Social Media as the Source of Health Information among Netizens

The way Netizens access health-related information has changed with the advent of social
media platforms. It has shaped how they interact with, perceive, and use the information
they are exposed to. Over time, various scholars have assessed the role of health related
information on social media in the decision-making and behavioural change of patients;
however, certain socio-cultural contexts, Oyo State included, are yet to be fully
investigated. The study identified the social media platforms Netizens in Oyo State use to
get their health information, while also assessing their level of exposure to health
information on these platforms. Using these findings, the study determined how best
Netizens can maximise the use of the health-related information while avoiding false
information on these platforms that can prompt them to make decisions that can ruin their
health. A mixed-methods research design combining the descriptive survey and in-depth
interviews was utilised. The sample comprised of 396 questionnaire respondents and 30
interview respondents purposively chosen across selected tertiary institutions in Oyo State,
Nigeria. Quantitative data was analysed using SPSS, demonstrating a high scale reliability
(Cronbach’s alpha= .95) and qualitative data was analysed using thematic analysis. Study
findings revealed that Facebook, TikTok, and YouTube were the most popular platforms
Netizens in Oyo State used for accessing health-related information. Overall, 61.1 percent
of Netizens were exposed to health information on social media with 2 core themes
including passive and active exposure emerging from qualitative data. Based on these
findings, the study recommends that social media platforms and professional medical
personnel collaborate to create verified accounts where Netizens can obtain updated,
accurate, and easily comprehensible health- related information. Furthermore, active
engagement by public health institutions on Facebook, which was tagged the highest
platform Netizens source their health-related information from, is essential to verify
information and curb the spread of fake news.