THRIVE Medical Misinformation 2nd of 2

Succeed and Soar’s “Thrive! “presents practices that can improve life. This post presents Part 2 of 2 articles on Medical Misinformation [See Part 1of 2]. First, thank you to Kelsey Cowles, MLIS; Rachel Suppok, MLIS, & Rebekah Miller, MLIS for providing these insights from the Research & Instruction Librarians at the University of Pittsburgh Health Sciences Library System.

Following the first, “Medical Misinformation Alert” post, keep in mind, if a health claim seems suspicious, investigate. Before trusting or sharing that advice, investigate. Check the information source. This might involve Googling a website to learn what other sources say. Go beyond the site’s “About” page. Find an influencer for external perspective.

Question credentials (if any). Are they relevant? What have experts said about them, if anything? Do the sources seem suspicious? If backgrounds don’t seem reliable, seek more information. For instance, if you saw a claim that celery juice cures diabetes, Google “celery juice diabetes.”  Study the results. Try to pick sources that seem reliable. Keep in mind, AI overviews at the top of search results can be inaccurate.

Here are trustworthy, online health information resources:

1. MedlinePlus – from the National Library of Medicine, this sites provides information about drugs, procedures, and conditions.
2. Science Feedback – experts review health claims, investigate what the scientific evidence says then share conclusions and summaries. Here are more fact-checking websites.
3. Based on Science – experts answer common health questions.

As Kelsey Cowles, MLIS; Rachel Suppok, MLIS, and Rebekah Miller, MLIS recommend, when not sure about health advice, investigate claims before trusting or sharing. Asking a trusted physician or pharmacist are also great options.