The Role of Social Media in Enhancing Diabetes Knowledge and Health Behaviors: A Cross-Sectional Study.

BACKGROUND

Diabetes mellitus is a major public health concern worldwide, with high prevalence in Saudi Arabia. Traditional diabetes education methods have limited reach, especially among younger populations. Social media platforms are increasingly used for health information, but their impact on diabetes knowledge and behavior in Saudi Arabia is not well understood.

METHODS

We conducted a cross-sectional study from February to April 2025 involving 430 adults (≥18 years) across Saudi Arabia, recruited via social media using snowball sampling. Participants completed a questionnaire assessing demographics, social media use related to diabetes, diabetes knowledge (five-item score), and self-reported behavior changes. Multivariable linear regression identified predictors of knowledge scores.

RESULTS

Among 430 respondents, 217 (50.5%) were female, 124 (28.8%) were aged 25-34 years, 131 (30.5%) had diabetes, and 60 (14.0%) had healthcare education. Daily social media use for diabetes content was reported by 121 participants (28.1%). The mean diabetes knowledge score was 3.84 ± 1.13 (out of 5), with daily users scoring higher (4.19 ± 0.88, n=121) than rare users (3.52 ± 1.28, n=102) or non-users (2.96 ± 1.35, n=39) (P < 0.001). Behavioral changes due to social media were reported by 268 participants (62.4%). In adjusted models, daily social media use (β=0.55; 95%CI, 0.38 to 0.73; P < 0.001), healthcare education (β=0.42; 95%CI, 0.26 to 0.59; P < 0.001), and having diabetes (β=0.36; 95%CI, 0.19 to 0.53; P < 0.001) were independently associated with higher knowledge scores. Increasing age was inversely associated with knowledge (β=-0.07 per decade; 95%CI, -0.12 to -0.01; P=0.018).

CONCLUSIONS

Frequent social media engagement with diabetes content is independently associated with greater diabetes knowledge and self-reported behavior change among adults in Saudi Arabia. Integrating social media into diabetes education strategies may enhance public health efforts in regions with high disease burden, provided content accuracy is ensured through clinical oversight.