Mediatization of youth health in the age of new media: the main trends in sociological discourse

Abstract

The article deals with digital mediatization of health in the sociological discourse and its main directions. Noting that the issues of the impact of traditional media on health attitudes and behavior have been sufficiently developed in the domestic research field, the author focuses on the importance of the elaboration the problems of social construction of youth health in the era of digital media. This is caused by the active “habitulization” of digital technologies, as a result of which they act for young people as the main sources and generators of social knowledge about health, its risks and health-saving practices. Based on the results of a review of relevant publications, the features of sociological discourse are highlighted and research prospects in the development of this topic are defined. The author also puts attention to the necessity of using adequate approaches to analyze ongoing changes and study them. According to the author, a perspective theoretical and methodological framework is the concept of mediatization by German sociologists F. Krotz and A. Hepp. Based on this, the work presents a definition of mediatization of the health sector and key aspects of its study.