New Survey: Bulgarian Youth Trust Doctors and Official Sources Most for Health Information
A new report on health literacy, based on a survey conducted in July 2025 among 53 respondents in Bulgaria, has been published. The study was carried out by the Bureau for Integration and Social Innovation.
The findings show that young people most often understand health literacy as the ability to recognize health risks and practice prevention (88.7%). Trust in health information is highest when it comes from doctors and medical professionals (75.5%) or official institutions (49.1%). However, family, peers, and social media also remain widely used sources, even though they are considered less reliable.
Key findings of the survey:
- About 60% of participants can distinguish between misinformation (false but unintentional content) and disinformation (deliberately fabricated claims), while one-quarter remain uncertain.
- The most common misleading content relates to “miracle” products (83%), diets and detox trends (69.8%), as well as false claims about vaccines and smoking/vaping (52.8%).
- Topics perceived as confusing or unclear include vaccines and prevention (49.1%), mental health (37.7%), nutrition (35.8%), sexual health (30.2%), and smoking/vaping (17%).
Despite these challenges, many respondents reported having established positive habits such as regular sleep, physical activity, and mental health care.
The full report is available HERE.
The survey and report are part of the activities under HealthLit project, funded by the EU. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the authors only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union.
The Health-Lit project aims to bridge the gap between information, education, and practice by ensuring that reliable health information is both engaging and trustworthy.
This project is co-funded by the European Union through the Erasmus+ programme.
