Half of US Adults Under 50 Get Health Advice From Influencers, Study Shows

Whether you were searching for it or not, you've probably come across a video on social media this week about a reported hantavirus outbreak on a cruise ship. It may have been someone identifying the people who died on board or others who were sickened -- or it could have been a wellness influencer breaking down what, exactly, hantavirus is.

But how can you trust that those influencers are providing facts? One way is to check their credentials. But many influencers, it turns out, don't really have any.

According to a new analysis by the Pew Research Center, 41% of health and wellness influencers claim they're healthcare professionals, with 17% saying their background is in conventional medicine, 7% in allied health (think physical therapists or physician assistants), 7% in complementary or integrative health (chiropractors or acupuncturists, for example), 7% as dieticians or nutritionists, and 4% in mental health....

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