The Role of Social Media in Shaping Disaster Preparedness among Young Adults: A Cross-Sectional Study from a Public Health Perspective

ABSTRACTObjective: This study examined, from a public health perspective, how social media use patterns, social media addiction, and disaster risk perception are associated with behavioural disaster preparedness among university students aged 18–25.Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in 2025 with 469 university students aged 18–25. Data were collected via an online questionnaire including a sociodemographic form, the Disaster Preparedness Index, the Social Media Addiction Scale–Adult Form, and the University Students’ Disaster Risk Perception Scale. Univariate analyses and multivariable models were used to identify independent predictors of preparedness.Results: Disaster preparedness was positively associated with prior disaster education. Longer daily social media use was associated with lower preparedness, whereas disaster risk perception tended to be higher with greater exposure. Social media addiction was positively associated with disaster risk perception but showed a weak or inverse association with preparedness.Conclusion: Among young adults, social media may heighten disaster risk perception, yet preparedness behaviours appear to depend more strongly on disaster education and practical preparedness competencies. Campus-based public health programmes should integrate structured disaster training with risk communication and digital literacy components.Keywords: Disaster preparedness, disaster risk perception, public health nursing, social media addiction, young adults.