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Table 4 Comparison of e-professional behaviour perception between MDs and DMDs

From: Differences between doctors of medicine and dental medicine in the perception of professionalism on social networking sites: the development of the e-professionalism assessment compatibility index (ePACI)

Online behaviour

Classifying as "unprofessional"

All doctors N (%)

MD N (%)

DMD N (%)

χ2, df, p

Posts disclosing information about a patient/client

746 (99.1)

504 (99.4)

242 (98.4)

0.965, 1, 0.326

Petty criminal activity

738 (98)

496 (97.8)

242 (98.4)

0.050, 1, 0.824

Posts depicting illicit drug consumption

731 (97.1)

493 (97.2)

238 (96.7)

0.021, 1, 0.885

Posts involving overt sexual content

715 (95)

481 (94.9)

234 (95.1)

0.000, 1, 1.000

Photos of a patient/client

705 (93.6)

493 (97.2)

212 (86.2)

32.119, 1, 0.000**

Swearing or foul language

658 (87.4)

439 (86.6)

219 (89.0)

0.685, 1, 0.408

Obscene gestures in photos (the middle finger, etc.)

647 (85.9)

433 (85.4)

214 (87.0)

0.226, 1, 0.634

Pictures of an individual clearly behaving drunkenly

632 (83.9)

424 (83.6)

208 (84.6)

0.047, 1, 0.828

Status updates describing substantial alcohol consumption at a party

615 (81.7)

418 (82.4)

197 (80.1)

0.471, 1, 0.493

Attitudes of superiority or condescending behaviour (assumed because of professional status)

608 (80.7)

411 (81.1)

197 (80.1)

0.050, 1, 0.824

Posts containing partial nudity

587 (78)

386 (76.1)

201 (81.7)

2.678, 1, 0.102

Endorsements of a pharmaceutical or health product without a conflict-of-interest disclosure

525 (69.7)

380 (75.0)

145 (58.9)

19.354, 1, 0.000**

Displaying membership in online groups dealing with controversial issues

405 (53.8)

280 (55.2)

125 (50.8)

1.127, 1, 0.288

Posts describing an interaction with a patient/client, while not revealing any identifying information

403 (53.5)

304 (60.0)

99 (40.2)

25.097, 1, 0.000**

Making opinionated comments about controversial issues

322 (42.8)

209 (41.2)

113 (45.9)

1.316, 1, 0.251

A picture of an individual having one alcoholic beverage

237 (31.5)

181 (35.7)

56 (22.8)

12.258, 1, 0.000**

Displaying your current relationship status

185 (24.6)

137 (27.0)

48 (19.5)

4.643, 1, 0.031*

  1. *p < 0.05
  2. **p < 0.01