INFLUENCE OF DIGITAL HEALTH CONTENT CREATORS ON HEALTHY LIFESTYLE AMONG NETIZENS
Keywords:
Digital Health, Content Creators, Healthy Lifestyle, Netizens, and influencersAbstract
The widespread adoption of social media and online platforms among Netizens in Nigeria has led to an increase in the consumption of health-related content. Despite the growing number of these health content creators or influencers, there is a lack of research on the effectiveness of these contents in promoting healthy lifestyles among Netizens. Therefore, this study seeks to investigate digital health content creators as determinants of Healthy Lifestyles among Netizens in Nigeria. Exploring the theoretical framework of Social Cognitive Theory (SCT), this study employed a correlation A survey research design was employed, utilizing a questionnaire as the primary data collection tool. A total of 174 completed questionnaires were returned and analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS). The analysis revealed that Netizens are frequently exposed to digital health content creators (96%). Also, the findings revealed that Majority of the Netizens are exposed to digital health content creators on Tiktok, X, and Facebook (87%) as they use these platforms daily with the Majority of the Netizens following these content creators (91%) such as Aproko doctor and Flying doctor. Furthermore, the findings showed that netizens considered them credible sources of information and the netizens have tried new health habits or routines, changed diet or exercise routine and they are motivated to have healthy lifestyles because of something a health content creator posted. The study, therefore, recommended that digital health content creators should be used to communicate health issues and healthy lifestyles as there are over a hundred million Internet Users
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