Too much to trust: how conflicting and misleading health information shape patient trust and social media behavior

As social media becomes a major channel for health information, it reshapes provider–patient communication and creates new challenges for healthcare marketing. This study uses data from the U.S. Health Information National Trends Survey to examine how conflicting health information, misinformation, and patient-centered communication (PCC) affect trust in medical providers and influence social media behavior. Findings show an inverted U-shaped relationship between exposure to inaccurate information and trust: moderate exposure can reinforce trust, while high exposure sharply reduces it. Trust declines more quickly when conflicting messages come from official health authorities. PCC, in contrast, consistently strengthens trust and lowers patients’ reliance on social media for health information. For healthcare marketing, these results highlight that early trust-building, clear communication, and a credible digital presence are key to preventing misinformation-driven trust erosion and enhancing brand trust.