Evaluating the effectiveness of prenatal exercise promotion strategies on the Xiaohongshu platform: Health beliefs, information quality, and source credibility

Abstract

Although exercising during pregnancy offers numerous advantages, its prevalence in China remains relatively low. This is primarily attributed to the traditional Chinese belief that pregnancy is a period for rest and recuperation. To alter this perception, numerous individuals have promoted the benefits of prenatal exercise on Xiaohongshu, one of China’s most popular social media platforms. This study utilized the frameworks of the Health Belief Model (HBM) and the Heuristic - Systematic Model (HSM) to explore which strategies are effective in these promotional efforts. A total of 5,016 posts promoting prenatal exercise were identified. From these, 500 samples were randomly selected for coding. Negative binomial regression analysis was conducted to assess the influence of the constructs of HBM and HSM on public engagement. The Kruskal-Wallis test was used to compare various information sources’ differential effects. The results indicated that emphasizing the benefits, self-efficacy, and barriers to exercise significantly impact audience engagement in the context of social media information regarding exercise during pregnancy. Healthcare professionals and pregnant and postpartum women are the most influential information sources in attracting audience engagement. Moreover, source credibility significantly impacts public engagement, and information completeness positively increases the likelihood of favorites. These findings are valuable for optimizing the design of pregnancy exercise promotion information on social media, obtaining social support for prenatal exercise, and contributing to women’s health and well-being.