Last Updated on April 7, 2023 by Team THIP
During International Fact Checking Day 2023, THIP Media released the results of a survey indicating that a significant portion of the Indian population feels unprepared to identify reliable health information on the internet. The study was done to find how Indians consume health information online.
Summary of the survey
The study found that 62% of respondents admitted to not knowing how to identify trustworthy health information online, leaving them vulnerable to misinformation and potential harm. Additionally, 55% of those surveyed felt they needed help in determining the accuracy of health claims, highlighting a lack of confidence in their ability to assess the veracity of online health information.
The survey also revealed that 59% of Indians worry about falling prey to health misinformation and getting hurt without realizing it. Furthermore, 48% feared misinformation related to critical health conditions, while 36% believed that misinformation about alternative medicines is most dangerous. These findings underscore the need for greater awareness and education on the importance of seeking out credible health information from reputable sources.
Interestingly, the survey found a significant lack of trust in doctors and a higher dependency on online health content. While 49% of people agreed they would follow their doctor’s treatment suggestions, 28% admitted to cross-checking their doctor’s advice through internet searches, indicating a growing trend of relying on unverified sources of health information.
The survey also found that two in every five Indians were not aware of fact-checking helplines, which could provide them with reliable and accurate health information.
Survey methodology and respondent demography
The survey was conducted by Cyber Media Research on behalf of THIP Media among 1500 Indians. The survey respondents were from Delhi, Chennai, Bengaluru, Kolkata, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad and Pune. The respondents were aged between 23 to 50. 64 percent of the respondents were male and 36 percent were female.
Results of the survey
Do you know how to identify credible health information online?
Only 38% of the respondents agree that they are confident enough to identify credible health information online. A majority of the respondents, 62% accept that they do not how to identify credible health information online. The response shows the vulnerability of people towards falling prey to health misinformation.
Do you trust or act on health information that you find online?
As high as 64% of the respondents agree that they follow or act on online health advices sometimes. Another 35% agree that they always follow health advices that they read online. Only 1% of the respondents said that they do not follow health advices given online.
This clearly shows the risk of the population from any widespread and dangerous health misinformation at any point of time.
How do you trust your doctor’s advice on critical health issues?
While 49% of the respondents said that they follow their doctor’s advice on critical health issues, 17% said that they seek a second opinion from other doctors. However, the most concerning part was where 28% of the respondents said that they always crosscheck their doctor’s advice against what is written on internet. This shows an unwavering trust on online health information. The response shows the constantly eroding trust in doctor-patient relationship.
Do you think you need help to understand if a health information online is true or false?
55% of the respondents feel that they need help to understand whether an online health information is true or not. This is in line with a majority population who also felt that they do not how to identify credible health misinformation.
Do you think you can fall prey to health misinformation without realising it?
59% of the respondents fear that they can fall prey to health misinformation even without realising it. This establish an existing fear within the population about being hurt from misinformation. Only 41% of the respondents were confident that they will not fall prey to health misinformation.
What according to you is the most dangerous type of health misinformation?
Misinformation about critical health diseases is what thought to be the most dangerous type of health misinformation by a majority (48%) of the respondents. While another 36% thinks that misinformation about alternative medicines is the most dangerous type of health misinformation.
Are you aware of fact check helpline numbers that can help you understand truth behind an online message?
39% of the respondents have never heard of a fact check helpline. Another 245 responded by agreeing to have heard about fact checking helplines but never to have used it. This establishes the need of a widespread awareness campaign in popularising the fact checking helpline numbers.
Disclaimer: Medical Science is an ever evolving field. We strive to keep this page updated. In case you notice any discrepancy in the content, please inform us at [email protected]. You can futher read our Correction Policy here. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay seeking medical treatment because of something you have read on or accessed through this website or it's social media channels. Read our Full Disclaimer Here for further information.
