Influence of Health Social Network Sites on Chronic Disease Management: A Systematic Review

Chronic non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are the main cause of death globally and account for 74% of mortality. Low-and middle-income countries (LMICs) are disproportionally impacted by the burden of NCDs, with 77% of all deaths from chronic NCDs being from LMICs. Due to the increasing burden of diseases and shortage of healthcare professionals, more people are turning to health social network sites (HSNs) to seek information on managing their diseases. A systematic literature review was conducted to determine the influence of HSNs on chronic disease management. Research papers were retrieved from four databases using author-defined inclusion/exclusion and quality assessment criteria. A total of 53 papers were analyzed using content analysis. Authors from developed countries published most of the papers. The results showed five broad areas where HSNs are influencing chronic disease management. However, there is a need for studies that investigate their impact on chronic disease management from developing countries perspectives.