How social media amplifies HPV risk: applying the influence of presumed media influence model to the risk amplification framework

Social media plays a crucial role in shaping public perceptions of health risks, yet the mechanisms driving risk amplification remain unclear. This study integrates the Social Amplification of Risk Framework (SARF) with the Influence of Presumed Media Influence (IPMI) model to examine how social media exposure influences HPV risk perceptions among Chinese women. Using a survey of 890 Chinese women aged 18–34, we explore both direct and indirect pathways through which social media may contribute to perceptions of susceptibility to and severity of HPV infection. Our findings suggest that social media exposure is positively associated with perceived susceptibility but shows no significant relationship with perceived severity. However, perceived media influence on peers was indirectly linked to both dimensions of risk perception, with perceived vaccination norms serving as a mediating factor in this process. These results underscore the important role of media in shaping social influence within risk amplification and provide insights for more effective health communication strategies.