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ORIGINAL RESEARCH article

Front. Med.
Sec. Healthcare Professions Education
Volume 11 - 2024 | doi: 10.3389/fmed.2024.1324939
This article is part of the Research Topic Impact of Technology on Human Behaviors in Medical Professions Education View all 10 articles

The association of social networks with the job performance of primary health care professionals: The mediating effect of knowledge sharing •Authors

Provisionally accepted
Xiubo Wang Xiubo Wang 1Shengchao Hou Shengchao Hou 1,2Qiongxin Lv Qiongxin Lv 3Yuxin Liu Yuxin Liu 1Huan Wu Huan Wu 1,4Zhiyong Liu Zhiyong Liu 1*
  • 1 School of Medicine and Health Management, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
  • 2 Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei Province, China
  • 3 Shenzhen Children's Hospital, Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, China
  • 4 School of Management, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxing, Henan Province, China

The final, formatted version of the article will be published soon.

    Background and aims: Social networks formed through social media platforms have facilitated knowledge sharing among primary health care professionals (PHCPs). However, the impact of these networks on PHCPs' job performance and the mediating role of knowledge sharing remain underexplored. This study aimed to investigate the association between social networks formed via social media and the job performance of PHCPs, and to explore the mediating role of knowledge sharing in this association.Methods: A cross-sectional survey was carried out among PHCPs in Henan Province, China, involved with 655 valid responses. Validated scales measured the key variables, and structural equation modeling (SEM) tested the proposed hypotheses, including the mediating effect of knowledge sharing through bootstrap method. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS 24.0 and AMOS 24.0.Results: The degree centrality (beta=0.225; P=0.001) and network heterogeneity (beta=0.093; P=0.043) of the social network had a significant direct association with job performance, whereas the direct associations of betweenness centrality and network tie strength with job performance were not significant. Knowledge sharing mediated the relationship between degree centrality (β=0.147; P=0.001), network heterogeneity (β=0.251; P=0.043), and job performance.The study revealed the internal mechanisms by which social network characteristics influence PHCPs' job performance, highlighting the mediating role of knowledge sharing. Social networks formed within social media contexts have multifaceted effects on job performance, with knowledge sharing as a critical mediating variable. These findings underscore the importance of leveraging social media for professional networking and knowledge exchange to enhance PHCPs' job performance.

    Keywords: social networks, Knowledge sharing, job performance, Social Media, primary health care professional

    Received: 29 Nov 2023; Accepted: 30 Aug 2024.

    Copyright: © 2024 Wang, Hou, Lv, Liu, Wu and Liu. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

    * Correspondence: Zhiyong Liu, School of Medicine and Health Management, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China

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