title: Betrayed mood in public view: Taking a MySpace history.
abstract: Social networking sites (SNS), the modern mainstay of adolescent expression, may provide vital information to physicians. The emergency department (ED) is a setting where SNS may be helpful. A reticent 19-year-old in the ED prompted a search for pertinent information on the Internet, where a profile on www.myspace.com relayed a troubled post. The patient was admitted for psychiatric evaluation due to intentional overdose. These SNS may provide a venue for physicians to learn about risky behaviors and life stressors that would help identify underlying medical issues in young adults. We provide a guideline on how to utilize SNS with privacy rights in mind.
authors.affiliation: John H Stroger, Jr. Hospital of Cook County, Department of Emergency Medicine, Chicago, Illinois.
authors.forename: Vinodinee L
authors.initials: VL
authors.lastname: Dissanayake
authors.affiliation: John H Stroger, Jr. Hospital of Cook County, Department of Emergency Medicine, Chicago, Illinois.
authors.forename: Isam
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Nasr
mesh_terms: D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008487:Medical History Taking / Q000379:methods*; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology; D061108:Social Media; D013406:Suicide, Attempted / Q000523:psychology; D055815:Young Adult