Social Media as an Impetus for Health Misinformation: Examining Generational Perspectives on Healthcare and the Mitigative Role of Effective Health Communication

Abstract

Technology has paved the way for greater accessibility and better health outcomes all over the world. In line with this, social media in today’s age serves an indubitable role in connecting people, sharing, and receiving information, and communicating messages. That said, the combination of technology, specifically social media applications, and healthcare, presents itself as a double-edged sword. People have come to rely on social media as a credible source of information, and as a platform that prides itself on instant communication, endless networking, and global connectivity, social media has given misinformation a perfect platform to thrive. To explore this problem, this qualitative phenomenological study delved into the experiences of 20 Filipinos aged 18 to 71 with social media health misinformation (SMHM). This study answered the main research question: “How does social media health misinformation (SMHM) impact patients’ perspectives on receiving healthcare services from medical professionals?” Guided by three sub-questions and three objectives, this study collected data through semi-structured interviews, followed by a thorough thematic analysis that yielded a total of 15 themes across three research questions. The 20 Filipinos experienced SMHM on numerous social media applications, especially on Facebook, which typically showed health misinformation related to relief and influencers, with a few who exhibited non-exposure. Given their exposure to SMHM, this study’s participants believed that while medical professionals have a reputation to uphold and may not likely share misinformation, others have become affected by their experiences with SMHM, causing wariness and a belief that these professionals lost their credibility. Finally, as a result of external factors, experiences, and practices, different generations were said to possess different perspectives on healthcare.