The trend: Younger adults worldwide are increasingly favoring medical advice from non-traditional sources over their healthcare providers, according to the 2025 Edelman Trust Barometer Trust and Health report. Some 16,000 respondents across 16 countries, including the US, were surveyed last month.

Digging into the data: More young adults are taking health recommendations from their friends, family, and social media over their doctor.

• 45% of respondents ages 18 to 34 admit they disregarded health advice from their physician in favor of guidance from their friends and family in the past year. This is up from 32% in Edelman’s 2024 survey.
• 38% of this age group (vs. 26% in 2024) have ignored their provider’s medical guidance in favor of something they saw on social media.