The Impact of Social Media on Parental Decision-Making in the Management of Pediatric Allergic Diseases.

OBJECTIVE

With the digital transformation, parents increasingly use social media (SM) for health information; however, the reliability of online content remains uncertain, posing risks of misinformation and unsupervised treatment changes. Therefore, the study aimed to evaluate the frequency of SM-driven treatment modifications and their clinical consequences among parents of children with allergic rhinitis (AR), asthma, or atopic dermatitis (AD) and to characterize parents' SM use patterns and trust in online health information.

METHODS

This cross-sectional questionnaire-based study was conducted among parents of 200 children diagnosed with AR, asthma, or AD who were followed at the Pediatric Allergy and Immunology Clinic of Ankara Bilkent City Hospital. The survey assessed demographics, SM use, perceived reliability of online health content, SM influence on treatment behavior, and attitudes toward medical advice.

RESULTS

Daily SM use ≥1 hour was reported by 170 parents (85%). Half of the parents followed disease-related content; the most commonly followed sources were physicians (40%), other parents (30%), and influencer accounts (25%). Although 60% reported limited trust in online medical information, 44 parents (22%) changed their child's treatment based on SM, and 24 (55%) did so without consulting a physician. Following these changes, symptom worsening occurred in 7 children (16%) and adverse effects in 5 (11%). When information conflicted, 87% preferred physicians' advice.

CONCLUSION

Despite limited trust, parents frequently rely on SM, sometimes leading to unsupervised treatment changes with potential harm. Targeted interventions to improve digital health literacy, promote evidence-based online content, and strengthen clinicians' digital engagement may reduce misinformation-related risks.