Older adults experience repeated exposure to inaccurate health information

The Missouri CEAL Regional Team examined how inaccurate information can influence people's health decisions. Adults in St. Louis participated in weekly phone surveys asking if they had read or seen inaccurate claims about COVID-19 vaccines. Those who replied “yes” were asked where they had heard or seen the claim. The team counted the number of weeks people said they’d been exposed to each claim and looked at these results by age, sex, race, and whether they worked in a job where they regularly interacted with the community. Data were also gathered on participants’ primary sources for COVID-19 information, including how often respondents used specific social media platforms.

“Belief in health misinformation can affect individual health decisions and actions. Repeated exposure to the same misinformation strengthens its impact….” Journal of Public Health Management & Practice, September-October 2024

Study findings revealed that repeated exposure to inaccurate information about COVID-19 was common among adults aged 50 or older. This finding expands on existing literature that suggests older adults are particularly susceptible to inaccurate information, meaning the more often older adults are exposed to faulty health information, the more likely they are to trust that claim. The authors suggest that programs addressing inaccurate health information should focus on older adults and include strategies that address repeated exposure to such claims.

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