One-third of adults relying on social media and AI for health advice

Here are five more takeaways from the poll.

• Younger adults are more likely than older adults to use social media and AI for health information. Those in the 18- to 29-year-old bracket are more likely to rely on social media, while 30 to 49 year olds are more likely to turn to AI.
• Social media tends to attract lower-income adults, while AI use is more common among those with higher incomes or more advanced education.
• Hispanic adults stand out as notable adopters of both platforms for health information, unlike white adults, who are less likely to use either as a source of information.
• Wanting to learn from people with the same health condition or similar experiences is a "major reason" that 36% of respondents turn to social media.
• Nearly 20% of adults say that not having a regular health care provider (or not being able to afford the cost of seeing a provider) is a "major reason" for turning to social media. For adults without insurance and those who identify as LGBT, that percentage jumps to 32% and 30%, respectively.

According to the poll, "the majority of social media and AI users are confident in their ability to parse true or false information, which is perhaps why few take steps to validate the information either from a doctor or some other source."

Indeed, fewer than 4 in 10 adults who use social media for health information frequently follow up with a doctor, consult another online source like WebMD or check with health agency websites.