Health Information Seeking and Social Media Use Among a National Sample of Emerging Adults

The aim of this study was to examine the patterns of health information-seeking via social media among emerging adults compared to older cohorts. The study utilized data ( N = 6,252) from wave six of the Health Information National Trends Survey (HINTS 6), a nationally representative survey designed to monitor how people access and use health information and health communication in the United States. Results indicate that emerging adults reported significantly different patterns of health-related social media use and perceptions of the utility of social media in making health decisions than older adults. In general, compared to older generations, emerging adults were more likely to use social media, more likely to use information from social media to make health decisions, and more likely to report social media networks with similar views on health. These findings have important implications for public health education and communication strategies.