Research
Almost one in four Americans believe misinformation about the cause of autism
The Brief
- A survey published in JAMA Health Forum found that nearly a quarter of Americans believe childhood vaccines cause autism.
- The same survey found nearly a quarter of Americans believe taking acetaminophen (Tylenol) during pregnancy causes autism.
- The source states there is no evidence supporting these claims.
Why it matters
The findings quantify how widespread specific autism-cause misconceptions are among the US public, which matters for science communication and public health messaging.
Who’s affected
- public health communicators
- researchers studying vaccine and medication misinformation
- anyone interested in autism causation beliefs
Nearly a quarter of Americans believe that childhood vaccines and taking acetaminophen (Tylenol) during pregnancy cause autism, despite no evidence to support those claims, a survey published in JAMA Health Forum notes. The findings suggest that misinformation about autism…
Timeline
Survey findings on autism misinformation reported by Medical Xpress
Medical Xpress - latest medical and health news stories
Almost one in four Americans believe misinformation about the cause of autism