What the study found
The study found that most private hospital managers interviewed in Istanbul supported legal regulation of healthcare advertising. They also expressed concern about the rise of social media advertising and about ethical breaches.
Why the authors say this matters
The authors conclude that healthcare providers should protect patients' right to accurate, unbiased information while avoiding misleading content. The study suggests these findings are relevant for policymakers seeking a more ethical and transparent healthcare communication environment.
What the researchers tested
The researchers used a qualitative design and conducted in-depth, semi-structured open-ended interviews. They interviewed 12 private hospital managers in Istanbul selected through purposive sampling: 4 general managers, 4 public relations managers, and 4 corporate communications and marketing managers.
What worked and what didn't
Six main themes emerged from the inductive thematic analysis: views on healthcare advertising bans, feelings about healthcare advertisements, views on healthcare advertising risks, willingness to advertise their own hospitals, knowledge of advertising regulations, and comments on the distinction between promotion, information, and advertising. Most managers strongly supported regulating healthcare advertising through legal frameworks, while also saying that social media advertising makes it harder to distinguish advertising from promotion and information.
What to keep in mind
The available summary describes a small interview sample from private hospitals in Istanbul, so the findings are limited to that context. The abstract does not describe additional limitations.
Key points
- Most interviewed managers supported legal regulation of healthcare advertising.
- Managers were concerned about uncontrolled social media advertising and ethical breaches.
- They said it can be hard to distinguish advertising, promotion, and information.
- The study identified six themes from interviews with 12 private hospital managers.
- The authors emphasize accurate, unbiased patient information.
Disclosure
- Research title:
- Private hospital managers support regulating healthcare advertising
- Authors:
- Tutku EKİZ KAVUKOĞLU, Gürkan Sert
- Institutions:
- Marmara University, Marmara University
- Publication date:
- 2026-04-06
- OpenAlex record:
- View
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