Online Health Misinformation and Its Impact on Child and Adolescent Health Outcomes
Santosh Kumar K *
Pediatrics and Neonatology, Motherhood Hospital, Banashankari, Bangalore, Karnataka, India.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Background: The proliferation of digital platforms has transformed how children and adolescents access health-related information. Alongside verified content, an unprecedented volume of health misinformation circulates across social media and online environments, posing significant risks to the physical and mental health of young people worldwide. Despite the growing body of evidence on these harms, the literature addressing health misinformation specifically in the context of child and adolescent populations remains fragmented.
Objective: This chapter critically examines the nature, scope, and health consequences of online health misinformation as it specifically affects children and adolescents, and explores potential mitigation strategies.
Methods: A narrative review approach was adopted, drawing on peer-reviewed literature published between 2000 and 2026 retrieved from PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar. Studies were selected based on relevance to health misinformation, child and adolescent populations, and documented health outcomes.
Results: Evidence indicates that online health misinformation adversely affects vaccine uptake, body image, eating behaviours, mental health-seeking behaviour, and general health decision-making among young people. Parental exposure to vaccine misinformation contributes significantly to childhood immunisation shortfalls. Social media platforms, particularly image-based applications, promote unrealistic body ideals that drive eating disorders and psychological distress among adolescents. Mental health misinformation on platforms such as TikTok perpetuates stigma and deters help-seeking. Digital health literacy emerges as a critical but insufficiently developed protective factor.
Conclusions: Online health misinformation constitutes a serious and growing public health challenge for children and adolescents. Coordinated responses involving media literacy education, platform regulation, healthcare provider engagement, and policy frameworks are urgently required. Future research should focus on longitudinal outcomes, global disparities, and evidence-based intervention development for younger age groups.
Keywords: Health misinformation, children, adolescents, social media, vaccine hesitancy, eating disorders, digital health literacy, infodemic