Health Information Adoption Behaviour among Users of Social Media Platforms, Kigali-Rwanda: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Health Information Adoption Behaviour among Users of Social Media Platforms, Kigali-Rwanda: A Cross-Sectional Study. | Authorea try { document.documentElement.classList.add('js'); } catch (e) { } var _gaq = _gaq || []; _gaq.push(['_setAccount', 'G-8VDV14Y67G']); _gaq.push(['_trackPageview']); (function() { var ga = document.createElement('script'); ga.type = 'text/javascript'; ga.async = true; ga.src = ('https:' == document.location.protocol ? 'https://ssl' : 'http://www') + '.google-analytics.com/ga.js'; var s = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(ga, s); })(); Skip to main content Preprints Collections Wiley Open Research IET Open Research Ecological Society of Japan All Collections About About Authorea FAQs Contact Us Quick Search anywhere Search for preprint articles, keywords, etc. Search Search ADVANCED SEARCH SCROLL This is a preprint and has not been peer reviewed. Data may be preliminary. 29 May 2025 V1 Latest version Share on Health Information Adoption Behaviour among Users of Social Media Platforms, Kigali-Rwanda: A Cross-Sectional Study. Authors : Jean Muhire 0009-0007-2739-8011 [email protected] , Happy Jean Bosco ASIFIWE 0009-0001-0738-8437 , Emmy Mugisha , Silas Majyambere , Theoneste Ntakirutimana , and Deborah Oluwaseun Shomuyiwa 0000-0001-6665-9439 Authors Info & Affiliations https://doi.org/10.22541/au.174851835.53783882/v1 318 views 201 downloads Contents Abstract Supplementary Material Information & Authors Metrics & Citations View Options References Figures Tables Media Share Abstract Background Social media has emerged as a remarkable means of communicating health information. However, doubts persist regarding its appropriateness in shaping public health behaviour in response to health-related content shared on social media platforms. Objective This study explored social media usage in healthcare and adapted the exploration to develop a model to improve the adoption of health information across social media platforms in Rwanda. Methods The study employed a cross-sectional survey of 207 outpatients aged 18 years and above from Kibagabaga level two teaching hospital in Gasabo district, Kigali City, Rwanda. Descriptive data analysis was conducted using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 26. In contrast, Hypothesis testing was performed using AMOS (Analysis of Moment Structures) by Structural Equation Modelling (SEM). Results The findings indicated that 99.5% of social media users seek health information at least once a month, with health sites being the most popular source at 29.6%, followed by X [Twitter] at 26.8%, YouTube at 17.2%, Facebook at 13.7%, and LinkedIn at 4.8%. Health conditions, side effects, disease symptoms, Herbal treatments, reproductive health, and NCD prevention were mostly searched health information. Perceived usefulness (β=0.260, P<0.05), perceived ease of use (β=0.137, P<0.05), information quality (β=0.249, P<0.05), and gain-framed health information (β=3.477, P<0.05) were found to influence individual’s behaviours intention to use social media as mean to seek and adopt health information. Conclusion The study explored social media adoption behaviours in the Rwandan healthcare context. The findings suggest that actors in healthcare should prioritise using platforms like health sites, Twitter, and YouTube for communicating health conditions and disease symptoms. Social media communication strategies should incorporate predictors (perceived usefulness, ease of use, information quality, and gain-frame health information) into their message design to influence the adoption of health information, thereby improve health outcomes. Supplementary Material File (additional file 1.docx) Download 21.35 KB File (additional file 2.docx) Download 15.13 KB File (health-information_--adoption_manuscript.docx) Download 369.71 KB Information & Authors Information Version history V1 Version 1 29 May 2025 Copyright This work is licensed under a Non Exclusive No Reuse License. Keywords information adoption patients social media Authors Affiliations Jean Muhire 0009-0007-2739-8011 [email protected] University of Rwanda School of Public Health View all articles by this author Happy Jean Bosco ASIFIWE 0009-0001-0738-8437 University of Rwanda School of Public Health View all articles by this author Emmy Mugisha University of Rwanda College of Science and Technology View all articles by this author Silas Majyambere University of Rwanda College of Science and Technology View all articles by this author Theoneste Ntakirutimana University of Rwanda School of Public Health View all articles by this author Deborah Oluwaseun Shomuyiwa 0000-0001-6665-9439 University of Georgia College of Public Health View all articles by this author Metrics & Citations Metrics Article Usage 318 views 201 downloads .FvxKWukQNSOunydq8rnd { width: 100px; } Citations Download citation Jean Muhire, Happy Jean Bosco ASIFIWE, Emmy Mugisha, et al. Health Information Adoption Behaviour among Users of Social Media Platforms, Kigali-Rwanda: A Cross-Sectional Study.. Authorea . 29 May 2025. DOI: https://doi.org/10.22541/au.174851835.53783882/v1 If you have the appropriate software installed, you can download article citation data to the citation manager of your choice. Simply select your manager software from the list below and click Download. For more information or tips please see 'Downloading to a citation manager' in the Help menu . Format Please select one from the list RIS (ProCite, Reference Manager) EndNote BibTex Medlars RefWorks Direct import Tips for downloading citations document.getElementById('citMgrHelpLink').addEventListener('click', function() { popupHelp(this.href); return false; }); $(".js__slcInclude").on("change", function(e){ if ($(this).val() == 'refworks') $('#direct').prop("checked", false); $('#direct').prop("disabled", ($(this).val() == 'refworks')); }); Cited by Sining Zhu, Guangyu Mu, Jie Ma, Xiurong Li, An Enhanced MIBKA-CNN-BiLSTM Model for Fake Information Detection, Biomimetics, 10 , 9, (562), (2025). https://doi.org/10.3390/biomimetics10090562 Crossref Loading... View Options View options PDF View PDF Figures Tables Media Share Share Share article link Copy Link Copied! Copying failed. 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