Wellness Influencers Blur the Line Between Advice and Misinformation
There are a lot of self‑billed “wellness influencers” on social media who claim, in one form or another, to be health care professionals. And many of them are passing themselves off incorrectly, it turns out, according to a new report.
A little context first. This is a moment when the head of the Department of Health and Human Services has no formal background in medicine or health care. And that has opened the door for a whole slew of so‑called wellness influencers who want to influence your wellness.
A new report from the Pew Research Center finds that many of these influencers, like the current head of HHS, have no background in health care.
According to the study, about 41% of health‑related influencers describe themselves in their profiles as medical professionals. But that’s a loose description because it can include everyone from licensed doctors and nurses to massage therapists.
Meanwhile, 31% of these so-called wellness influencers describe themselves in their bios as coaches. Another 28% call themselves entrepreneurs, or some combination of the two. And another 16% offer no credentials at all.
The Wall Street Journal notes that concern is growing over misinformation spread by wellness influencers, with consequences that include falling vaccination rates, extreme diets, and other health risks.
A separate study out of Australia found that nearly half of Instagram posts from wellness influencers contained inaccurate information.
Put it this way. It’s one thing to seek fashion tips from someone online with a snappy sense of style. It’s quite another to seek health care advice from someone who isn’t qualified to advise you on a headache.
Fashion influencers are everywhere. If you have a good eye and a strong sense of style, that will be apparent to your audience, and maybe they’ll be influenced, and rightly so.
Health care is different. You cross a line. There’s a reason doctors spend years becoming credentialed to practice medicine. Because it’s not easy. And the stakes are very, very high.
So when anyone can go online, hang a digital shingle, and say, “I’m going to influence your health,” be wary.
Contributor: David Lazarus – KTLA.com
A new report from the Pew Research Center finds that many of these influencers, like the current head of HHS, have no background in health care.
According to the study, about 41% of health‑related influencers describe themselves in their profiles as medical professionals. But that’s a loose description because it can include everyone from licensed doctors and nurses to massage therapists.
Meanwhile, 31% of these so-called wellness influencers describe themselves in their bios as coaches. Another 28% call themselves entrepreneurs, or some combination of the two. And another 16% offer no credentials at all.
The Wall Street Journal notes that concern is growing over misinformation spread by wellness influencers, with consequences that include falling vaccination rates, extreme diets, and other health risks.
A separate study out of Australia found that nearly half of Instagram posts from wellness influencers contained inaccurate information.
Put it this way. It’s one thing to seek fashion tips from someone online with a snappy sense of style. It’s quite another to seek health care advice from someone who isn’t qualified to advise you on a headache.
Fashion influencers are everywhere. If you have a good eye and a strong sense of style, that will be apparent to your audience, and maybe they’ll be influenced, and rightly so.
Health care is different. You cross a line. There’s a reason doctors spend years becoming credentialed to practice medicine. Because it’s not easy. And the stakes are very, very high.
So when anyone can go online, hang a digital shingle, and say, “I’m going to influence your health,” be wary.
Contributor: David Lazarus – KTLA.com