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Influence of Social Media Health Education on Health Information-Seeking Practices among University Students in Nigeria

Abstract

Social media has become an increasingly important source of health information among university students because platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, X, YouTube, and WhatsApp provide rapid access to information about diseases, healthy lifestyles, medications, preventive measures, mental health, reproductive health, nutrition, and other health-related issues. However, the widespread availability of health information on social media also creates challenges related to misinformation, unreliable sources, misleading health claims, commercial content, and difficulty distinguishing evidence-based information from inaccurate information. Social media health education provides university students with knowledge and practical skills for identifying credible health information, evaluating online health sources, recognizing misinformation, verifying health claims, using reliable health organizations and professional sources, and making appropriate decisions regarding online health information. Health information-seeking practices refer to the behaviours through which students search for, access, evaluate, verify, and use health information obtained through social media and other digital sources. In Nigeria, increasing social media use among young adults, combined with varying levels of digital health literacy and exposure to unverified health information, may influence how university students obtain and use health information. Effective social media health education may improve students' ability to identify credible sources, verify health claims, critically evaluate online information, and seek appropriate professional advice when necessary. Against this background, this study investigates the influence of social media health education on health information-seeking practices among university students in Nigeria. The study is anchored on Social Cognitive Theory, the Health Belief Model, and the Information-Motivation-Behavioural Skills framework. Social Cognitive Theory emphasizes the interaction between knowledge, self-efficacy, social influences, behavioural capabilities, and environmental conditions in shaping students' digital health information behaviour. The Health Belief Model explains health-related behaviour through perceived susceptibility, perceived severity, perceived benefits, perceived barriers, and cues to action, providing a basis for understanding students' motivation to seek and evaluate health information. The Information-Motivation-Behavioural Skills framework explains how health-related information, motivation, and behavioural skills can influence health practices and decision-making. Collectively, these theoretical perspectives provide a suitable framework for explaining how social media health education may influence health information-seeking practices among university students in Nigeria. The study will adopt a quantitative quasi-experimental research design. Primary data will be collected from university students in selected Nigerian universities using a structured self-administered questionnaire assessing social media health education exposure, digital health information literacy, and health information-seeking practices. A multistage sampling technique will be employed to select universities, faculties or departments, academic levels, and eligible students. Where feasible, selected student groups will be assigned to intervention and comparison groups. Students in the intervention group will receive structured social media health education covering identification of credible health information sources, evaluation of online health claims, recognition of health misinformation, verification of information, use of reliable health websites and professional sources, responsible sharing of health information, privacy and digital safety, and appropriate use of professional healthcare services. Health information-seeking practices will be assessed using indicators such as searching for health information through credible sources, checking the source and date of health information, comparing information across reliable sources, verifying health claims before sharing or acting on them, consulting healthcare professionals when appropriate, and avoiding reliance on unverified health information. Descriptive statistics will be used to summarize students' sociodemographic and academic characteristics, social media health education exposure, digital health information literacy, and health information-seeking practices. Inferential statistical techniques, including chi-square tests, paired-sample tests, independent-sample tests, and logistic or multiple regression analysis, will be used to determine the influence of social media health education on health information-seeking practices. Where appropriate, pre-intervention and post-intervention practice scores will be compared. Diagnostic tests will also be conducted to assess the reliability of the research instrument, model assumptions, goodness of fit, and robustness of the findings. The study is expected to find that social media health education has a significant positive influence on health information-seeking practices among university students in Nigeria. Students exposed to structured social media health education are expected to demonstrate improved ability to identify credible health information, evaluate online sources, recognize misinformation, verify health claims, and use appropriate professional and institutional sources. Education may also encourage students to compare information from multiple credible sources before accepting or sharing health information and to seek professional medical advice when online information is insufficient for making health decisions. However, education alone may not eliminate exposure to misinformation because social media algorithms, peer sharing, influencers, commercial content, and rapidly changing online information environments may continue to expose students to unreliable health claims. Consequently, social media health education is expected to be most effective when supported by digital health literacy programmes, accessible credible health information platforms, university health services, professional health communication, and policies promoting responsible dissemination of health information. The study is expected to contribute to the literature on digital health literacy, social media health communication, health information-seeking, university student health, health education, health promotion, and public health in Nigeria by providing empirical evidence on the influence of social media health education on health information-seeking practices among university students. The findings will provide useful information to the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, National Universities Commission, universities, university health services, public health professionals, healthcare providers, health communication specialists, digital health organizations, development partners, and policymakers regarding strategies for improving students' ability to access and evaluate health information online. The study will also provide evidence-based recommendations for integrating social media health education into university health promotion programmes, strengthening digital health literacy, promoting credible online health communication, improving students' ability to identify misinformation, and encouraging responsible health information-seeking practices among university students in Nigeria.

Keywords: Social media health education, health information-seeking practices, university students, digital health literacy, social media, health misinformation, health communication, health education, health promotion, online health information, student health, public health, Nigeria.