The Use of the Internet and Social Media by Individuals with Ménière’s Disease: An Exploratory Survey of Finnish Ménière Federation Members

OBJECTIVES: The present study explored the use of the Internet and social media by individuals with Meniere's disease (MD). MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study utilized a retrospective design and included the data of 465 individuals with MD from the Finnish Meniere Federation (FMF) database. Moreover, the participants included 346 females (i.e., approximately 75% of the sample), with roughly 95% of which middle-aged or older adults. An Internet-based survey was used to collect the demographic information and determine the use of the Internet and social media by individuals with MD in order to establish a computer-based peer support program. RESULTS: Based on the findings, more than 90% of the respondents reported using the Internet, 70% used the Internet to gather information about MD, and 47% stated that they trusted the information on the Internet. CONCLUSION: The Internet and social media are frequently used by individuals with MD to gather information about their health conditions. Therefore, it is essential to ensure that appropriate and accurate information is available via Internet websites and social media platforms.