Public Perception And Social Media Image Of Feldsher in Moscow

Background. Despite being an unnoticed profession, feldsher is often the first point of contact for patients seeking medical assistance. Thus, in order to minimize profession-related risks, it is crucial to study the image of a feldsher, as well as to understand the characteristics and trends of the feldsher image that have emerged in public opinion and the information space.
Purpose. To identify how Muscovites perceive feldshers and to assess social media coverage of their work.
Methods. The study used the data collected in telephone surveys conducted among a representative sample of 596 adult Moscow residents. The authors analyzed 1,057 images and conducted content analysis on a subsample of 169,975 social media posts.
Results. Collective consciousness mainly perceives the feldsher as an “emergency care practitioner” and a “rural physician” (as a specialist of a rural health post). 21 % of respondents are also unclear about the distinctions between feldshers and doctors or nurses, as well as their place in the medical hierarchy. The results of a quantitative poll are consistent with the social media content analysis about the perception of feldsher's responsibilities. The majority of messages (61 %) are neutral with a slight prevalence of negative (25 %) messages over positive (14 %). Positive messages are more often associated with personal qualities, particularly those that were made evident in dire circumstances during the epidemic, and negative messages are primarily associated with systemic issues of the profession’s status. The color coding of messages is mostly neutral-negative with a predominance of dark, gray, and brown.

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