UC Irvine

There are an increasing number of online resources people can use to gain access to information, including for health-related issues, such as for HIV prevention. Trend data show that the way individuals obtain news and information has changed from years past. Health literacy, therefore, is an important skill to ensure adequate understanding of the data available about HIV in the media and online. Unfortunately, the proliferation of misinformation is ubiquitous and may have deleterious effects on individual health behavior, and consequently, the public’s health. This commentary focuses on sources of online misinformation as it relates to HIV and how misinformation impacts seeking health services.