Medical misinformation is still a problem, impacting patient outcomes and making it harder for physicians to treat their patients. A survey conducted by Morning Consult on behalf of the de Beaumont Foundation found that around 75% of physicians said inaccurate medical information has had an impact on their ability to treat patients. Medical misinformation existed before the COVID-19 pandemic, but it has been exacerbated by its politicization. This has had a spillover effect on actual medical practice, with physicians saying they struggle to treat patients who bring inaccurate research into the exam room.
Medical misinformation has been a growing concern for several years now, with its impact on patient outcomes becoming increasingly apparent. According to a recent poll conducted by Morning Consult on behalf of the de Beaumont Foundation, nearly three-quarters of physicians state that inaccurate medical information has made it harder for them to treat patients and has adversely impacted patient outcomes.
This has been compounded by the politicization of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has made the issue of medical misinformation even more pressing. The survey of more than 800 physicians showed that politicization and misleading medical claims have had a spillover effect on actual medical practice. Around four in 10 (44 percent) physicians said that half the research their patients bring into the exam room is inaccurate.
The survey also revealed that 72 percent of physicians said medical misinformation makes it harder for them to treat their patients, and the same proportion said medical misinformation has adversely impacted patient outcomes. For instance, there has been a significant impact on the COVID-19 vaccine’s uptake, which has been hampered by skepticism rooted in misinformation. While surveyed physicians overwhelmingly support the vaccine, with 92 percent saying it is safe and 91 percent of them saying it is effective, only around two-thirds of patients acknowledge the death toll that COVID-19 has had, and similarly low proportions agree that the vaccine is safe and effective.
“These findings are important for two reasons,” said Brian C. Castrucci, DrPH, president and CEO of de Beaumont. “First, it shows that despite the voices of a small majority, physicians almost universally agree that COVID vaccines are safe and effective.” Second, misinformation isn’t going away. “It’s not a COVID problem, but one that pervades many areas of health.”
Physicians are more likely than patients to perceive the threat of medical misinformation. For example, 51 percent of physicians said medical misinformation spread by providers is a big problem; only 41 percent of laypeople said the same. There is considerable discordance in how patients and providers perceive medical misinformation about COVID-19, in particular. While more than 80 percent of physicians said misinformation about COVID-19 vaccines and treatments is a big problem, only 69 and 66 percent of patients, respectively, agreed.
Physicians noted that medical misinformation about weight loss, mental health, and other vaccines are all issues. In terms of fixing the problem, it is apparent that physicians and other medical professionals have a role to play. While patients are more likely to blame physicians for providing misleading information about the spread of COVID, the effectiveness of vaccines, and the effectiveness of masks, physicians are taking it upon themselves to remedy the problem.
More than three-quarters of physicians said it is on them and their peers to combat medical misinformation about the spread of COVID, the safety and efficacy of the vaccine, other vaccines, the off-label use of drugs like hydroxychloroquine to treat COVID, and the efficacy of masks. Physicians said there are some issues that will make debunking those untruths difficult.
For one thing, patients mostly trust sources about which physicians themselves are skeptical: the internet and social media websites. While physicians are more trusting of academic journals, patients are more willing to use online web searches and social media sites like Facebook or Twitter to learn more about medical issues.
There is also a small but vocal group of physicians that may be helping spread these falsehoods. Physician respondents said there should be some consequences for providers who spread medical misinformation: 85 percent agree with a warning for a first offense, 73 percent endorse a fine for a second offense, 70 percent agree with a temporary loss of license for a third offense, and 63 percent agree with a permanent loss of license for a fourth offense.
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