By Mark Sullivan 
Between 21 August and 20 September CREATION Pinpoint® tracked the online conversations of UK HCPs discussing respiratory diseases. Within this month-long date-range there were 2,307 posts about conditions ranging from asthma to COVID-19 from 1,075 HCPs in the UK. This was an average of 76.9 mentions per day, marginally less than the previous 3 months daily level of conversation. Within this conversation the most frequent poster was Pharmacist Garry McDonald, with 47 posts.
This month UK HCPs were most active on 06 September, posting about respiratory diseases 193 times. This corresponded to the ‘European Respiratory Society (ERS) International Congress’ which took place in Barcelona from 4-6 September. As can be seen in the chart above, UK HCPs discussed respiratory diseases far more frequently around this event. This is a common theme of congress and one of the many reasons why CREATION offers Congress Tracking to understand HCPs’ opinions, needs, and concerns about products and data during this time. An interesting thread which garnered attention from both HCPs and non-HCPs was from Pulmonologist Laura Jane Smith, who shared her thoughts on the health and climate impact of travelling to in-person congresses.
There is real value to in-person conferences & the experience is very different to online. But this has to be balanced against costs – financial & planetary. Individuals need to ask themselves if those costs are justified for each event #ERS2022
— DrLJ 💙 (@drlaurajane) September 6, 2022
Whilst the ERS congress generated the most conversation for UK HCPs, it was a post from Professor of Intensive Care Medicine, Charlotte Summers, which was shared by more UK HCPs than any other respiratory disease post this month. 31 UK HCPs shared the post which highlighted the dangers of misinformation and why context is so important to the statistics we see every day. Sam Porter, a Consultant Perinatal Psychiatrist, used the same logic to satirise misrepresentation of statistics. Charlotte Summers discussed the changing landscape of respiratory care with a patient, as “practice always evolves as we learn”.
This is dangerous nonsense, spreads fear & cannot be allowed to go unchallenged.
People who received ventilation did so because they had severe respiratory failure & were going to die without it. Some survived, many did not. The ventilators did not kill them, COVID did. pic.twitter.com/k1UvpIZleO— Charlotte Summers (@charlot_summers) September 17, 2022
A world issue which has not been ignored by HCPs is that of the energy crisis, in fact many HCPs have shed light on the damaging impact to healthcare that an energy crisis would bring. GP Amir Khan spoke on Good Morning Britain about how children from colder homes are more likely to suffer mental health and respiratory problems. This was also raised at the ERS congress, where Nick Hopkinson shared a recent article surrounding socioeconomic factors and their impact on health and wellbeing, and concluded “Living in a cold, damp home and poverty are associated with more frequent acute exacerbations of COPD”.
Talking about the health effects of the #EnergyCrisis on families, children and young people on GMB today
Children from colder homes are more likely to suffer mental health problems, respiratory problems and alongside food price hikes, nutritional problems pic.twitter.com/392w2L6fyn
— Dr Amir Khan GP (@DrAmirKhanGP) August 26, 2022
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 Aug and 20 September 2022 using CREATION Pinpoint®.
- Between 21 Aug and 20 September 2022, there were 2,307 UK HCP mentions of respiratory disease and related terms, from 1,075 unique UK HCP authors.
The UK Respiratory tracker archive
Aug 2022: HCPs discuss the carbon impact of inhalers and thunderstorm asthma
July 2022: HCPs look forward to the COVID-19 booster and flu jab
June 2022: HCPs discuss Clean Air Day and react to Chris Whitty’s concern for young smokers
May 2022: Can you put a price on asthma care? UK HCPs discuss all on World Asthma Day
April 2022: UK HCPs stress COVID-19 is not finished yet
March 2022: UK HCPs welcome new Asthma and Lung UK charity and highlight unmet needs
February 2022: UK HCPs shared findings of the relationship between deprivation and asthma admissions
January 2022: HCPs shared how to prevent and control seasonal respiratory infections
December 2021: UK HCPs engaged in the British Thoracic Society’s 2021 Winter meeting
November 2021: Healthy lungs have never been more important to UK HCPs
October 2021: UK HCPs agree with 3 key messages of NHS campaign #AskAboutAsthma
September 2021: UK HCPs voice concern as cigarette company takes more control of UK inhaler market
August 2021: UK HCPs Debate The Comparisons Drawn Between COVID-19 And Other Viruses
July 2021: UK HCPS debate the impact of “Freedom Day
June 2021: UK HCPs rally behind their peers and others warn of ‘Thunderstorm Asthma’
May 2021: UK HCPs discuss inhaler technique on world asthma day
April 2021: UK HCPs celebrate positive trial for asthma drug used in COVID-19 patients
March 2021: UK HCPs share scientific research in COPD and encourage peer participation in surveys
February 2021: UK HCPs call for roll out of Respiratory Support Units at virtual BTS Winter Meeting
January 2021: UK HCPs use blue heart 💙 to show support for frontline respiratory healthcare workers
December 2020: UK HCPs engage with new COVID-19 respiratory support guidance from BTS and ICS
November 2020: UK HCPs celebrated new COPD patient charter on World COPD Day
October 2020: Virtual medical conferences drive online conversation in respiratory disease
September 2020: Respiratory conversation increased throughout month as HCPs #AskAboutAsthma
August 2020: In the absence of external developments, UK HCP interest in COVID-19 depletes
July 2020: UK doctors dismiss claims that masks limit oxygen intake for respiratory patients
June 2020: UK HCPs praise NHS trial enrolment that led to Dexamethasone approval for COVID-19
May 2020: UK HCPs celebrate NHS staff and give advice to patients on World Asthma Day
April 2020: UK HCPs protect peers and patients by responding to misinformation
March 2020: UK HCPs continue to educate on the coronavirus
February 2020: HCPs consistently engaged with Asthma UK throughout Jan 2020
January 2020: UK HCPs discuss #WORLDCOPDDAY and #BTSWINTER2019
December 2019: UK HCPs slam BBC news article on asthma carbon footprint
November 2019: HCPS encourage patients to #AskAboutAsthma
