Online Social Media Usage Behavior and Health Promotion of Teenagers

Abstract

Objective: To study the behavior of social media usage and health promotion among teenagers and examine the relationship between social media usage, behavior, and health promotion among adolescents. Methods: This research is a cross-sectional analytical study. The sample group consists of teenagers aged 19-24 years who are studying at Rajamangala University of Technology Isan, Khon Kaen Campus, during the academic year 2024. The study period spans from June to September 2024. Results: The majority of participants used social media 10 or more times per day (40.00%). The average duration of social media usage was 1-2 hours per session (95.00%). Most participants accessed social media while at the university (46.75%), with peak usage occurring between 12:01 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. They primarily used mobile phones or smartphones to access social media. Regarding health promotion, the behaviors across all six dimensions of health promotion among adolescents were at a high level (Mean = 2.18, SD = 0.52). Stress management had the highest average (Mean = 2.79, SD = 0.52), followed by exercise (Mean = 2.25, SD = 0.53) and food consumption (Mean = 2.15, SD = 0.52). Health responsibility had the lowest mean (Mean = 1.85, SD = 0.51). The study found a positive relationship between social media usage and health promotion behavior, with a statistical significance of 0.05. Conclusion: Health promotion efforts among teenagers should be tailored to align with their online media usage patterns, including preferred access channels, duration, and formats that engage their interest. This approach will enhance the effectiveness of health promotion in the current era.