Challenges and Benefits of Social Media Influencers for Adolescent Health – A Scoping Review

Abstract

Abstract Background Social media has become the primary source of entertainment, information, and news for adolescents. Influencers play a key role in this new information environment as content providers, with a large number of followers. While they can motivate and inform young people about health topics, they may also share questionable information driven by commercial interests. This scoping review aims to synthesize existing literature on the benefits and challenges influencers represent for adolescents’ health. Methods The review followed the PRISMA-ScR approach, with predetermined databases, inclusion and exclusion criteria, and a search string developed. The review produced 1699 items, and after duplicate removal, title, abstract, and full-text screening, 51 articles were included. Along the topic of adolescents’ health and social media influencers, prevalent benefits and challenges were synthesized from the 51 articles. Results Identified challenges (n = 41) revolved around regulating influencer marketing, adapting laws to social media environments, enforcing existing laws, and strengthening social media literacy among adolescents and professionals. Benefits (n = 21) included tailoring health campaigns to social media environments and target groups with influencers and using the authenticity and trustworthiness of influencers to increase range and engagement with health information. Conclusions Most challenges focus on regulation and policy efforts rather than harnessing the advantages of influencers for health campaigns on social media. Health professionals need to expand and adapt their skills and content to cater to these new information environments. Key messages • Introducing and enforcing policies to regulate influencers and to increase media literacy among adolescents and professionals pose major challenges. • Influencers are capable of providing authentic and trustworthy channels, as well as expertise, for social media health campaigns.