April 4-6, 2024 • Hyatt Regency • Lexington, KY
Innovations in Health Communication
Innovations in Health Communication
Abstract: Exploring Digital Communication in Primary Care Centers in Chile: Challenges and Opportunities to Connect With Users Online
In Chile, family health centers serve as the gateway to the healthcare system for over 16 million beneficiaries of public insurance, constituting 80% of the national population. There are approximately 600 of these primary health care centers spread across the country, administratively dependent on municipalities and receiving centralized guidelines from the Ministry of Health. Family health centers play a crucial role in bringing primary care closer to all residents, particularly in prevention and promotion, benefiting from widespread territorial presence and people’s trust. Recent research indicates these centers rank among the top three priority health information sources for the national population.
This study aims to understand the communication strategies of family health centers with their key audiences and identify challenges and opportunities, focusing on digital communication. Chile’s high internet penetration (92%) and social media usage (87% of adults over 18 use Facebook) set the backdrop. A survey of the online presence of 599 registered family health centers in Chile in the first half of 2023 was conducted by three independent coders. The survey assessed the existence of a website, as well as Facebook, X, Instagram, and TikTok profiles for each center. Subsequently, to determine Facebook profile activity, the date of the last post was coded. Additionally, semi-structured interviews were conducted with seven individuals responsible for the communication management of centers with presence on three or more digital platforms.
The most frequently used online platform by family health centers was Facebook, with more than half of the centers (N = 336; 56.1%) having a presence there. Instagram ranked second, with 143 centers (23.9%) with a profile, followed by X with 73 centers (12.2%). TikTok was the least popular, with only 7 of the examined centers present there. Only 11.7% of centers had a website, and 35.2% had no online presence at all. Among the 336 centers with a Facebook account, 9 (2.7%) had no posts, while 213 centers (63.4%) had posted in the last 30 days. Compared to centers in the capital city, centers from the provinces exhibited greater online presence and higher levels of Facebook account updates.
The interviews revealed that those responsible for managing the centers’ social media accounts are healthcare professionals without specific communication training. They dedicate few hours of their day to this task and have limited resources. Simultaneously, they must balance this work with patient care. The main goal of maintaining the center’s social networks is to disseminate the activities and services offered there, but there is no communication plan or guiding strategy in place. Despite the difficulties and lack of resources, these individuals view social media as a valuable communication channel with their users. The findings of this study indicate that the digital communication of family health centers in Chile has significant room for growth if it aims to better connect with citizens and strengthen participation, promotion, and prevention in primary care.
This study aims to understand the communication strategies of family health centers with their key audiences and identify challenges and opportunities, focusing on digital communication. Chile’s high internet penetration (92%) and social media usage (87% of adults over 18 use Facebook) set the backdrop. A survey of the online presence of 599 registered family health centers in Chile in the first half of 2023 was conducted by three independent coders. The survey assessed the existence of a website, as well as Facebook, X, Instagram, and TikTok profiles for each center. Subsequently, to determine Facebook profile activity, the date of the last post was coded. Additionally, semi-structured interviews were conducted with seven individuals responsible for the communication management of centers with presence on three or more digital platforms.
The most frequently used online platform by family health centers was Facebook, with more than half of the centers (N = 336; 56.1%) having a presence there. Instagram ranked second, with 143 centers (23.9%) with a profile, followed by X with 73 centers (12.2%). TikTok was the least popular, with only 7 of the examined centers present there. Only 11.7% of centers had a website, and 35.2% had no online presence at all. Among the 336 centers with a Facebook account, 9 (2.7%) had no posts, while 213 centers (63.4%) had posted in the last 30 days. Compared to centers in the capital city, centers from the provinces exhibited greater online presence and higher levels of Facebook account updates.
The interviews revealed that those responsible for managing the centers’ social media accounts are healthcare professionals without specific communication training. They dedicate few hours of their day to this task and have limited resources. Simultaneously, they must balance this work with patient care. The main goal of maintaining the center’s social networks is to disseminate the activities and services offered there, but there is no communication plan or guiding strategy in place. Despite the difficulties and lack of resources, these individuals view social media as a valuable communication channel with their users. The findings of this study indicate that the digital communication of family health centers in Chile has significant room for growth if it aims to better connect with citizens and strengthen participation, promotion, and prevention in primary care.