Social media and electronic communication usage by South African dietitians

Abstract

Objectives: This study investigated to what extent South African dietitians make use of social media and electronic communication and their compliance with the ethical guidelines set by the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA). Design: Cross-sectional descriptive design. Setting: South Africa. Subjects: Registered South African dietitians. Methods: Data were collected using an online survey (N = 125) and an observational checklist for selected digital platforms (N = 135). Both parts assessed demographic characteristics, usage of digital platforms and awareness or adherence to ethical guidelines. Results: Most participants used Instagram (45.5%) and Facebook (31.6%) as these platforms were regarded as user friendly, quick and suitable for their target audiences. Barriers to social media usage included time constraints (53.0%) and being unfamiliar with some platforms (37.3%). Enablers to social media usage included better reach of target population (61.4%) and ease of use (56.6%). The majority of survey participants were aware of the HPCSA Ethical Guidelines for Good Practice (n = 68/75, 90.7%). Overall compliance with the HPCSA guidelines was observed, yet nearly half (37/89, 41.6%) of the dietitians who shared information on digital platforms never provided references. Forms of touting/canvassing were observed on 20.7% (n = 28/135) of the platforms, while 15.6% of dietitians (n = 21) sold products on their websites, mostly meal-plans and supplements. Conclusion: South African dietitians actively engage with digital platforms to a varied extent, highlighting the importance of being cognisant of, and applying, the HPCSA Ethical Guidelines for Good Practice. The study can be useful in guiding future research on this unexplored, emerging topic.