Read on Twitter
#infodemic #infodemicmanagement
Why good information matters?
- helps in taking correct decisions
- helps spreading good information and not panic or coloured narratives
- can be source-checked/verified
- helps tackle misinformation
Why good information matters?
- helps in taking correct decisions
- helps spreading good information and not panic or coloured narratives
- can be source-checked/verified
- helps tackle misinformation
Misinformation - it is false information that a person spreads because they believe it to be true and have no intention to harm
Disinformation - is a false information that a person spreads knowing it is false, with an intention to deceive people
Disinformation - is a false information that a person spreads knowing it is false, with an intention to deceive people
Infodemic - it is too much information, good, false, in digital and/or physical form spread during an outbreak
It causes confusion and risk-taking behaviours that can harm health
It also leads to mistrust in health authorities and undermines the public health response
It causes confusion and risk-taking behaviours that can harm health
It also leads to mistrust in health authorities and undermines the public health response
Every kind of health misinformation is harmful.
Because it can potentially cause chaos, build mistrust in systems, and results in real world harm.
Examples: it can prevent people to take preventive, effective healthcare measures.
Because it can potentially cause chaos, build mistrust in systems, and results in real world harm.
Examples: it can prevent people to take preventive, effective healthcare measures.
Health misinformation also KILLS
But ... how is it created?
How does information ecosystem get distorted into misinformation system?
But ... how is it created?
How does information ecosystem get distorted into misinformation system?
information system can be distorted into misinformation system by many factors:
- Human biases
- Emotive information
- Information overload, and
- Unverified information
- Human biases
- Emotive information
- Information overload, and
- Unverified information
What are the differences in outcomes?
Good health information vs mis- and disinformation:
Good information empowers people, gives ability to take informed decisions and builds trust.
Good health information vs mis- and disinformation:
Good information empowers people, gives ability to take informed decisions and builds trust.
Compromised/manipulated information spreads disruption, chaos and causes panic.
Misinformation was always here, long before social media existed. It is not new thing. Nor is infodemic.
However, it has become more complex.
Misinformation was always here, long before social media existed. It is not new thing. Nor is infodemic.
However, it has become more complex.
Misinformation knows no geographical boundaries. It can go viral over the world in no time.
Medical misinformation:
- Iran - methanol poisoning during COVID pandemic, in result of this over 700 people died.
- India - misinformation campaign against MMR vaccine
Medical misinformation:
- Iran - methanol poisoning during COVID pandemic, in result of this over 700 people died.
- India - misinformation campaign against MMR vaccine
The campaign caused stop in the vaccination process in result of "safety concerns", none of them were ever confirmed.
Cost of misinformation:
- social cost: it leads to chaos, violence, social instability
- breakdown of trust: it leads into mistrust in healthcare system
- economic: it increases economic burden on the healthcare systems (and whole country)
- social cost: it leads to chaos, violence, social instability
- breakdown of trust: it leads into mistrust in healthcare system
- economic: it increases economic burden on the healthcare systems (and whole country)
- human cost: it also leads to the loss of health and lives.
That is why healthcare workers need to be prepared to fight mis- and disinformation, because it is them in the front line.
That is why healthcare workers need to be prepared to fight mis- and disinformation, because it is them in the front line.
Challenges for HCW:
- deal with patient's conditions and their misinformed mindsets
- face breakdown in trust in HCW and the healthcare system
- battle mistrust in the healthcare system
- equip your patient with tools to understand and identify misinformation
- deal with patient's conditions and their misinformed mindsets
- face breakdown in trust in HCW and the healthcare system
- battle mistrust in the healthcare system
- equip your patient with tools to understand and identify misinformation
HCW should be equipped with 4 items/skills:
- listening to community concerns and questions
- raising awareness of health risks
- building resistance to misinformation
- encouraging the community to take action
- listening to community concerns and questions
- raising awareness of health risks
- building resistance to misinformation
- encouraging the community to take action
How?
HCW need to be aware of misinformation trends, well informed what are the correct information and share them, communicate the correct information and discuss them with your patients. Present the correct information in simple language.
HCW need to be aware of misinformation trends, well informed what are the correct information and share them, communicate the correct information and discuss them with your patients. Present the correct information in simple language.
Observe your community
Analyse what is happening and why
Research the narratives
THINK CRITICALLY
Analyse what is happening and why
Research the narratives
THINK CRITICALLY
What to do?
- ALWAYS check ALL information
- when was it published, does it look legit, is author legit, are sources valid, does it invoke strong emotions, is the info the same in multiple sources?
- ALWAYS check ALL information
- when was it published, does it look legit, is author legit, are sources valid, does it invoke strong emotions, is the info the same in multiple sources?
• • •
Missing some Tweet in this thread? You can try to
force a refresh
