GLP-1 Medications in the Social Media Spotlight: Content Analysis of Women's Health, Nontraditional Access, and Barriers to Access (Preprint)

BACKGROUND Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) medications, recently introduced in the US for treating type 2 diabetes and obesity, have sparked interest and discussion on social media. Social media has emerged as a prominent platform for the distribution of health information; its vast user base and accessibility making it a popular resource for individuals seeking medical advice. OBJECTIVE This study characterized GLP-1-related content on Instagram about three critical areas of public health – women’s health, access from nontraditional settings, and barriers to access. METHODS We examined 40 GLP-1 related Instagram posts to develop a list of the most frequently used hashtags. Ten “top posts” were collected for 7 days (July 11-17 2023) for 11 study hashtags (e.g., #Ozempic; n=770). Duplicates, deleted posts/accounts, non-English content, and unrelated posts were removed. Each post was reviewed by at least two coders. Coding discrepancies were resolved through discussion. RESULTS The final sample included 239 posts. More than half of posts (n=130) were from GLP-1 medication users. Raters perceived most users to be female (92.8%); inferred that most used medications for weight-loss (53.1%); determined the most frequently noted health condition was PCOS (19.2); judged posts to have positive sentiments about well-being (49.2%) and towards the medications (76.9%). About a quarter of posts (23.0%) offered services for obtaining GLP-1 medications; GLP-1 medications were perceived to be accessible via non-traditional healthcare settings (e.g., medical spas) versus traditional (16.3% vs. 5.0%). Most users (80.4%) were perceived to be white; barriers to access (i.e., shortages, insurance, cost) were infrequently mentioned (2.5%, 1.3%, 0.4%, respectively). CONCLUSIONS Findings highlight the perceived benefits of GLP-1 medications on women’s health, the need to increase health literacy about where to safely access medications, and how additional attention is needed for equitable access to GLP-1 medications. The onus is on social media companies to promote content that is safe and for the healthcare system and its payors to address healthcare inequities for historically marginalized communities.