Optimising the Digital Age Health-wise: Utilisation of New/Social Media by Nigerian Teaching Hospitals

Abstract

The nature of health communication is changing globally as more people are relying on the Internet for health information (Gallant, Irizarry, Boone & Kreps, 2011). These authors argue that web-based communication tool development that engages e-patients can better guide effective healthcare strategies and intervention and promote participatory medicine. However, In Nigeria, health communication is only evolving and it is not clear the extent to which it can be argued that hospitals are taking advantage of the Internet and its related platforms (e.g. Social Media) to influence health outcomes or impact on health promotion, disease prevention or health literacy generally. Paucity of information in this field of study would anchor largely on the fact that health communication researches in Nigeria seem not to have given some attention. This article therefore explores the ways in which Nigerian Teaching hospitals utilise the new and social media. Specifically, it investigates whether the new and social media are used as public relations tools (for enhancing their visibility, promoting their services and corporate image), educational tools (to provide health information, enlightenment and education for the purpose of preventing disease and promoting health), social tools (to deepen interactions and exchanges between healthcare providers and healthcare recipients). The study anchors on three theories: Social Relationships Theory, Social Exchange Theory, and the Extended Parallel Process Model. Inductive content analysis was used to examine the websites of twenty Nigerian teaching and specialist hospitals. Findings showed that the major uses to which Nigerian teaching hospitals put the new and social media are to get feedback from clients (100%), present their vision and mission statements (65%), post administrative and personnel structure information (65%), and give details of contracts (60%). These media are little used for health promotion (25%), financial transactions (10%) and interactive engagement with clients (0%). The content of Nigerian teaching hospital web pages can be categorised into three as follows: employee/public relations content (100%); in-patient and out-patient–specific content (30%), and public health promotion and education content (25%). It concludes that Nigerian teaching hospitals’ recourse to the new and social media is for the purposes of publicity and propagation of self image (public relations). To change this trend, it was recommended among others that: teaching hospitals should increasingly use the new and social media to provide avenues for patients and relatives to tell their stories, and for health professionals to offer informed opinions on medical and health matters.