How the public uses social media wechat to obtain health information in china: a survey study
Abstract Background On average, 570 million users, 93% in China’s first-tier cities, log on to WeChat every day. WeChat has become the most widely and frequently used social media in China, and has been profoundly integrated into the daily life of many Chinese people. A variety of health-related inf...
Main Authors: | , , , |
---|---|
Format: | Article |
Language: | English |
Published: |
BMC
2017-07-01
|
Series: | BMC Medical Informatics and Decision Making |
Subjects: | |
Online Access: | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12911-017-0470-0 |
id |
doaj-e5ef870f3d014a2b898e248dd7ff57ca |
---|---|
record_format |
Article |
spelling |
doaj-e5ef870f3d014a2b898e248dd7ff57ca2020-11-25T00:30:01ZengBMCBMC Medical Informatics and Decision Making1472-69472017-07-0117S2717910.1186/s12911-017-0470-0How the public uses social media wechat to obtain health information in china: a survey studyXingting Zhang0Dong Wen1Jun Liang2Jianbo Lei3Peking University Third HospitalPeking University Third HospitalIT Center, Second Affiliated Hospital Zhejiang University School of MedicineCenter for Medical Informatics, Peking UniversityAbstract Background On average, 570 million users, 93% in China’s first-tier cities, log on to WeChat every day. WeChat has become the most widely and frequently used social media in China, and has been profoundly integrated into the daily life of many Chinese people. A variety of health-related information may be found on WeChat. The objective of this study is to understand how the general public views the impact of the rapidly emerging social media on health information acquisition. Methods A self-administered questionnaire was designed, distributed, collected, and analyzed utilizing the online survey tool Sojump. WeChat was adopted to randomly release the questionnaires using convenience sampling and collect the results after a certain amount of time. Results (1) A total of 1636 questionnaires (WeChat customers) were collected from 32 provinces. (2) The primary means by which respondents received health education was via the Internet (71.79%). Baidu and WeChat were the top 2 search tools utilized (90.71% and 28.30%, respectively). Only 12.41% of respondents were satisfied with their online health information search. (3) Almost all had seen (98.35%) or read (97.68%) health information; however, only 14.43% believed that WeChat health information could improve health. Nearly one-third frequently received and read health information through WeChat. WeChat was selected (63.26%) as the most expected means for obtaining health information. (4) The major concerns regarding health information through WeChat included the following: excessively homogeneous information, the lack of a guarantee of professionalism, and the presence of advertisements. (5) Finally, the general public was most interested in individualized and interactive health information by managing clinicians, they will highly benefit from using social media rather than Internet search tools. Conclusions The current state of health acquisition proves worrisome. The public has a high chance to access health information via WeChat. The growing popularity of interactive social platforms (e.g. WeChat) presents a variety of challenges and opportunities with respect to public health acquisition.http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12911-017-0470-0Social mediaWeChatHealth educationHealth information acquisition |
collection |
DOAJ |
language |
English |
format |
Article |
sources |
DOAJ |
author |
Xingting Zhang Dong Wen Jun Liang Jianbo Lei |
spellingShingle |
Xingting Zhang Dong Wen Jun Liang Jianbo Lei How the public uses social media wechat to obtain health information in china: a survey study BMC Medical Informatics and Decision Making Social media Health education Health information acquisition |
author_facet |
Xingting Zhang Dong Wen Jun Liang Jianbo Lei |
author_sort |
Xingting Zhang |
title |
How the public uses social media wechat to obtain health information in china: a survey study |
title_short |
How the public uses social media wechat to obtain health information in china: a survey study |
title_full |
How the public uses social media wechat to obtain health information in china: a survey study |
title_fullStr |
How the public uses social media wechat to obtain health information in china: a survey study |
title_full_unstemmed |
How the public uses social media wechat to obtain health information in china: a survey study |
title_sort |
how the public uses social media wechat to obtain health information in china: a survey study |
publisher |
BMC |
series |
BMC Medical Informatics and Decision Making |
issn |
1472-6947 |
publishDate |
2017-07-01 |
description |
Abstract Background On average, 570 million users, 93% in China’s first-tier cities, log on to WeChat every day. WeChat has become the most widely and frequently used social media in China, and has been profoundly integrated into the daily life of many Chinese people. A variety of health-related information may be found on WeChat. The objective of this study is to understand how the general public views the impact of the rapidly emerging social media on health information acquisition. Methods A self-administered questionnaire was designed, distributed, collected, and analyzed utilizing the online survey tool Sojump. WeChat was adopted to randomly release the questionnaires using convenience sampling and collect the results after a certain amount of time. Results (1) A total of 1636 questionnaires (WeChat customers) were collected from 32 provinces. (2) The primary means by which respondents received health education was via the Internet (71.79%). Baidu and WeChat were the top 2 search tools utilized (90.71% and 28.30%, respectively). Only 12.41% of respondents were satisfied with their online health information search. (3) Almost all had seen (98.35%) or read (97.68%) health information; however, only 14.43% believed that WeChat health information could improve health. Nearly one-third frequently received and read health information through WeChat. WeChat was selected (63.26%) as the most expected means for obtaining health information. (4) The major concerns regarding health information through WeChat included the following: excessively homogeneous information, the lack of a guarantee of professionalism, and the presence of advertisements. (5) Finally, the general public was most interested in individualized and interactive health information by managing clinicians, they will highly benefit from using social media rather than Internet search tools. Conclusions The current state of health acquisition proves worrisome. The public has a high chance to access health information via WeChat. The growing popularity of interactive social platforms (e.g. WeChat) presents a variety of challenges and opportunities with respect to public health acquisition. |
topic |
Social media Health education Health information acquisition |
url |
http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12911-017-0470-0 |
work_keys_str_mv |
AT xingtingzhang howthepublicusessocialmediawechattoobtainhealthinformationinchinaasurveystudy AT dongwen howthepublicusessocialmediawechattoobtainhealthinformationinchinaasurveystudy AT junliang howthepublicusessocialmediawechattoobtainhealthinformationinchinaasurveystudy AT jianbolei howthepublicusessocialmediawechattoobtainhealthinformationinchinaasurveystudy |
_version_ |
1725328459947835392 |