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Health Advice Is All over Social Media. Here’s How to Vet Claims
About half of those under 50 use social media or podcasts for health information, while experts warn that many influencers lack medical training.
- A new Pew Research Center survey finds about 4 in 10 U.S. adults get health information from social media or podcasts, with usage significantly higher among those under 50.
- Researchers analyzed 6,828 health and wellness influencers with at least 100,000 followers, finding only about 4 in 10 list a professional medical background; many instead describe themselves as coaches or entrepreneurs.
- Data shows 53% of uninsured people rely on social media for health info, compared to 38% of insured individuals, though about 1 in 10 report feeling more confused by this content.
- Courtney Babilya, a certified medical exercise specialist with more than 430,000 Instagram followers, warns "we have to be careful with people who have an experience in one thing and suddenly become a coach on that."
- Ash Milton of the University of Minnesota advises users to actively curate feeds using "Hidden Words" on Instagram or "Not Interested" on TikTok, while Daoud suggests confirming all online health advice with a trusted medical provider.
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Health advice is all over social media. Here’s how to vet claims
Health and wellness advice is available in abundance on social media — from trendy to informative to straight-up disinformation — and you’re far from alone in seeing it. A new survey by the Pew Research Center finds that about 4 in 10 U.S. adults — and around half of those under 50 — get health information from social media or podcasts. Researchers also looked at the social media profiles of 6,828 health and wellness influencers with at least 10…
·Washington, United States
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Total News Sources32
Leaning Left16Leaning Right2Center12Last UpdatedBias Distribution53% Left
Bias Distribution
- 53% of the sources lean Left
53% Left
L 53%
C 40%
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