Use of Social Media to Support Gestational Diabetes Risk Reduction for American Indian and Alaska Native Females: A Qualitative Study Soliciting Perspectives From American Indian and Alaska Native Youth, Mothers, and Content Experts.
Sarah A Stotz, Shelly Palmer, Shondra McCage and 11 others
PMID 41327629WHAT IT FOUND
AI/AN female youth and mothers said gestational diabetes risk messages should use short videos, humor, culture, and real AI/AN role models.
They also warned social media can be unsafe and spread misinformation. These were content preferences, not tested interventions.
Key findings
01Participants recommended videos, humor, empowering strengths-based messaging, and co-development of content to engage AI/AN female youth.
02Participants said AI/AN female youth need positive AI/AN female role models, support, and connection to others and culture to be healthy.
03Participants said social media has negative aspects that need balancing in health messaging, including unrealistic body image and safety concerns for female youth.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
Because this was a qualitative study of perspectives, it did not test a social media intervention or measure gestational diabetes risk, behaviour change, or health outcomes. Youth focus groups had low engagement: in some groups only 1 or 2 youth spoke, and moderators struggled to get youth to expand on answers, so youth views may not represent peers. Most focus groups had only 2-3 participants instead of the planned 5-8, which may have limited discussion. Content experts were mostly researchers (60%) and many worked at schools or universities (55%), so the findings may not represent all health care providers. One mother did not self-identify as AI/AN but was retained because she was the mother of an AI/AN female youth.
Declared interests
The authors reported no conflicts of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not read these recommendations as evidence that social media reduces gestational diabetes risk. The study collected views about content preferences; it did not test a social media program or measure diabetes outcomes.