Instagram’s Dual Role in User Health Information Consumption Under Scrutiny

According to the Economic Desk of Webangah News Agency, social media platforms have fundamentally shifted over the past two decades, evolving from simple entertainment hubs into essential service conduits, with users increasingly turning to them to gather crucial health and hygiene information.

The accessibility, rapid content dissemination, and interactive capabilities of social platforms make them attractive avenues for sharing medical and wellness data. Users can readily find details on preventative care, healthy lifestyles, and shared patient experiences, underscoring the critical need for scientific evaluation of this trend.

However, concerns persist regarding the potential negative health outcomes associated with social media usage. Researchers and medical professionals frequently cite challenges such as insufficient content oversight, the proliferation of inaccurate or exaggerated information, and the encouragement of self-medication.

A recent academic study focusing on health discourse on these networks specifically targeted Instagram’s influence on how users receive and interpret health data. The research, led by Yousef Khojir, an Associate Professor of Communications at Sooreh International University in Tehran, sought to establish a realistic picture of Instagram’s standing within the health system and typical user engagement patterns, utilizing the expertise of leading figures in the field.

To compile the necessary evidence, the study employed semi-structured interviews with twenty experts, comprising academics specializing in health communication and medical practitioners. Participants were selected based on their substantial professional and scholarly backgrounds, including university faculty with over a decade of teaching or research experience in new media, and physicians actively integrating Instagram into their specialized practices. The resulting interview data underwent rigorous coding analysis to distill core themes and emerging patterns.

The findings indicate that Instagram possesses definite positive potential for enhancing public health. Positive functions cited by participants included boosting general disease awareness, familiarizing users with medication benefits and side effects, providing rapid access to medical content, and facilitating immediate online communication between patients and physicians. Many contributors agreed that the platform helps users acquire practical, foundational knowledge about physical and mental well-being, leading to more informed personal decisions.

Conversely, the results also highlighted detrimental consequences. These negative effects included the risk of Instagram addiction, the spread of false or fake news, the promotion of self-treatment, and a reduction in necessary visits to medical doctors. Participants suggested that a lack of robust oversight could erode trust in the formal healthcare system and potentially foster illicit online markets for pharmaceuticals and treatments.

The research emphasized that Instagram’s inherent visual appeal, constant availability, and direct interaction mechanisms are the primary drivers behind users seeking health advice on the platform. Users benefit from receiving diverse information on prevention, treatment, and medical maintenance at a low cost, often gaining necessary awareness both before and after undergoing treatments. These factors have positioned Instagram as a significant tool in managing time and executing health-conscious decisions.

The study ultimately concluded that making Instagram a trustworthy reference point for health information requires organizational supervision, building credibility, and producing highly accurate content. The presence of genuine specialists, transparency in data, and engaging content were identified as key factors in establishing the platform as a reliable resource for general public health.

According to Khojir, conscientious and managed utilization of this digital capacity can amplify the network’s positive contributions while mitigating health crises that arise from erroneous information.

These scholarly findings were published in the journal *Studies in New Media*, a publication affiliated with Allameh Tabataba’i University and the Iranian Association for Cultural and Communication Studies, dedicated to the scientific examination of media and social developments.