The Social Media Misinformation Loop: An Analysis of Consumption and Sharing Behaviours among Medical Students

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This is an unedited manuscript accepted for publication and provided as an Article in Press for early access at the author’s request. The article will undergo copyediting, typesetting, and galley proof review before final publication. Please be aware that errors may be identified during production that could affect the content. All legal disclaimers of the journal apply.

Year : 2026 | Volume : 16 | Issue : 01 | Page :
    By

    Misbah Ul Huda,

  • Ishfaq Hussain Wani,

  • Khusbu Thakur,

  1. Student, Department of Library and Information Science, Lovely Professional University, Phagwara, Punjab, India
  2. Student, Department of Library and Information Science, University of Kashmir, Jammu and Kashmir, India
  3. Assistant Professor, Department of Library and Information Science, Lovely Professional University, Phagwara, Punjab, India

Abstract

Background: The contemporary information landscape is largely dominated by social media, which has emerged as a major source of information for medical students. This study aims to investigate the information consumption and sharing behaviours of medical students in Jammu and Kashmir, India, in the context of misinformation and its growing influence. Methods: A cross-sectional survey using a structured questionnaire was administered to 668 students from 13 medical colleges. The data analysis was done using descriptive statistics and non-parametric tests like the Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney U tests. Results: The results show that while 20.35% students consume entertainment and 16.33% news and current events, 15.63% consume educational resources. In contrast, when it comes to information sharing, 20.06% students share medical news and trends, while 22.71% students share educational content. Gender and age did not emerge as significant in misinformation consumption, but there was a marked difference between the misinformation-sharing behaviour of students in the age groups 17–20 and 20–23 years. Conclusion: The findings highlight the imperative of digital literacy within medical education. A training that would enable students to evaluate the source of information properly will reduce misinformation and enhance their academic and professional development. It is also necessary to include such skills in the curriculum to make students responsible in the digital era of healthcare professionals.

Keywords: Misinformation, Social Media, Information Consumption, Information Sharing, healthcare

[This article belongs to Research and Reviews: A Journal of Health Professions ]

How to cite this article:
Misbah Ul Huda, Ishfaq Hussain Wani, Khusbu Thakur. The Social Media Misinformation Loop: An Analysis of Consumption and Sharing Behaviours among Medical Students. Research and Reviews: A Journal of Health Professions. 2026; 16(01):-.
How to cite this URL:
Misbah Ul Huda, Ishfaq Hussain Wani, Khusbu Thakur. The Social Media Misinformation Loop: An Analysis of Consumption and Sharing Behaviours among Medical Students. Research and Reviews: A Journal of Health Professions. 2026; 16(01):-. Available from: https://journals.stmjournals.com/rrjohp/article=2026/view=242020


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Regular Issue Subscription Original Research
Volume 16
Issue 01
Received 04/02/2026
Accepted 25/04/2026
Published 30/04/2026
Publication Time 85 Days
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