Tips to combat hoaxes about health in social networks

2023-06-30 09:56:09

Adolescents with more obsessive-compulsive disorders and greater vaccination reluctance among health professionals are some of the consequences of the increase in hoaxes regarding health in social networks. To fight against misinformation, experts offer us a series of recommendations.

A man checks his cell phone during the subway ride/ IMEO PHOTO

The Institute #SaludsinBulos and the Spanish Society of Primary Care Physicians (SEMERGEN) have warned about the danger of hoaxes about health on social networks with the aim of reducing their impact.

The health areas among which disinformation spreads the most on social networks are vaccination and feeding.

On the occasion of World Social Media DayJune 30, experts from both institutions have prepared a series of recommendations to combat hoaxes about health in networks.

Recommendations for healthcare professionals

Improve the communication skills of healthcare professionals and staff

It is one of the main tips to fight against hoaxes in terms of health in the network.

The goal is that the true message of science reached more people with a pleasant, simple and quick to understand language.

This is reflected in a study by the University of Taipei (Taiwan) published in the latest issue of Journal of Conrolled Release which also shows that people who are exposed to continuous misinformation tend to adopt less preventive health behaviors.

Recommendations for the population

Always contrast the information that appears on social networks

Experts say that it is very important to check the information before disseminating it without being sure that it is true or where it comes from.

British and American researchers have published research in the journal Cognition which shows that the greater the exposure to false content, the more likely it is to be perceived as true and redistributed.

Check the origin or source

Investigating the origin of the source is essential to find out if information on social networks comes from accounts identified as propagators of false content.

In this sense, an analysis carried out by #SaludsinBulos of the conversation about vaccines on Twitter has detected that the accounts that achieve the most virality are precisely those that disseminate false content.

Recommendations for parents of minors

Become aware of the content your children access and improve communication

“The importance of health professionals in educating the population, especially in the use of social networks, is fundamental. I think we should carry out community activities for adolescents,” he explains. Carlos Mateos, coordinator of the #SaludsinBulos Institute and of the Confidence in Vaccination initiative, an entity that carries out educational campaigns and trains health professionals.

For this reason, since SEMERGEN y #SaludsinBulos parents are asked to encourage conversation with your children about health and social networks.

In addition, they recommend go to health professionals whenever necessary to clarify doubts about health and nutrition.

On the occasion of the International Day of Social Networks. Image courtesy of SEMERGEN and #Saludsinbulos

Main consequences of the increase in hoaxes about health in social networks

Carlos Mateos assures that “one of the consequences of misinformation on vaccines is that there is not only a part of the population that refuses to be vaccinated rather, many health professionals (a fifth, according to some studies) show vaccine reluctance, which has very serious consequences, especially in a vulnerable and unconvinced population”.

Likewise, Dr. Javier Sanz, coordinator of SEMERGEN’s Digital Innovation in Health Working Group, maintains that there are more and more adolescents who suffer from obsessive-compulsive disorders or even suicidal ideas. The professional relates them directly to the explosion of social networks.

On the other hand, the increased mental and eating disorders is a consequence of growth in social networks of hoaxes about food, miracle diets and false information about routines and eating habits.