Public Perceptions and Attitudes Toward Health-Related Misinformation on Internet News Sites in Türkiye: A Cross-Sectional Study of 4930 Adults

Abstract

This study evaluated online survey participants' views on the public-health impact of health-related misinformation (HRM) on internet news sites and identified its sources, reasons for spread, elements for combating it, and oversight–enforcement expectations. This descriptive cross-sectional online study included 4930 adults (≥18 years) from Türkiye, recruited via Facebook and Google advertisements in 21.11.2020-11.12.2020. Descriptive statistics, the chi-square test, Cramer's-V effect size, and multivariable logistic regression were used. Median age was 53 (IQR: 43–60); 57.6% were female and 41.2% held at least a bachelor's degree. Among respondents (n=4916), 91.8% considered HRM a public-health risk. The most important source was news editors (24.7%) and high-profile media figures (24.7%), followed by public officials (16.0%). Oversight was primarily attributed to the Ministry of Health (55.0%) and the Turkish Medical Association (40.9%); 77.1% held producers and 41.0% publishers accountable. Main reasons for spread were insufficient public information (46.3%) and economically driven media content (39.1%); key elements for combating it were education (34.3%) and verification mechanisms (23.2%). The most valued quality criteria in health news were disclosure of author name/expertise (57.0%) and attribution (37.7%); the most consulted source was hospital websites (42.5%), chosen mainly for ease of access (54.2%). Education showed its strongest associations with information-seeking behaviours (medical database use: V=0.212) and expected quality criteria (attribution: V=0.201). In composite indices, education was strongly associated with the number of expected quality criteria and authoritative-source use, which correlated (ρ=0.435, p<0.001). Education is associated more with information-seeking behaviours and quality expectations than with risk perception. Findings indicate that stratified interventions tailored to different education levels among those with online access should be designed.