Pfender Emily J, Caplan Scott E
Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania.
Department of Communication, University of Delaware.
Health Commun. 2024 Sep 11:1-15. doi: 10.1080/10410236.2024.2402161.
Young women increasingly get sexual health information from social media influencers, who use persuasive communication and can alter attitudes, intentions, and behaviors. Contraception is a commonly discussed health topic among influencers on social media. Previous research suggests that influencers negatively frame and encourage the discontinuation of hormonal contraception. At the same time, influencers also encourage the uptake of less effective non-hormonal options, such as fertility awareness-based methods. Though descriptive content analysis work details these patterns in influencer contraceptive messaging, there is no experimental research that explains message effects. The purpose of this study was to experimentally test the effect of influencer contraceptive-related messaging on behavioral health intentions. This study introduces warranting theory as a potentially valuable model for explaining online health communication message effects. Specifically, this study tested the effect of influencer messages containing sponsorship and medical disclaimers on intentions to use non-hormonal contraception. U.S. females ( = 296) ranging in age from 18-29 years old participated in a survey. Findings suggest that the interaction led to decreased intentions to use non-hormonal contraception. However, findings did not support a relationship between influencer messaging and impressions, which highlights potential boundary conditions for warranting theory and high-risk health behaviors. Additionally, there was a positive relationship between perceived trustworthiness and expertise of the influencer and intention to use non-hormonal contraception. Future research should test influencer messaging using real social media content and consider the effect of parasocial relationships. Practical implications highlight the need for comprehensive contraceptive counseling.
年轻女性越来越多地从社交媒体有影响力的人那里获取性健康信息，这些人运用有说服力的沟通方式，能够改变态度、意图和行为。避孕是社交媒体上有影响力的人普遍讨论的健康话题。先前的研究表明，有影响力的人对激素避孕进行负面描述并鼓励停用。与此同时，有影响力的人还鼓励采用效果较差的非激素避孕方法，比如基于生育意识的方法。尽管描述性内容分析工作详细阐述了有影响力的人在避孕信息传递方面的这些模式，但尚无实验研究来解释信息的效果。本研究的目的是通过实验测试有影响力的人传递的避孕相关信息对行为健康意图的影响。本研究引入保证理论，将其作为解释在线健康沟通信息效果的一个潜在有价值的模型。具体而言，本研究测试了包含赞助和医学免责声明的有影响力的人的信息对使用非激素避孕意图的影响。年龄在18至29岁之间的美国女性（n = 296）参与了一项调查。研究结果表明，这种相互作用导致使用非激素避孕的意图降低。然而，研究结果并不支持有影响力的人的信息与印象之间的关系，这凸显了保证理论和高风险健康行为的潜在边界条件。此外，对有影响力的人的可感知的可信度和专业知识与使用非激素避孕的意图之间存在正相关关系。未来的研究应该使用真实的社交媒体内容来测试有影响力的人的信息，并考虑准社会关系的影响。实际意义强调了全面避孕咨询的必要性。
