Social media use is a public health risk, warn medics

IMO consultant committee chairman Matthew Sadlier: There is a link 'between greater social media use and higher levels of anxiety, depression, loneliness, and suicidal tendencies among adolescents'. 

Social media should be classed as a public health risk similar to cigarettes and alcohol, the Irish Medical Organisation (IMO) has urged.

Consultant psychiatrist and IMO consultant committee chairman Matthew Sadlier warned that overuse of social media poses a health risk.

He said every indicator of mental health and psychological wellbeing among teenagers and young adults has become more negative since 2012, linked to social media use becoming more common.

“There is overwhelming evidence that excessive social media use does lead to greater levels of negative wellbeing and mental health issues,” said Prof Sadlier.

“The surgeon general in the US has already issued a public health warning about social media; it is imperative that we in Ireland follow suit.” 

He said there is a link “between greater social media use and higher levels of anxiety, depression, loneliness, and suicidal tendencies among adolescents”. 

Speaking ahead of a panel discussion on the dark side of social media set for Saturday during the IMO annual general conference, he said: “It was likely this link was exacerbated given the algorithms of social media platforms, many of which use features such as infinite scroll to promote more user activity.” 

Despite these concerns, he does not believe social media should be banned.

“Moderate levels of social media use, for example, from a half hour to an hour a day, do not appear to have a negative impact on people. 

However, a British study from 2019 estimates that 20% of adolescents may use social media for at least five hours daily.” 

A greater percentage of 16- to 24-year-olds said they were lonely compared with over-75s according to a British study carried out in 2017, he said.

Instead of a blanket ban, he called for urgent reform of social media.

This should include “minimum usage pricing, similar to alcohol; the need for all users to verify identity, and outlaw any algorithmic device that could lead to problem use, for example, infinite scroll, intermittent variable reinforcement, and promotion of streaks”. 

The conference will also hear motions calling for a well-funded public health strategy to fight social media addiction, as well as for the Department of Education to ban smartphone use by primary school pupils.

Doctor shortage 

Another concern among doctors is to avoid using physician associates (PAs) to mask the shortage of doctors in Ireland.

These are healthcare workers who have medical training but are not doctors. 

They can support doctors by taking patients’ medical histories, doing examinations, making diagnoses, and analysing test results.

They are not commonly found in Ireland, with only one training programme currently running. 

There is broader use in Britain's NHS although British Medical Association research has found concerns around confusion for patients and risks linked to reliance on these roles.

New IMO president Denis McCauley warned any such use here must be carefully regulated and limited to avoid safety risks.

“The Irish health service needs more doctors, but we are concerned that PAs may be recruited to mask the shortage of doctors,” said Dr McCauley.

“The role of the PA can only be to support doctors, not to replace them.”