A majority of the general public believes at least one unproven or false health claim, according to an April 22 survey from the Edelman Trust Institute.
The survey is based on insights from more than 16,000 respondents across 16 countries, including the U.S., between Feb. 28 and March 11.
Overall, 70% of respondents reported believing in at least one false health claim. Of those, 29% reported believing three or more false claims were true.
Below are the health claims respondents were asked about, along with the percentage who reported believing in them:
- Animal protein is healthier than plant-based protein — 32%
- Fluoride in water is harmful or unhelpful to health — 32%
- Risk of childhood vaccinations outweighs benefits — 31%
- Raw milk is healthier than pasteurized — 28%
- Acetaminophen/paracetamol use during pregnancy causes autism — 25%
- Vaccines are used for population control — 25%
The finding “blows the lid off of this idea” that only a fringe population holds such beliefs, David Bersoff, PhD, head of research at the Edelman Trust Institute, told Nature. “This is not like a small problematic group.”
The findings underscore the scale of healthcare misinformation and may present ongoing challenges for health systems and clinicians working to build trust, improve patient education and drive evidence-based care.
See the full survey here.
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