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Cited by 255Social Media in Health EducationMedical Research and PracticesPharmaceutical industry and healthcare

Content of Weblogs Written by Health Professionals

Open access
Lagu, Tara, Kaufman, Elinore J., Asch, David A., Armstrong, Katrina·2008·Journal of General Internal Medicine
DOI 10.1007/s11606-008-0726-6PMC PMC2533366
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Abstract

Background Medical weblogs ("blogs") have emerged as a new connection between health professionals and the public.Objective To examine the scope and content of medical blogs and approximate how often blog authors commented about patients, violated patient privacy, or displayed a lack of professionalism.Design We defined medical blogs as those that contain some medical content and were apparently written by physicians or nurses. We used the Google search term "medical blog" to begin a modified snowball sampling method to identify sites posting entries from 1/1/06 through 12/14/06. We reviewed five entries per blog, categorizing content and characteristics.Results We identified 271 medical blogs. Over half (56.8%) of blog authors provided sufficient information in text or image to reveal their identities. Individual patients were described in 114 (42.1%) blogs. Patients were portrayed positively in 43 blogs (15.9%) and negatively in 48 blogs (17.7%). Of blogs that described interactions with individual patients, 45 (16.6%) included sufficient information for patients to identify their doctors or themselves. Three blogs showed recognizable photographic images of patients. Healthcare products were promoted, either by images or descriptions, in 31 (11.4%) blogs.Conclusions Blogs are a growing part of the public face of the health professions. They offer physicians and nurses the opportunity to share their narratives. They also risk revealing confidential information or, in their tone or content, risk reflecting poorly on the blog authors and their professions. The health professions should assume some responsibility for helping authors and readers negotiate these challenges.

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  • Academic writing frequently warns that social media dangerously crosses traditional medical boundaries.

    “the academic literature replete with admonishments of how SM are dangerously breeching the old “boundary markers” of medicine: enabling all manner of distasteful content to be publically posted by medical students, residents, and other healthcare providers,7,14–17”

    From Dangers and Opportunities for Social Media in Medicine (2013) · cites this paper as [16]

  • In a 2008 study analyzing 271 weblogs written by health professionals, weblogs offered the opportunity to share narratives but also risked revealing confidential patient information or reflecting poorly on the author or profession.

    “In one 2008 study which analyzed the content of 271 weblogs written by health professionals, researchers found that weblogs offered the opportunity to share narratives, but also risked revealing confidential patient information or reflecting poorly on the author or profession [21].”

    From Social media use by physicians: a qualitative study of the new frontier of medicine (2016) · cites this paper as [21]

  • A study of 271 medical blogs written by health professionals found that individual patients were described in 42% of blogs.

    “A study of 271 medical blogs written by health professionals found that individual patients were described in 42% of blogs.”

    From Social Media and Clinical Care: Ethical, Professional, and Social Implications (2013) · cites this paper as [43]

  • Of the blogs that described patients, 17% included sufficient information for patients to identify their providers or themselves, and 3 included recognizable photographic patient images.

    “Of these, 17% included sufficient information for patients to identify their providers or themselves, and 3 included recognizable photographic patient images.43”

    From Social Media and Clinical Care: Ethical, Professional, and Social Implications (2013) · cites this paper as [43]

  • An analysis of blogs written by health professionals found that 11% contained product endorsement of specific healthcare products, and none provided conflict of interest disclosures.

    “When researchers analyzed the content of blogs written by health professionals, 11% contained product endorsement of specific healthcare products; none provided conflict of interest disclosures.43”

    From Social Media and Clinical Care: Ethical, Professional, and Social Implications (2013) · cites this paper as [43]

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Authors
Lagu, T., Kaufman, E. J., Asch, D. A., & Armstrong, K.
Affiliations
  • University of Pennsylvania (US)
  • Philadelphia VA Medical Center (US)
Corresponding author
Lagu, Tara
ORCID
Venue
Journal of General Internal Medicine
Publisher
Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Published
2008-07-23
Volume
23
Issue
10
Pages
1642-1646
ISSN
  • 0884-8734 (ISSN-L)
  • 1525-1497
DOI
10.1007/s11606-008-0726-6
PMC
PMC2533366
OpenAlex
W2008593118
Cited by
255
References
16
Citations by year
2025: 3 · 2024: 4 · 2023: 6 · 2022: 6 · 2021: 14 · 2020: 6 · 2019: 58 · 2018: 9 · 2017: 9 · 2016: 10 · 2015: 13 · 2014: 18 · 2013: 32 · 2012: 21
FWCI
16.18
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
www.springer.com/tdm (tdm)
Locations
  • Journal of General Internal Medicine (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • DigitalGeorgetown (Georgetown University Library) (submittedVersion)
Funders
Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Health › Social Media in Health Education
  • Health Sciences › Health Professions › Medical Terminology › Medical Research and Practices
  • Life Sciences › Pharmacology, Toxicology and Pharmaceutics › Pharmacology › Pharmaceutical industry and healthcare
Keywords
medical blogs, patient privacy, confidentiality, professionalism, online health communication
MeSH terms
Confidentiality, Ethics, Nursing, Female, Health Occupations, Humans, Male, Nurses, Physicians, Writing, Internet

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