Research Overview

Azhar's research is firmly situated at the intersection of Health Communication, Digital Advertising, Digital Media, and Artificial Intelligence (AI). His core mission is to understand how algorithmically driven digital media, including social platforms and personalized advertising, influences public perception, engagement, and, most critically, well-being. His methodological approach is robust, employing mixed methods (surveys, in-depth interviews, content analysis) to gather rich data across diverse populations and technological contexts. His work has been featured in top-tier peer-reviewed journals such as Digital Health and Journalism Practice, Journalism and Mass Communication Educator, and presented at major academic conferences, reflecting the interdisciplinary and timely nature of his scholarly contributions.

Azhar's doctoral dissertation, "Digital Media Advertisements and Mental Health of Gen Z," directly addresses a critical public health concern. Beyond this core focus, Azhar's future research agenda expands into the realm of AI and Education, investigating the adoption, efficacy, and ethical implications of Generative AI (GenAI) in mass communication pedagogy. He also continues to explore how digital technology and AI can be effectively leveraged in strategic health campaigns to combat misinformation and promote health literacy at scale, thereby bridging the fields of health communication, digital technology, and higher education.

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Peer-Reviewed Journal Articles (Published)

  1. Seo, H., Burkett, K. M., Morales, O., Izhar, N., Chaif, R., Coelho, M. B., Ha, H., Jona, B., Iqbal, A., & Doyle, T. (2025). Between likes and lies: How teenage girls navigate online health information. Frontiers in Communication.
  2. Seo, H., da Silva, M. P., Jona, B., Iqbal, A., Burkett, K. M., Khan, H. U., & Urbina Carreno, A. E. (2025). Comparative analysis of AI attitudes among JMC students in Brazil and the US: A mixed-methods approach. Online Media and Global Communication.
  3. Seo, H., Burkett, K. M., Okocha, M., Ha, H., Chaif, R., Izhar, N., Coelho, M., Jona, B., & Iqbal, A. (2025). Social media activism and women's health: Endometriosis awareness and support. Digital Health, 11, 1–12.
  4. Ittefaq, M., Zain, A., Arif, R., Al-Uddin, M., Taufiq, A., & Iqbal, A. (2024). Global news media coverage of artificial intelligence: A comparative analysis of frames, trends, and sentiments across 12 countries. Telematics and Informatics.
  5. Seo, H., Iqbal, A., & Rafique, S. (2024). Attitudes toward AI, AI self-efficacy, and AI adoption: A survey of media students in Afghanistan and Pakistan. Studies in Media, Journalism and Communications, 2(2), 22–30.
  6. Jamil, S., Iqbal, A., Ittefaq, M., & Kamboh, S. A. (2022). Building a media-literate society: Pathways to improve media and information literacy education in Pakistan. Journalism and Mass Communication Educator.
  7. Ittefaq, M., Kamboh, S. A., Iqbal, A., Iftikhar, U., Abwao, M., & Arif, R. (2022).Understanding public reactions to state security officials' suicide cases in online news comments. Death Studies.
  8. Ittefaq, M., Ejaz, W., Jamil, S., & Iqbal, A. (2021). Discriminated in society and marginalized in media: Social representation of the Christian sanitary workers. Journalism Practice.
  9. Ittefaq, M., & Iqbal, A. (2018). Digitization of the health sector in Pakistan: Challenges and opportunities to online health communication: A case study of MARHAM social and mobile media. Digital Health, 4, 1–13.

Journal Articles Submitted / Under Review

  1. Iqbal, A., Rafique, S., Jona, B. T., & Seo, H. (2025). GenAI in Mass Communication Education: Interviews with Instructors.
  2. Diwanji, V., Burkett, K. M., Chaif, R. H., Iqbal, A., Coelho, M., & Wiley, T. (2025). Breaking the mold: The impact of gamification and disability representation in virtual influencers.
  3. Iqbal, A., & Rafique, S. (2025). Advertising Education in the Digital Era: A Perspective of Mass Communication Professors.

Conference Presentations

  1. Seo, H., Burkett, K. M., Morales, O., Izhar, N., Chaif, R. H., Coelho, M., Ha, H., Jona, B., Iqbal, A., & Doyle, T. (2025, August). Teenage girls and digital health: Navigating health misinformation on social media. Paper accepted at AEJMC, San Francisco, CA. (Top Faculty Paper)
  2. Seo, H., Burkett, K. M., Okocha, M., Ha, H., Chaif, R., Izhar, N., Barros, M., Jona, B., & Iqbal, A. (2024, August). Social media activism and women’s health: Endometriosis as feminist issue. AEJMC Annual Convention, Philadelphia, PA. (Second-place Top Faculty Paper)
  3. Diwanji, V., Burkett, K. M., Chaif, R. H., Iqbal, A., Coelho, M., & Wiley, T. (2025, August). Breaking the mold: The impact of gamification and disability representation in virtual influencer advertising. Paper to be presented at AEJMC Annual Conference, San Francisco Marriott Marquis, San Francisco, CA.
  4. Seo, H., da Silva, M. P., Jona, B., Iqbal, A., Burkett, K. M., Khan, H. U., & Urbina Carreno, A. E. (2024, August). Comparative analysis of AI attitudes among JMC students in Brazil and the US. AEJMC Annual Convention, Philadelphia, PA.
  5. Ittefaq, M., Zain, A., Khan, M. L., Ahmad, T., Iqbal, A., & Ala-Uddin, M. (2024, July). Global news media coverage of artificial intelligence: A comparative analysis of trends, topics, and sentiments across 12 countries. IAMCR Annual Conference, 30 June–04 July 2024.
  6. Ittefaq, M., Kamboh, S. A., Iqbal, A., Iftikhar, U., Abwao, M., & Arif, R. (2021, August). Understanding public reaction to celebrity suicide cases in online news comments. AEJMC Virtual Conference, New Orleans, USA.
  7. Olkhovikov, K., & Iqbal, A. (2018). Educating the teachers by new media: Challenges and facilities to online education – A case of TeachHUB. EDULEARN18: 10th International Conference on Education and New Learning Technologies, Palma.
  8. Olkhovikov, K., & Iqbal, A. (2018). The power of social media in modern education. Paper presented at the 12th International Technology, Education and Development Conference, Valencia, Spain. IATED.,
  9. Iqbal, A. (2017). Use of social media to promote national culture worldwide. Strategies for social networks, institutions and territory. T. 1.—Екатеринбург, 2017, 1 (3), 327-329.

Research Impact

177+

Total Citations

9

Publications

2

Top Faculty Papers

9

Conference Presentations

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