Google Alerts brought a new article to my inbox from Becker’s Spine Review titled “Spine’s Most Dangerous Trends: 22 Insights”. Among the about 7 total overriding issues, one really stood out to me based on misinformation and patient education. In a nutshell, the article says the proliferation of unverified medical advice online leads patients to pursue surgical interventions prematurely, often without adequately attempting conservative treatments like physical therapy. This trend increases the risk of complications and prolonged disability.[1] That got me to thinking, can I put quantitative measurements to this statement?
Social Media
Of course, many people are familiar with the highlight of misinformation during the COVID-19 pandemic. Still, I would assume that with the inception of the internet, this wasn’t a problem that had just recently reared its ugly head. I located an article in the Journal of Medical Internet Research, which analyzed the challenges posed by health misinformation on social media platforms. The study notes that “inequalities in health outcomes are exacerbated by a widening digital divide.”[2]
According to the Edelman Trust Barometer, 38% of young adults (ages 18–34) reported disregarding their provider’s advice in favor of advice from social media—a 12 percentage point increase from the previous year.[3] About two-thirds of young people report consuming health information from either traditional healthcare sources or social media, and 44% of Gen Zers use YouTube before consulting their doctor.[4] Social media is not only a source of information but also shapes decision-making: 41% of consumers use social media to help decide which doctors or hospitals to choose, and more than 40% say information found via social media affects how they manage their health. [5,6] Among 18–24-year-olds, 90% trust medical information shared by others on social media networks, indicating that social media is a powerful source of perceived credibility for health advice in this age group.[5]
The increased reliance on social media is contributing to a decline in trust in healthcare institutions and professionals, with more patients, especially young adults, believing that their own research or peer advice can be as valid as a doctor’s opinion. Just under half (45%) of those ages 18–34 agree that the average person who’s done their own research can know as much as a doctor, compared to only 22% of adults over 55.[7]
THE SILVER LINING
Social media can also enhance trust when doctors use it professionally to share accurate medical knowledge. Studies show that when doctors post professional content, it fosters trust and improves patient adherence and outcomes. However, sharing personal or unprofessional content can erode patient trust and adherence.[8]
“Dr. Google”
Most adults begin their health information search via search engines (77%), followed by specialized health sites (13%), general reference sites (2%), and social networks (1%) [9] (Take these numbers with a grain of salt as the report was created in 2013 and I could not find any updates from Pew Research Center) However, more current data shows that approximately 58.5% of adults have used the internet in the past year to seek health or medical information. [10] The most common use is searching for information on specific health conditions (90.2% of online health seekers), followed by advice on medications (60.3%) and treatments. 41.5% of adults have used the internet to communicate with a doctor or doctor’s office, with the highest usage among those aged 30–44 (47.7%). [11] The use of smartphones and mobile internet has made health information more accessible, supporting decision-making and promoting healthy behaviors. [12]
THE SILVER LINING
As of May 2025, Google remains the most widely used search engine globally, commanding a significant majority of the market share. According to StatCounter, as of April 2025, the global search engine market shares are Google (89.66%), Bing (3.88%), Yandex (2.53%), Yahoo! (1.31%), DuckDuckGo (0.84%), and Baidu (0.72%). [13] With the acquisition of YouTube in 2006, many people who are using “Dr. Google” are finding results from YouTube. (read my article on “If you’re in spine, you need to be on YouTube—here’s why” if you want more details on why this is a good thing.)
How Doctors’ Presence on the Internet Can Help Combat Misinformation
1. Providing Accurate, Evidence-Based Information
- When doctors actively participate in online platforms and social media, they can share high-quality, evidence-based medical information, increasing the availability and visibility of trustworthy content for the public. [14, 15]
- Physicians are more likely to mention potential harms and provide balanced information, which can help counteract the often promotional and anecdotal tone of misleading posts. [16]
2. Real-Time Engagement and Correction
- Doctors can respond in real time to trending misinformation, correcting false claims and providing context, which helps prevent the spread of myths before they take hold. [14]
- By authoring posts, sharing media, and engaging in discussions, doctors fill the expertise gap and offer empirically supported alternatives where misinformation is prevalent. [15]
3. “Information Prescriptions” and Patient Education
- Physicians can give patients “information prescriptions”—guidance on how to identify legitimate health information and resources for reliable content, empowering patients to navigate online health information more safely. [14]
- Comprehensive patient education resources, such as those offered by reputable medical institutions, can preemptively combat misinformation before it reaches patients. [14]
4. Community Engagement and Health Literacy
- Establishing a professional online presence enables doctors to participate in community education, public health campaigns, and health literacy initiatives, both online and offline. [16]
- Partnering with communities to develop and disseminate public health messages strengthens the reach and credibility of accurate health information. [16]
5. Monitoring and Early Detection
- Doctors’ online activity helps monitor misinformation trends, allowing for early detection and targeted interventions to address emerging myths or harmful narratives. [16, 17]
References
[1] Behm, C., & Behm, C. (2025, May 20). Spine’s most dangerous trends: 22 insights. Becker’s Spine Review. https://www.beckersspine.com/spine/spines-most-dangerous-trends-22-insights/
[2] Kbaier, D., Kane, A., McJury, M., & Kenny, I. (2022). The Prevalence of health misinformation on social Media: Scoping Literature Review of Challenges and mitigation before, during, and Beyond the COVID-19 Pandemic (Preprint). Journal of Medical Internet Research, 26, e38786. https://doi.org/10.2196/38786
[3] Edelman. (2025). 2025 Edelman Trust Barometer Special Report: Trust and Health (pp. 2–10).
[4] Driver, M. (2025, May 14). Gen Z is turning to social media, not doctors, for health advice. https://thejournalofmhealth.com/gen-z-is-turning-to-social-media-not-doctors-for-health-advice/
[5] Click, N. O., & Click, N. O. (2025, February 8). Leveraging social media for Medical Marketing: Key Insights for 2025. Net One Click : Medical Marketing. https://www.netoneclick.com/leveraging-social-media/
[6] Honigman, B., & Honigman, B. (2024, April 4). 24 Stats on How Social Media has Impacted the Healthcare Industry. ReferralMD. https://getreferralmd.com/healthcare-social-media-statistics/
[7] Heath, S. (2025, April 25). Trust in healthcare wanes as patients turn to social media. Patient Engagement. https://www.techtarget.com/patientengagement/news/366623173/Trust-in-healthcare-wanes-as-patients-turn-to-social-media
[8] Sun, Q., Tang, G., Xu, W., & Zhang, S. (2024). Social media stethoscope: unraveling how doctors’ social media behavior affects patient adherence and treatment outcome. Frontiers in Public Health, 12. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2024.1459536
[9] Geiger, A. (2024, April 14). Majority of adults look online for health information. Pew Research Center. https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2013/02/01/majority-of-adults-look-online-for-health-information/
[10] Wang, X., & Cohen, R. A. (2023). Health Information Technology Use among Adults: United States, July-December 2022. https://doi.org/10.15620/cdc:133700
[11] Yun, H. S., & Bickmore, T. (2024). Online health information seeking in the era of large language models: Cross-Sectional Online Survey Study (PREPRINT). Journal of Medical Internet Research. https://doi.org/10.2196/68560
[12] Fang, Z., Liu, Y., & Peng, B. (2024). Empowering older adults: bridging the digital divide in online health information seeking. Humanities and Social Sciences Communications, 11(1). https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-024-04312-7
[13] Search engine market share worldwide | StatCounter Global Stats. (n.d.). StatCounter Global Stats. https://gs.statcounter.com/search-engine-market-share
[14] Rosenbaum, MPH, MA, L. (2024, September 30). Cancer Misinformation Dominates Social Media. Here’s How Doctors Can Fight Back. UCSF Department of Epidemiology & Biostatistics. https://epibiostat.ucsf.edu/news/cancer-misinformation-dominates-social-media-heres-how-doctors-can-fight-back
[15] Demyan, PhD, RYT, A., & Cosio, PhD, ABPP, D. (2025, February 25). When Patients Bring Up Conspiracy Theories. MedCentral. https://www.medcentral.com/biz-policy/when-patients-bring-up-conspiracy-theories
[16] Nickel, B., Moynihan, R., Gram, E. G., Copp, T., Taba, M., Shih, P., Heiss, R., Gao, M., & Zadro, J. R. (2025). Social media posts about medical tests with potential for overdiagnosis. JAMA Network Open, 8(2), e2461940. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.61940
[17] Denniss, E., & Lindberg, R. (2025). Social media and the spread of misinformation: infectious and a threat to public health. Health Promotion International, 40(2). https://doi.org/10.1093/heapro/daaf023
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