Women’s Experiences Accessing Health Information Online: Trusted Sources and Contraceptive Information - Report - MDSpire
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Exploring Women's Online Health Information Access: Reliable Sources and Contraceptive Insights

  • By

  • Brittni Frederiksen

  • Alina Salganicoff

  • Ivette Gomez

  • Karen Diep

  • Usha Ranji

  • September 16, 2026

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Clinical Report: Women's Experiences Accessing Health Information Online

Overview

The 2026 KFF Women's Health Survey indicates that a majority of reproductive-age women utilize online platforms for health information, with healthcare providers being the most trusted source. Many women also encounter misleading information regarding contraception on social media.

Background

Access to reliable health information is crucial for informed decision-making, particularly in reproductive health. The internet and social media have transformed how individuals seek and share health information, raising concerns about misinformation. Understanding women's experiences and trust in various information sources is essential.

Data Highlights

DemographicHealth Information Search (%)Trust in Healthcare Providers (%)Exposure to Contraception Info on Social Media (%)
Women 18-49838535
Men 18-4981N/AN/A
Women 18-2557N/A42
Women 36-4946N/AN/A

Key Findings

  • 83% of reproductive-age women have searched online for health information.
  • 85% of women trust healthcare providers for reliable health information.
  • 35% of women aged 18-49 encountered contraception-related information on social media.
  • 53% of women reported seeing false claims about contraceptive hormones on social media.
  • 42% of younger women (18-25) encountered contraception-related information on social media.

Clinical Implications

Healthcare providers should be aware of the prevalent use of online resources among patients and the potential for misinformation.

Conclusion

The findings present data on women's experiences with online health information access, particularly regarding reproductive health.

Related Resources & Content

  1. KFF, Women's Experiences Accessing Health Information Online, 2026 -- Trusted Sources and Contraceptive Information
  2. Women's Preventive Health Recommendations | WPSI, 2026 -- Recommendations for Contraceptive Care
  3. JAMA Network Open, 2023 -- Optimizing Contraceptive Effectiveness—Lessons From HER Salt Lake
  4. the medicine maker — Getting the Message Across
  5. Journal of Medical Internet Research (JMIR) — Development of a Validated Lay Checklist (Info Without Side Effects) for Assessing Health Information on Websites: Mixed Methods Study
  6. The ASCO Post — Despite Potential to Overwhelm, Surveys Still Essential Research Tool
  7. Women's Preventive Health Recommendations | WPSI
  8. Women's Experiences Accessing Health Information Online: Trusted Sources and Contraceptive Information | KFF

Original Source(s)

Women’s Experiences Accessing Health Information Online: Trusted Sources and Contraceptive Information

  • by Brittni Frederiksen, Alina Salganicoff, Ivette Gomez, Karen Diep, Usha Ranji

  • September 16, 2026

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