MEDIA CONSUMPTION AND ITS IMPACT ON PHYSICAL AND SOCIAL HEALTH: A STUDY OF UNIVERSITY STUDENTS AND TEACHERS IN KHYBER PAKHTUNKHWA

Abstract

This study investigates the impact of mass media consumption on the physical and social health of university students and teachers in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. To determine how media use affects health outcomes, data were collected from 331 participants using a cross sectional survey design through students and faculty members. According to the findings, mass media has a definitive impact on both the physical and social health and that social media is becoming the dominant media with 65 percent of the total media consumption. The correlation between social media use and shape of allied health related attitude was found to be moderately positive (r = 0.42; p < 0.01). Adverse effects on physical health, such as disrupted sleep patterns and increased sedentary behavior and the contribution of media to promoting physical activity through informational content are identified as the study. Mass media socialises us and decreases our face to face interactions as well as causing problems with mental health like cyberbullying and low self-esteem. Nevertheless, it encourages communication and collaboration in the academic world. The research highlights media as both a disruptor, as well as an enabler, of health behavior. The assessments of media impact on the health outcomes compare in their strength at different age, gender, and academic abilities. In short, the study encourages media literacy programs and policy interventions to protect against media’s negative effects and take advantage of the media’s potential. These insights add to the greater literature addressing media in educational structural, presenting practical recommendations for concerned Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and similar parts of the country.

Keywords: Media consumption, physical health, social health, university students, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, digital media.