Project – The Influence of Social Media Health Campaigns on Young Adults’ Health Awareness: A Study of Selected Undergraduates at the University of Lagos.

CHAPTER ONE

GENERAL INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background to the Study

The advancement of information and communication technologies has significantly changed how health information is created, distributed, accessed, and understood by individuals and communities. Traditionally, health education was communicated through hospitals, health centres, radio, television, newspapers, community outreach programmes, and face-to-face interactions with healthcare professionals. Although these channels remain important, social media platforms have introduced additional opportunities for health communication by enabling information to reach large audiences rapidly and interactively. Platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, WhatsApp, and X allow health organisations, healthcare professionals, advocacy groups, and individual users to share information about disease prevention, nutrition, physical activity, sexual and reproductive health, mental health, vaccination, substance use, and other public health concerns. According to the World Health Organization (WHO, 2021), digital technologies can support health promotion and strengthen access to information when they are appropriately designed and implemented. Social media is therefore increasingly relevant to public health communication because it can disseminate health messages beyond traditional institutional settings and provide opportunities for audience participation, feedback, and discussion.

Health awareness is an important component of public health because it involves individuals’ knowledge and understanding of health conditions, risk factors, preventive practices, available health services, and appropriate responses to health-related problems. Awareness may influence how people interpret symptoms, evaluate health risks, adopt preventive behaviours, and seek professional assistance. However, awareness should not be equated automatically with accurate knowledge or positive health behaviour. An individual may have encountered a health message online without fully understanding it, remembering its content, or applying it appropriately. Nutbeam (2000) explains that health literacy involves more than receiving information; it includes the knowledge and skills required to access, understand, evaluate, and use health information. Similarly, Sørensen et al. (2012) identify the ability to access, understand, appraise, and apply health information as central dimensions of health literacy. In the context of this study, health awareness concerns the extent to which young adults know about relevant health issues, recognise credible health messages, understand preventive recommendations, and identify appropriate sources of professional care. Social media health campaigns may contribute to these outcomes, but their influence depends partly on the accuracy, clarity, relevance, and credibility of the information communicated.

Social media health campaigns are organised communication activities that use social networking platforms to inform, educate, persuade, or encourage audiences to take specific actions relating to health. These campaigns may be implemented by government agencies, hospitals, universities, non-governmental organisations, professional associations, public health advocates, and other credible institutions. Campaign content may include short educational videos, infographics, testimonials, live question-and-answer sessions, public service announcements, interactive polls, health challenges, and links to verified health resources. Unlike some traditional communication channels, social media enables users to comment on, share, save, and discuss campaign messages with their networks. This interactive character can increase message visibility and create opportunities for peer-to-peer communication. Klassen et al. (2018), in their systematic review of social media use for nutrition outcomes among young adults, examined how these platforms could be used for health promotion and interventions. Their work demonstrates the relevance of social media as a channel for communicating health-related content to young adult populations, while also indicating the importance of examining whether online engagement translates into meaningful health-related outcomes. Consequently, the effectiveness of a campaign should not be assessed only by the number of views, likes, shares, or followers it attracts, but also by whether it improves users’ knowledge and understanding of the health issue being addressed.

Young adults represent an important population for health communication because this period of life is often associated with greater independence, changing social relationships, increased responsibility for personal decisions, and the development of long-term health habits. University students may encounter a range of health-related concerns, including stress, anxiety, sleep difficulties, unhealthy dietary practices, physical inactivity, alcohol and substance use, sexual and reproductive health risks, and communicable diseases. Their experiences and responses may be shaped by academic demands, peer relationships, financial circumstances, family influences, access to healthcare, and the quality of information available to them. Health education during this stage can help students develop the knowledge and decision-making skills required to protect their health. Rosário et al. (2024), in a systematic review of health literacy interventions among higher education students, reported evidence that structured interventions can contribute to improvements in selected health outcomes. This finding supports the importance of health education within university settings, although it does not establish that every social media campaign will produce similar effects. For young adults, therefore, social media health campaigns may provide an accessible means of reinforcing health education, particularly when messages address issues relevant to their daily experiences and are presented in formats they can readily understand.

The potential influence of social media health campaigns is also connected to the credibility and quality of the information distributed online. Social media makes it possible for verified health information to circulate quickly, but the same environment can facilitate misleading claims, exaggerated medical advice, unverified remedies, and content that contradicts established public health guidance. Users may find it difficult to distinguish between professional health communication, personal opinion, commercial promotion, and misinformation, particularly when messages are presented confidently or attract substantial engagement. Nutbeam (2000) emphasises that effective health literacy requires individuals to develop skills beyond basic information reception, while Sørensen et al. (2012) highlight the importance of evaluating and applying information appropriately. These perspectives are relevant to social media health campaigns because repeated exposure to a message does not necessarily guarantee that the message is reliable or correctly interpreted. The influence of a campaign may therefore depend on the reputation of the source, the quality of supporting evidence, the clarity of the message, the use of understandable language, and the audience’s ability to assess its reliability. Campaigns that provide accurate information and direct users towards appropriate professional services may strengthen health awareness, whereas misleading or ambiguous content may create confusion.

The Nigerian context provides a significant setting for examining the relationship between social media health campaigns and health awareness among young adults. Digital communication has become an important part of everyday social interaction, and social media platforms provide opportunities for public health agencies, healthcare providers, educational institutions, and advocacy organisations to communicate with diverse populations. Health campaigns may address malaria prevention, immunisation, HIV and other sexually transmitted infections, maternal and reproductive health, mental health, nutrition, personal hygiene, and the prevention of non-communicable diseases. However, the potential reach of digital communication does not eliminate challenges associated with unequal internet access, data costs, differences in digital skills, language, trust, and exposure to misinformation. The World Health Organization (2021) identifies digital technologies as an important area for strengthening health systems, while stressing the need for appropriate governance and responsible implementation. In Nigeria, these considerations are important because the effectiveness of social media health communication may vary according to students’ access to digital platforms, their preferred sources of information, the type of health content they encounter, and their confidence in the sources publishing it. It is therefore necessary to examine the actual experiences of students rather than assume that the availability of social media automatically produces high health awareness.

The University of Lagos offers a relevant institutional setting for investigating the influence of social media health campaigns on young adults’ health awareness. Undergraduates at the university may encounter health information through official institutional channels, government and non-governmental campaigns, healthcare professionals, student associations, influencers, online communities, and personal contacts. Their exposure may differ in frequency, platform preference, topic of interest, level of engagement, and perceived credibility of the messages encountered. Some students may actively follow health-related accounts, share educational content, and participate in online discussions, while others may encounter health campaigns incidentally as they use social media for entertainment, communication, news, and academic purposes. Klassen et al. (2018) demonstrate the relevance of social media to health promotion among young adults, while Rosário et al. (2024) highlight the importance of health literacy interventions in higher education settings. Nevertheless, evidence about social media health promotion in general cannot, by itself, establish the extent to which campaigns influence health awareness among undergraduates at the University of Lagos. A study focused on selected undergraduates can therefore investigate the platforms through which students encounter health campaigns, the kinds of messages they recall, their perceptions of credibility and usefulness, and the relationship between exposure to such campaigns and their awareness of health issues. This evidence may help inform the development of more relevant, credible, and effective digital health communication strategies for university students.

1.2 Statement of the Problem

Health awareness is essential to the ability of young adults to make informed decisions about disease prevention, personal hygiene, nutrition, mental health, sexual and reproductive health, and the appropriate use of healthcare services. Despite the availability of health information through traditional and digital communication channels, the presence of information does not necessarily mean that individuals understand it or can apply it correctly. Social media health campaigns are increasingly used to communicate health messages to large audiences, but their influence depends on factors such as the frequency of exposure, clarity of content, credibility of the source, relevance of the topic, and level of audience engagement. Klassen et al. (2018) found that social media was used in various ways in interventions targeting young adults, but engagement varied and evidence of effectiveness was not consistent across the studies reviewed. This raises an important problem: although social media provides opportunities to promote health awareness, its actual contribution to young adults’ understanding of health issues should be investigated rather than assumed.

A further problem concerns the quality and credibility of health information circulating on social media. Users may encounter educational messages from recognised health institutions alongside unverified advice, commercial claims, personal testimonials, and misleading content. When these messages are presented in similar formats, students may find it difficult to distinguish evidence-based information from claims that lack reliable support. Sørensen et al. (2012) explain that health literacy includes the ability to access, understand, appraise, and apply health information, suggesting that exposure alone is insufficient for effective health decision-making. The World Health Organization (2021) also recognises the need for responsible use of digital technologies, including attention to misinformation and the risks associated with inappropriate information use. For undergraduates, the problem is therefore not simply whether they encounter social media health campaigns, but whether they regard the messages as credible, understand their content, and can identify reliable sources when making health-related decisions.

Another concern is that the influence of social media health campaigns may differ according to students’ patterns of social media use and their levels of engagement with health content. Some students may actively follow health organisations, watch educational videos, share campaign messages, or participate in discussions, while others may scroll past such content or engage primarily with entertainment and lifestyle material. Even when students encounter a campaign, the message may fail to attract attention, may not address their immediate concerns, or may be misunderstood because of technical language or limited explanation. Rosário et al. (2024) found that health literacy interventions among higher education students can produce benefits, but the nature and effectiveness of interventions vary. This suggests the importance of examining the relationship between campaign exposure and health awareness among students rather than treating all forms of online exposure as equally effective. Without such an assessment, it may be difficult for health communicators and university stakeholders to determine which campaign features are most useful for reaching and informing students.

At the University of Lagos, undergraduates constitute a relevant group for investigating how social media health campaigns relate to health awareness in a university environment. However, general findings about social media use among young adults or health literacy interventions in higher education do not automatically establish the extent of the influence among students at this particular institution. There is a need to examine which social media platforms students use to encounter health campaigns, the health topics they commonly see, how they assess the credibility of campaign sources, and whether exposure and engagement are associated with their awareness of health issues. The problem addressed by this study is therefore the need for institution-specific evidence on the influence of social media health campaigns on health awareness among selected undergraduates at the University of Lagos. The study will examine this relationship empirically without assuming in advance that exposure necessarily causes improved awareness.

1.3 Objectives of the Study

The main objective of this study is to examine the influence of social media health campaigns on young adults’ health awareness among selected undergraduates at the University of Lagos.

The specific objectives are to:

1. Examine the extent to which selected undergraduates at the University of Lagos are exposed to social media health campaigns.

2. Identify the major social media platforms and health topics through which undergraduates encounter health campaign messages.

3. Assess the relationship between exposure to and engagement with social media health campaigns and undergraduates’ health awareness.

4. Determine how students’ perceptions of the credibility and reliability of social media health campaign messages relate to their health awareness.

1.4 Research Questions

The study will be guided by the following research questions:

1. To what extent are selected undergraduates at the University of Lagos exposed to social media health campaigns?

2. Which social media platforms and health topics are most commonly encountered by undergraduates through health campaign messages?

3. What relationship exists between exposure to and engagement with social media health campaigns and undergraduates’ health awareness?

4. How do students’ perceptions of the credibility and reliability of social media health campaign messages relate to their health awareness?

1.5 Research Hypothesis

The following null hypothesis will be tested at the 0.05 level of significance:

H₀: There is no statistically significant relationship between exposure to and engagement with social media health campaigns and health awareness among selected undergraduates at the University of Lagos.

1.6 Significance of the Study

The findings of this study are expected to be useful to undergraduates, university management, public health professionals, health communication practitioners, government health agencies, and future researchers.

Undergraduates: The study may help students understand the importance of critically evaluating health information encountered on social media. By identifying the relationship between campaign exposure, engagement, credibility perceptions, and health awareness, the study may encourage students to seek information from reliable sources and become more conscious of how digital messages influence their understanding of health issues.

University management: The findings may provide useful information for the University of Lagos in planning student-focused health education and awareness programmes. The university’s relevant departments, student affairs units, health services, and student associations may use the findings to identify communication channels and health topics that deserve greater attention. The results may also support the integration of digital communication into existing campus health education initiatives.

Public health professionals: Healthcare professionals and public health educators may benefit from an understanding of how undergraduates encounter and interpret social media health messages. The study may help them develop clearer and more audience-centred communication strategies, select appropriate platforms, and improve the presentation of information about disease prevention, mental health, nutrition, and other relevant health issues.

Health communication practitioners and campaign organisers: Organisations responsible for developing social media health campaigns may use the findings to evaluate the importance of message credibility, audience interaction, frequency of exposure, and content relevance. The study may help campaign organisers identify opportunities to make health messages more understandable, engaging, and responsive to young adults’ information needs.

Government health agencies and policymakers: The findings may contribute to discussions about the use of digital communication for health promotion among young people. They may also provide evidence to inform the design of public health campaigns that encourage accurate health information, responsible social media use, and appropriate engagement with professional healthcare services.

Future researchers: The study may serve as a reference for further research on digital health communication, social media campaigns, health literacy, and health awareness among university students. It may also provide a basis for comparative studies involving other universities, age groups, or geographical locations.

1.7 Scope of the Study

The study focuses on the influence of social media health campaigns on young adults’ health awareness among selected undergraduates at the University of Lagos, Lagos State, Nigeria.

In terms of content, the study will examine students’ exposure to health campaigns on social media, the platforms through which they encounter campaign messages, the health topics commonly communicated, their engagement with campaign content, and their perceptions of the credibility and reliability of such messages. Health awareness will be examined in relation to students’ knowledge and understanding of relevant health issues, including disease prevention, nutrition, mental health, sexual and reproductive health, personal hygiene, and other health topics identified during the research.

The geographical scope is limited to the University of Lagos. The study population will consist of selected undergraduate students who use social media and are eligible to participate under the study’s inclusion criteria. Data may be collected through a structured questionnaire, while appropriate descriptive and inferential statistical techniques may be used to analyse the responses. The study will assess the relationship between campaign exposure and health awareness; if a cross-sectional design is adopted, the findings will not be interpreted as conclusive proof that social media campaigns cause changes in awareness.

1.8 Limitations of the Study

The study may encounter certain limitations that should be considered when interpreting its findings.

Self-reported information: The study may depend on students’ reports of their social media use, exposure to health campaigns, engagement with messages, and level of health awareness. Some respondents may forget previous exposure or overestimate how carefully they engage with health content. To minimise this limitation, the questionnaire should use clear questions and reasonable recall periods.

Difficulty identifying campaign exposure: Students may encounter health messages without recognising them as organised campaigns. Some content may be shared by friends, influencers, commercial accounts, or informal online groups. The questionnaire should therefore provide a clear explanation of what constitutes a social media health campaign.

Differences in health knowledge: Students may have different levels of prior health education, personal experience, academic training, and access to healthcare information. These differences may influence their health awareness independently of social media campaigns. Relevant background variables should be considered during data analysis where appropriate.

Time and financial constraints: Limited time and research resources may restrict the number of students or faculties included in the study. Consequently, findings from the selected participants may not represent every undergraduate at the University of Lagos or students in other institutions.

Cross-sectional design: If data are collected at a single point in time, the study can identify associations between social media campaign exposure and health awareness but cannot conclusively establish cause and effect. Students with higher health awareness may also be more likely to seek out health campaigns, meaning that the relationship could operate in both directions.

1.9 Operational Definition of Terms

For the purpose of this study, the following terms are defined as they will be used in the research.

Social media: Internet-based platforms and applications that enable users to create, share, discuss, and interact with digital content. Examples relevant to the study include Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, WhatsApp, and X.

Health campaigns: Organised communication activities designed to educate, inform, or encourage individuals to adopt appropriate health-related knowledge, attitudes, or practices.

Social media health campaigns: Health promotion messages or organised health communication activities disseminated through social media platforms to inform or educate audiences about health issues.

Influence: The extent to which exposure to or engagement with social media health campaigns is associated with undergraduates’ health awareness. In this study, the term does not automatically imply a proven causal effect.

Health awareness: Students’ knowledge and understanding of health conditions, risk factors, disease prevention, healthy practices, and appropriate sources of health information, measured using indicators specified in the research instrument.

Young adults: Individuals within the age range defined for the study. For this research, the eligible age range should be stated explicitly in the methodology and applied consistently during participant selection.

Undergraduates: Students currently enrolled in undergraduate programmes at the University of Lagos who meet the study’s participation criteria.

Exposure to health campaigns: The extent to which students encounter social media content intended to communicate health information, assessed through indicators such as frequency, platform, and type of content encountered.

Engagement: Students’ interaction with social media health campaign content, including viewing, liking, commenting, sharing, saving, discussing, or following campaign accounts.

Credibility of health information: The extent to which students perceive a health message or its source as trustworthy, accurate, authoritative, and dependable.

University of Lagos: The higher education institution in Lagos State, Nigeria, that provides the setting for the study.

Project – The Influence of Social Media Health Campaigns on Young Adults’ Health Awareness: A Study of Selected Undergraduates at the University of Lagos.