Ab1636-HPR Social Media Use by Physiotherapists, Occupational Therapists and Allied Healthcare Professionals in Kazakhstan

Background: Social networks in the healthcare system are used widely for education, research, dissemination of information, telemedicine, networking and medical communities. To better use the benefits of social networks, it is imperative to identify patterns and potential obstacles to their use by healthcare professionals in various geo-political regions to maintain academic connectivity. Objectives: The primary purpose of this cross-sectional study is to examine the use and patterns of social media use by medical professionals from Kazakhstan to understand better the existing knowledge and practice of this group of doctors. Methods: Between November 2022 and January 2022, we conducted an online survey among 144 medical professionals, including physiotherapists, occupational therapists, rheumatologists, and internal medicine doctors. The 30-question questionnaire covered demographic details, job profile, and academic background and explored social media usage, platforms, frequency, reasons for use, utility in professional life, and reasons for non-use. Results: Three hundred and three healthcare professionals responded to the survey, and the final analysis included 144 participants after excluding partial responses. The median age of the participants was 32.01 (IQR: 29 – 35) years. Nearly 80% of participants utilized social media (SoMe) for information, with 65.3% using it for accessing new resources, 66.0% for learning new skills, and 47.9% for expanding professional networks. A significant majority (91.7%) acknowledged receiving valuable educational or professional knowledge from others. Webinars were considered the most useful by 53.5%, while fewer participants relied on podcasts (14.6%) and infographics (4.2%). However, 34.7% found social networks unsafe for communication, and 75.0% felt overwhelmed by content. One in five participants used separate personal and professional accounts on social networks. Broadband and connectivity issues were other perceived barriers (30.6%) to optimal SoMe use. About one-third (31.9%) of respondents attended courses on optimizing the use of social media for professional growth. Despite challenges, participants' attitudes improved over the last five years, and two-thirds reported social media positively impacting their lives. These observations underscore the importance of incorporating social media into healthcare curricula for optimal academic development. Conclusion: This study is the first to determine the landscape of social media use by rheumatology and allied healthcare professionals in Kazakhstan, indicating a predominantly positive impact on their professional lives despite wider challenges. Future directions include the development of pathways to guide professionals in optimal social media use for professional advancement. This involves introducing diverse educational resources and content formats and providing clear recommendations on best practices and potential pitfalls in the professional use of social media and digital resources. REFERENCES: NIL. Acknowledgements: We want to thank all the colleagues who filled out the questionnaire and participated in the distribution. Disclosure of Interests: None declared.