Brooke Nickel
@brookenickel.bsky.social
NHMRC Emerging Leader Research Fellow at The University of Sydney. All things evidence-based healthcare communication and decision making, and overdiagnosis.
Wiser Healthcare has received 5 more years of funding 🎉 Congratulations @katyjlbell.bsky.social & amazing CIs! @tammyh.bsky.social Denise O'Connor @kirstenmccaffery.bsky.social Rachelle Buchbinder Chris Maher Nehmat Houssami Adrian Traeger @brookenickel.bsky.social @loaialbarqouni.bsky.social
🔥 The illusion of empowerment: commercializing women’s health in the digital age @brookenickel.bsky.social, @tessacopp.bsky.social, Barbara Mintzes @healthpromint.bsky.social academic.oup.com/heapro/artic... #CDoH #COI #WomensHealth
The illusion of empowerment: commercializing women’s health in the digital age
Women’s health has long been under-researched, under-funded, and structurally marginalized (Sugimoto et al. 2019, Regensteiner et al. 2025, World Health Or
academic.oup.com
Do you really need a full body MRI? 🤔 Listen to Dr Brooke Nickel de-bunk the need for this popular test using cold, hard evidence! ⚠️ #EvidencenotInfluence www.youtube.com/shorts/f4PC4... @sydney.edu.au @brookenickel.bsky.social @sydneyfmh-emcr.bsky.social @wiserhealthcare.bsky.social
Do you really need a full body MRI?
YouTube video by The University of Sydney
youtube.com
See @brookenickel.bsky.social debunking misleading medical information in this great social media campaign: youtu.be/f4PC4N6xrA8 And a @australia.theguardian.com write up here: www.theguardian.com/australia-ne... #EvidenceNotInfluence @sydney.edu.au @sydneyhealthliteracylab.org.au More to come!
Do you really need a full body MRI?
YouTube video by The University of Sydney
youtu.be
Should women be told about their high breast density – a known risk factor for #BreastCancer – as part of #mammography screening? A new study led by @brookenickel.bsky.social from 🇦🇺 @sydneyhealthliteracylab.org.au at @sydney.edu.au, and published by @bmj.com warns of unintended effects.
Telling women that they have dense breasts may do more harm than good
Leaves some women anxious and confused about their breast health and may increase demand on health services, say researchers
healthcare-in-europe.com
New research in @bmj.com This study led by @brookenickel.bsky.social found women who were told they had dense breasts were more anxious, didn't feel more informed, and had greater intentions to seek out their GP lnkd.in/gVZw6nid Affiliations: @sydney.edu.au @sydneyhealthliteracylab.org.au
Our trial published in @bmj.com found that women notified about their dense breast were more confused and anxious, and did not feel more informed to make decisions about their breast health. It also led to higher intentions to seek further advice from their GPs. www.bmj.com/content/391/...
Impact of population based breast density notification: multisite parallel arm randomised controlled trial in BreastScreen
Objective To investigate the effect of notifying women of their dense breasts on their psychosocial outcomes and health service use intentions. Design Multisite parallel arm randomised controlled tri...
bmj.com
New paper alert! Our online trial found that brief, co-designed resources can boost knowledge and help people make safer choices when using AI for health advice. This is a first step towards building AI health literacy for everyone. Read at npj Digital Medicine: www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Can co-designed educational interventions help consumers think critically about asking ChatGPT health questions? Results from a randomised-controlled trial - npj Digital Medicine
npj Digital Medicine - Can co-designed educational interventions help consumers think critically about asking ChatGPT health questions? Results from a randomised-controlled trial
nature.com
Super excited to be part of this study on social media marketing of women’s health interventions! We’ve focussed on 5 interventions targeting women across the lifespan like: #BoricAcidSuppositories, #FertilityTests, #MenopauseTests, #MenopauseTreatments and #HormoneTherapies. Results coming soon!🤩
JMIR Publications@jmirpub.bsky.social · 11mo agoJMIR Res Protocols: Social Media Marketing of Non-Evidence-Based Women's Health Interventions: #Protocol for a Content Analysis Using Participatory #Research Methods
Just-published study protocol for work in progress! @sydneyhealthliteracylab.org.au @brookenickel.bsky.social @tessacopp.bsky.social @emmagram.bsky.social @kmcfadden.bsky.social @jenna-smith.bsky.social @melodytaba.bsky.social @kirstenmccaffery.bsky.social www.researchprotocols.org/2025/1/e76750/
JMIR Publications@jmirpub.bsky.social · 11mo agoJMIR Res Protocols: Social Media Marketing of Non-Evidence-Based Women's Health Interventions: #Protocol for a Content Analysis Using Participatory #Research Methods
Misinformation about health is flooding social media, exposing the limits of current regulations and interventions. In this scoping review, we highlight key challenges and gaps in the current landscape: ebm.bmj.com/content/earl... @brookenickel.bsky.social @sydney.edu.au @ucph.bsky.social
Addressing misleading medical information on social media: a scoping review of current interventions
Background Misleading information about medical products on social media may cause overuse. Objectives Explore interventions targeting the problem of misleading medical information and marketing on s...
ebm.bmj.com
Congratulations to our three @sydney.edu.au researchers named 2025 NSW Young Tall Poppy award winners 🎉 Dr Ros Gloag, Dr @brookenickel.bsky.social and Dr @loubirrell.bsky.social have been recognised for their contribution to science and health care. Read more: go.sydney.edu.au/sORvSm
Teaching media and communication skills to Sydney School of Public health researchers @brookenickel.bsky.social @julieleask.bsky.social Katie Spaceley @sydneyfmh-emcr.bsky.social
Lung cancer screening hopes to save lives. But we also need to watch out for possible harms: theconversation.com/lung-cancer-... @wiserhealthcare.bsky.social
Lung cancer screening hopes to save lives. But we also need to watch for possible harms
The new lung cancer screening program needs to be independently evaluated to keep it on track, and to minimise the harms.
theconversation.com
Our article in Public Health Post on misleading information about popular medical tests on social media: publichealthpost.org/mental-behav... @joshzadro.bsky.social
Misleading Information About Popular Medical Tests on Social Media
As more people turn to social media for health advice, posts about medical testing may be a possible new driver of overdiagnosis.
publichealthpost.org
Thanks Dr Karl for inviting me on Shirtloads of Science to discuss the murky world of health misinformation on social media, exposing how overdiagnosis and unverified health claims are thriving in a mostly unregulated space. shirtloadsofscience.libsyn.com/health-misin...
Shirtloads of Science: Health Misinformation on Social Media & Overdiagnosis with Dr Brooke Nickel (428)
Dr. Brooke Nickel dives into the murky world of health misinformation on social media, exposing how overdiagnosis and unverified health claims are thriving in a mostly unregulated space. We explore th...
shirtloadsofscience.libsyn.com
So excited to be working with early to mid career researchers including @brookenickel.bsky.social to give them science-backed skills for impactful communication and thought leadership
Have you seen the TV show Apple Cider Vinegar where influencers promote wellness remedies to cure illnesses? A global study by USYD's Dr Brooke Nickel found that influencers are promoting “overwhelmingly” misleading information about medical tests on socials. Learn more: go.sydney.edu.au/z1Eghk
Most of what influencers are doing or promoting on social media in relation to health and “wellness” doesn’t have any evidence to support it. My thoughts on influencer morning routines here: www.abc.net.au/listen/https... @sydneyhealthlitlab.bsky.social @wiserhealthcare.bsky.social
The 'unhealthy' obsession with morning routine videos - ABC listen
How the rich, famous and super-healthy start their day has undeniable appeal to the rest of us. Trending social media posts are littered with influencers and celebrities sharing their morning routines...
abc.net.au
Our study covered on the latest ABC Health Report. www.abc.net.au/listen/progr... @sydneyhealthlitlab.bsky.social @wiserhealthcare.bsky.social
Influencers spreading misinformation online - ABC listen
If you’re like thousands of other Australians you’ve watched the new series on Belle Gibson, agape at the misinformation she spread on social media. Since she was exposed in 2015, platforms like Inst...
abc.net.au
Yep! Ignore all the "longevity" & "optimization" BS. You likely don't need that "wellness" text (MRI, genetic, microbiome) & potential for more harm than good)! Social media influencers are ‘fearmongering’ to promote health tests with limited evidence www.theguardian.com/society/2025...
Social media influencers are ‘fearmongering’ to promote health tests with limited evidence, study finds
Researchers warn of harms of overdiagnosis for generally healthy people as well as the cost of tests themselves
theguardian.com
SO MUCH "testing" hype now. This can do harm. Study: Social Media Posts About Medical Tests With Potential for Overdiagnosis jamanetwork.com/journals/jam... - 87.1% mentioned benefits - 14.7% noted harms, - 6.1% noted overdiagnosis [Read: you don't need that full-body MRI!]
Social Media Posts About Medical Tests With Potential for Overdiagnosis
This cross-sectional study examines the tone and content of social media posts that discuss popular medical tests with potential for overdiagnosis or overuse.
jamanetwork.com
Influencers Call These Medical Tests Lifesaving. Here’s What You May Not Know. www.nytimes.com/2025/02/26/w...
Influencers Call These Medical Tests Lifesaving. Here’s What You May Not Know.
New research examined nearly 1,000 posts on tests for fertility, testosterone levels and cancer risk.
nytimes.com
Social media influencers are ‘fearmongering’ to promote health tests with limited evidence, study finds www.theguardian.com/society/2025...
Social media influencers are ‘fearmongering’ to promote health tests with limited evidence, study finds
Researchers warn of harms of overdiagnosis for generally healthy people as well as the cost of tests themselves
theguardian.com
Our article out in The Conversation today! “If information about medical tests promoted by influencers in social media sounds too good to be true, it probably is.” theconversation.com/we-analysed-... @sydneyhealthlitlab.bsky.social @wiserhealthcare.bsky.social
We analysed almost 1,000 social media posts about 5 popular medical tests. Most were utterly misleading
87% of posts mentioned the benefits of the tests, while only 15% mentioned potential harms.
theconversation.com
JUST PUBLISHED! New research led by our Postdoctoral Research Fellow Dr Brooke Nickel (@brookenickel.bsky.social) in JAMA Network Open titled "Social Media Posts About Medical Tests With Potential for Overdiagnosis"! ➡️ Read here: jamanetwork.com/journals/jam... @jama.com
Social Media Posts About Medical Tests With Potential for Overdiagnosis
This cross-sectional study examines the tone and content of social media posts that discuss popular medical tests with potential for overdiagnosis or overuse.
jamanetwork.com
Social Media Posts About Medical Tests With Potential for Overdiagnosis jamanetwork.com/journals/jam... via @brookenickel.bsky.social
Social Media Posts About Medical Tests With Potential for Overdiagnosis
This cross-sectional study examines the tone and content of social media posts that discuss popular medical tests with potential for overdiagnosis or overuse.
jamanetwork.com
Our invited Editorial is now published in the Journal of Women's Health: Education about breast density does not improve screening adherence among racial and ethnic minority women. lnkd.in/eWf3EWnb @wiserhealthcare.bsky.social @sydneyhealthlitlab.bsky.social
Important discussion about wellness claims and products and misinformation on social media, brought about by the Netflix series Apple Cider Vinegar. Thanks ABC Radio National Life Matters for inviting me to come on and discuss. www.abc.net.au/listen/progr...
Apple Cider Vinegar to wellness conspiracies: how can we combat health misinformation? - ABC listen
Netflix's new show Apple Cider Vinegar has reignited the debate about wellness scammer Belle Gibson. A decade on, where are we with health misinformation online, and is there anything that can be don...
abc.net.au
First lead author study of 2025 now published! Are AI chatbots concordant with evidence-based cancer screening recommendations? www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti... @julieayre.bsky.social @melodytaba.bsky.social @sydneyhealthlitlab.bsky.social @wiserhealthcare.bsky.social
Are AI chatbots concordant with evidence-based cancer screening recommendations?
This study aimed to assess whether information from AI chatbots on benefits and harms of breast and prostate cancer screening were concordant with evi…
sciencedirect.com