Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40724148›Full record

ArticleInternational journal of environmental research and public health2025

A Mixed Methods Exploration of Social Media Use for Health Information in Under-Resourced Communities.

Nishita Matangi, Maud Joachim-Célestin, Cristie Granillo, Valeria Rodarte, Beverly Buckles, Theresa Ashby, Nikhil Thiruvengadam, Susanne Montgomery

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in International journal of environmental research and public health, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Trial
  2. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors.

Nishita MatangiSchool of Behavioral Health, Loma Linda University, 11065 Campus St, Loma Linda, CA 92350, USA.ORCID 0009-0000-8541-0727
Maud Joachim-CélestinSchool of Behavioral Health Interdisciplinary Studies, Loma Linda University, 1686 Barton Rd., Redlands, CA 92373, USA.ORCID 0000-0001-5424-4666
Cristie GranilloSchool of Behavioral Health, Loma Linda University, 11065 Campus St, Loma Linda, CA 92350, USA.
Valeria RodarteInstitute for Community Partnerships, Loma Linda University Health, 11188 Anderson St, Loma Linda, CA 92354, USA.
Beverly BucklesSchool of Behavioral Health, Loma Linda University, 11065 Campus St, Loma Linda, CA 92350, USA.
Theresa AshbySchool of Public Health, Loma Linda University, 24951 Circle Dr, Loma Linda, CA 92354, USA.
Nikhil ThiruvengadamSchool of Behavioral Health Interdisciplinary Studies, Loma Linda University, 1686 Barton Rd., Redlands, CA 92373, USA.
Susanne MontgomerySchool of Behavioral Health, Loma Linda University, 11065 Campus St, Loma Linda, CA 92350, USA.ORCID 0000-0003-1269-9034

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Social media (SM) use and the burden on healthcare systems have concurrently increased, with the latter resulting in longer wait times and higher costs. As a result, more people seem to use social media to access health information (HI). This study explores how SM is used for accessing HI within an under-resourced community. In this mixed methods study, respondents (N = 256) completed online English and Spanish Qualtrics surveys assessing their use of healthcare services and social media, and its use for HI. We also explored respondents' experience in understanding and using the HI they found on SM. Qualitative inquiries (N = 7) included focus groups and key informant interviews and expanded on the survey results. Results indicated that most participants used SM for HI. Instagram, Snapchat and TikTok were associated with looking up HI before and after receiving care and for health decision-making and for considering treatments or medication after seeing information about these on social media. To create effective messaging that is accepted, relatable and easy to access for the audiences they seek to reach, healthcare organizations must understand how SM is used as a source of HI. Exploring the associations between SM algorithms, health literacy, access to healthcare and SM use can help improve health communication strategies to be used on SM platforms.

Indexed as

Consumer Health InformationSocial MediaAdolescentAdultAgedFemaleFocus GroupsHumansMaleMiddle AgedSurveys and QuestionnairesYoung Adultdigital literacyhealth communicationhealth inequitieshealth literacymixed methodsorganizational health literacysocial mediaunder-resourced communities

Identifiers

PMID40724148
PMCPMC12294380

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.