Reveals that three in five parents used websites, blogs and online forums to get child health information in the last six months – but a surprising 30 per cent did not trust them at all.

Overview

• Parents report high levels of use of websites, blogs and online forums for child health information, yet a third of parents do not trust them at all 
• Nearly 50% of Australian parents report using a hospital, including Emergency departments, for health advice about their child in the past six months
• More parents reported using the school teacher and the pharmacist for child health advice than a paediatrician or telephone advice helpline
• Alternative health therapists, social media and celebrities are among the sources most frequently reported as rarely or never used and not at all trusted by parents for child health advice 
• General practitioners are the child health information source most commonly identified as used and trusted a lot by Australian parents, with 90% having used their GP for child health advice in the last six months and three out of four reporting they trust them a lot