WASHINGTON - In an era with unprecedented access to health information, the vast majority of Americans still turn to health care providers for health information, according to a new Pew Research Center study. Many also look to major health websites such as WebMD.

But Americans’ health sources aren’t limited to medical experts. Many Americans (66%) also learn from others going through similar health experiences. And some get health information from social media (36%) or AI chatbots (22%) at least sometimes.

Within this landscape, Americans don’t always find it easy to determine what information is trustworthy. Half of Americans say it is at least somewhat difficult to judge if health information is accurate, and a similar share (54%) has a hard time knowing what to trust when they come across conflicting health information.

Overall, however, Americans are more likely to have confidence in the accuracy of the health information they get from health care providers and major health websites compared with other sources.

Americans’ sources of health information

Americans hear about health from a wide array of people, platforms and institutions, some beyond the medical establishment. But when asked how often they get health information from each of the seven sources we asked about, health care providers are at the top of the list.

The vast majority of Americans (85%) say they at least sometimes get health information from health care providers, including 51% who say they often or extremely often turn to doctors and other medical workers.

A majority of Americans (60%) also say they turn to major health websites, such as WebMD or Mayo Clinic at least sometimes.

But in addition to these medical sources, many Americans also learn from other people who share their health experiences. Roughly two-thirds (66%) of Americans say they at least sometimes get health information from people who are facing health issues that are similar to their own.

Just under half of Americans get health information at least sometimes from journalists and news organizations (46%) and government health agencies (45%). Meanwhile, social media and AI chatbots — two newer digital information sources – are the least common sources of health information we asked about. Still, 36% of Americans say they at least sometimes get health information from social media, and 22% say the same about AI chatbots.

Overall, getting health information from multiple sources is the norm: Most Americans (73%) say they get health information at least sometimes from three or more of the seven sources we asked about. (Source: Pew Research Center)

Story Date: April 12, 2026