A Pew Research Center survey found that 57% of women ages 18–29 have sought health advice from influencers. The findings show how younger adults are using social media for health information and identify the topics that attract the highest levels of engagement.
Key Takeaways
- Pew Research Center found 57% of women ages 18–29 seek health advice from influencers.
- Young women reported higher exposure to wellness-related content than young men across several health categories.
- Fitness was the only category where young men reported greater engagement than young women.
- Some respondents said they value influencers with shared experiences or discuss topics they are uncomfortable raising with healthcare providers.
- Approximately half of Americans under age 50 reported using influencers as a source of health information.
Young adults are increasingly relying on creators for health information, according to the Pew survey health advice influencers findings released by Pew Research Center. The survey reported that 57% of women between the ages of 18 and 29 have sought health advice from influencers, making them the demographic most likely to use social media personalities as a source of health-related information.
The findings provide new data on how younger adults access information about wellness, medical topics, nutrition, and fitness outside of traditional healthcare settings. The survey also examined differences in the types of health content viewed by men and women and explored why some people choose influencer content when looking for health guidance.
Pew Survey Measures Health Advice From Influencers
Pew Research Center reported that women ages 18 to 29 were more likely than men of the same age to seek health advice from influencers. The survey found that 57% of young women had done so, indicating a substantial level of engagement with health-related creator content.
The research also showed that influencer health content is not limited to one audience. Approximately half of Americans under the age of 50 reported using influencers as a source of health information.
The survey focused on the role of social media creators in sharing information related to health and wellness. These creators produce content across multiple platforms, covering topics that range from skincare and nutrition to mental health, exercise, and medical discussions.
The findings illustrate that social media has become one of several places where many younger adults look for information about personal health. Related discussions around mental health and self-care conversations have also examined how creators increasingly address wellness topics across digital platforms.
Young Women Report Greater Exposure to Wellness Content
Beauty and Wellness Content
The survey found that young women encounter wellness-related content at substantially higher rates than young men across several categories.
Beauty content showed the widest difference. According to Pew Research Center, 51% of women ages 18 to 29 reported seeing beauty-related influencer content, compared with 18% of men in the same age group.
The survey also reported greater exposure among young women to content involving supplements, cleanses, alternative medicine, mainstream medicine, weight management, and mental health.
These findings indicate that wellness-related information appears frequently in the social media experiences of young women across multiple subject areas. Similar research into social media mental health awareness has explored how online platforms are used to discuss health-related topics and connect audiences with educational resources.
Mental Health and Alternative Medicine Topics
Mental health was among the health topics where young women reported greater exposure than young men.
The survey also identified higher levels of engagement with alternative medicine content among women in the 18-to-29 age group. Mainstream medical information shared by influencers similarly reached women more often than men.
Supplements and cleanses represented another category with higher exposure among young women. Weight-loss content also appeared more frequently for women than for men.
The findings demonstrate that health-related influencer content spans a broad range of subjects rather than focusing on a single wellness category.
Fitness Content Draws Higher Engagement Among Young Men
Fitness represented the only major health category where young men reported higher engagement than young women.
According to the survey, 57% of young men consumed fitness-related influencer content. That figure exceeded the share reported by young women by 10 percentage points.
Unlike beauty and wellness topics, fitness content attracted a larger male audience among respondents ages 18 to 29.
The survey did not report similar gender differences across the other health categories it examined. Instead, women generally reported higher exposure to wellness-related information throughout the rest of the study.
The findings distinguish fitness from other forms of health content, suggesting that audiences may interact differently depending on the subject matter being presented through influencer platforms. Separate reporting on Gen Z wellbeing research has also examined how social media use relates to the wellbeing of younger users.
Survey Identifies Reasons for Seeking Influencer Health Advice
Shared Experiences With Content Creators
Pew Research Center also explored why some respondents seek health information from influencers.
Nearly one-quarter of young women reported that they value hearing from creators who share similar backgrounds or personal experiences.
The findings suggest that relatability is one factor influencing where some users look for health information. Respondents indicated that creators with similar experiences can provide perspectives they consider relevant to their own situations.
The survey documented these responses without evaluating the medical accuracy of information shared by influencers.
Topics Users Avoid Discussing With Providers
Another reason identified in the survey involved conversations that respondents felt uncomfortable having with healthcare providers.
Nineteen percent of young women reported turning to influencers for health topics they did not feel comfortable discussing during medical appointments.
The survey also noted that some individuals supplement influencer content with discussions found in online communities, including anonymous forums such as Reddit.
These findings describe situations in which respondents sought additional sources of information rather than identifying influencers as a replacement for licensed healthcare professionals.
Frequently Asked Questions
What did the Pew Research Center survey find about health influencers?
The survey found that 57% of women ages 18–29 reported seeking health advice from influencers. It also reported that about half of Americans under age 50 use influencers as a source of health information.
Why do young women seek health advice from influencers?
According to the survey, nearly one-quarter value hearing from creators with similar backgrounds or experiences, while 19% seek information on topics they do not feel comfortable discussing with healthcare providers.
Which health topics are most commonly seen on social media?
The survey identified beauty, mental health, alternative medicine, mainstream medicine, supplements and cleanses, weight management, and fitness among the major categories of health-related influencer content.
How does influencer health content differ between young women and young men?
Young women reported higher exposure to wellness-related content across most categories, while young men reported higher engagement only with fitness-related influencer content.
How many Americans under 50 use influencers for health information?
Pew Research Center reported that approximately half of Americans younger than 50 use influencers as a source of health information.
