apidays LIVE New York 2021 - API-driven Regulations for Finance, Insurance, and Healthcare July 28 & 29, 2021 Digital device and social media’s role in Health awareness Aiman Tohid, Global Health Worker

1. "Digital Device and Social Media’s Role in
Health awareness
Aiman Tohid, MD, MPH
Public Health Expert/Global Health Worker
University of Southern California

2. Telemedicine
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, there is a
steep rise in the acceptance of
telemedicine and digital health, including
increased interest in pursuing mental health
treatment through telehealth.

3. Role of Digital Health in health awareness
 There is growing global consensus about
the role of digital health in healthcare
systems
 Digital health complies with the measures
of physical distancing and increases the
health outcomes.
 Benefits of digital/tele-health include
reduced infection risk, avoidance of
transport systems, and saving time in
waiting room areas.

4. PROS & CONS OF DIGITAL HEALTH
● Follows the social distancing protocols
● Reduction of the risk of infection by
exposure to hospitals and clinics
● Avoidance of transit systems
● Better time management
● Less time spent in waiting room areas
● Provision of healthcare to
underserved population who are
unable to reach to the health care
facilities.
● Expanded health outcomes
● Decreased healthcare cost
● Inadequate patient-doctor rapport
● Lack of personal patient contact
● Hesitancy to share information on video
calls.
● Lack of internet/smartphones in remote
settings
● Familiarity to technology
● Reluctance to use TeleHealth for
reimbursement concerns
● Lack of confidentiality
● Limited clinical diagnostic capabilities
BENEFITS OF DIGITAL HEALTH DISADVANTAGES OF DIGITAL HEALTH

5. Social Media’s role in health awareness

6. TOHID HEALTH INITIATIVE
 Tohid Health is a non-profit platform to raise awareness
about pressing health issues among masses and health care
personnel alike.
 The organization is run by doctors in different parts of the
world
 The organization operates from Virginia, USA.
 Tohid Health provides scientific/health information and
awareness from verified sources via social media and digital
messaging applications.

7. Tohid Health uses Social Media & Digital
App for health education
 Tohid Health creates online educational materials
to raise health awareness among masses
 Tohid Health provides health information via
digital app/device to people globally
 Tohid Health educate people about diseases and
their prevention/treatment via YouTube and
Facebook live vides

8. Study on the use of Digital App & Social
Media
 We conducted a study as part of a large
global project where 240 people inquired
advice on phone app during COVID-19-
Pandemic. (March 2020-now)
 Later on, a short study was conducted on
the same population through survey to
evaluate the effectiveness of digital
health/tele-mental health.

9. Results of the Study
 Among the 273 inquiries, 255 (93.41%) contacted to
relieve COVID-19 Pandemic induced panic/anxiety.
 People asked about symptoms and treatment of
COVID, vaccine development, number of cases in their
regions, navigation to quarantine centers/hospitals.
 6 questions were related to Medicine, 2 psychiatry, 2
pulmonology, 2 hematology, 3 hepatology, 2 Ob/Gyn,
and 3 gastroenterology.
Panic/Anxie
ty
Psychiatry
Panic/Anxiety Psychiatry Medicine
Pulmonolgy Hematology Hepatology
Ob/Gyn Gastroenterolo

10. 94.80%
0.70% 0.70% 0.70% 0.70% 0.70% 0.70% 0.70%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
Panic/Anxiety Psychiatry Medicine Pulmonolgy Hematology Hepatology Ob/Gyn Gastroenterolo

11. Results of the Survey Responses
67.1% responded that online-health-resources are beneficial to alleviate COVID-19 pandemic-induced stress/anxiety
66.2% reported to continuing online health services after pandemic
44.4% reported lack of physical interaction with doctor as disadvantage
36.8% comfort in using in tele-mental-health
35.9% tele-health saves times in waiting areas

12.  Our literature review also showed that COVID-19 psychosocial helplines
provided psychological support to the general population and medical staff
 Our non-profit organization “Tohid Health” is continuing its phone app to
provide health information.
 The COVID-19 pandemic is on going and our data is continuing.

13. THANK YOU !!