Americans will consult the internet and influencers for healthcare advice before consulting physicians as social media is seen as more accessible than health professionals, according to a new survey from prescription discount card company CharityRx.
CharityRx surveyed 2,000 American adults and found that 1 in 5 Americans will consult TikTok before their physician for health advice.
Additional findings:
- Sixty-five percent of Americans seek out Google health advice, 33 percent turn to YouTube and 20 percent turn to TikTok.
- Thirty-seven percent of Americans seek out health advice from influencers.
- The top three conditions Americans are most likely to consult health influencers on are anxiety, weight loss and depression.
- Fifty-five percent of Americans say they look for an influencer with medical certification, while 26 percent say they look for relatability.