INFLUENCE OF SOCIAL MEDIA ON HEALTH RISK BEHAVIOUR AMONG SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS IN OGUN STATE

This study examined the influence of social media on health risk behaviour among secondary school students in Ogun State. The study used a descriptive survey research design. For the purpose of this study, four research questions and four hypotheses were formulated to guide the study. A Multistage sampling procedure was used to select one hundred and fifty (150) respondents from the population. Frequency count, simple percentages and mean, median and standard deviation were used to answer socio-demographic information and research questions, while T-test was used to test the hypotheses at 0.05 level of significance. The results revealed that Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp significantly influence students' engagement in health risk behaviors, with weighted means of 3.05, 3.04, and 3.09, respectively, indicating prevalent exposure to harmful content such as drug use, unprotected sex, and gambling across these platforms. Notably, Facebook users exhibited higher levels of risk behaviors (Mean = 3.12, SD = 0.85) compared to non-users (Mean = 2.85, SD = 0.78), with a significant t-test result (t = 2.81, p = 0.004). Similarly, Instagram users (Mean = 3.08, SD = 0.82) demonstrated higher risk behaviors than non-users (Mean = 2.85, SD = 0.79), supported by a t-value of 2.45 and p-value of 0.015. WhatsApp users (Mean = 3.10, SD = 0.83) also showed elevated risk behaviors compared to non-users (Mean = 2.89, SD = 0.81), with a significant t-value of 2.75 and p-value of 0.007. Furthermore, the study highlighted a strong correlation between overall social media use and risky sexual behavior, with high users (Mean = 3.15, SD = 0.84) significantly more likely to engage in such behaviors compared to low users (Mean = 2.88, SD = 0.79) and those without internet access (Mean = 2.75, SD = 0.80), leading to a t-test result of t = 3.10, p = 0.002. This finding indicates the necessity for educational interventions addressing digital literacy and the health risks associated with social media. It is recommended that schools should implement comprehensive programs to educate students and engage parents in discussions about safe social media practices.