Journal of Medical Internet Research - International Scientific Journal for Medical Research, Information and Communication on the Internet

Fashion and beauty brands leverage social media influencers to shape purchasing decisions, improve cost effectiveness, and reach wider audiences. New conventional wisdom has brands moving away from mega influencers toward micro influencers due to greater perceived relatability and trustworthiness. This study employs a novel computational approach integrating network analysis and computational text analysis to understand differences in content and its diffusion through mega and micro influencer Twitter networks. Findings debunk conventional wisdom that micro influencers can best fill unique roles by forging intimate, emotion-laden interpersonal connections. While micro influencers are more central to two-way dialogue within their networks, mega influencers garner more affect directed towards them indicating greater trust. Practical implications for the continued value of mega influencers and the identification and development of promising micro influencers are discussed.

This study addresses how social media interaction affects misperceptions about COVID-19 via risk perceptions thereof and whether political orientation moderates the relationship. Using original two-wave panel survey data (N = 679), this study reveals that social media interaction increases misperception directly, as well as indirectly by reducing the extent of risk perception. The extent of risk perception is found to be a negative predictor of misperception. The deleterious role of social media interaction on misperception is pronounced across groups of conservatives and liberals, but in different ways. Although the effects of social media interaction on the level of misperception are observed in both conservatives and liberals, this relationship is particularly salient among conservatives. Furthermore, whereas conservatives consistently show low levels of risk perception toward COVID-19 regardless of how much they interact with others on social media, the more liberals interact on social media, the less likely they are to perceive COVID-19-related risks. The findings expand our understanding of the role of interaction behaviors on social media in forming risk perceptions and misperceptions on the politicized COVID-19 pandemic.

Objective: Human papillomavirus (HPV) and the HPV vaccine have been examined through multiple lenses over the past several years, though there is little work examining the role of perceived behavioral control (PBC) and its impact on potential recipients retrieving, understanding, and using online information with regard to the vaccine. Method: This study used survey data to examine the role of PBC as a moderator between attitudes and intention, and subjective norms (SN) and intention to get the HPV vaccine; and PBC as a moderator when seeking out Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter as information sources about HPV. Support was found for each prediction. Results: The interaction term of SN × PBC in particular had a strong influence on intention to get the vaccine. Discussion: Planned behavior variables explain intention to get the HPV vaccine, but data also suggest a need to root this research within intervention-based strategies.

EHealth literacy (eHEALS) has yet to be examined with regard to need for cognition (NFC), as well as whether NFC moderates the relationship between eHealth literacy and seeking out online health information. Past research that has examined NFC as an interaction between whether interactivity on health web sites affected comprehension and attitudes, but no research to date has examined whether cognitive need interacts with eHEALS and subsequent information seeking behaviors. The present study tests eHEALS and its connection to need for cognition (NFC) in the role of online health information seeking behaviors. Results showed that high eHEALS individuals were more likely to seek out online health information and were more likely to have higher NFC scores. NFC did not emerge as a moderator on the relationship between eHealth literacy and online health information seeking behaviors. Future directions are discussed, in particular, examining eHEALS as a construct of efficacy and further need to examine eHEALS with need for cognition in health communication research.

Background: College-aged adults in a rural and medically-underserved area often struggle to receive proper vaccinations due to lower socioeconomic status coupled with life demands. Objectives: The Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) was used as the theoretical basis to explore behavioral determinants associated with vaccination uptake in the population. Methods: This study used a questionnaire distributed to college students (n = 208) located in a rural area to assess the effects of social and behavioral factors on vaccination uptake. Results: Attitudes and normative beliefs towards vaccination uptake were positive but were largely impacted by work demands. Perceived behavioral control did not contribute towards the intent to receive necessary vaccines. Conclusions: Researchers conducting vaccination interventions, along with physician-patient communication, need to target attitudes and subjective norms in rural and medically underserved communities to increase vaccines, particularly HPV. In addition, results showed that promoting vaccine uptake among minorities is necessary to aid in vaccine acceptability in these communities.