Despite the growing number of artificial intelligence sources of health information, 85% of U.S. adults still get their information from their providers “at least sometimes,” a new study finds.
Pew Research Center researchers surveyed 5,111 U.S. adults from Oct. 20 to Oct. 26 for the report. Researchers identified six main sources of health information other than health care providers:
- People with similar health issues: 66%
- Major health information site: 60%
- Press: 46%
- Government health agency: 45%
- Social media: 36%
- AI chatbot: 22%
Healthcare providers received the highest ratings for the quality of information provided, with 55% of respondents saying the information was easy to understand, 52% saying it was personalized, and 49% saying it was convenient to obtain.
Seventy-three percent of respondents reported using three or more of the specified sources. Researchers are looking at how factors such as insurance coverage, education, and age influence the sources of information patients seek, and how patients view the accuracy of that information.
About two-thirds (65%) of people who have received health information from a health care provider say the information is very or very accurate. Conversely, social media was considered the least reliable source of information, with only 7% of respondents believing it to be “very/extremely” accurate.
The researchers noted that there was “significant overlap” between respondents seeking health information on social media and via AI chatbots, with 61% using both.
The convenience of obtaining information through these sources was highly rated among respondents. 40% said using social media was “very/extremely” useful for getting information, and 48% said the same about using AI chatbots.
Respondents also had varying experiences in determining the accuracy of health information, regardless of the source, with half of respondents saying that determining accuracy is at least somewhat difficult. Additionally, 76% of respondents said they at least sometimes come across conflicting information, and 54% said it was difficult to know what to trust.
