Health Influencers on Social Media: Shaping Followers’ Beliefs and Behaviours

Siti Rapidah Omar Ali, Che Hasniza Che Noh, Nur Shafini Mohd Said and Farah Ahlami Mansor
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Siti Rapidah Omar Ali: Faculty of Business and Management, University Technology MARA Cawangan Terengganu, Kampus Dungun, 23000 Dungun, Terengganu, Malaysia
Che Hasniza Che Noh: Department of Language and Communication, University Malaysia Terengganu, 21300 Kuala Nerus, Terengganu, Malaysia
Nur Shafini Mohd Said: Faculty of Business and Management, University Technology MARA Cawangan Terengganu, Kampus Dungun, 23000 Dungun, Terengganu, Malaysia
Farah Ahlami Mansor: Faculty of Business and Management, University Technology MARA Cadangan Kelantan, Kampus Machang, Bukit Ilmu, 18500 Machang, Kelantan, Malaysia

International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science, 2025, vol. 9, issue 4, 488-493

Abstract: In the digital age, social media (SM) has become an influential platform for healthcare practitioners (HPs), also known as “health influencers,†to disseminate health information and shape public health behaviors. This study explores the impact of social media promotion by healthcare practitioners on followers’ health beliefs and behaviors, specifically regarding nutritional medicine. Nutritional medicine, focusing on diet and nutrition’s role in health promotion and disease prevention, is increasingly significant in public health initiatives. Using the Source Credibility Model (SCM) and the Health Belief Model (HBM), this study investigates how source credibility and health beliefs shape individual health behaviors. Semi-structured interviews with followers of healthcare practitioners promoting nutritional medicine on social media will be analyzed through thematic analysis to uncover insights into messaging strategies, credibility perceptions, and health beliefs influencing dietary decisions. This study contributes to existing literature by addressing the research gap regarding social media promotion of nutritional medicine by healthcare practitioners in Malaysia. It proposes a framework for understanding the interplay between source credibility and health beliefs in influencing health behaviors, offering practical recommendations to optimize social media strategies for healthcare communication.

Date: 2025
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