The moderating role of colour in modelling the effectiveness of COVID-19 YouTube animated cartoons on the health behaviour of social media users in Nigeria

Abstract

Abstract Previous studies on the effect of cartoon hardly consider the moderating role of colour. Additionally, studies on the use of social media for health promotion pay less attention to sustainability of health behaviour. In this study, we examined the moderating role of colour on the effectiveness of COVID-19 YouTube animated cartoons on health behaviour of social media users in Nigeria. We survey a total of 470 social media users in Nigeria who reported exposure to YouTube COVID-19 animated cartoons. It was found that colour significantly predict recall of YouTube animated cartoons on COVID-19. In addition, the result of the study revealed that colour significantly moderate impact ofCOVID-19 YouTube animated cartoons on health behaviour of social media users. The result further showed that exposure to COVID-19 YouTube animated cartoons will significantly predict knowledge of the virus. The result also showed that recall of messages theme in COVID-19 YouTube animated cartoons significantly predicts health behaviour of social media users. Finally, the result of the study showed that self-efficacy, task self-efficacy, coping self-efficacy, and outcome expectancy significantly predict health behaviour sustainability among social media users who are exposed to COVID-19 YouTube animated cartoon. We highlighted the implications of these results on health promotions.