Health Information and Trust

The monitor

Nearly 10% of cancer research papers showed signs of being fabricated by “paper mills” that sell manuscripts at industrial scale, with the share increasing exponentially over time, according to new research. The problem may intensify as generative AI becomes more sophisticated, prompting lawmakers to demand information from federal agencies about safeguards in place.

Plus, persistent claims that physicians are financially incentivized to promote vaccines may be contributing to vaccine hesitancy and declining trust, even as recent analyses show doctors typically break even or lose money when administering vaccines.

Polling

Trust and Confidence in the CDC Remain at Low Point After Changes to Recommended Childhood Vaccines

Weeks after the Trump administration reduced the number of childhood vaccine recommended for routine use, public trust in the CDC is at its lowest since the COVID-19 pandemic, and less than half are confident in federal agencies’ ability to make such recommendations. Among those who have heard about the revised recommendations, more say they expect the changes to have a negative impact than a positive one on children’s health. Read the News Release.

Interactive Dashboard: KFF Polling on Health Information and Trust

Drawing on KFF’s poll findings, this interactive dashboard tracks the public’s trusted sources for health information, attitudes toward vaccines, and use of news, social media, and AI for health-related information. It provides visual representations of the key trends in the public’s trust in health information and tracks exposure to and belief in false and unproven health claims.

Subscribe to KFF Emails

Choose which emails are best for you.
Sign up here

Filter

71 - 80 of 123 Results

  • How Abortion Misinformation Gives Rise to Restrictive Abortion Laws — The Monitor

    Feature

    This volume explores false claims suggesting abortions occur after birth, misleading narratives around the safety abortion pills, like mifepristone, and other tactics used to distort the safety of abortions. It also explores research on the acceptance of health misinformation and the proliferation of AI-generated fake news sites.

  • Falsehoods About Transgender People and Gender Affirming Care — The Monitor

    Feature

    This volume explores politically motivated misinformation targeting gender-affirming care, transgender people, and its impact on online discourse, legislation, and health care access. We also examine Florida Surgeon General Ladapo's recent misleading claims about mRNA vaccines and new technology that can predict if social media users will share disinformation.

  • Springfield, Ohio: How Candidates Amplify Misinformation

    From Drew Altman

    In his latest column, KFF President and CEO Drew Altman explains the impact of misinformation about immigrants, examining the challenges of correcting misinformation shared by candidates or potentially amplifying it.

  • Misinformation About Immigrants in the 2024 Presidential Election

    Poll Finding

    With the 2024 election season underway, a large majority of the public reports hearing false claims about immigrants from candidates or elected officials, and many immigrants say Donald Trump's rhetoric in particular is negatively affecting how they are treated. This poll finding also gauges understanding about U.S. immigrants' eligibility for government benefits programs.

  • Vaccine Misinformation Spreads as Children Head Back to School — The Monitor

    Feature

    This edition highlights vaccine hesitancy and misinformation around MMR (measles, mumps, and rubella) vaccines as children return to school and measles cases resurge in parts of the U.S. It also examines emerging narratives around COVID-19 vaccine misinformation following the FDA approval of COVID-19 boosters and false claims linking mpox to the vaccines.