Countering health misinformation requires direct intervention, global study finds
By Robert Davis
Photo: Spencer Davis/Unsplash
Results from a 2019 global study and released on November 10 found that directly addressing infectious disease misinformation is the most effective way to combat it in community settings, especially in low-income regions
The study analyzed two methods of tackling the spread of misinformation about typhoid and malaria in Freetown, Sierra Leone using a series of audio drama – local news and entertainment radio programs – that were distributed on WhatsApp. The first method provided participants with information that directly debunked the misinformation, while the other method focused on facts without clearly mentioning the misinformation.
Using WhatsApp, researchers randomly selected 776 participants for the study and divided the participants evenly into the two groups. According to the results, participants who were exposed to the first method showed “considerable declines” in the belief of misinformation, when compared to the second group. Both interventions also appeared to improve the participant’s knowledge about the differences between typhoid and malaria, the study said.
“Misinformation can be as contagious as a virus—sometimes more,” the study says. “And like a virus, misinformation can be fatal. There is strong evidence that misinformation can reduce protective actions, encourage risky behaviors and promote the spread of infectious disease.”
While the study itself was isolated to Sierra Leone, Maike Winters, a coauthor of the study, said in a statement that the results are “building blocks” that can be used to develop intervention strategies in similar settings, such as countering misinformation about COVID-19.
But the study’s conclusions stand opposed to other academic literature that suggests directly addressing misinformation can contribute to its spread. For example, one study by Harvard’s Kennedy School of Public Policy found that the spread of misinformation is often associated with low public trust in the media. When journalists, academics, or other authority figures directly address the misinformation, it simply serves to reinforce the false beliefs, the study says.
According to a study by the Brookings Institute, misinformation is commonly designed to attack personal biases and beliefs to generate a response. This is part of the reason why so many news organizations are calling for lawmakers to enact stricter data regulations for social media and other data-heavy companies.
Local medical professionals like Dr. Josh Williams, a pediatrician and vaccine expert at Denver Health who studies vaccine misinformation, say the BMJ study shows the power of trust in the fight against misinformation.
“That process – of building trust – is a two-way street, and it requires patients who are willing to share their concerns with providers and providers who are willing to listen to those concerns and share tailored information back,” Williams told Denver VOICE.
For example, the audio dramas in Sierra Leone were produced with the help of a well-known local actors’ group. Winters says this decision helped researchers tap into a trusted source of information that is also well-regulated at the local level.
Similarly, some local organizations are working to convey accurate information about the COVID-19 vaccines to their local communities. Denver Health has hosted town hall-style events where community members can ask local doctors about the vaccines.
Other organizations such as Salud Family Health Centers and Tepeyac Community Health Center went door-to-door in some communities to help combat any misinformation that may be spreading.
Williams says it is important for vaccine providers to understand people’s individual concerns and speak to the concerns directly because other approaches may seem evasive.
“Ultimately, it is the patient or parent’s decision to get the vaccine, but it is our responsibility as providers to know why our patients are concerned, to speak to those concerns, and to remind concerned parties about the overwhelming evidence supporting the safety and effectiveness of vaccines,” Williams said.