in getting involved, please complete this brief survey by 6th July👇 https://t.co/4uDNonYR5N pic.twitter.com/zf9dBllled
— Prof Jamie Waterall RN (@JamieWaterall) June 27, 2022
Since the turn of the year there has been a steady decrease in the mentions of COVID-19 online by UK HCPs, and whilst this month saw an increase of 122 COVID-19 posts compared to the previous month there are other topics and therapy areas within respiratory disease which are generating more conversation for UK HCPs. The trend of decreasing COVID-19 mentions as the British summer endures coincides with the hypothesis that the virus will be more of a public health concern in the colder winter months.
Each month, we track the HCP conversation relating to respiratory disease.
You can keep up to date with this and other pharmaceutical tracking updates, including COVID-19 developments, within the Tracking section of CREATION Knowledge, or sign up to receive our monthly eJournal with all of our latest HCP insights.
If you would like to dig deeper into what we have seen this month then please do get in touch.
Methodology
- This article analysed the Twitter conversations of HCPs in the UK discussing respiratory disease and related terms between 21 June and 20 July 2022 using CREATION Pinpoint®.
- Between 21 June and 20 July 2022, there were 2,721 UK HCP mentions of respiratory disease and related terms, from 1,332 unique UK HCP authors.