ArticleCureus2026
Influence of Social Media on Medication-Related Decision-Making Among Adults in Saudi Arabia: A Cross-Sectional Study.
Article in Cureus, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
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Abstract
backgroundSocial media has become an integral part of modern communication, potentially influencing health-related decisions, including medication choices. This study aimed to investigate the role of social media in medication choices among adult users in Saudi Arabia.
methodsA cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted via an online, self-administered Arabic questionnaire to recruit adult social media users in Saudi Arabia through convenience sampling.
resultsA total of 742 participants completed the survey, including 541 (72.9%) female and 201 (27.1%) male participants. The questionnaire demonstrated good reliability (Cronbach's alpha = 0.87). Significant positive correlations were found between time spent on social media and the frequency of searching for health-related information (rho = 0.18, p < 0.001) and medication-related information (rho = 0.19, p < 0.001). While 430 participants (58.0%) preferred consulting physicians for medication information, 299 participants (40.3%) reported that medication-related social media posts sometimes or frequently influenced their medication-use decisions. Among female participants, age was positively correlated with the perceived reliability of advertisements promoting medicines on social media (rho = 0.122, p = 0.005), and education level was correlated with concern about the accuracy of information found on social media about medications (rho = 0.094, p = 0.028).
conclusionSocial media use was associated with medication-related decision-making among adults in Saudi Arabia, with notable gender differences. These findings highlight the need for healthcare professionals and policymakers to develop effective strategies to address the role of social media in medication-related decisions.
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