Prevalence of Common Diabetes Mellitus Misinformation Exposure, Cognitive Attitude, and Intention to Share...

Background/Objectives: Misinformation significantly impacts self-care behaviors and treatment outcomes in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). We investigated the prevalence and content of diabetes-related misinformation among Thai patients with T2DM, examining the influence on cognitive attitudes and intentions to share such information. Methods: We employed a mixed-methods approach, conducting initial qualitative interviews with healthcare professionals and patients with T2DM to identify key misinformation themes. These themes guided the development of a validated questionnaire that was distributed to 107 patients with T2DM. Spearman's correlation and multiple linear regression analyses were used to assess the relationships between misinformation exposure, attitudes, and sharing intentions. Results: Misinformation was categorized into four domains: medication side effects, alternative treatments, imbalanced lifestyle, and symptom perception. Exposure to misinformation ranged from 19.6% to 94.4%, with word of mouth identified as the primary source (81.18%). Misconceptions regarding symptom perception and alternative treatments were most prevalent. Information source, especially healthcare providers (β = 0.4); personal attitudes towards misinformation (β = 0.24); and exposure level (β = 0.46) significantly influenced the intention to share misinformation. Conclusions: This study highlights the need for targeted educational interventions to address widespread misconceptions in the management of T2DM, particularly those related to symptom perception and alternative treatments. Addressing these misinformation sources may be associated with improved self-management practices and could inform strategies aimed at enhancing patient outcomes.