Situations on Online Advertisements of Private Sanitariums in Nong Bua Lamphu Province

Abstract

The objective of this cross-sectional descriptive research was to examine the situation and characteristics of content in online advertising of private sanitariums in Nong Bua Lamphu Province that were illegal. Data were collected from November 2020 to January 2021 from all online media platforms of 132 private sanitariums, including Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, and their official websites. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. Results showed that 49 private sanitariums (37.12%) had online advertising, with a total of 622 advertisements. Of these, 406 advertisements (65.27%) violated the law. The most common type of violating content was advertising for sanitariums services, which included information on operating hours, with a total of 187 advertisements (46.06%). The second and third most common types of violating content were advertisements for medicines, medical devices, and exaggerated advertisements, with 71 (17.49%) and 43 advertisements (10.59%), respectively. The study concluded that private sanitariums in Nong Bua Lamphu Province still engage in online advertising that violates laws. Therefore, it is essential to develop a systematic approach to address this issue, involving all stakeholders at all levels, including the government and private sanitarium operators.