S.22/E.14

Social Media Health Advice:  How Do You Vet It?

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Welcome to PodcastDx, the show that helps you make sense of your health. I'm Jean Marie McNamara.  I'm joining you today with Lita Tomas, our Production Manager and of our co-hosts, Ron Rispoli (our third co-host) will not be with us today.

Think about the last time you had a health question. Maybe it was a new symptom, a medication side effect, or a diet everyone seems to be talking about. Did you call your doctor first? Or did you open YouTube, TikTok, or a Facebook group?

If it was your phone, you're not alone. More than half of American adults now use social media to find health information and advice at least occasionally. But fewer than one in ten say they trust most of what they see there.

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So we're scrolling for answers we don't fully trust. And in a feed full of doctors, influencers, wellness coaches and people telling their own stories, it can be hard to tell good advice from bad.

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That's what we're tackling today. We'll talk about where people go online with medical questions, why some advice spreads so fast, and the red flags that should make you stop and look twice. Most important, you'll leave with simple ways to check whether something you saw online is worth bringing to your doctor, or worth ignoring.

Whether you're a patient, a caregiver, or just someone who's ever gotten health advice from a stranger online, this episode is for you.

Let's get started.