Abstract
Introduction
Social media has played a pivotal role in relaying healthcare-related information, especially in efforts to improve cleft management. Cleft management involves a multidisciplinary team throughout the years of comprehensive intervention, from birth to adulthood.
Objective
To investigate the behaviors of parents and patients with clefts regarding social media use in improving cleft-related outcomes, knowledge, and awareness.
Design
This questionnaire-based descriptive study was conducted online and involved both closed- and short-ended questions.
Participants
Parents and patients with cleft lip and palate provided consent to participate in the study.
Main Outcome Measures:
Patient demographics, history, and timing of cleft treatment, barriers to care, and social media use were explored.
Results
Fifty-six participants were enrolled in this study. The mean ages of the mothers and fathers of children with cleft were 34 (range, 24-57) and 36 (range, 26-59) years, respectively, and more than one-half were university graduates. WhatsApp, Instagram, and YouTube were used by 100%, 89%, and 89% of parents, respectively, 82% of whom were part of a cleft community group. Seventy-two percent underwent labioplasty, and 75% underwent palatoplasty at the ideal time. Parents exhibited low perceived barriers to care, with 33% and 37% reporting limitations on knowledge and accommodation, respectively.
Conclusion
Social media is the key to bridging the gap between the large number of cases and facility limitations and specialized human resources. Cleft centers should integrate combined platforms (WhatsApp, YouTube, and Instagram) for marketing and education purposes. Social media and community groups facilitate sharing, engagement, and empowerment of patients and caregivers to improve cleft-related outcomes.
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