Evaluating the Presence of Hospitals on Social Media: An Analytical Study of Private and Public Hospital Instagram Accounts in the State of Kuwait

Today, adults are using social media to seek health information. Evidence suggests that hospitals using Instagram reported better patient engagement and in turn increased profit and reputation. Yet, little is known about how public and private hospitals are leveraging Instagram. This study aims to analyze the presence of hospitals on Instagram using Kuwait as a case study. Hospitals were identified using the Ministry of Health's website and Instagram. Posts collected from seven odd months were analyzed using the Constant Comparison method. A total of 3,439 posts were distributed across six categories: health advice and education, operations and services, current events, hospital community, seasonal occasions, and trivia. Public and private hospitals differed in their activity on Instagram in terms of health topics covered, post categories, and interactions. Hospitals should improve their presence on Instagram to promote healthy lifestyles, augment public health campaigns, and be a source of reliable and accessible health information online.

Automated summary

This study aims to analyze the presence of hospitals on Instagram in Kuwait. It found that public and private hospitals differ in their activities on Instagram and suggests that hospitals should improve their presence on the platform to promote healthy lifestyles and be a reliable source of health information.