Health Care Content and Engagement in Chronic Illness Instagram Posts: Content Analysis.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Instagram and other social media platforms provide a unique environment for people with chronic illnesses to share experiences, but posts with higher engagement may also shape behavior. The hashtag #ChronicIllness appears in over 5 million posts, reflecting the large digital community where users seek validation, connection, and support. Frameworks such as social cognitive theory, self-presentation theory, and illness identity theory suggest that highly engaging content can shift social norms and drive behavior change via observational learning. Despite the strong theoretical basis for this behavioral impact, little is known about what chronic illness-related content is the most engaging.

Objective

The aim of this study is to identify the content of Instagram post

SUBMITTER: Daon LD 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12468905 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature