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Nelson, Melissa

University of British Columbia

TikTok is a short-form video app that centers on an algorithmically moderated feed of user-generated content. Recent findings demonstrate that TikTok is a space that youth acquire and seek information, and that the quality of health-related content on the app can vary widely. However, research exploring how TikTok is used as a site for health information behaviour is nascent, and has paid little attention to youth health information behaviour, in particular. This thesis describes a survey study of TikTok users aged 19 to 29 (n=124) that sought to generate insight into whether, how, and why youth engage in health information behaviour on TikTok. A pilot study informed the development of the questionnaire used in the main study. The results of the current study found that participants are regularly exposed to health information on TikTok, more often through encounters on the For You Page (a continuous feed of short-form content within the app) than through direct search. Over half of participants reported that health-related content on TikTok inspired search behaviours (e.g., fact-checking) or behaviour changes (e.g., consulting a healthcare professional), which often extended beyond the boundaries of the app. The findings illuminate several areas for further research on TikTok and youth health information behaviour and for practice within library and information studies and health-related disciplines.

Text

2024-12-12

Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International

http://hdl.handle.net/2429/89860

Library and Information Studies

University of British Columbia

UBCV

http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/