Abstract

Background: Social media began to affect the health behavior and decision making among Saudi families. The risks associated with misinformation and inappropriate practices are against easy access to the information concerning health. The increasing relevance of its effect on the healthcare decisions of families indicated its significance and the need to increase the knowledge of its role in influencing healthcare choices and health awareness.
Objective: The aim of the study was to assess the role of social media in Saudi family health decision making, the most utilized platforms, the perceived credibility of online health information, and also determine the benefits as well as the risks of using social media to access information on making informed health decisions.
Methods: The participants of the study were Saudi adults aged 18 years and above, and the sample size was 385 participants, who were chosen to complete a validated Arabic questionnaire of cross-sectional, descriptive nature. Data were both obtained face-to-face and via the internet and aimed at adults who were engaged in family health decision-making as well as frequent users of social media. Descriptive analysis, inferential analysis, crosstab analysis, and logistic regression analysis were done with the help of SPSS.
Results: The majority of the participants were of a young age (39.7%-young adults and 82.9%-females). Social media affected the health status (66.8%) and the choice of a doctor (68.3%). WhatsApp, Snapchat, and YouTube were most used. Higher education predicted higher credibility perception, while younger adults rated credibility lower. Chronic disease history decreased perceived credibility. Online consultations and social media engagement were widespread.
Conclusion: Social media significantly affected health decision-making, information sharing, and online consultation behaviors among Saudi families. While it enhanced awareness and access, participants with chronic conditions relied more on professional guidance. Education and age influenced perceived credibility, highlighting the need for digital health literacy to ensure safe and informed use of social media for health decisions.

Key words: Keywords: Social media, Health decisions, Saudi Arabia, Digital health, Family health, Misinformation.