Credibility, Authenticity and Communication Strategies of Multiple Sclerosis E-Patients on Social Media

Social media has become a key space for health communication, fostering the emergence of the e-patient influencer, a figure capable of generating a support community around themselves. In the case of multiple sclerosis (MS), a complex disease with an uncertain prognosis, these profiles can influence the perception and management of the disease. Therefore, credibility and authenticity are identified as key constructs for truly understanding the effectiveness of their communication. Through content analysis, the main active profiles on Instagram and TikTok are examined to recognise narrative patterns, communication strategies and different levels of credibility and authenticity, as well as potential differences between those platforms involved. The results show, on both networks, a predominance of empathetic content focused on the daily management of this disease. Furthermore, a positive, albeit moderate, relationship between credibility and authenticity is found, confirming the importance of these two concepts in social media. Instagram shows slightly higher degrees of credibility, while authenticity is more predominant on TikTok, fostered by the spontaneity and transparency of its creators.