IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jijerp/v22y2025i7p1081-d1695824.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

A Mixed Methods Exploration of Social Media Use for Health Information in Under-Resourced Communities

Author

Listed:
  • Nishita Matangi

    (School of Behavioral Health, Loma Linda University, 11065 Campus St, Loma Linda, CA 92350, USA
    School of Behavioral Health Interdisciplinary Studies, Loma Linda University, 1686 Barton Rd., Redlands, CA 92373, USA)

  • Maud Joachim-Célestin

    (School of Behavioral Health Interdisciplinary Studies, Loma Linda University, 1686 Barton Rd., Redlands, CA 92373, USA
    Department of Preventive Medicine, Loma Linda University School of Medicine, 11175 Campus Street, Loma Linda, CA 92350, USA)

  • Cristie Granillo

    (School of Behavioral Health, Loma Linda University, 11065 Campus St, Loma Linda, CA 92350, USA
    Institute for Community Partnerships, Loma Linda University Health, 11188 Anderson St, Loma Linda, CA 92354, USA)

  • Valeria Rodarte

    (Institute for Community Partnerships, Loma Linda University Health, 11188 Anderson St, Loma Linda, CA 92354, USA)

  • Beverly Buckles

    (School of Behavioral Health, Loma Linda University, 11065 Campus St, Loma Linda, CA 92350, USA
    School of Behavioral Health Interdisciplinary Studies, Loma Linda University, 1686 Barton Rd., Redlands, CA 92373, USA)

  • Theresa Ashby

    (School of Public Health, Loma Linda University, 24951 Circle Dr, Loma Linda, CA 92354, USA)

  • Nikhil Thiruvengadam

    (School of Behavioral Health Interdisciplinary Studies, Loma Linda University, 1686 Barton Rd., Redlands, CA 92373, USA
    Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Loma Linda University, 11234 Anderson St, Loma Linda, CA 92354, USA)

  • Susanne Montgomery

    (School of Behavioral Health, Loma Linda University, 11065 Campus St, Loma Linda, CA 92350, USA
    School of Behavioral Health Interdisciplinary Studies, Loma Linda University, 1686 Barton Rd., Redlands, CA 92373, USA
    Department of Preventive Medicine, Loma Linda University School of Medicine, 11175 Campus Street, Loma Linda, CA 92350, USA
    School of Public Health, Loma Linda University, 24951 Circle Dr, Loma Linda, CA 92354, USA)

Abstract

Social media (SM) use and the burden on healthcare systems have concurrently increased, with the latter resulting in longer wait times and higher costs. As a result, more people seem to use social media to access health information (HI). This study explores how SM is used for accessing HI within an under-resourced community. In this mixed methods study, respondents (N = 256) completed online English and Spanish Qualtrics surveys assessing their use of healthcare services and social media, and its use for HI. We also explored respondents’ experience in understanding and using the HI they found on SM. Qualitative inquiries (N = 7) included focus groups and key informant interviews and expanded on the survey results. Results indicated that most participants used SM for HI. Instagram, Snapchat and TikTok were associated with looking up HI before and after receiving care and for health decision-making and for considering treatments or medication after seeing information about these on social media. To create effective messaging that is accepted, relatable and easy to access for the audiences they seek to reach, healthcare organizations must understand how SM is used as a source of HI. Exploring the associations between SM algorithms, health literacy, access to healthcare and SM use can help improve health communication strategies to be used on SM platforms.

Suggested Citation

  • Nishita Matangi & Maud Joachim-Célestin & Cristie Granillo & Valeria Rodarte & Beverly Buckles & Theresa Ashby & Nikhil Thiruvengadam & Susanne Montgomery, 2025. "A Mixed Methods Exploration of Social Media Use for Health Information in Under-Resourced Communities," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 22(7), pages 1-23, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:22:y:2025:i:7:p:1081-:d:1695824
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/22/7/1081/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/22/7/1081/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:22:y:2025:i:7:p:1081-:d:1695824. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    We have no bibliographic references for this item. You can help adding them by using this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.