Sixty-one percent of physicians said their patients were influenced by medical misinformation at least a moderate amount over the past year, according to a survey from the Physician’s Foundation.
The report, which surveyed more than 1,000 physicians, explored the impact of health misinformation and disinformation on physicians and patient care.
Here are five key findings:
1. Among surveyed rural physicians, 38% reported encountering a great deal of misinformation and disinformation from patients, compared with 21% of suburban physicians and 25% of urban physicians.
2. Eighty-six percent of physicians said the amount of medical misinformation and disinformation has increased compared to five years ago, with half reporting a significant increase.
3. Fifty-seven percent of physicians said misinformation and disinformation have a significant impact on their ability to deliver quality patient care.
4. Half of physicians expressed high confidence in identifying and correcting misinformation during appointments, while 47% felt somewhat confident. Only 10% said they lack the tools and support to engage with patients who are skeptical of modern medicine or science.
5. Forty percent of physicians said they are not at all confident that their patients know how to access reliable, evidence-based health information online.
