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THE IMPACT OF SOCIAL MEDIA ON PRIVATE HOSPITAL VISIBILITY AND ITS INFLUENCE ON PATIENT DECISIONMAKING IN HOSPITAL SELECTION FOR TREATMENT

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dc.contributor.authorCHEN HUEY SZE
dc.date.accessioned2026-07-28T11:18:37Z
dc.date.available2026-07-28T11:18:37Z
dc.date.issued2026
dc.description.abstractBackground: Social media has become an important source of health-related information and increasingly shapes how patients evaluate healthcare providers. In Malaysia, the widespread use of digital platforms allows working adults to access hospital information, online reviews, and shared patient experiences before seeking treatment. Despite this trend, there is limited evidence explaining how social media characteristics influence patients’ decisions when selecting private hospitals. Objectives: This study examined how private hospital visibility through social media influences patient decision-making. It specifically explored the relationships between social influence, information quality, content credibility, and perceived information usefulness, as well as the role of information usefulness in hospital selection. Materials and Methods: A quantitative cross-sectional survey was conducted using a self administered online questionnaire distributed through social media platforms. The study included 389 working adults who actively use social media and have consider for private hospitals. Statistical Analysis: Data were analysed using IBM SPSS Statistics version 31. Descriptive statistics summarised respondent characteristics, while Pearson correlation analysis examined relationships between study variables. Results: Social influence, information quality, and content credibility were all positively associated with perceived information usefulness. Perceived information usefulness was also strongly associated with patient decision-making in selecting private hospitals. Conclusion: The findings suggest that social media affects private hospital selection primarily through the perceived usefulness and credibility of information shared online.
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14377/37809
dc.language.isoen
dc.publisherIMU University
dc.subjectSocial Media
dc.subjectHospitals, Private
dc.subjectPatient Preference
dc.subjectHealth Services Accessibility
dc.subjectConsumer Health Information
dc.subjectCross-Sectional Studies
dc.subjectSurveys and Questionnaires
dc.titleTHE IMPACT OF SOCIAL MEDIA ON PRIVATE HOSPITAL VISIBILITY AND ITS INFLUENCE ON PATIENT DECISIONMAKING IN HOSPITAL SELECTION FOR TREATMENT
dc.typeThesis
dspace.entity.typePublication
oairecerif.author.affiliation#PLACEHOLDER_PARENT_METADATA_VALUE#
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