Good and bad health information

What it is

Many people look up health questions online, and the answers range from excellent to dangerous. Knowing a few questions to ask makes it much easier to tell them apart.

Questions to ask about any source

The US National Library of Medicine suggests these:¹

Who's in charge? Who runs it, why, and can you contact them?
Who pays? Does it have ads, and are they labeled? If a company funds it, the information may favor that company's products.
Where does the information come from? Are there sources you can check?
Do experts review it?
Does it avoid unbelievable or emotional claims?
Is it up to date?
What does it do with your personal information?

Strong sources

The most reliable health information comes from professional medical bodies and public health agencies, which base their advice on reviews of all the research rather than a single study or experience. Examples include ACOG, the NHS, the WHO, the CDC, MedlinePlus and large academic medical centers. That's why this course cites them.

Social media

Social media is where many people learn about health, and real stories can make people feel less alone. But stories aren't evidence. In a study of the top 100 TikTok videos tagged #hormonalbirthcontrol, half were made by patients sharing their experience, and of the 20 videos meant to educate, 55% had misleading, inaccurate or non-evidence-based information.² On fertility, ACOG notes that only 10% of social media posts in one study came from physicians, and that 72.2% of videos from creators with a profit motive included non-evidence-based information.³

Myth: If lots of people say it online, it must be true.

It's natural to trust something you hear again and again, especially from people who sound like you. But repetition isn't proof. A claim is only as good as the evidence behind it, so check it against a trusted source before acting on it.

Red flags

promises of a cure, a "secret" or a quick fix
one person's story offered as proof
someone selling the product they're recommending
advice to stop a medicine or skip a doctor
no sources, no author, or no date

Recap

Ask who runs the source, who pays for it, where the information comes from, whether experts review it and how current it is.
Be wary of emotional claims, miracle cures and anything that's selling something.
In one study, over half of educational TikToks about hormonal birth control were misleading.
Personal stories are valuable for support but aren't proof. Check facts against a trusted source.

Words to know 2

evidence-based	Based on the results of good research, not opinion or a single experience.
guideline	Advice from a professional body, such as ACOG or the NHS, based on reviewing all the research.