Understanding how doctors can help patients avoid false health information
Official title: Identifying salient factors that influence physician practices in mitigating patient misinformation
Funded at Wake Forest University Health Sciences · NIH-11117089 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study looks at how doctors can help older adults who might believe in health misinformation by understanding what makes doctors comfortable talking about it and finding better ways for them to share accurate health information.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Wake Forest University Health Sciences NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Winston-Salem, United States) |
| Project start | June 15, 2024 |
| Project end | May 9, 2025 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $615,492 |
| NIH project number | 5R01AG083464-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11117089 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are adults aged 65 and older who may be affected by health misinformation.
✕Less likely to help
Patients under the age of 65 or those who do not engage with healthcare providers may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research investigates how physicians can effectively address and correct health misinformation, particularly among older adults who are more vulnerable to believing false information. It employs a mixed-methods approach to explore the factors that influence physicians' willingness to engage with patients on this issue, including their personal beliefs, communication skills, and the challenges they face in practice. By identifying these factors, the research aims to develop better strategies for physicians to communicate accurate health information to their patients, ultimately improving health outcomes.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could empower physicians to more effectively combat health misinformation, leading to better health decisions and outcomes for patients.
How similar studies have gone: While the approach of engaging physicians to correct misinformation is promising, there is limited empirical data on its effectiveness, making this research relatively novel.
Where this research is happening
-
Wake Forest University Health Sciences
Winston-Salem, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Master, Zubin — Wake Forest University Health Sciences
- Study coordinator: Master, Zubin
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.