Trends in Health Communication: Social Media Needs and Quality of Life among Older Adults in Malaysia

Autor: Hana W. Jun Chen, Roy Rillera Marzo, Nur Hafizah Sapa, Absar Ahmad, Haryati Anuar, Mohammed Faez Baobaid, Nurul Akmal Jamaludin, Hazian Hamzah, Siamak Sarrafan, Hassan Omar Ads, Kavitha Ashok Kumar, Jalal Hadi, Hafsah Sazali, Mohammed A. Abdalqader
Jazyk: angličtina
Rok vydání: 2023
Předmět:
Zdroj: Healthcare, Vol 11, Iss 10, p 1455 (2023)
Druh dokumentu: article
ISSN: 2227-9032
DOI: 10.3390/healthcare11101455
Popis: Background: While social media continues to dominate, social media platforms have become powerful health communication tools for older users. However, fulfilling their social media needs can be both detrimental and beneficial to their quality of life (QoL). This study assessed social media needs as they relate to QoL among older adults in Malaysia. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study and adopted convenience sampling to recruit participants. The participants were required to self-report their sociodemographic profile, social media use and needs, and QoL. Social media use and needs were assessed using the Social Networking Sites Uses and Needs (SNSUN) scale, and QoL was assessed using the WHOQOL-BREF questionnaire. Multiple linear regression was performed to identify the predictors of QoL. Results: The findings revealed that the fulfilment of social integrative needs was the strongest predictor of higher QoL in all domains. However, those using social media for their affective needs demonstrated lower psychological health quality. Conclusions: Fulfilling social integrative needs is the key to improving the QoL among older adults. The continuous development of age-friendly applications is essential to keep up with constantly changing social media trends and bridge the gap of social media inequalities. More importantly, it would enable older adults to utilize social media to its fullest potential and enjoy a higher QoL through accessible health communication tools.
Databáze: Directory of Open Access Journals