Racial and Demographic Disparities in Susceptibility to Health Misinformation on Social Media: National Survey-Based Analysis

Abstract

Background: Social 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.

Objective: This 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.

Methods: Data 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.

Results: Over 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.

Conclusions: This 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.

Keywords: digital divide; health information; health misinformation; interventions; national survey-based analysis; racial disparities; social media.