“You Should Always Check. . . Make Sure You’re Not Getting Fed Misinformation.” Somali American Adolescents’ Engagement and Preferences With Digital Health Information

Abstract

This qualitative study aims to explore developmental and cultural factors influencing adolescents’ engagement and preferences for digital messages depicting content related to health and well-being. Twenty Somali American adolescents recruited from a large metropolitan area in the Midwestern United States participated in this study (M_age = 14.35 years; 55% female). All participants were first- or second-generation migrants. Four semi-structured qualitative focus groups were conducted with younger (12–14 years old) and older (15–17 years old) adolescents. Participants answered questions about their exposure to and opinion of online health messages. For engagement styles, we found similarities (e.g., both use media to inform health choices) and differences (e.g., younger and older adolescents reported differing strategies to verify information) when comparing themes across younger and older adolescent groups. For design preferences, younger and older adolescents preferred messages tailored to teens (e.g., developmentally appropriate language), whereas only older adolescents reported cultural design preferences (e.g., depiction of diverse people). Adolescents discussed heritage and nonheritage cultural factors influencing health message engagement and preference. Overall, both developmental and cultural factors influence Somali American adolescents’ engagement with digital health information, and they are strong critical thinkers about these messages. Findings indicate effective health messaging strategies for this population.