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© 2022. This work is licensed under https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ (the “License”). Notwithstanding the ProQuest Terms and Conditions, you may use this content in accordance with the terms of the License.

Abstract

Background: Emoticons and emojis have become staple additions to modern-day communication. These graphical icons are now embedded in daily society through the various forms of popular social media and through users’ personal electronic conversations. With ever-increasing use and inclusivity, exploration of the possible health care and dermatology applications of these tools is imperative.

Objective: The goal of this narrative review was to provide and evaluate an up-to-date literature survey examining the utility of emoticons and emojis in medicine. Special attention was paid to their existing and potential uses in the field of dermatology, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods: A PubMed search of peer-reviewed publications was performed in mid-2021 to collect articles with emoticon or emoji keywords in combination with other health care–relevant or dermatology-relevant keywords. Screening of publications and described studies was performed by the authors with education and research experience in health care, dermatology, social media, and electronic communication trends. Selected articles were grouped based on common subjects for qualitative analysis and presentation for in-depth discussion.

Results: From this extensive search, researchers were able to identify a wide variety of publications detailing the use of emoticons and emojis in general health care, pediatric health care, public health, and dermatology. Key subject areas that emerged from the investigation included the ability of emoticons and emojis to improve communication within pediatric health care, enhance mood and psychological assessment or mental health screening in adults, develop interventions to improve patient medication adherence, complement novel means of public health and COVID-19 surveillance, and bolster dermatology-specific applications.

Conclusions: This review illuminated the repurposing of emojis and emoticons for a myriad of advantageous functions in health care and public health, with applications studied in many populations and situations. Dermatology-specific uses were relatively sparse in the literature, highlighting potential opportunities for growth in future studies and practices. The importance of diversity and inclusivity has extended to emojis, with the recent introduction of skin color customization and new emojis better representing the comprehensive spectrum of users’ experiences. A continuously evolving and technology-driven population creates a unique niche for emoticons and emojis to ease worldwide communication and understanding, transcending the barriers of age, language, and background. We encourage future studies and innovations to better understand and expand their utility.

Details

Title
Emojis and Emoticons in Health Care and Dermatology Communication: Narrative Review
Author
Szeto, Mindy D  VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; Barber, Cara  VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; Ranpariya, Varun K  VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; Anderson, Jarett  VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; Hatch, Jonny  VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; Ward, Jordan  VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; Aguilera, Megan N  VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; Shahzeb Hassan  VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; Austin Hamp  VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; Coolman, Tyler  VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; Dellavalle, Robert P  VIAFID ORCID Logo 
First page
e33851
Section
Reviews in Dermatology
Publication year
2022
Publication date
Jul 2022
Publisher
JMIR Publications
e-ISSN
25620959
Source type
Scholarly Journal
Language of publication
English
ProQuest document ID
2708661086
Copyright
© 2022. This work is licensed under https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ (the “License”). Notwithstanding the ProQuest Terms and Conditions, you may use this content in accordance with the terms of the License.