An Elicitation Study to Understand Young Adults' Beliefs About Seeking Health Information From Social Media Influencers

Social media influencers increasingly make health recommendations on social media. Research on influencer health messaging is mixed in that some studies show it can result in misleading or harmful health information, and others demonstrate it can lead to beneficial behavioral outcomes. However, there is little research on young adults' beliefs about following health guidance from influencers. Guided by the reasoned action approach, this study examined young adults' attitudes, normative beliefs, and control in seeking health information from social media influencers using focus groups (n = 31). Results suggest that young adults obtain health information from influencers and perceive them as a source of health education. Several barriers to getting health information from influencers were mentioned, including sponsorship, lack of credibility, and perceived normative pressure to critically analyze influencer content from peers and family. Practical and theoretical implications for future research are discussed.

Automated summary

This study, guided by the reasoned action approach, examined young adults' attitudes towards seeking health information from social media influencers through focus groups. Results suggest that young adults perceive influencers as a source of health education, but also face barriers such as sponsorship, lack of credibility, and normative pressure from peers and family.