Well-informed or misinformed? News-Finds-Me perception in shaping sexual and reproductive health knowledge and behavioral intentions among Chinese women

The News-Finds-Me (NFM) perception reflects individuals’ belief of being well-informed even without actively seeking out news on social media. Despite studies examining the NFM perception in political and COVID-19 contexts, its implications in specific health contexts and the underlying mechanisms toward behavioral outcomes remain largely unexplored. Through a nationwide online survey of Chinese women residing in both rural and urban areas, this study revealed a positive association between the NFM perception and sexual and reproductive health (SRH) misperceptions, as well as an overassessment of factual knowledge. Furthermore, this study identified the mediating roles of knowledge miscalibration and SRH misperceptions linking the NFM perception to SRH behavioral intention. Notably, the relationship between the NFM perception and knowledge miscalibration was contingent upon individual differences in optimism regarding personal risks related to SRH diseases. The findings of this study not only extend the negative implications of the NFM perception in the SRH context and behavioral outcomes but also provide practical guidelines for promoting effective health learning in the contemporary algorithm-driven information environment. •News-Finds-Me (NFM) perception was positively associated with SRH misperceptions.•NFM perception had an indirect effect on SRH behavioral intention.•Knowledge miscalibration and misperceptions mediated the indirect relation with SRH behavioral intention.•Comparative optimism moderated the mediation effects.