HEALTH INFLUENCER EXPOSURE AND REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH AWARENESS AMONG YOUNG WOMEN IN PAKISTAN

Abstract

Social media health influencers have emerged as significant sources of information about reproductive health to young women, particularly in situations where the culture prevents free discussion. This paper looks into the relationship between exposure to health influencers (HIE) and reproductive health awareness (RHA) in 300 female university students based in Islamabad, Pakistan. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, correlation, and regression analysis using a valid online questionnaire (Cronbach's 0.873). The findings indicate that there is a strong positive correlation between HIE and RHA (r = 0.395, p < 0.01), and HIE predicts 15.4% awareness (R² = 0.156, F (1,298) = 55.018, P < 0.001). The active involvement of students in the influence shows that they have better knowledge of menstrual health, contraception, fertility, and prevention of STIs. The findings are guided by the para-social interaction theory and the HIERHA model and propose that a perceived relationship with health influencers enhances trust and engagement of digital health content. The article identifies influencers as relatable digital personalities and points to the potential of social media in enhancing reproductive health literacy in culturally competent contexts.