Knowledge, attitudes and practices regarding health misinformation among active social media users in Malaysia

The rapid spread of health misinformation on social media poses a major public health concern. This study aimed to assess the knowledge, attitudes and practices (KAP) regarding health misinformation among adult Malaysian social media users and identify associated factors. A cross-sectional online survey was conducted among Malaysian adults (aged 18 years and above) who used social media, recruited via convenience sampling. A validated self-administered questionnaire was utilized to measure knowledge (score 0–11; ≥ 9 = good), attitude (score 5–25; ≥ 20 = positive), and practices (ignoring vs. taking action). Logistic regression was performed to identify predictors of KAP. A total of 390 respondents participated in the study. The majority were women (67.2%), with a mean age of 35.9 years (SD = 12.53), and more than half (58.2%) had a first-degree education. Among 390 participants, 55.4% had good knowledge, 79% positive attitudes, and 60.5% ignored misinformation. Good knowledge was associated with tertiary education (AOR = 9.720, 95% CI: 2.180–43.329). Positive attitudes were linked to good knowledge (AOR = 1.878, 95% CI: 1.119–3.153). Taking action was associated with younger age (AOR = 0.971, 95% CI: 0.952–0.991) and positive attitudes (AOR = 1.734, 95% CI: 1.007–2.985). Knowledge and attitudes were moderate to high, yet most respondents ignored misinformation. Multidisciplinary educational initiatives are needed, particularly among older adults and those with negative attitudes.