Perceptions of Health Misinformation on Social Media: Cross-Sectional Survey Study.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, US Latino individuals were more likely to report accessing coronavirus information on social media than other groups, despite copious amounts of health misinformation documented on these platforms. Among the existing literature on factors associated with engagement and use of health information, racial minority status has been associated with greater susceptibility to health misinformation. However, literature to date has not reported national trends on how Latino individuals engage with or use health information on social media compared to non-Latino White (NLW) individuals, nor whether perceptions of the amount of health misinformation on social media influence health information engagement and usage. This study aimed to examine differences in engagement with and use of health information on social media among Latino and NLW individuals in the United States. We examined a nationally representative cross-sectional sample of Latino (n=827) and NLW (n=2563) respondents of the 2022 Health Information National Trends Survey who used social media in 2022 to assess differences in engagement with and use of health information. Items related to the perceived quantity of health misinformation on social media, social media use frequency, health information engagement (sharing content; watching videos), and health information usage (health decision-making; discussions with health care providers) were selected to conduct weighted bivariate analyses and logistic regressions. Latino individuals perceive lower amounts of health misinformation on social media (28.9% perceived little to no misinformation vs 13.6% NLW individuals, P<.001). Latino audiences also reported higher health information engagement compared to NLW individuals (20% vs 10.2% shared information several times a month or more, P<.001; 42.4% vs 27.2% watched videos several times a month or more, P<.001), as well as higher information usage for health decision-making (22.8% vs 13.7%, P=.003). When controlling for ethnicity and other sociodemographic variables, perceiving lower amounts of health misinformation on social media was associated with higher odds of watching videos more frequently, making health decisions, and discussing health-related content with a health care provider (P<.001). Furthermore, Latino audiences were 1.85 times more likely to watch videos (P<.001), when controlling for the perceived amount of health misinformation and other sociodemographic variables. Finally, when compared to NLW individuals perceiving little to no health misinformation, Latino audiences perceiving little to no health misinformation were 2.91 times more likely to watch videos (P<.001). The findings suggest that Latino individuals engage with visual health (mis)information at higher rates. Digital health literacy interventions should consider video formats and preferred social media platforms among Latino individuals. Further research is warranted to understand sociocultural factors important to Latino social media users when consuming health information, as these may impact the success of digital media literacy interventions that teach users how to navigate misinformation online.

BackgroundSocial media platforms have transformed the dissemination of health information, allowing for rapid and widespread sharing of content. However, alongside valuable medical knowledge, these platforms have also become channels for the spread of health misinformation, including false claims and misleading advice, which can lead to significant public health risks. Susceptibility to health misinformation varies and is influenced by individuals’ cultural, social, and personal backgrounds, further complicating efforts to combat its spread.ObjectiveThis study aimed to examine the extent to which individuals report encountering health-related misinformation on social media and to assess how racial, ethnic, and sociodemographic factors influence susceptibility to such misinformation.MethodsData from the Health Information National Trends Survey (HINTS; Cycle 6), conducted by the National Cancer Institute with 5041 US adults between March and November 2022, was used to explore associations between racial and sociodemographic factors (age, gender, race/ethnicity, annual household income, marital status, and location) and susceptibility variables, including encounters with misleading health information on social media, difficulty in assessing information truthfulness, discussions with health providers, and making health decisions based on such information.ResultsOver 35.61% (1740/4959) of respondents reported encountering “a lot” of misleading health information on social media, with an additional 45% (2256/4959) reporting seeing “some” amount of health misinformation. Racial disparities were evident in comparison with Whites, with non-Hispanic Black (odds ratio [OR] 0.45, 95% CI 0.33-0.6, P<.01) and Hispanic (OR 0.54, 95% CI 0.41-0.71, P<.01) individuals reporting lower odds of finding deceptive information, while Hispanic (OR 1.68, 95% CI 1.48-1.98, P<.05) and non-Hispanic Asian (OR 1.96, 95% CI 1.21-3.18, P<.01) individuals exhibited higher odds in having difficulties in assessing the veracity of health information found on social media. Hispanic and Asian individuals were more likely to discuss with providers and make health decisions based on social media information. Older adults aged ≥75 years exhibited challenges in assessing health information on social media (OR 0.63, 95% CI 0.43-0.93, P<.01), while younger adults (18-34) showed increased vulnerability to health misinformation. In addition, income levels were linked to higher exposure to health misinformation on social media: individuals with annual household incomes between US $50,000 and US $75,000 (OR 1.74, 95% CI 1.14-2.68, P<.01), and greater than US $75,000 (OR 1.78, 95% CI 1.20-2.66, P<.01) exhibited greater odds, revealing complexities in decision-making and information access.ConclusionsThis study highlights the pervasive presence of health misinformation on social media, revealing vulnerabilities across racial, age, and income groups, underscoring the need for tailored interventions.

The Role of Graduate Medical Education in the Fight Against Health Misinformation.

This study used recently released nationally representative data with new measures on health information seeking to estimate the prevalence and predictors of adult social media users' perceptions of health mis- and disinformation on social media. Most adults who use social media perceive some (46%) or a lot (36%) of false or misleading health information on social media, but nearly one-fifth reported either none or a little (18%). More than two-thirds of participants reported that they were unable to assess social media information as true or false (67%). Our study identified certain population groups that might be a focus of future intervention work, such as participants who use social media to make decisions. The perception by social media users that false and misleading health information on social media is highly prevalent may lend greater urgency to mitigate the spread of false or misleading health information that harms public health.

ObjectiveThe speed and complexity of transmitting health misinformation through social media can lead to the transfer of information that causes irreparable damage to the state of health, control, and prevention of diseases. This research aimed to identify the prerequisites and best strategies for combating health misinformation on social media.MethodThe current systematic review was carried out following the PRISMA guidelines. In September 2024, a search was conducted using “misinformation” and “social media” keywords and their equivalents in selected databases (Scopus, Web of Science, and PubMed). Inclusion criteria comprised the implementation of an intervention aimed at combating health misinformation on social media, while studies not in English and those that did not address health misinformation on social media were excluded. The data were analyzed using the conventional content analysis method. EndNote 21 and Excel 2021 software were used to collect and analyze the articles.ResultOut of 6395 identified articles, 20 articles were included in the present study. Half of the studies addressing health misinformation were published in 2023 and 2024, with the United States leading the way. The combat of COVID-19 misinformation was the most frequent. From the content analysis of the included studies in a total of three strategies: communication strategies, technology-based strategies, and multimedia strategies to combat health misinformation on social media, it was identified. Four categories: needs assessment, educating community leaders, content design, and content quality assessment, were identified as the primary prerequisites to combat health misinformation on social media.ConclusionCombating health information in social media requires basic infrastructures and the use of hybrid approaches. In addition, due to the different roles of celebrities and influencers, reputable health organizations and healthcare institutions should benefit from their participation in combating health misinformation.

Parents are increasingly using social media to inform health decisions for their children. This scoping review examines 1) How do parents use social media to find health information for their children? 2) What motivates parents to engage with social media to seek health information for their children? 3) How do parents seek to understand and evaluate the health information they find on social media, and how does social media impact parental health information-seeking? Scopus, CINAHL, Medline, PubMed, and Embase databases were searched, with open date parameters. Peer-reviewed studies that examined parents' and responsible caregivers' use of social media as a source of health information for their children (aged <18 years) were included. The 42 included studies spanned 2011 to 2020. More than half (n=24, 57%) were published in 2019 and 2020. Parents use social media for information about specific health concerns both before and after a medical diagnosis for their child. Parents are motivated to engage with social media as they seek out extensive information based on lived experience from other parents, as well as social support and community. This scoping review reveals parents' motivation to use social media for health information, and how that can interact with, and impose on, clinical practice. It is important for those who provide pediatric health care to both understand and accommodate this permanent shift facilitated by social media, when working with parents who are seeking health information when making health decisions for their children.

Background: The growth of social media as a health communication channel has fueled the spread of misinformation. Among U.S. adults, 80% of those aged 18–49 use social media, with this cohort predominately online. A relevant public health factor is health literacy, with 36% of adults having basic or below-basic levels. As health content on social media grows, it is critical to understand how health literacy influences young adults’ perceptions of misinformation, given their high social media usage. Methods: We used the 2022 Health Information National Trends Survey (HINTS 6) from the National Cancer Institute. Ordinal logistic regression assessed whether sociodemographic characteristics modified the relationship between numeracy and perceived accuracy of health information. Interaction terms included Cancer Diagnosis, Race/Ethnicity, and Social Media Frequency. Results: Of the 1,140 respondents, the mean age was 30 years; 62% were female, 57% held a college degree. Racial/ethnic composition was 46% white, 25% Hispanic, 14% Black, 8% Asian. Only 1.4% had a cancer diagnosis. Daily social media use was reported by 83%. About 25% found medical statistics hard to understand, and 57% agreed it was hard to tell whether health information on social media is true or false. Model 1 (unadjusted: OR=1.677, 95% CI: 1.435–1.958, p&amp;lt;0.0001) and Model 2 (adjusted: OR=1.649, 95% CI: 1.409–1.930, p&amp;lt;0.0001) showed a significant positive association between numeracy and perceived misinformation—indicating higher numeracy is linked to increased identification of misinformation. Among the interaction models, Social Media Frequency × Numeracy (Model 4) had the best fit and retained significance for numeracy (OR=1.601, 95% CI: 1.121–2.286, p=0.0096). The Cancer × Numeracy interaction (Model 3) produced the greatest model instability. Race/Ethnicity × Numeracy (Model 5) also retained model fit and statistical significance for numeracy, but its interaction term lacked significance. No interaction terms showed meaningful effect modification. Thus, numeracy alone emerged as the primary predictor of misinformation identification. Conclusions: Despite having lower health literacy than the national average, over half of young adults reported difficulty discerning health misinformation online. Given that young adults dominate social media use, public health communication must be tailored to their health literacy levels. Moreover, implementing health literacy interventions for young adults could support early disease and cancer prevention. Citation Format: Dayanara Ruiz. Understanding the impact of health literacy on the perceptions of health misinformation on social media in young adults [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 18th AACR Conference on the Science of Cancer Health Disparities; 2025 Sep 18-21; Baltimore, MD. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2025;34(9 Suppl):Abstract nr B090.

Background: Despite established screening guidelines, breast cancer screening rates are below targeted goals. Pharmacists and other health care providers can promote breast cancer screening using tools such as social media. However, little is known about the use of social media among the breast cancer screening eligible population.&#x0D; Objective: To describe the health information sharing behavior using social media of the breast cancer screening eligible population, and to identify if sharing health information on social media was associated with breast cancer screening.&#x0D; Methods and materials: Data from the 2013 Health Information National Trends Survey were analyzed using descriptive statistics and bivariate logistic regression to evaluate the association between sharing health information on social media and receipt of a mammogram.&#x0D; Results: Women sharing health information via social media were significantly younger than those who did not. A significantly higher percentage of Hispanics (17.8%) and other races (27.0%) chose to share health information on social media compared to African Americans (8.6%) and Whites (12.9%). Mammogram rates did not differ based on social media health information sharing habits.&#x0D; Conclusion: Race and age differences were noted in health information sharing behavior. No association was found between health information sharing behavior and breast cancer screening.&#x0D; Conflict of Interest&#x0D; We declare no conflicts of interest or financial interests that the authors or members of their immediate families have in any product or service discussed in the manuscript, including grants (pending or received), employment, gifts, stock holdings or options, honoraria, consultancies, expert testimony, patents and royalties&#x0D; &#x0D; Type: Original Research

Global Challenge of Health Communication: Infodemia in the Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) Pandemic

Social media is now the primary form of communication among tourists and has soared in popularity, which has directly impacted the spread of the phenomenon of viral content marketing. Viral social media content and information functions as a great source of information for tourists as it provides greater reach accessibility and exposure that offline marketing cannot achieve. However, little attention has been given by tourism scholars in assessing the level of trust in social media information and tourists’ satisfaction after visiting viral attractions. This study examines the mediation effect of satisfaction on the relationship between social media information trust and behavioural intention in viral cafés in Ipoh, Perak. The data was obtained from 385 tourists who visited viral cafes in Ipoh and analysed using the SEM-PLS approach. The finding indicates that satisfaction mediates the relationship between social media information trust and behavioural intention. Importantly, social media information trust has a significant relationship with tourists’ behavioural intention with the presence of satisfaction. The study results suggested that destination managers and marketers need to be creative in establishing trustable social media information as trust serves as a highly important aspect in influencing tourists’ behavioural intention and future decision-making.

Navigating Social Media in #Ophthalmology

Investigate the association between perceptions of health misinformation on social media and trust in the health care system among US adults, and to assess whether this association varies by frequency of health care visits, perceived health care quality and experiences of medical care discrimination. Cross-sectional survey study using data from the 2022 Health Information National Trends Survey 6 (HINTS 6). Analysis was conducted on data collected from March to November 2022. Participants included 3805 adults who reported using social media and had at least one health care visit in the past year. Survey-weighted, multivariable logistic regression models were used to assess associations. Among those who reported high trust in the health care system, 65.1% perceived less than substantial health misinformation on social media, whereas 34.9% perceived substantial misinformation. In multivariable models, participants who perceived substantial health misinformation on social media had higher odds of reporting low trust in the health care system (OR: 1.66; 95% CI: 1.11-2.48). This association between misinformation and trust varied by perceived health care quality and experiences of discrimination. Among those perceiving less than substantial misinformation, the probability of low trust was 11% (95% CI: 9-13) for individuals without medical care discrimination and 33% (95% CI: 20-45) for those reporting discrimination. The interactions between misinformation and health care visit frequency and quality were not statistically significant. Perceptions of substantial social media health misinformation were associated with lower trust in the US health care system, particularly among individuals reporting experiences of medical care discrimination.

The massive spread of false information on social media has become a global risk especially in a global pandemic situation like COVID-19. False information detection has thus become a surging research topic in recent months. In recent years, supervised machine learning models have been used to automatically identify false information in social media. However, most of these machine learning models focus only on the language they were trained on. Given the fact that social media platforms are being used in different languages, managing machine learning models for each and every language separately would be chaotic. In this research, we experiment with multilingual models to identify false information in social media by using two recently released multilingual false information detection datasets. We show that multilingual models perform on par with the monolingual models and sometimes even better than the monolingual models to detect false information in social media making them more useful in real-world scenarios.

Background Individuals use social media platforms and online forums to share personal and general health information, as well as interact with others who have similar health and medical issues. Purpose This study examines how social media health information exchange is related to interpersonal patient-health care provider (HCP) communication, health care discrimination, and trust in the U.S. health care system. Methods Informed by the social ecological model, we employed multiple linear regression to examine data from the Health Information National Trends Survey (HINTS) 7 (N = 5,195). Results For participants of color, both better interpersonal communication with HCPs and experiences of discrimination in health care interactions predicted more social media sharing and information exchange. However, higher trust in the U.S. health care system predicted less social media sharing and information exchange among participants of color. These associations were not observed among non-Hispanic White participants. Discussion Individuals who experience discrimination in the health care system and have low trust in the U.S. health care system might be more likely to engage in mediated communication about health, such as exchange health-related information. Translation to Health Education Practice Health Educators must consider how experiences of discrimination in the U.S. health care system intersect with patients’ likelihood to engage in information exchange with similar others online. It is uniquely important that HCPs and Health Educators incorporate culturally responsive approaches for working with populations who experience and/or are especially at-risk health care discrimination. Health Educators might use assessment tools or screening questions ahead of appointments to identify patients who have previously experienced prejudice and/or discrimination in health care settings or related to their health, especially related to their social media use.

The surge of spreading harmful information through digital technologies: a distressing reality in complex humanitarian emergencies