Young social media users place unconditional trust in medical bloggers wearing medical attire and do not verify whether they hold licenses. Earth.com reports this, according to infohub.kz.
A group of American researchers led by Suzanne Makarem of Virginia Commonwealth University studied the behavior of young people who follow doctors on TikTok. They found that ordinary bloggers quickly arouse young people's suspicion of advertising, but a white coat or medical scrubs radically changes perceptions. None of the 26 young people interviewed had ever checked the authenticity of a social media specialist's license. As evidence of qualifications, users cited a stethoscope around the neck, a uniform, or a diploma on the wall in the frame.
The authors also analyzed 330 videos from 11 popular American doctors with an average audience of about 875,000 followers. Fewer than half of the materials they published were devoted to health — the bloggers more often shared opinions and details of their personal lives. Nevertheless, in 58% of all videos the doctors were dressed in medical uniforms, even when making sandwiches in their home kitchens. Videos in medical attire gathered on average seven times more comments, and filming in hospital interiors brought twice as many likes as videos from home.
Viewers interviewed often considered online doctors more attentive and accessible than real general practitioners during in-person appointments. They perceived the advice of online experts with greater authority, and viewed direct product sales as genuine care. The researchers stressed that such blind trust creates serious risks of spreading misinformation, so platforms should introduce official verification of medical licenses.