Date of this Version
2023
Document Type
DNP Project
Abstract
Background: From the end of the 20th century to the beginning of the 21st, social media use has become omnipresent in many aspects of human life even though research has shown that its problematic use can negatively affect the mental well-being of patients with anxiety disorder. Despite all those data, mental health care providers (MHCPs) face many challenges in routinely assessing the frequency of social media use (FSMU) to detect problematic social media use (PSMU) among anxious patients.
Objectives: To increase the awareness of MHCPs on the importance of a routine assessment of the FSMU to detect PSMU among patients with anxiety disorder.
Methodology: A pre-test/post-test survey design was used to evaluate the awareness of MHCPs on the importance of a routine assessment of the FSMU. The target population consisted of seven psychiatric mental health nurse practitioners (PMHNPs). With their consent, they completed an anonymous pre-test survey and then attended a 30-minute educational PowerPoint presentation. Afterward, they began implementing the project for about five weeks. During the implementation phase, they used the Five-Item Social Media Screening Questionnaire (5-ISMSQ) and the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 Item (GAD-7) to measure respectively the FSMU and anxiety levels in their anxious patients. Finally, they completed a post-test survey.
Results: Analysis of the data showed that a routine assessment of the FSMU to detect PSMU is not a common practice among MHCPs. However, it was acknowledged by the participants that PSMU can be positively linked to an increased anxiety level among anxious patients. Finally, the post-test survey showed that all the participants (7/7=100%) thought that MHCPs should integrate a routine assessment of the FSMU in practice, to detect PSMU, during each encounter with anxious patients.
Conclusion: MHCPs acknowledged that PSMU may negatively affect the anxiety level of anxious patients, however, assessing for the FSMU to detect PSMU among anxious patients is often omitted in their practice. In efforts to raise their awareness of that matter, an educational intervention seems necessary. This should be beneficial for society, healthcare systems, policy change, providers, and patients.
Recommended Citation
Madestin, Ezechiel, "Routine Assessment of the Frequency of Social Media Use on the Mental Well-being of Patients with Anxiety Disorder: A Quality Improvement Project" (2023). Nicole Wertheim College of Nursing Student Projects. 233.
https://digitalcommons.fiu.edu/cnhs-studentprojects/233