Most U.S. Adults Report Health-Related Engagement With Social Media

MONDAY, July 13, 2026 (HealthDay News) -- Most U.S. adults using social media report some health-related engagement with social media, according to a research letter published online June 30 in the Journal of the American Medical Association.Aline F. Pedroso, Ph.D., from the Yale School of Medicine in New Haven, Connecticut, and colleagues examined patterns of health-related engagement with social media and U.S. adults with and without chronic conditions in a study using data from 7,278 respondents from the 2024 Health Information National Trends Survey.The researchers found that 87.8 percent of adults reported social media use, representing 228 million individuals. Engagement with health-related content was common among social media users, with 84.8 and 70.2 percent reporting sharing personal or general health information and participating in online communities, respectively. Overall, 21.6 percent of users reported making health-related decisions based on social media content; 77.7 percent reported believing that health information encountered on social media was false or misleading. Social media use was reported by 85.5 percent of 4,590 adults with chronic conditions; these adults were less likely to share health information via social media or participate in online communities than those without chronic conditions (odds ratios, 0.60 and 0.67, respectively). Overall social media use was lower among older adults and residents of rural areas (odds ratios, 0.16 and 0.47, respectively) and among those with lower educational attainment."Social media is a key component of the health information environment for U.S. adults with and without chronic conditions, highlighting the need for approaches to enhance the accuracy of health content and counter artificial intelligence-amplified misinformation," the authors write.One author disclosed ties to the pharmaceutical industry.Abstract/Full Text (subscription or payment may be required).Sign up for our weekly HealthDay newsletter

Most U.S. Adults Report Health-Related Engagement With Social Media

Related Stories

New KFF Poll Reveals Who Is Most Likely To Endorse Vaccine Myths

U.K. Moves To Ban Social Media For Children

Influencers, Booze, and Teens: What's Showing Up in Their Feeds?

Influencers, Booze And Teens: What's Showing Up In Their Feeds?