Exposure to dietary supplement misinformation related to hypertension
Conditions
Interventions
Participants in the intervention group view AI generated misinformation claiming that four dietary supplements.euglena, turmeric, probiotics, or oyster extract is effective for lowering blood pressure
Sponsors
The University of Tokyo
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
All
Inclusion criteria
Inclusion criteria: Individuals aged 18 to 64 years Registered panel members of a Japanese survey company who are able to complete an online survey Individuals who have experience using generative AI Individuals who provide informed consent online
Exclusion criteria
Exclusion criteria: Individuals who are not aware of dietary supplements Individuals who have no experience using generative AI Health care professionals, including physicians, nurses, pharmacists, registered dietitians, and dietitians Individuals working in the AI field, including AI researchers or developers Individuals with a personal or household history of hypertension Individuals currently receiving dietary therapy under the guidance of health professionals Individuals who fail the attention-check question
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame |
|---|---|
| Primary outcomes This study has four primary outcomes: Belief in the hypertension-related effectiveness of euglena supplements. Belief in the hypertension-related effectiveness of turmeric supplements. Belief in the hypertension-related effectiveness of lactic acid bacteria supplements. Belief in the hypertension-related effectiveness of oyster extract supplements. Each primary outcome is assessed using three items measuring the perceived effectiveness of the corresponding dietary supplement for: (1) lowering blood pressure, (2) heart and vascular health, and (3) preventing hypertension. Each item is rated on a 6-point Likert scale ranging from 1 = strongly disagree to 6 = strongly agree. For each dietary supplement, the mean of the three item scores is calculated to produce a separate supplement-specific primary outcome score. Higher scores indicate stronger beliefs in the hypertension-related effectiveness of the corresponding dietary supplement. All four primary outcomes are measured before and immediately after participants view the assigned misinformation or corrective-information messages. For each primary outcome, the mean score measured immediately after message exposure is the primary endpoint. The four supplement-specific outcomes are analyzed separately. No overall primary outcome score combining all 12 items is used. | — |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame |
|---|---|
| Secondary outcomes include: 1) general beliefs about the health-promoting, disease-preventive, and disease-treatment effects of dietary supplements; 2) intentions to purchase or use dietary supplements for lowering blood pressure, maintaining heart and vascular health, or preventing hypertension; 3) intentions to share AI-generated information claiming that dietary supplements are effective against hypertension via social media or word of mouth; and 4) intentions to consult health professionals about dietary supplement use. Each item is rated on a 6-point Likert scale ranging from 1 = strongly disagree to 6 = strongly agree. Outcomes are measured before and immediately after viewing the intervention or control message. | — |
Countries
Japan
Contacts
Public ContactMingxin Liu
Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo Department of Health Communication
Outcome results
None listed