Roles of Social Media in Disseminating Health Information: An Exploratory Study in China

Social media have largely transformed the way how health information is disseminated. However, the literature is limited in understanding the applications and implications of social media in health information dissemination. In this exploratory research, we interview Chinese social media users with diverse demographics by asking a set of open-ended questions regarding their use of social media in gaining and sharing health information. This research-in-progress paper reports the results of a preliminary analysis of the qualitative data that we were able to collect from 27 respondents by the time of submission. We find social media to be a major or even the only channel of seeking and sharing health information. Despite a number of relative advantages, the uncertainty about credibility is a major concern of many respondents in practicing and sharing the information gained through social media. These findings provide valuable insights for both research and practice