Exploring the Role of Platform Quality in Information Seeking Behavior on Climate-Induced Health Issues in Pakistan: A Social Media and Social Cognitive Theory Perspective

Abstract

Climate change is increasingly recognized as a crucial predictor   of human health, driving shifts in disease patterns, heat-related vulnerability and morbidity, among at higher-risk populations. Furthermore, the proliferation of social media platforms has emerged as an innovative epidemiological surveillance tool, enabling real-time monitoring of public discourse, health-seeking behavior, and risk perception in relation to climate-sensitive health events. This research attempted to examines the pathways linking climatic variability to health outcomes, aiming to inform evidence-based adaptation strategies for public health systems. Specifically, scholars in behavioral science have investigated how social media platforms can be tailorized to promote adaptation and pro-environmental behavior among the general public. However, despite this growing interest, limited empirical work has investigated the underlying psychological mechanisms such as emotional arousal that link social media platform quality to health-related information-seeking behavior in climate contexts, particularly within South Asian settings. Guided by Social Cognitive Theory, this research work as an attempt to examine the extent to which social media platform quality can influence information-seeking behavior regarding climate-related health challenges, particularly among the university’s students in Pakistan. Moreover, the research work will also analyze the mediating role of emotional arousal in this context. Accordingly, the study extends Social Cognitive Theory's ternary interactive determinism to the domain of climate-health communication and provides practical implications for platform designers and health communicators seeking to improve public engagement with climate-related health information. Furthermore, the research is expected to inform policymakers, politicians, and social scientists in designing effective climate communication strategies to counter the alarming environmental threats to public health, infrastructure, and beyond.