ASSESSMENT OF THE ROLE OF SOCIAL MEDIA ON HEALTH SEEKING BEHAVIOR AMONG TEENAGERS AND YOUNG ADULTS IN UGBOWO COMMUNITY, EDO STATE.

Background: Social media refers to a variety of technologies that facilitate the sharing of ideas and information amongst its users. Social media plays a very vital role when it comes to sharing of ideas and getting information in our society especially amongst the teenagers and young adults. Health seeking behavior which is any action undertaken by individuals who perceive themselves to have a health problem or to be ill for the purpose of finding an appropriate remedy. Health is an important aspect of life and understanding the role social media plays in health seeking behavior would help tackle its associated disadvantages. This study aimed to access the role social media plays in health seeking behavior among teenagers and young adults in Ugbowo community, Benin City. Objectives: The main objective of this study was to assess of the role of the social media on health Seeking Behavior among Teenagers and Young Adults. Specifically, the study sought to access the knowledge of the use of social media to seek health services, attitude towards the use of social media to seek health services, the practice of the use of social media to seek health services and the factors affecting the utilization of social media to seek health services Methodology: A descriptive cross-sectional study design was employed and a multi staged was used to select 208 teenagers and young adults from Ugbowo community, Benin City, Edo state. Data was collected using a semi structured questionnaire to gather primary qualitative data on teenagers and young adults knowledge, attitude, practice and factors affecting the role of social media on health seeking behavior. Results: The findings revealed that about 80.8% of the respondents had knowledge of the role of social media on health seeking behavior, about 90.4% of the respondents believed that social media played a positive role in health seeking. 70.04% of respondents had a positive attitude towards the use of social media and 69% of the respondents stated that they would still go to the hospital in addition to the health information they get online. About 66.1% believed social media has a link with the rise in mental health issues, 77.9% believe that social media affected how individuals perceive their body image. 68.3% of respondents said social media has helped them become more health conscious. 75.5% of respondents do not believe all medical information online are correct, 60.1% of respondents self-diagnose and 55.8% self-medicate using the health information gotten online. Factors affecting seeking health services online include age at which one starts using social media (66.3%), level of education of an individual (75.5%) and the type and pattern of the disease affecting the individual (66.3%). Discussion: The outcomes of this research provides insight into the relationship between social media and health seeking behavior among teenager and young adults in ugbowo community. It demonstrates that despite the early exposure to social media among these age groups, there is no proper approach to seeking health information as most of the respondents do not follow health professionals despite using health information gotten on social media to self-medicate and self-diagnose. These unguarded practices may impart to the negative effects of social media on health seeking behavior and could be attributed to by the predominant young age of first use (10 to 14years). Majority of the respondents however believed social media has a positive role on their health seeking behavior and has helped them to be health conscious which could increase their use of social media to seek health services. Conclusion: This study outlines the knowledge of social media on health seeking behavior, the social media platform most important to the study group in seeking health services, the attitude of people towards using social media to seek health services, the practice associated with seeking health services and the factors affecting the use of social media to seek health services. Therefore, targeted intervention, the presence of reliable health information online and the education of individuals who use social media platforms to seek health information would go a long way in addressing the negative effects or role social media may play on health seeking behavior