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ERIC Number: EJ984785
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2012-Sep
Pages: 20
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1368-1613
EISSN: N/A
Available Date: N/A
College Students' Uses and Perceptions of Social Networking Sites for Health and Wellness Information
Zhang, Yan
Information Research: An International Electronic Journal, v17 n3 Sep 2012
Introduction: This study explores college students' use of social networking sites for health and wellness information and their perceptions of this use. Method: Thirty-eight college students were interviewed. Analysis: The interview transcripts were analysed using the qualitative content analysis method. Results: Those who had experience using social networking sites for health information used the platform mainly to check health updates of a loved one, find lifestyle information and ask about treatments for mild conditions. Overall, participants were sceptical about the quality of information, concerned about the lack of medical knowledge of their friends or peers and wary about possible social risks and invasion of privacy. Based on the results, a model of users' acceptance of social networking sites for health and wellness information was proposed and implications for designing social platforms to better support health inquiries were discussed. Conclusions: Using social networking sites for health and wellness information is not a popular behaviour among college students in this study and social networking sites seem not to be a well-perceived platform for health and wellness information. (Contains 1 figure and 2 tables.)
Thomas D. Wilson. 9 Broomfield Road, Broomhill, Sheffield, S10 2SE, UK. Web site: http://informationr.net/ir
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: N/A