Adolescent Health Literacy in TikTok Mediated Environments: A Critical Examination of Student Generated Digital Health Communication

Highlights Evidence alone does not ensure adolescent engagement on TikTok; accuracy must be paired with entertainment and clarity. Platform affordances (length, pacing, sound, visuals, algorithmic visibility) shape health message acceptance and recall. Critical adolescent health literacy is unevenly distributed across cultures and educational settings. Co‐design, cultural adaptation and human support from educators/clinicians are essential for meaningful understanding and behaviour change. Future research must use cross‐cultural, longitudinal and comparative designs to link message accuracy with platform attention dynamics.