Professional Use of Social Media by Pharmacists: A Qualitative Study.
BACKGROUND
Social media is frequently used by consumers and health care professionals; however, our knowledge about its use in a professional capacity by pharmacists is limited.


OBJECTIVE
Our aim was to investigate the professional use of social media by pharmacists.


METHODS
In-depth semistructured interviews were conducted with practicing pharmacists (N=31) from nine countries. Interviews were recorded, transcribed verbatim, and thematically analyzed.


RESULTS
Wikipedia, YouTube, and Facebook were the main social media platforms used. Professional use of social media included networking with peers, discussion of health and professional topics, accessing and sharing health and professional information, job searching, and professional promotion. Wikipedia was the participants' first choice when seeking information about unfamiliar topics, or topics that were difficult to search for. Very few pharmacy-related contributions to Wikipedia were reported. YouTube, a video-sharing platform, was used for self-education. University lectures, "how-to" footage, and professionally made videos were commonly watched. No professional contribution was made to YouTube. Facebook, a general social networking site, was used for professional networking, promotion of achievements, and job advertisements. It also afforded engagement in professional discussions and information sharing among peers.


CONCLUSIONS
Participants used social media in a professional capacity, specifically for accessing and sharing health and professional information among peers. Pharmacists, as medicines experts, should take a leading role in contributing to health information dissemination in these user-friendly virtual environments, to reach not only other health care professionals but also health consumers.
Faculty of Pharmacy, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia.
Arcelio
http://orcid.org/0000-0002-2349-6040
A
Benetoli
Timothy Frank
http://orcid.org/0000-0003-4189-8403
TF
Chen
Marion
http://orcid.org/0000-0002-6833-6710
M
Schaefer
Betty B
http://orcid.org/0000-0001-8757-9403
BB
Chaar
Parisa
http://orcid.org/0000-0002-7976-8236
P
Aslani
Facebook; Wikipedia; YouTube; pharmacists; pharmacy; social media; social networking sites; social networks
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