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McKinney ZJ, Tessier KM, Shaheen ZR, Schwitzer G, Olson APJ, Scheurer JM, Krohn KM. Empowering Third-Year Medical Students to Detect Bias and Medical Misinformation Online via Experiential Learning of "Lateral Reading," A Fact-Checker's Technique. TEACHING AND LEARNING IN MEDICINE 2024:1-12. [PMID: 39329433 DOI: 10.1080/10401334.2024.2405542] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2024] [Revised: 07/17/2024] [Accepted: 08/16/2024] [Indexed: 09/28/2024]
Abstract
Problem: Misleading health information is detrimental to public health. Even physicians can be misled by biased health information; however, medical students and physicians are not taught some of the most effective techniques for identifying bias and misinformation online. Intervention: Using the stages of Kolb's experiential learning cycle as a framework, we aimed to teach 117 third-year students at a United States medical school to apply a fact-checking technique for identifying bias and misinformation called "lateral reading" through a 50-minute learning cycle in a 90-minute class. Each student's concrete experience was to independently read a biased article and rate its credibility, demonstrating their baseline skills at identifying bias. Students were given structured opportunities for reflective observation through individual and large group discussion. Students were guided through abstract conceptualization to determine techniques and frameworks utilized by fact checkers, specifically "lateral reading"-utilizing the internet to research the background of the author, organization, and citations using independent sources before exploring the article itself in depth. Students' active experimentation included re-rating the credibility of the same article and discussing further implications with classmates and instructors. Context: In January 2020, sessions were offered to third-year medical students during their required, longitudinal transition-to-residency course. Impact: Compared to baseline, when using lateral reading, students deemed the article less credible. Students' active experimentation changed whether they identified the organization and sources behind the article as credible. Notably, 86% (53/62) of students who viewed the organization positively pre-intervention did not describe the organization positively post intervention. Similarly, 66% (36/55) of students who cited the sources as positive pre-exercise changed their assessment after the exercise. While three students mentioned the author negatively pre-intervention, none of the 21 students who described the author in a negative fashion post-intervention described the author negatively pre-intervention. Positively describing the organization, author, or sources pre-intervention correlated with differences in credibility rating after the intervention. These findings indicate that teaching students to read laterally may increase their ability to detect bias in online medical information. Lessons Learned: Further research is needed to determine whether students who learned lateral reading via experiential learning will apply this skill in their education and career. Additionally, research should assess whether this skill helps future physicians counter bias and misinformation in ways that improve health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zeke J McKinney
- School of Public Health, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
| | - Katelyn M Tessier
- Masonic Cancer Center, Biostatistics Core, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
| | - Zachary R Shaheen
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
| | - Gary Schwitzer
- School of Public Health, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
| | - Andrew P J Olson
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
- Department of Medicine, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
| | - Johannah M Scheurer
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
| | - Kristina M Krohn
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
- Department of Medicine, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
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Yang M, Huang W, Shen M, Du J, Wang L, Zhang Y, Xia Q, Yang J, Fu Y, Mao Q, Pan M, Huangfu Z, Wang F, Zhu W. Qualitative research on undergraduate nursing students' recognition and response to short videos' health disinformation. Heliyon 2024; 10:e35455. [PMID: 39170481 PMCID: PMC11336716 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e35455] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2023] [Revised: 07/06/2024] [Accepted: 07/29/2024] [Indexed: 08/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Background With the popularity of the internet, short videos have become an indispensable tool to obtain health information. However, avoiding health disinformation owing to the openness of the Internet is difficult for users. Disinformation may endanger the health and lives of users. Objective With a focus on the process of identifying short videos' health disinformation and the factors affecting the accuracy of identification, this study aimed to investigate the identification methods, coping strategies, and the impact of short videos' health disinformation on undergraduate nursing students. The findings will provide guidance to users on obtaining high-quality and healthy information, in addition to reducing health risks. Methods Semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted with 22 undergraduate nursing students in October 2022, and data were collected for collation and content analyses. Results The techniques used to identify short videos that include health disinformation as well as how undergraduate nursing students perceived these videos' features are among the study's findings. The failure factors in identification, coping paths, and adverse impacts of short videos on health disinformation were analyzed. The platform, the material itself, and the students' individual characteristics all have an impact on their identifying behavior. Conclusions Medical students continue to face many obstacles in identifying and responding to health disinformation through short videos. Preventing and stopping health disinformation not only requires individual efforts to improve health literacy and maintain rational thinking, it also requires the joint efforts of short video producers, relevant departments, and platforms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ming Yang
- Xinyang Central Hospital, Xinyang City, 464000, Henan Province, China
| | - Wanyu Huang
- School of Public Health, Wuhan University, Wuhan City, 430071, Hubei Province, China
| | - Meiyu Shen
- Department of Psychiatry, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430060, China
| | - Juan Du
- School of Nursing, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an City, 710032, Shaanxi Province, China
| | - Linlin Wang
- Medical College, Xinyang Normal University, Xinyang City, 464000, Henan Province, China
| | - Yin Zhang
- Xinyang Central Hospital, Xinyang City, 464000, Henan Province, China
| | - Qingshan Xia
- Xinyang Central Hospital, Xinyang City, 464000, Henan Province, China
| | - Jingying Yang
- Medical College, Xinyang Normal University, Xinyang City, 464000, Henan Province, China
| | - Yingjie Fu
- Centre for Health Management and Policy Research, School of Public Health, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan City, 250012, Shandong Province, China
| | - Qiyue Mao
- School of Information Engineering, Hubei Light Industry Technology Institute, Wuhan City, 430070, Hubei Province, China
| | - Minghao Pan
- Department of Psychiatry, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430060, China
- Medical College, Xinyang Normal University, Xinyang City, 464000, Henan Province, China
| | - Zheng Huangfu
- School of Journalism and Communication, Nanjing Xiaozhuang University, Nanjing City, 210000, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Fan Wang
- School of Information Management, Wuhan University, Wuhan City, 430072, Hubei Province, China
| | - Wei Zhu
- Medical College, Xinyang Normal University, Xinyang City, 464000, Henan Province, China
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Sun J, Pan W. Self-Correction or Other-Correction: The Effects of Source Consistency and Ways of Correction on Sharing Intention of Health Misinformation Correction. HEALTH COMMUNICATION 2024:1-11. [PMID: 38659151 DOI: 10.1080/10410236.2024.2346674] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/26/2024]
Abstract
The spread of misinformation, especially health-related misinformation has raised concerns globally. As an immediate remedy, fact-checking has been identified as an important solution. Adopting a 2 (source credibility: high vs. low) × 2 (source consistency: consistent vs. inconsistent) × 3 (ways of correction: human fact-checking vs. AI fact-checking vs. simple rebuttal) factorial design experiment (N = 754), this study examined how ways of correction and source consistency may affect individuals' intentions to share health misinformation correction on social media on two health topics: sunscreen safety and vaccine safety. Results showed that human and AI fact-checking correction elicited higher sharing intention compared to simple rebuttal. Correction coming from a different source than the original misinformation source elicited higher sharing intention, compared to correction from the same source. Perceived correction source credibility mediated the effects of ways of correction and source consistency on correction sharing intention. Theoretical and practical implications were discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jikai Sun
- School of Journalism and Communication, Renmin University of China
| | - Wenjing Pan
- School of Journalism and Communication, Renmin University of China
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Parisi L, Mulargia S, Comunello F, Bernardini V, Bussoletti A, Nisi CR, Russo L, Campagna I, Lanfranchi B, Croci I, Grassucci E, Gesualdo F. Exploring the vaccine conversation on TikTok in Italy: beyond classic vaccine stances. BMC Public Health 2023; 23:880. [PMID: 37173677 PMCID: PMC10176305 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-023-15748-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2022] [Accepted: 04/25/2023] [Indexed: 05/15/2023] Open
Abstract
TikTok, a social media platform for creating and sharing short videos, has seen a surge in popularity during the COVID-19 pandemic. To analyse the Italian vaccine conversation on TikTok, we downloaded a sample of videos with a high play count (Top Videos), identified through an unofficial Application Programming Interface (consistent with TikTok's Terms of Service), and collected public videos from vaccine sceptic users through snowball sampling (Vaccine Sceptics' videos). The videos were analysed using qualitative and quantitative methods, in terms of vaccine stance, tone of voice, topic, conformity with TikTok style, and other characteristics. The final datasets consisted of 754 Top Videos (by 510 single users) plus 180 Vaccine Sceptics' videos (by 29 single users), posted between January 2020 and March 2021. In 40.5% of the Top Videos the stance was promotional, 33.9% were indefinite-ironic, 11.3% were neutral, 9.7% were discouraging, and 3.1% were ambiguous (i.e. expressing an ambivalent stance towards vaccines); 43% of promotional videos were from healthcare professionals. More than 95% of the Vaccine Sceptic videos were discouraging. Multiple correspondence analysis showed that, compared to other stances, promotional videos were more frequently created by healthcare professionals and by females, and their most frequent topic was herd immunity. Discouraging videos were associated with a polemical tone of voice and their topics were conspiracy and freedom of choice. Our analysis shows that Italian vaccine-sceptic users on TikTok are limited in number and vocality, and the large proportion of videos with an indefinite-ironic stance might imply that the incidence of affective polarisation could be lower on TikTok, compared to other social media, in the Italian context. Safety is the most frequent concern of users, and we recorded an interesting presence of healthcare professionals among the creators. TikTok should be considered as a medium for vaccine communication and for vaccine promotion campaigns.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lorenza Parisi
- Human Sciences Department, Link Campus University, Rome, Italy
| | - Simone Mulargia
- Department of Human Studies - Communication, Education, and Psychology, LUMSA University, Borgo S. Angelo, 13, Rome, 00193, Italy
| | - Francesca Comunello
- Department of Communication and Social Research, Sapienza University of Rome, Piazzale Aldo Moro 5, Rome, 00185, Italy
| | - Vittoria Bernardini
- Department of Communication and Social Research, Sapienza University of Rome, Piazzale Aldo Moro 5, Rome, 00185, Italy
| | - Arianna Bussoletti
- Department of Communication and Social Research, Sapienza University of Rome, Piazzale Aldo Moro 5, Rome, 00185, Italy
| | - Carla Rita Nisi
- Department of Communication and Social Research, Sapienza University of Rome, Piazzale Aldo Moro 5, Rome, 00185, Italy
| | - Luisa Russo
- Predictive and Preventive Medicine Research Unit, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital IRCCS, Piazza S. Onofrio 4, Rome, 00165, Italy
| | - Ilaria Campagna
- Predictive and Preventive Medicine Research Unit, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital IRCCS, Piazza S. Onofrio 4, Rome, 00165, Italy
| | - Barbara Lanfranchi
- Predictive and Preventive Medicine Research Unit, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital IRCCS, Piazza S. Onofrio 4, Rome, 00165, Italy
| | - Ileana Croci
- Predictive and Preventive Medicine Research Unit, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital IRCCS, Piazza S. Onofrio 4, Rome, 00165, Italy
| | - Eleonora Grassucci
- Predictive and Preventive Medicine Research Unit, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital IRCCS, Piazza S. Onofrio 4, Rome, 00165, Italy
- Department of Information Engineering, Electronics, and Telecommunication, Sapienza University of Rome, Piazzale Aldo Moro 5, Rome, 00185, Italy
| | - Francesco Gesualdo
- Predictive and Preventive Medicine Research Unit, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital IRCCS, Piazza S. Onofrio 4, Rome, 00165, Italy.
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