Social media landscape: a cross-sectional survey of health professionals
Auanassova A. Jatuworapruk K. Sarkar M. Yessirkepov M. Mukhamediyarov M. Traboco L. Goel A. Zimba O. Agarwal V. Nikiphorou E. Gupta L. Xu C. Ndosi M. Stoilova S. Mühlensiepen F. Talreja T. Yoshida T. Santos C.S. Tanaka Y. Carmona L. Kerkhof P. Dey D. Berenbaum F. Shumnalieva R. Harifi G. Boyd P. Lauper K. de Hooge M. Caballero-Uribe C.V. Sparks J.A. Edwards C. Bautista-Molano W.
November 2025Springer Science and Business Media Deutschland GmbH
Rheumatology International
2025#45Issue 11
Social networks are widely used in the healthcare system for education, research, and professional networking. However, its adoption and impact in Central Asia, particularly among medical professionals, remain underexplored. This study assesses social media usage patterns, motivations, and perceived challenges among healthcare professionals in Kazakhstan, with a focus on professional engagement, information-seeking behaviours, and the need for structured training. A cross-sectional online survey was conducted among healthcare professionals in Kazakhstan from November 2022 to January 2023 after extensive pilot-testing by a multi-professional team. The questionnaire comprised multiple-choice and open-ended questions, and Likert scale answers to explore, social media preferences for professional engagement, and future possibilities. Among 147 respondents (M:F ratio = 1:1.17, median age = 32 years), social media adoption was nearly universal (97.96%, n = 144). The primary reasons for usage were knowledge acquisition (81.94%, n = 118), skill development (79.16%, n = 114), and maintaining social connections (68.05%, n = 98). YouTube and Instagram were the most frequently accessed platforms. Despite the perceived professional utility of social media, 75% (n = 108) of respondents felt overwhelmed, and only 65.27% (n = 94) considered it a secure means of communication.69% (n = 99) had never attended training on optimal social media use for professional growth, and 98.61% (n = 142) expressing willingness to participate in future trainings. The social media landscape among healthcare professionals in Kazakhstan reveals nuanced patterns of platform utilisation. The perceived utility of these platforms is tempered by acknowledged challenges, highlighting a critical need for structured guidance and comprehensive professional training frameworks tailored to the unique digital communication environment of Central Asian healthcare settings.
Digital media , Healthcare workers , Medicine , Social-media , Surveys and questionnaires
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Department of Education, Research, and Strategic Development, Heart Center Shymkent, Shymkent, Kazakhstan
Department of Internal Diseases, Khoja Akhmet Yassawi International Kazakh-Turkish University, Shymkent, Kazakhstan
Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Thammasat University, Pathumthani, Thailand
Sir H. N. Reliance Foundation Hospital and Research Centre, Maharashtra, Mumbai, India
Center for Life and Health Sciences, National Academy of Sciences Under the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Almaty, Kazakhstan
Department of Chemical Disciplines, Biology and Biochemistry, South Kazakhstan Medical Academy, Shymkent, Kazakhstan
Department of Scientific Works, South Kazakhstan Medical Academy, Shymkent, Kazakhstan
Luke’s Medical Center-Global City, Taguig, Philippines
University of the Philippines, Manila, Philippines
Department of Medicine, Dr BR Ambedkar State Institute of Medical Sciences, Punjab, Mohali, India
Department of Rheumatology, Immunology and Internal Medicine, University Hospital in Kraków, Kraków, Poland
National Institute of Geriatrics, Rheumatology and Rehabilitation, Warsaw, Poland
Department of Internal Medicine N2, Danylo Halytsky Lviv National Medical University, Lviv, Ukraine
Department of Clinical Immunology and Rheumatology, Sanjay Gandhi Postgraduate Institute of Medical Sciences, Lucknow, India
Centre for Rheumatic Diseases, King’s College London, London, United Kingdom
Rheumatology Department, King’s College Hospital, London, United Kingdom
Department of Rheumatology, Royal Wolverhampton Hospitals NHS Trust, Wolverhampton, United Kingdom
School of Infection, Inflammation and Immunology, College of Medicine and Health, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, United Kingdom
Francis Crick Institute, London, United Kingdom
Department of Education
Department of Internal Diseases
Department of Medicine
Sir H. N. Reliance Foundation Hospital and Research Centre
Center for Life and Health Sciences
Department of Chemical Disciplines
Department of Scientific Works
Luke’s Medical Center-Global City
University of the Philippines
Department of Medicine
Department of Rheumatology
National Institute of Geriatrics
Department of Internal Medicine N2
Department of Clinical Immunology and Rheumatology
Centre for Rheumatic Diseases
Rheumatology Department
Department of Rheumatology
School of Infection
Francis Crick Institute
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