Health information is like an onion. Here's how to peel back the layers.
Plus: Do you know the warning signs of a stroke? + What's endometriosis + A course on effective health communication
Welcome to Doing Well. Today:
A Q&A on how to identify false health information—and how to talk to those who share it
A podcast episode on what to do instead of fact-checking every health myth, and an essay on reimagining health records
A free online course with tools for health professionals to fight misinformation
Test your knowledge on the warning signs of a stroke
Health news you should know this week
Interviews on how we can expand our definition of medicine
Word of the week: “endometriosis”
Let’s dive in.
We Asked: How can we identify—and stop—health misinformation?
We’re constantly bombarded by health information. When that information is false, it can degrade individual and community health outcomes and strain trust between patients and providers. But health is complex, emotional, and evolving, and knowing what to believe isn’t always easy.
For tips to sort through the noise, I spoke to Kristy Roschke, the executive director of the McGee Applied Research Center for Narrative Studies at Vanderbilt University and the former director of News Co/Lab, an ASU Cronkite School initiative aimed at advancing media literacy. Our conversation has been edited for length and clarity.
Mia Armstrong-López: What is health misinformation?
Kristy Roschke: I take a pretty broad view of misinformation, which is just information that is false. So in the realm of health, that would be content that does not have the evidence behind it to produce good health outcomes.
MAL: Let's say I see someone on Facebook sharing something about the flu vaccine, and I'm trying to determine whether that information is accurate. What's the mental checklist I should go through?
KR: The first thing that you want to do is think about who shared it. There's usually a couple of layers there. Maybe it was an aunt that shared it on Facebook, but your aunt probably wasn't the originator of that information. So let's say she's sharing a post from somebody: You want to peel back that onion a little bit to say, Who is this coming from? Is this coming from an individual, an organization, a news outlet, a website? And you want to assign a credibility assessment to each layer of that. Is your aunt someone that you trust? Does she have a background in healthcare? Is she an expert? Has she shared questionable things before? You always want to be thinking about who the author is and what their intent might be. And when I say intent, I don't mean Are they trying to fool you? It's more: Do we know what their values are? Do we know what they are promoting? With that knowledge, you might decide to carry on or dismiss the content.
If you’re still confused, then you want to take it outside Facebook and bring it to a search engine to check sites that you know are reputable. Some very easy ones to access are the Mayo Clinic or the Cleveland Clinic. WebMD is a more general but perfectly fine resource that has experts on its editorial board.
Then, ultimately, you probably want to ask a medical provider, and sometimes that's hard to do, so I get why that might not be possible. But it's always always good to double check with an expert, someone you know and trust.
MAL: Let's say I determine the information is false or suspicious. What’s my next step?
KR: The advice that I give is: There is no reason to fact-check this person publicly, because no good generally comes from publicly outing someone for sharing bad information. This person may have very strong feelings about it, and if you come in with your evidence and say, “Oh, no, no!” in front of a crowd, that will not have the outcome you intend.
So if you feel strongly that the information this person shared is false and harmful, I would privately contact that person. The suggestion is always to be kind, have empathy. I usually recommend sharing some sort of link to evidence. But I don't think the message of “I have the evidence” is compelling. It would be something more along the lines of: “I saw what you shared about the flu vaccine. I wanted to share a study that I read recently that indicates health outcomes for people over 65 are greatly improved if they get an annual flu vaccine”—or whatever it is. And then you just present them with that and say, “I wanted you to know I've been getting my flu shot every year, and it's worked out really well for me.”
Well-Informed: Related stories from the ASU Media Enterprise archives
Fact-checking every false story would be a never-ending game of whack-a-mole. Instead, we need to consider the connections and communities through which information spreads, global health professionals Tina Purnat and Elisabeth Wilhelm explain on this episode of The Ongoing Transformation from Issues in Science in Technology. This approach allows us to identify the people and communities who are most vulnerable—and empower them to fight back.
Plus: What if we reimagined health records so that they represented someone not just as a patient, but as a whole person? In this essay for Zócalo Public Square, Kirsten Ostherr proposes a bold new approach to storytelling through health data.
Well-Versed: Learning resources to go deeper
Healthcare professionals are increasingly charged with helping patients navigate health misinformation. What are the best strategies for doing so? How can providers create fact-based content that will help their patients get—and stay—healthy? Patient Care Through Credible Health Media is a self-paced online course designed for health professionals. It features concrete tools to combat misinformation and strengthen public health efforts. Enroll today.
Well-Engaged: Take a guess!
According to the American Heart Association, or AHA, someone dies from cardiovascular disease once every 34 seconds. Stroke is responsible for one in every six of those deaths.
Here’s our question for you:
According to the CDC, what percentage of people recognized the major symptoms of a stroke and understood the need to call 911 immediately?
You’ll find the answer at the bottom of today’s newsletter—but in the meantime, a quick reminder: A stroke is a medical emergency that occurs when the blood supply to the brain is blocked or a blood vessel in the brain bursts. The brain needs the oxygen blood delivers, and strokes can lead to brain damage, chronic disability, or even death.
The American Heart Association lists the following sudden warning signs of a stroke:
Numbness or weakness in the face, arm, leg (especially concentrated on one side of the body)
Confusion, difficulty speaking or understanding
Difficulty seeing
Difficulty walking or balancing, dizziness, or lack of coordination
Severe headache
If you suspect someone may be having a stroke, the AHA and the CDC also recommend performing the “FAST” test:
F—Face: Ask the person to smile. Does one side of the face droop?
A—Arms: Ask the person to raise both arms. Does one arm drift downward?
S—Speech: Ask the person to repeat a simple phrase. Is the speech slurred or strange?
T—Time: If you see any of these signs, call 9-1-1 right away
Knowing the warning signs of strokes can help ensure they’re addressed quickly, minimizing lasting damage.
-Mel Moore, health communication assistant and ASU student
Well-Read: News we’ve found useful this week
“The Most Dangerous Misconceptions About Public Health,” by Lauren Leffer, Popular Science, Jan. 30, 2025
“How Bad Air Quality Slows Down Marathon Runners,” by Claire Maldarelli, Scientific American, Feb. 28, 2025
“Do You Need a Measles Booster?” by Dani Blum, The New York Times, Feb. 27, 2025
“Inspired or Frightened by Health Info You Just Saw on Social Media? Try This First,” by Michael Merschel, American Heart Association News, Feb. 28, 2025
“10 Things to Know About Medicaid,” by Alice Burns, Elizabeth Hinton, Robin Rudowitz, and Maiss Mohamed, KFF, Feb. 18, 2025
Well-Defined: Word of the week
According to the Mayo Clinic, endometriosis is a “condition in which tissue that is similar to the inner lining of the uterus grows outside the uterus.” It affects roughly 10 percent of reproductive-aged women and girls, and it often causes excruciating pain. It can also cause infertility. Many women receive delayed diagnosis and treatment, if they receive them at all. Largely thanks to the fact that many with the condition have chosen to speak out, awareness of endometriosis is increasing—which will hopefully translate into better care.
Big Questions: How can we expand our definition of medicine?
Medicine is more than a prescription bottle or a hospital bed. Treating people holistically can involve storytelling, community, and even laughter. In this Learning Enterprise video, health care providers explore how traditional Indigenous healing practices complement Western medicine, and how we can integrate those practices into everyday healthcare.
Question: According to the CDC, what percentage of people recognized the major symptoms of a stroke and understood the need to call 911 immediately?
Answer: 38 percent of people “were aware of all major symptoms and knew to call 911 when someone was having a stroke,” according to the CDC. Learn more—and share the warning signs of strokes with your friends and family members.
Do you have a question or topic you’d like us to tackle? Would you like to share your experience with health misinformation or another topic we’ve covered in this newsletter? Reach out at any time—we’d love to hear from you.