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Published on: December 11, 2016
Use of blogs by pharmacists
Kevin A Clauson1, Justine Ekins, Chilla E Goncz
1College of Pharmacy, Nova Southeastern University, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33328, USA. clauson@nova.edu
Summary
Pharmacist blogs were analyzed for content and professionalism. While most used positive language, nearly half contained unprofessional or critical remarks, especially in community practice settings.
Area of Science:
- Digital Health Communication
- Pharmacy Practice Research
- Online Professional Discourse
Background:
- The rise of social media and blogging has created new platforms for professional communication.
- Pharmacists increasingly utilize online spaces to share information and engage with peers and the public.
- Understanding the nature of pharmacist blogs is crucial for assessing their impact on professional image and patient trust.
Purpose of the Study:
- To characterize the content and language used in pharmacist blogs.
- To evaluate the level of professionalism and the presence of patient-identifying information in these blogs.
- To compare the characteristics of blogs written by community versus non-community practitioners.
Main Methods:
- A systematic search of internet search engines, blog aggregators, and blog rolls identified relevant blogs.
- Forty-four pharmacist blogs were selected for analysis based on predefined criteria.
- The most recent five posts from each blog were reviewed, evaluating practice-based topics, identifying information, language sentiment (positive/critical), and professionalism.
Main Results:
- Of 117 identified blogs, 44 were classified as pharmacist blogs; none contained patient-identifying information.
- Pharmacists predominantly used positive language when discussing the profession, other healthcare professionals, and patients.
- However, critical and unprofessional language was prevalent, particularly in discussions about patients and other healthcare professionals, with community practitioner blogs showing higher rates.
Conclusions:
- Pharmacist blogs offer insights into professional discourse, with a majority discussing pharmacologic therapies.
- While generally positive about the profession, blogs frequently exhibit critical language towards patients and peers.
- The study highlights the need for greater awareness of professional communication standards in online pharmacist content, especially within community practice.
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