Framework for efficient utilisation of social media in Pakistan's healthcare sector

Sobia Nisar and Muhammad Shafiq

Technology in Society, 2019, vol. 56, issue C, 31-43

Abstract: Lack of access to basic healthcare information is a major cause of mortalities around the globe. Social media platforms have been playing a significant role in information dissemination, especially in developing countries where resources are meagre. The principal aim of this study was to develop a framework to ensure efficient utilisation of social media in the healthcare sector, considering available channels, usage preferences, privacy, reliability, barriers, and various cultural and behavioural aspects. A survey conducted with 254 participants depicts that Facebook (55.10%), YouTube (46.90%), Wikipedia (38.60%), and Google Plus (30.30%) constitute the channels that are primarily used to increase healthcare awareness. However, lack of privacy and propagation of misinformation served as the barriers inhibiting the usage of such social media platforms. The outcomes of this study provide useful insights for the government, policymakers, entrepreneurs, and health-related organisations.

Keywords: Healthcare; Social media; Health awareness; Facebook; Efficient social-media utilisation (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2019
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (6)

Downloads: (external link)
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0160791X18300812
Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:teinso:v:56:y:2019:i:c:p:31-43

DOI: 10.1016/j.techsoc.2018.09.003

Access Statistics for this article

Technology in Society is currently edited by Charla Griffy-Brown

More articles in Technology in Society from Elsevier
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Catherine Liu ().