Health Communication and Informatics Research Branch, Behavioral Research Program, National Cancer Institute, Rockville, MD, United States.
ICF Next, ICF, Rockville, MD, United States.
JMIR Infodemiology. 2024 Apr 30;4:e51127. doi: 10.2196/51127.
Health misinformation on social media can negatively affect knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors, undermining clinical care and public health efforts. Therefore, it is vital to better understand the public's experience with health misinformation on social media.
The goal of this analysis was to examine perceptions of the social media information environment and identify associations between health misinformation perceptions and health communication behaviors among US adults.
Analyses used data from the 2022 Health Information National Trends Survey (N=6252). Weighted unadjusted proportions described respondents' perceptions of the amount of false or misleading health information on social media ("perceived misinformation amount") and how difficult it is to discern true from false information on social media ("perceived discernment difficulty"). Weighted multivariable logistic regressions examined (1) associations of sociodemographic characteristics and subjective literacy measures with misinformation perceptions and (2) relationships between misinformation perceptions and health communication behaviors (ie, sharing personal or general health information on social media and using social media information in health decisions or in discussions with health care providers).
Over one-third of social media users (35.61%) perceived high levels of health misinformation, and approximately two-thirds (66.56%) reported high perceived discernment difficulty. Odds of perceiving high amounts of misinformation were lower among non-Hispanic Black/African American (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 0.407, 95% CI 0.282-0.587) and Hispanic (aOR 0.610, 95% CI 0.449-0.831) individuals compared to White individuals. Those with lower subjective health literacy were less likely to report high perceived misinformation amount (aOR 0.602, 95% CI 0.374-0.970), whereas those with lower subjective digital literacy were more likely to report high perceived misinformation amount (aOR 1.775, 95% CI 1.400-2.251). Compared to White individuals, Hispanic individuals had lower odds of reporting high discernment difficulty (aOR 0.620, 95% CI 0.462-0.831). Those with lower subjective digital literacy (aOR 1.873, 95% CI 1.478-2.374) or numeracy (aOR 1.465, 95% CI 1.047-2.049) were more likely to report high discernment difficulty. High perceived misinformation amount was associated with lower odds of sharing general health information on social media (aOR 0.742, 95% CI 0.568-0.968), using social media information to make health decisions (aOR 0.273, 95% CI 0.156-0.479), and using social media information in discussions with health care providers (aOR 0.460, 95% CI 0.323-0.655). High perceived discernment difficulty was associated with higher odds of using social media information in health decisions (aOR 1.724, 95% CI 1.208-2.460) and health care provider discussions (aOR 1.389, 95% CI 1.035-1.864).
Perceptions of high health misinformation prevalence and discernment difficulty are widespread among social media users, and each has unique associations with sociodemographic characteristics, literacy, and health communication behaviors. These insights can help inform future health communication interventions.
社交媒体上的健康错误信息可能会对知识、态度和行为产生负面影响，从而破坏临床护理和公共卫生工作。因此，更好地了解公众在社交媒体上对健康错误信息的体验至关重要。
本分析的目的是调查对社交媒体信息环境的看法，并确定对健康错误信息的看法与美国成年人的健康沟通行为之间的关联。
分析使用了 2022 年健康信息国家趋势调查（N=6252）的数据。未加权的未调整比例描述了受访者对社交媒体上虚假或误导性健康信息的数量的看法（“感知错误信息数量”），以及在社交媒体上辨别真假信息的难度（“感知辨别难度”）。加权多变量逻辑回归检验了（1）社会人口统计学特征和主观识字率测量值与错误信息看法之间的关联，以及（2）错误信息看法与健康沟通行为之间的关系（即，在社交媒体上分享个人或一般健康信息，以及在健康决策或与医疗保健提供者的讨论中使用社交媒体信息）。
超过三分之一的社交媒体用户（35.61%）认为存在大量的健康错误信息，大约三分之二（66.56%）报告说辨别难度很高。与白人相比，非西班牙裔黑人和非洲裔美国人（调整后的优势比[OR]0.407，95%置信区间[CI]0.282-0.587）和西班牙裔（调整后的 OR 0.610，95% CI 0.449-0.831）个体感知到大量错误信息的可能性较低。主观健康素养较低的人不太可能报告感知到大量错误信息（调整后的 OR 0.602，95% CI 0.374-0.970），而主观数字素养较低的人更有可能报告感知到大量错误信息（调整后的 OR 1.775，95% CI 1.400-2.251）。与白人相比，西班牙裔个体报告感知到高辨别难度的可能性较低（调整后的 OR 0.620，95% CI 0.462-0.831）。主观数字素养较低的人（调整后的 OR 1.873，95% CI 1.478-2.374）或计算能力较低的人（调整后的 OR 1.465，95% CI 1.047-2.049）更有可能报告感知到高辨别难度。感知到大量错误信息与在社交媒体上分享一般健康信息的可能性较低（调整后的 OR 0.742，95% CI 0.568-0.968）、使用社交媒体信息做出健康决策（调整后的 OR 0.273，95% CI 0.156-0.479）以及在与医疗保健提供者的讨论中使用社交媒体信息（调整后的 OR 0.460，95% CI 0.323-0.655）的可能性较低有关。感知到高辨别难度与使用社交媒体信息做出健康决策（调整后的 OR 1.724，95% CI 1.208-2.460）和医疗保健提供者讨论（调整后的 OR 1.389，95% CI 1.035-1.864）的可能性较高有关。
社交媒体用户普遍认为健康错误信息的流行程度和辨别难度很高，两者都与社会人口统计学特征、识字率和健康沟通行为有独特的关联。这些见解可以帮助为未来的健康沟通干预措施提供信息。
