Social Media-Based Awareness Campaigns on Lung Cancer among Young Cigarette Smokers in Oyo State, Nigeria

Abstract

Social media-based awareness campaigns have become a universal means of health literacy among young people. Cigarette smoking is estimated to kill 5 million people each year worldwide, and this figure is projected to rise to 8 million globally from the year 2030 if swift actions are not 
taken. This study was designed to explore social media-based awareness campaigns on lung cancer among young cigarette smokers in Oyo State, Nigeria. The study adopted a quantitative research method, specifically a survey, to examine the opinions, thoughts, and knowledge of young 
cigarette smokers in Oyo State regarding social media-based awareness campaigns on lung cancer. Quantitative research involves the analysis of numerical data using specific statistical techniques to answer relevant research questions. Findings revealed that carcinogenic mortality 
is a significant health effect of cigarette smoking among young smokers in Oyo State. Findings also showed that social media's effectiveness is reflected in its universal reach for lung-related awareness campaigns and that lung-related videos are the primary techniques employed for social 
media-based awareness campaigns on lung cancer among young smokers in Oyo State. Therefore, it is recommended that social media-based awareness campaigns should be specifically designed to target current cigarette smokers for cessation and to deter prospective cigarette users from uptake. Advocates of anti-tobacco strategies should leverage the universality and widespread use of social media to glocalize and globalize the harmful effects of tobacco consumption among young 
people, given that cigarette-smoking quitters are often replaced by new, young recruits.