NEW HAVEN — A 2024 national survey revealed that many U.S. adults make health-related decisions based on social media content, despite widespread distrust of health information found on these platforms. Rohan Khera, MD, MS, of Yale School of Medicine, presented these findings, which suggest the medical community should increase its engagement on social media.

Of the over 7,000 adults surveyed, 87.8% reported using social media. Among these social media users, 77.7% stated they believed the health information they encountered was false or misleading. In contrast, 21.6% of social media users still reported making health-related decisions influenced by social media content. "The most striking finding was the disconnect between distrust and behavior." Khera said.

Khera said, "This finding suggests that people may recognize the information environment as unreliable, but exposure to social media health content may still influence their decisions." He added that social media is not exclusively a source of misinformation, but also a potential channel for timely, accessible, and trusted health communication. "The broader implication is that medical and public health communities need to be present where patients are already looking for information." Khera stated.

The survey data showed that 84.8% of adults who used social media shared personal or general health information. Furthermore, 70.2% participated in online communities. Khera indicated that the challenge involves improving the quality and reliability of the health information environment rather than expecting patients to avoid it.

The study also examined social media use among specific demographics. Approximately 4,590 adults with chronic conditions were included, with 85.5% reporting social media use. Adults with chronic conditions were less likely to share health information via social media and less likely to participate in online communities compared to individuals without chronic conditions. Social media use was lower among older adults, residents of rural areas, and those with lower educational attainment.

Conversely, older social media users (ages 65 and above) were more likely to make health decisions based on social media information than younger users. Hispanic social media users demonstrated a higher likelihood of making health decisions based on social media content compared to white users. Distrust in social media health information correlated with higher educational attainment and higher household income. Black and Hispanic individuals were less likely than white individuals to report distrust in social media health information.

Why It Matters

This study, based on data from the 2024 Health Information National Trends Survey (HINTS) which surveyed 7,278 respondents representing 262 million U.S. adults, indicates a notable discrepancy between public perception of social media health information reliability and its influence on personal health decisions. The findings show that a portion of the population utilizes social media for health-related matters, despite acknowledging the potential for misinformation. This suggests a need for an increased presence of medical and public health organizations on social media platforms to provide reliable information and counter potential inaccuracies.