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Effect of Online Health Advertising Education on Recognition of Misleading Health Advertisements among University Students in Nigeria

Abstract

Online health advertising has become an increasingly common source of health-related information and commercial influence among university students in Nigeria. Health products, medicines, supplements, weight-management programmes, skincare products, sexual-health products, and other health-related services are frequently promoted through social media, websites, search engines, and other digital platforms. Although online advertising can provide useful information about health products and services, some advertisements may contain exaggerated claims, misleading testimonials, unrealistic treatment promises, incomplete information, undisclosed commercial interests, or unsupported health claims. University students who frequently use digital platforms may therefore encounter misleading health advertisements without possessing adequate skills to evaluate their credibility. Online health advertising education provides an opportunity to improve students' understanding of digital health advertising practices and strengthen their ability to recognize potentially misleading health advertisements. Against this background, this study investigates the effect of online health advertising education on recognition of misleading health advertisements among university students in Nigeria. The study will be anchored on the Health Belief Model, Health Literacy Theory, and Theory of Planned Behavior. The Health Belief Model explains how students' perceptions of susceptibility to harm from misleading health advertisements, perceived severity of possible consequences, perceived benefits of evaluating advertisements, perceived barriers, and cues to action may influence their advertising-evaluation practices. Health Literacy Theory emphasizes the ability of students to obtain, understand, critically evaluate, and appropriately use health information when making health-related decisions. The Theory of Planned Behavior explains how students' attitudes toward online health advertisements, perceived social expectations, and perceived behavioural control may influence their intentions and practices regarding health-advertisement evaluation. Collectively, these theoretical perspectives provide a suitable framework for explaining how online health advertising education may influence recognition of misleading health advertisements among university students in Nigeria. The study will adopt a quantitative quasi-experimental or analytical cross-sectional research design. The study population will comprise undergraduate students enrolled in selected public and private universities in Nigeria. A multistage sampling technique will be used to select geopolitical zones, states, universities, faculties, departments, academic levels, and eligible students. Online health advertising education will be assessed using indicators such as exposure to digital health advertising education sessions, frequency and duration of education, knowledge of online health advertising techniques, awareness of sponsored content, understanding of commercial interests, knowledge of common misleading advertising strategies, awareness of exaggerated health claims, knowledge of evidence-based health information, ability to identify testimonials and endorsements, understanding of product disclaimers, knowledge of regulatory information, and awareness of appropriate sources for verifying health claims. Recognition of misleading health advertisements will be assessed using indicators such as ability to identify exaggerated claims, recognition of unrealistic treatment promises, detection of unsupported medical claims, identification of misleading testimonials, recognition of undisclosed sponsorship or commercial interests, ability to distinguish advertisements from independent health information, verification of product claims against credible sources, identification of inappropriate before-and-after claims, recognition of pressure or urgency marketing tactics, and willingness to seek professional advice before acting on questionable advertisements. Data will be collected using structured questionnaires, online health-advertising literacy assessment tools, scenario-based advertisement recognition tests, digital health-literacy instruments, and pre-test and post-test assessments where a quasi-experimental intervention is adopted. Descriptive statistics will be used to summarize students' demographic and academic characteristics, internet and social media use, exposure to online health advertisements, preferred digital platforms, and advertisement-recognition practices. Inferential statistical techniques, including chi-square tests, paired and independent t-tests, correlation analysis, and logistic or multiple regression analysis where appropriate, will be used to determine the effect of online health advertising education on recognition of misleading health advertisements. Where a quasi-experimental design is adopted, recognition scores before and after the educational intervention may be compared with those of a comparison group to determine changes associated with the intervention. Diagnostic tests will also be conducted to assess the reliability, validity, and robustness of the findings. The study is expected to find that online health advertising education has a significant positive effect on recognition of misleading health advertisements among university students in Nigeria. Students exposed to structured and practical online health advertising education are expected to demonstrate greater ability to identify exaggerated, unsupported, commercially motivated, or otherwise misleading health advertisements than students without comparable exposure. Education may improve students' ability to recognize unrealistic treatment claims, distinguish sponsored advertisements from independent health information, identify misleading testimonials, evaluate evidence supporting health claims, and verify advertised products or services using credible sources. Practical exercises involving realistic social media advertisements, sponsored posts, influencer promotions, and health-product marketing scenarios may further strengthen students' ability to critically evaluate digital advertisements. However, sophisticated advertising techniques, algorithm-driven exposure, peer influence, attractive product presentation, celebrity endorsements, misinformation, and limited access to reliable regulatory information may reduce the effectiveness of education alone. The study therefore expects continuous, practical, accessible, and culturally appropriate online health advertising education, supported by stronger digital health literacy and effective regulation of health-related advertising, to contribute significantly to improved recognition of misleading health advertisements among university students in Nigeria. The study is expected to contribute to the literature on online health advertising, health misinformation, digital health literacy, health-information evaluation, consumer health protection, health communication, health education, university student health, and public health in Nigeria. The findings will provide useful information to the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Federal Ministry of Education, National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria, universities, healthcare professionals, public health practitioners, digital health organizations, consumer-protection agencies, development partners, and policymakers regarding strategies for protecting young adults from misleading health advertisements. The study will also provide evidence-based recommendations for integrating online health advertising literacy into university health-promotion programmes, strengthening students' ability to critically evaluate health advertisements, increasing awareness of regulatory and evidence-based health information, improving reporting of misleading advertisements, and developing sustainable digital health education interventions for university students across Nigeria.

Keywords: Online health advertising education, misleading health advertisements, university students, digital health literacy, health misinformation, health-information evaluation, consumer health protection, health communication, health education, Nigeria, public health.