Media and Digital Marketing in Bangladesh’s Healthcare Sector: Trends, Challenges, and Opportunities

Media and Digital Marketing in Bangladesh’s Healthcare Sector: Trends, Challenges, and Opportunities | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Research Article Media and Digital Marketing in Bangladesh’s Healthcare Sector: Trends, Challenges, and Opportunities Nasrin Huda, Shafiqur Rahman, Aftab Hossain, S. K. M Shadekul Islam This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-8015491/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Posted Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract This study examines the role of media and digital marketing in Bangladesh’s healthcare sector, with a focus on trends, challenges, and opportunities in Dhaka, the country's capital. Despite global attention on digital health communication, limited research addresses its application in urban Bangladeshi contexts. Drawing on qualitative data from 12 in-depth interviews with healthcare marketers, hospital administrators, and media professionals, the study highlights increasing use of social media, SEO, and online campaigns to engage patients. Key challenges include misinformation, low digital literacy, weak regulatory oversight, and financial constraints. However, participants identified opportunities in telemedicine, localized content, and data-driven strategies. By addressing this research gap, the study offers practical insights for healthcare providers, policymakers, and digital marketers. Future research should examine rural healthcare settings, compare public vs. private sector practices, and explore patient perspectives to build a more comprehensive understanding of digital marketing’s role in health communication across Bangladesh. Marketing Health Policy Digital Marketing Healthcare Communication Bangladesh Urban Health Media Strategy Telemedicine Dhaka Qualitative Research Full Text Additional Declarations The authors declare no competing interests. Cite Share Download PDF Status: Posted Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. 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Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-8015491","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Research Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":538948646,"identity":"7b122f3a-885e-4513-ad22-b8ff579fc816","order_by":0,"name":"Nasrin Huda","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Universiti Malaysia Perlis (UniMAP)","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Nasrin","middleName":"","lastName":"Huda","suffix":""},{"id":538948647,"identity":"6a683a83-d6eb-4e45-bb7d-c137a5e9612d","order_by":1,"name":"Shafiqur Rahman","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"International Open University","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Shafiqur","middleName":"","lastName":"Rahman","suffix":""},{"id":538948648,"identity":"69d31909-127b-4ac8-ad9a-2fc03c219914","order_by":2,"name":"Aftab Hossain","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Daffodil International University","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Aftab","middleName":"","lastName":"Hossain","suffix":""},{"id":538948649,"identity":"d0dfcfaf-e845-4368-856f-6e65a8de1f06","order_by":3,"name":"S. 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