E-Health: The effect of Virtual Social Networks on self-care of users concerning Covid-۱۹

Objective: The aim of this study was to identify the impact and relationship of virtual social networks on users' self-care about COVID-۱۹ and to achieve a structural equation model.Methods: The present research of descriptive-analytical was conducted in the summer of ۲۰۲۰, the measuring instrument was an online questionnaire extracted from Dorthea E. Orem’s self-care model. The study sample included ۶۶۲ social network users (WhatsApp, Instagram and Telegram) in Hormozgan province who were selected by convenience sampling. Modeling was carried out using SPSS, Amos software.Results: The results research not only indicate a significant and direct relationship between the independent variables of presence and interaction in the social networks and user orientation to the type of social network with the dependent variable self-care (p< ۰.۰۰۰۹), but also, ۴۵% of changes in self-care variable is covered by a set of social networking indices. Structural equation modelling (SEM) in the self-care variable also showed that Presence and interaction in the social networks and user orientation to the type of social network have the highest and lowest effects on the psychological support dimension with a standard coefficient of ۰.۹۹ and the dimension of awareness and attention to COVID-۱۹ effects and outcomes with a standard coefficient of ۰.۹۵, respectively.Conclusion: According to the results, health officials and disease control and prevention centers can use the potential of social networks in self-care for users.