Abstract: 【Purpose/significance】This study aims to explore the perception mechanism of health risks among social media users. Based on field theory, it analyzes the impact of cognitive and perceptual fields on users´ perception of health risks, providing theoreti⁃ cal support for improving the effectiveness of public health information dissemination.【Method/process】Using grounded theory, key influencing factors were extracted to construct a theoretical framework. Combined with situational questionnaire survey data, fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) was employed to identify the configurational paths that influence users´ perception of health risks.【Result/conclusion】In the information field, factors influencing social media users´ perception of health risks include cognitive field factors, perceptual field factors, and individual factors. However, no single antecedent condition can constitute a necessary condi⁃ tion for high or low health risk perception among social media users. Three distinct paths can lead to high-risk perception: "weak cognitive-perceptual field," "weak cognitive-strong perceptual field," and "strong cognitive-perceptual field." Four paths reduce the perception of health risks on social media, namely, "emotional confiding," "health confidence," "knowledge defense," and "emotional exchange + health confidence."【Innovation/limitation】Due to the geographical limitations of the sample and cross-sectional data, fu⁃ ture research can further expand the geographical coverage of the sample and consider multi-stage dynamic influence mechanisms.