ArticleFrontiers in public health2026
Public awareness, knowledge gaps, and health anxiety concerning microplastics in human blood: a cross-sectional survey of Indian adults.
Article in Frontiers in public health, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
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Abstract
Background: The detection of microplastics (MPs) in human blood has sparked global concern, yet public understanding and associated anxiety in high-exposure regions like India remain underexplored. Methods: This cross-sectional survey (September 2023-March 2025) involved 1,200 Indian adults using stratified sampling across age, gender, education, income, and urban/rural residence. A validated 30-item questionnaire assessed awareness sources, knowledge accuracy, and MP-specific anxiety (adapted GAD-7). Data were analyzed with descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, and multivariate logistic regression in R (v4.3.1). Results: 75% of participants were aware of MPs in blood (primarily via social media, 58%), but only 28% correctly identified ingestion as the main pathway and 25% understood realistic health implications (e.g., inflammation, potential coagulation effects). Mean anxiety score was 7.8 ± 3.2 (mild-moderate), with higher levels among social media users (OR = 1.7, Conclusion: Significant gaps persist between awareness and evidence-based knowledge, fueling unnecessary anxiety. Targeted media literacy and public health campaigns are essential in India and similar settings.
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