Vaccines have become a hot topic in public health, with some parents opting out do not vaccinate their children against certain diseases due to widespread misinformation. Among the most common myths is that measles, mumps and rubella vaccine causes autism in children and that the COVID-19 vaccines have caused more deaths than the virus itself.
Many of these false claims are spread online by anti-vaccination activists.
A recent follow-up survey of health information and trust, conducted by the Kaiser Family Foundation, an independent source of health policy research, tested these claims.
The survey, published Tuesday, looked at four widespread anti-vaccine myths: MMR vaccines cause autism in children; The MMR vaccine is more dangerous than measles; more people die from COVID-19 vaccines than from the virus itself; and mRNA targets can change your DNA.
A representative for the Kaiser Family Foundation did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The survey surveyed 2,480 US adults and found that those who use social media for health information and advice at least weekly (26% of all adults) are more likely than those who never use social media for health to say that each false vaccine claim is “probably” or “definitely true.”
The relationship between belief in vaccine myths and the use of social media or AI for health information.
The findings are similar when the study looks at people who rely on AI chatbots for health advice. The results showed that 35% of adults who use AI chatbots at least weekly for health advice believe the measles and mRNA vaccine myths, compared to 20% of non-chatbot users.
Although only a small percentage of adults believe the health myths shared by AI chatbots, the findings underscore broader concerns about trust in the US health care system.
Research has found that those who may not fall for vaccine myths tend to have a trusted health care provider. When asked if more people die from the COVID-19 vaccine than the virus, 46% of adults without a trusted health care provider agreed “probably” or “definitely true.” This is almost twice the share of people with a trusted health care provider (24%) who disagree with these claims.
People who have a provider they trust are less likely than those who don’t to believe myths related to the vaccine.
These figures also extended to parents who skipped or delayed vaccinating their children. Parents who opposed vaccinating their children were 25% more likely to say that vaccine myths were “very true” or “probably true,” compared to parents who did vaccinate their children.
The survey also analyzed the data collectively and showed that there is an opportunity to regain trust in vaccines among those in the “soft middle.” While some people were completely against the policy and others were in full support, at least half of the adults surveyed were unsure. The survey suggests that this is the group that should be targeted to address vaccine hesitancy.
CNET previously reported that the spread of incorrect health information online it indicates a problem within our health care system. As access to basic care and diagnosis becomes more limited and less affordable, more people are turning to social media or AI for free answers they can’t get elsewhere.
Others are drawn to information — even if it’s false — from health advocates who seem to have the answers, because they share relevant, professional-looking content. With gaps in access to healthcare and the growing use of social media and AI chats, vaccine misinformation can easily spread among vulnerable populations.