Personal Healthcare Management through Social Media: A Study of Graduate Students in Selected Ethiopian Universities

Abstract

Social media serves as a valuable repository of healthcare information, holding significant potential for enhancing healthcare quality. This study aims to investigate how graduate students perceive and utilize health-related information from social media to manage their health. Objective: The research explores methods, through which graduate students discover and employ health-related information from social media for personal healthcare management, while also examining their perceptions. Methods: A cross-sectional study design was adopted, involving a sample size of 282 students from various universities in Ethiopia, including Jimma, Mizan-Teppi, Adama, and Bonga. Data were collected and entered into Microsoft Excel, and statistical analysis was performed using SPSS version 20. Independent variables with a p-value of <0.05 were deemed statistically significant. Results: The data analysis demonstrated that respondents aged 25 to 30 years were approximately four times more likely (OR 3.972, 95% CI [2.342-6.738]) to utilize social media for managing chronic diseases, while those aged 31 to 35 years were nearly two times more likely (OR 1.814, 95% CI [1.094-3.009]). However, overall, students showed limited use of social media to obtain information about chronic diseases. Facebook emerged as the preferred platform among respondents for accessing healthcare content related to diet advice and walking techniques. Conclusion: The findings indicate that students use social media primarily in a constrained manner to acquire information about chronic diseases. Although Facebook is favored for specific healthcare content, other aspects of personal health management through social media require more attention and encouragement.