Social Media Utilization for Health Promotion: Exploring the Extent of Use by Doctors in Cross River State, Nigeria

Abstract

Engagement of social media by health practitioners has increased over the past few decades, but the extent of its use for healthcare is still a subject of continuous enquiry. The study investigated the utilization of social media for health promotion among doctors in Cross River State. The primary objective was to determine the extent to which doctors employ social media platforms for promoting health. This cross-sectional survey included a purposive sample of 174 respondents, consisting of 103 males and 71 females, drawn from 11 secondary and 1 tertiary health facilities. Data collection was carried out using a structured questionnaire, and the analysis was conducted using descriptive statistics, including mean and standard deviation, via SPSS version 20. The findings revealed that a significant majority (77%) of doctors utilize social media for health promotion, with usage patterns ranging from moderate to high extent, but displaying minimal to high variation. The study recommends that health institutions establish policies that encourage consistent and effective use of social media among health practitioners to enhance health promotion efforts.