Healthcare Providers’ Communication on Social Media and Trust in Online Health Information: An Exploratory Cross-Sectional Survey among Romanian Adult Social Media Users

Abstract

This study aimed to assess Romanian adults’ perceptions of healthcare providers’ communication on social media and to examine the association between these perceptions and trust in providers’ online health-related information. A quantitative, cross-sectional survey was conducted between 31 January 2026 and 25 May 2026 using an original structured online questionnaire with 5-point Likert-scale items. A convenience sample of 205 adult respondents who reported using social media and having previously accessed healthcare services was analyzed. Composite perception and trust scores were calculated by averaging the corresponding Likert-scale items. Internal consistency was assessed using Cronbach’s alpha, and Spearman correlation analysis was performed. Most respondents lived in urban areas (70.2%), and 59.5% were female. The perception scale showed excellent internal consistency (Cronbach’s alpha = 0.930), while the trust scale showed good internal consistency (Cronbach’s alpha = 0.862). A strong positive association was observed between perception and trust scores (Spearman ρ = 0.786, p < 0.001). Frequency of accessing healthcare-related information on social media was also positively associated with perception scores (ρ = 0.343, p < 0.001) and trust scores (ρ = 0.433, p < 0.001). The findings suggest that favorable perceptions of healthcare providers’ communication on social media are associated with higher trust in providers’ online health-related information, but should be interpreted as exploratory associations rather than causal effects.