Trends in Twitter Utilization Among Academic Otolaryngologists

Area of Science:

• Otolaryngology
• Academic Medicine
• Social Media Analytics

Background:

• Twitter is a growing platform for academic and professional engagement.
• Understanding social media utilization among otolaryngologists is crucial for professional development and research dissemination.

Purpose of the Study:

• To characterize Twitter usage among academic otolaryngologists in the United States.
• To evaluate the relationship between Twitter utilization and research productivity (H-index).

Main Methods:

• Data collected from accredited US otolaryngology residency programs (July-November 2021).
• Faculty and program demographics, citations, H-index, Doximity reputation, and US News and World Report rankings were documented.
• Twitter metrics were recorded, and multivariable logistic regression models identified predictors of Twitter utilization.

Main Results:

• 16% of faculty and 62% of programs had a Twitter account.
• Each 5-unit increase in H-index correlated with a 22% increase in the odds of having a Twitter account (OR 1.22).
• The number of faculty with Twitter accounts predicted program account existence (OR 1.49).

Conclusions:

• Faculty H-index is a significant predictor of Twitter account adoption.
• The number of faculty using Twitter influences program-level adoption.
• While Twitter use is increasing, significant opportunities for growth exist, especially for faculty with strong academic profiles.