Emerging Use of Social Media in Clinical Urology Practice in the 21st Century: A Survey Study (Preprint)
Authors: Alfozan Mohammed , Saad Alshahrani , Alasmi Raed 
Published: October 2024

BACKGROUND

Social media (So-Me) and its platforms are a valuable resource for healthcare professionals and academics to learn about, discuss, and distribute current advances in research and clinical practices, as well as new technology trends.

OBJECTIVE

This research aims to assess to role of social media on urologist practices in Saudi Arabia. The study explores how digital platforms influence patient interaction, professional communication, decision-making, and education within the study.

METHODS

This survey was conducted among 145 urologists after approval from the Institutional Review Board between July 2021 and July 2022. The questionnaire was designed using the "Survey Monkey'' platform to examine urologist knowledge of social media use. The survey was carried out by "CHERRIES – Checklist for Reporting Results of Internet E-Surveys." The surveys were open for 17 weeks. Data were analyzed through SPSS 21.0.

RESULTS

Among the 145 participants, 70% were Saudi nationals, with the most common age groups being 30-40 (46.8%) and 41-50 (42.2%). Gender distribution was 45% female and 55% male. A total of 61.5% of urologists reported using social media for professional purposes, with 54.9% sharing health-related information on their accounts. Social media was reported to enhance patient connection beyond clinic visits for 55.8% of respondents, while 57.2% used it to provide educational resources. Additionally, 56.5% believed that social media facilitated patient feedback, improving their practice. In terms of professional communication, 60.6% of urologists agreed that social media helps them collaborate with colleagues, and 63.3% noted that it keeps them updated on the latest advances in urology. Furthermore, 62% followed professional societies or journals on social media, and 63.3% used them for continuing medical education activities. A majority (64.7%) reported that social media influenced treatment decisions based on new research findings, while 85.3% learned about novel technologies and treatment options through these platforms. The regression analysis indicated a significant positive correlation between gender and social media usage patterns, with an R-value of 0.653 and an R² value of 0.426, suggesting that approximately 42.6% of the differences in social media usage can be attributed to gender. However, the Pearson chi-square analysis showed that gender did not significantly affect most aspects of social media use, except in areas like sharing information and participating in online discussions (P-value < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

The study highlights the widespread use of social media among urologists in Saudi Arabia, demonstrating its significant role in enhancing patient interaction, professional development, and clinical decision-making. Healthcare programs for professional and patient-centered care with the help of social media could be designed with accuracy to improve and modernize the Saudi Arabian healthcare system through legislative assistance and guidelines development.

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