Why Do Citizens Engage With the TikTok Accounts of Public Hospitals in China

Bibliographic Data

ID16915420
AuthorsWei Zhang (0000-0002-5458-9581, Huazhong University of Science and Technology), Jie Mei (0000-0002-7640-5472, Huazhong University of Science and Technology), Weifang Song (0000-0001-8143-6882, Zhongshan Hospital of Xiamen University), Richard Evans (0000-0001-6367-0560, Brunel University of London), Yaqian Xiang (Guizhou University of Finance and Economics, corresponding author)
Year2021
Volume11
Issue4
Publication date2021-10-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueSAGE Open (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 2158-2440 • E-ISSN: 2158-2440
PublisherSAGE Publications (PUBLISHER • US)
DOI10.1177/21582440211061568
OpenAlexW4200137788
LanguageEN
Citations received9
References cited39

Chinese public hospitals have increased usage of TikTok to communicate with citizens on health-related matters. This study aims to investigate the engagement of citizens with the official TikTok accounts of public hospitals, and identify the major characters of the videos with the highest public engagement level, as well as underlying factors that make them successful. A comprehensive search on TikTok, a video-sharing social networking service, was completed to identify all official accounts of public hospitals in Mainland China. Data was collected from 40 public hospitals with the top 100 TikTok videos being identified for content analysis. The majority of them were created by public hospitals located in the Central and Western regions of China. The common features of the top 100 identified videos include: low message sensation value and short video length, and are typically accompanied by background music, subtitles, and an introduction at the beginning of the video. The most frequently viewed video type is film clips which are used to disseminate knowledge of diseases and promote healthcare professionals. Health communication via the official TikTok accounts of public hospitals in China offers significant potential. Hospitals are encouraged to engage citizens in health-related conversations to build their credibility and professional image online. Among the popular short-videos, the message sensation value is not largely connected to video popularity, while the content of videos seems more important. This requires skills in video creation or procurement, and editing, while rhetoric should be cautiously applied. The content of videos should provide education and positive energy

China · Content analysis · Credibility · Internet privacy · Mainland China · Political science · Popularity · Public health · Public relations · Sociology · Media Influence and Health · Medicine · Misinformation and Its Impacts · Nursing · Psychology · Social Media in Health Education

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