Doctors remain the most trusted source, but a growing share of Americans are relying on search engines, AI tools, and self-directed research to inform their health decisions.
Few phrases carry as much weight in American healthcare as “I did my own research.” Millions say it every day—after a diagnosis, before a screening, in the middle of a sleepless night spent scrolling. But in 2026, with more health information available than ever, what does that actually mean? And is it leading to better, more informed decisions about breast cancer, or to confusion at the moments that matter most?
A new national survey from the Breast Cancer Research Foundation (BCRF), conducted in partnership with YouGov, set out to answer those questions. What we found reveals a healthcare information landscape that has fundamentally shifted.
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How and where women seek health information is changing quickly. Americans are no longer relying on a single source; they’re navigating a growing mix of search engines, social platforms, AI tools, and personal networks alongside their doctors. While the sources for health information are evolving, the ones that patients trust matter far more—and remain concentrated. When it comes to breast cancer and women’s health, that disconnect is contributing to a persistent gap in awareness and understanding.
These findings are the basis for BCRF’s new campaign, “I Did My Own Research,” to help empower people to take action and advocate for their care. As the world’s largest private funder of breast cancer research, BCRF leverages unparalleled access to world-class, data-supported scientific research to help people navigate complex health information and decisions.
“Equitable access to reliable information is vital, especially as more people do their own research while navigating a flood of platforms and conflicting sources,” said BCRF President and CEO Donna McKay. “That’s why access to rigorous, evidence-based science is so critical. At BCRF, we believe doing your own research should mean grounding your decisions in trusted science that guides care choices, not distorts them.”
“The survey shows that people are increasingly doing their own research across digital platforms, but breast cancer remains a gap—many still haven’t actively sought information, while others rely on sources that vary widely in quality,” said Dr. Dorraya El-Ashry, Chief Scientific Officer at BCRF. “We’re focused on making sure the most rigorous, peer-reviewed science is available wherever that research is happening.”
More than 1 in 4 adults who’ve searched for breast cancer information online have found something that directly contradicted their doctor. Among adults 35-54—the core mammogram screening demographic—it’s 35%.
A second opinion isn’t a bad thing. It can surface better questions, different perspectives, and provide confidence in making the right decision. But there’s a difference between a second opinion and an unfiltered contradiction with no context. This is what many Americans are navigating alone.
The consequences are measurable:
Trusted, science-backed information, like that found on BCRF’s website, makes a difference. Donate to continue funding lifesaving research here.
The exam room is no longer where the health conversation begins or ends. While 76% of Americans still consult a doctor, they’re increasingly cross-referencing that guidance with search engines (45%), friends and family (35%), WebMD (31%), government agencies (19%), generative AI tools (14%) and social media (11%)—which may explain why they come across conflicting information.
Americans are now approximately 1.5x more likely to consult WebMD than the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). That’s a striking shift—and it tells us something important: People aren’t passive recipients of health information anymore. They’re active researchers, pulling from every source available to them. The question is no longer whether patients will assemble their own health picture. They already are. The question is whether the most reliable sources are part of that picture.
One in eight women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime. Yet nearly half of all U.S. adults—and roughly 2 in 5 women—have never searched for information about it.
The gap varies by community. Hispanic Americans are the most actively engaged in seeking breast cancer information (69%), followed by Black Americans (62%) and white Americans (47%). But the through line is consistent: A disease this common is still not commanding the attention it should.
No generation illustrates this change more clearly than Gen Z. Nearly 1 in 4 Gen Z adults use generative AI tools like ChatGPT for health questions—more than 3x the rate of Millennials and nearly 7x the rate of Boomers. They’re more likely to ask a chatbot about breast cancer than to consult a nonprofit, a government agency, or a news outlet.
However, only 3% of health information seekers name AI as their most trusted source. Gen Z is using these tools at historic rates while openly acknowledging they don’t fully trust them. That space between usage and trust is exactly where misinformation takes hold—and it’s growing every day that evidence-based organizations aren’t present in those channels.
68% of Americans still name their doctor as their most trusted health source. But that number tells a different story by age: 77% of adults 55+ say their doctor is their most trusted source, compared to just 55% of adults 18-34. Younger Americans are twice as likely to put their trust in a search engine or AI tool compared to older adults.
Our trust in health information is fragmented: 1 in 10 Americans say they don’t fully trust any source for breast cancer information. This isn’t a generation turning its back on doctors. It’s a generation that doesn’t believe any single source deserves unquestioned authority. The instinct to verify and cross-reference is a healthy one. But the tools they’re using to do it weren’t built with that responsibility in mind.
For all the complexity in this data, one finding stands out: Online health information is already moving people toward care. According to the poll, 39% of Americans have made a doctor’s appointment after finding health information online, and 20% sought a second medical opinion. And 7% of all U.S. adults say a social media post directly inspired them to schedule a mammogram or breast exam—rising to 11% among women 18-34.
When reliable information reaches people where they are, it works. The imperative now is making sure it stays trustworthy.
We’re not asking people to stop researching. We’re asking them to raise the bar on what research means. Seek out multiple sources. Turn to evidence-based organizations, leading scientists, and rigorously vetted findings, not just the first result on a search page. Bring what you find into the exam room—not as a replacement for your doctor, but as the foundation for a more informed conversation.
At BCRF, we fund the world’s most cutting-edge, life-saving breast cancer research. Through our comprehensive About Breast Cancer and Breast Cancer Glossary resources, we make that research clear and accessible, so people can better understand the disease and the research shaping and improving its treatment.
With 1 in 8 women facing this disease in their lifetime, this is what doing your own research actually looks like.
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