Effects of Mock Facebook Workday Comments on Public Perception of Professional Credibility: A Field Study in Canada.
medical education
professional-patient relations
professionalism
social media
trust
Journal
Journal of medical Internet research
ISSN: 1438-8871
Titre abrégé: J Med Internet Res
Pays: Canada
ID NLM: 100959882
Informations de publication
Date de publication:
18 04 2019
18 04 2019
Historique:
received:
23
08
2018
accepted:
17
02
2019
entrez:
19
4
2019
pubmed:
19
4
2019
medline:
8
2
2020
Statut:
epublish
Résumé
There is considerable discussion of risks to health professionals' reputations and employment from personal social media use, though its impacts on professional credibility and the health professional-client relationship are unknown. The aim of this study was to test the extent to which workday comments posted to health professionals' personal Facebook profiles influence their credibility and affect the professional-client relationship. In a controlled field study, participants (members of the public) reviewed randomly assigned mock Facebook profiles of health professionals. The 2×2×2 factorial design of mock profiles included gender (female/male), health profession (physician/veterinarian), and workday comment type (evident frustration/ambiguous). Participants then rated the profile owner's credibility on a visual analog scale. An analysis of variance test compared ratings. Mediation analyses tested the importance of credibility ratings on participants' willingness to become a client of the mock health professional. Participants (N=357) rated health professionals whose personal Facebook profile showed a comment with evident frustration rather than an ambiguous workday comment as less credible (P<.001; mean difference 11.18 [SE 1.28]; 95% CI 8.66 to 13.70). Furthermore, participants indicated they were less likely to become clients of the former when they considered credibility (standardized beta=.69; P<.001). Credibility explained 86% of the variation in the relationship between the type of workday comment and the participant's willingness to become a client of the health professional. This study provides the first evidence of the impact of health professionals' personal online disclosures on credibility and the health relationship. Public perceptions about professionalism and credibility are integral to developing the evidence base for e-professionalism guidelines and encouraging best practices in social media use.
Sections du résumé
BACKGROUND
There is considerable discussion of risks to health professionals' reputations and employment from personal social media use, though its impacts on professional credibility and the health professional-client relationship are unknown.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to test the extent to which workday comments posted to health professionals' personal Facebook profiles influence their credibility and affect the professional-client relationship.
METHODS
In a controlled field study, participants (members of the public) reviewed randomly assigned mock Facebook profiles of health professionals. The 2×2×2 factorial design of mock profiles included gender (female/male), health profession (physician/veterinarian), and workday comment type (evident frustration/ambiguous). Participants then rated the profile owner's credibility on a visual analog scale. An analysis of variance test compared ratings. Mediation analyses tested the importance of credibility ratings on participants' willingness to become a client of the mock health professional.
RESULTS
Participants (N=357) rated health professionals whose personal Facebook profile showed a comment with evident frustration rather than an ambiguous workday comment as less credible (P<.001; mean difference 11.18 [SE 1.28]; 95% CI 8.66 to 13.70). Furthermore, participants indicated they were less likely to become clients of the former when they considered credibility (standardized beta=.69; P<.001). Credibility explained 86% of the variation in the relationship between the type of workday comment and the participant's willingness to become a client of the health professional.
CONCLUSIONS
This study provides the first evidence of the impact of health professionals' personal online disclosures on credibility and the health relationship. Public perceptions about professionalism and credibility are integral to developing the evidence base for e-professionalism guidelines and encouraging best practices in social media use.
Identifiants
pubmed: 30998223
pii: v21i4e12024
doi: 10.2196/12024
pmc: PMC6495291
doi:
Types de publication
Journal Article
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Langues
eng
Sous-ensembles de citation
IM
Pagination
e12024Subventions
Organisme : CIHR
ID : 599547
Pays : Canada
Informations de copyright
©Cynthia Weijs, Jason Coe, Serge Desmarais, Shannon Majowicz, Andria Jones-Bitton. Originally published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research (http://www.jmir.org), 18.04.2019.
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