Youth, Social Media, and Telehealth: How COVID-19 Changed Our Interactions

Adolescents and young adults (AYA) use social media more than any other generation, including to learn about their health. The coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic further accelerated both health harming and health benefits of technology use. Also, during this time, medical professionals moved more quickly to virtual visits, changing AYA, family, and provider interactions and expectations. Remote health care, broader technology use, and improved youth engagement have the potential to address long-standing barriers to health equity. Telehealth disadvantages still exist, however, especially for those with decreased access. Recent rapid changes have not allowed for sufficient study to address optimizing the experience, effectiveness, and utilization of remote health care. Fortunately, because of their expansive engagement with social media and technology, AYA are paving the way toward a digital health future. Health professionals are encouraged to improve their virtual and social media interactions with AYA patients, while finding ways to improve health equity. [.