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The effect of social media on the perception of health information: A survey and analysis
Brake, Anna Christine
Brake, Anna Christine
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Honors thesis
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Issue Date
2026-05
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Thesis
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Keywords
Social media,Health misinformation,Medical information,Public health,Perception,Health lieracy,Survey
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Abstract
Digital media has brought about extreme interconnectedness and increased information accessibility. Specifically, social media has provided systems for people to create content, view others' content, share information, and connect with others. As information sharing has been on the rise, the spread of misinformation has also increased. Health misinformation has been a topic of recent focus in public health. This project focuses on the effect of social media on the perception of medical information. A survey was distributed among students, faculty, and staff at Wichita State University.
The survey received 256 responses. Participants encompassed a wide range of ages, education levels, and income levels. Several variables were examined: participant social media usage rates, trust in social media, health literacy levels, and personal experiences with social media. Social media use levels were high, as 98.3% of participants indicated that they use social media; Instagram was the most popular social media site among participants. Less than 50% of participants indicated that they had utilized social media to search for medical or health information. YouTube and TikTok were reported to be the most popular platforms for searching medical information. Participants indicated that they were more likely to trust medical professionals than social media for health information.
As participants shared interest in learning about medical information from healthcare professionals, this creates an opportunity for medical professionals and public health organizations to share accurate information with social media users. Many organizations have adapted their public communication channels to include social media, and it provides a great opportunity for those in healthcare to be more engaged on social media.
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Honors thesis (HB)-- Wichita State University, Dorothy and Bill Cohen Honors College.
Accepted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Honors Baccalaureate with concentrations in Public Health and Biology.
Accepted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Honors Baccalaureate with concentrations in Public Health and Biology.
Publisher
Wichita State University