ATTITUDES AND RESPONSES OF FEMALE POSTGRADUATE STUDENTS OF TARABA STATE UNIVERSITY TOWARD WEIGHT-LOSS DRUG ADVERTISEMENTS ON SOCIAL MEDIA: A SENSE-MAKING THEORY APPROACH

Abstract

Abstract

This study examines the attitudes and responses of female postgraduate students of Taraba State University toward weight-loss drug advertisements on social media, using Sense-Making Theory (Dervin, 1998) (as the theoretical framework. The study recognizes that individuals are not passive recipients of media messages but active interpreters who construct meaning based on personal experience, peer influence, and social context. A descriptive survey design was adopted, with a sample of 169 female postgraduate students selected through stratified random sampling. Data were collected through structured questionnaires and interviews and analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Findings revealed that exposure to weight-loss drug advertisements on social media is very high, especially on Facebook and WhatsApp. However, most respondents (87.6%) perceived such advertisements as not credible, and only 18.2% found them persuasive. Despite this skepticism, 43.8% of the participants admitted to purchasing or using weight-loss products, largely influenced by peer discussions and curiosity rather than trust in the advertisements. The study concludes that while female postgraduate students demonstrate strong media literacy and critical awareness, peer influence and social. The study therefore recommended stricter government regulation of online health advertising and integration of media and health literacy into university validation, which still play significant roles in shaping their behavioral responses. programs, and peer-led awareness campaigns to counter misinformation. These measures would help ensure that social media users make informed, safe, and health-conscious decisions.

Keywords: Sense-Making Theory, social media advertising, weight-loss drugs, female postgraduate students, peer influence, attitude, and behavior.