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Zhang S, Zhou H, Zhu Y. Have we found a solution for health misinformation? A ten-year systematic review of health misinformation literature 2013-2022. Int J Med Inform 2024; 188:105478. [PMID: 38743994 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijmedinf.2024.105478] [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: 11/03/2023] [Revised: 01/22/2024] [Accepted: 05/08/2024] [Indexed: 05/16/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Health misinformation (HM) has emerged as a prominent social issue in recent years, driven by declining public trust, popularisation of digital media platforms and escalating public health crisis. Since the Covid-19 pandemic, HM has raised critical concerns due to its significant impacts on both individuals and society as a whole. A comprehensive understanding of HM and HM-related studies would be instrumental in identifying possible solutions to address HM and the associated challenges. METHODS Following the PRISMA procedure, 11,739 papers published from January 2013 to December 2022 were retrieved from five electronic databases, and 813 papers matching the inclusion criteria were retained for further analysis. This article critically reviewed HM-related studies, detailing the factors facilitating HM creation and dissemination, negative impacts of HM, solutions to HM, and research methods employed in those studies. RESULTS A growing number of studies have focused on HM since 2013. Results of this study highlight that trust plays a significant while latent role in the circuits of HM, facilitating the creation and dissemination of HM, exacerbating the negative impacts of HM and amplifying the difficulty in addressing HM. CONCLUSION For health authorities and governmental institutions, it is essential to systematically build public trust in order to reduce the probability of individuals acceptation of HM and to improve the effectiveness of misinformation correction. Future studies should pay more attention to the role of trust in how to address HM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shiyi Zhang
- School of Arts, Media and Communication, University of Leicester, UK
| | - Huiyu Zhou
- School of Computing and Mathematical Sciences, University of Leicester, UK
| | - Yimei Zhu
- School of Arts, Media and Communication, University of Leicester, UK.
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Ziapour A, Malekzadeh R, Darabi F, Yıldırım M, Montazeri N, Kianipour N, Nejhaddadgar N. The role of social media literacy in infodemic management: a systematic review. Front Digit Health 2024; 6:1277499. [PMID: 38419808 PMCID: PMC10899688 DOI: 10.3389/fdgth.2024.1277499] [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: 08/14/2023] [Accepted: 01/19/2024] [Indexed: 03/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Background The term infodemic refers to the proliferation of both accurate and inaccurate information that creates a challenge in identifying trustworthy and credible sources. Among the strategies employed to mitigate the impact of the infodemic, social media literacy has emerged as a significant and effective approach. This systematic review examines the role of social media literacy in the management of the infodemic. Methods Six databases, including SID, Magiran, Scopus, PubMed, Google Scholar and Web of Science were systematically searched using relevant keywords. We included the relevant publications between 2012 and 2023 in our analysis. To ensure a qualitative assessment of the studies, we used the STROBE and AMSTAR checklists as evaluation tools. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews (PRISMA) guideline was used for the design of this review study. Finally, we organized the studies into groups based on similarities and retrieved and analyzed evidence pertaining to the challenges and opportunities identified. Results Eleven papers were included in this study after reviewing the retrieved studies. Five of them examined the effect of social media literacy and health literacy on acceptance of health behaviors. Four studies investigated the role of media literacy in managing misinformation and fake news related to health. Two studies focused on infodemic management and promoting citizen engagement during health crises. Results showed that health-related infodemics are derived from the users' lack of media knowledge, distrust of government service systems, local influencers and peers, rapid circulation of information through mass media messages, weakness of solutions proposed by health care providers, failure to pay attention to the needs of the audience, vertical management, and inconsistency of published messages. Conclusion The findings of this study highlight the importance of increasing social media literacy among the general public as a recognized strategy for managing the infodemic. Consequently, it is recommended that relevant organizations and institutions, such as the Ministry of Health, develop targeted training programs to effectively address this need.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arash Ziapour
- Cardiovascular Research Center, Health Institute, Imam-Ali Hospital, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran
| | - Roya Malekzadeh
- Department of Public Health, Faculty of Health, Health Sciences Research Center, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran
| | - Fatemeh Darabi
- Department of Public Health, Asadabad School of Medical Sciences, Asadabad, Iran
| | - Murat Yıldırım
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Science and Letters, Agri Ibrahim Cecen University, Ağrı, Turkey
- Department of Social and Educational Sciences, Lebanese American University, Beirut, Lebanon
| | - Nafiseh Montazeri
- Cardiovascular Research Center, Health Institute, Imam-Ali Hospital, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran
| | - Neda Kianipour
- Student Research Committee, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran
| | - Nazila Nejhaddadgar
- Department of Public Health, School of Health, Ardabil University of Medical Sciences, Ardabil, Iran
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Chu AM, Chong ACY, Lai NHT, Tiwari A, So MKP. Enhancing the Predictive Power of Google Trends Data Through Network Analysis: Infodemiology Study of COVID-19. JMIR Public Health Surveill 2023; 9:e42446. [PMID: 37676701 PMCID: PMC10488898 DOI: 10.2196/42446] [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: 09/05/2022] [Revised: 06/01/2023] [Accepted: 06/29/2023] [Indexed: 09/08/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The COVID-19 outbreak has revealed a high demand for timely surveillance of pandemic developments. Google Trends (GT), which provides freely available search volume data, has been proven to be a reliable forecast and nowcast measure for public health issues. Previous studies have tended to use relative search volumes from GT directly to analyze associations and predict the progression of pandemic. However, GT's normalization of the search volumes data and data retrieval restrictions affect the data resolution in reflecting the actual search behaviors, thus limiting the potential for using GT data to predict disease outbreaks. OBJECTIVE This study aimed to introduce a merged algorithm that helps recover the resolution and accuracy of the search volume data extracted from GT over long observation periods. In addition, this study also aimed to demonstrate the extended application of merged search volumes (MSVs) in combination of network analysis, via tracking the COVID-19 pandemic risk. METHODS We collected relative search volumes from GT and transformed them into MSVs using our proposed merged algorithm. The MSVs of the selected coronavirus-related keywords were compiled using the rolling window method. The correlations between the MSVs were calculated to form a dynamic network. The network statistics, including network density and the global clustering coefficients between the MSVs, were also calculated. RESULTS Our research findings suggested that although GT restricts the search data retrieval into weekly data points over a long period, our proposed approach could recover the daily search volume over the same investigation period to facilitate subsequent research analyses. In addition, the dynamic time warping diagrams show that the dynamic networks were capable of predicting the COVID-19 pandemic trends, in terms of the number of COVID-19 confirmed cases and severity risk scores. CONCLUSIONS The innovative method for handling GT search data and the application of MSVs and network analysis to broaden the potential for GT data are useful for predicting the pandemic risk. Further investigation of the GT dynamic network can focus on noncommunicable diseases, health-related behaviors, and misinformation on the internet.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amanda My Chu
- Department of Social Sciences and Policy Studies, The Education University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - Andy C Y Chong
- School of Nursing, Tung Wah College, Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - Nick H T Lai
- Department of Information Systems, Business Statistics and Operations Management, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - Agnes Tiwari
- School of Nursing, Hong Kong Sanatorium & Hospital, Hong Kong, Hong Kong
- Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - Mike K P So
- Department of Information Systems, Business Statistics and Operations Management, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong, Hong Kong
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Wang X, Huang W. Determining the role of music attitude and its precursors in stimulating the psychological wellbeing of immigrants during COVID quarantine - a moderated mediation approach. Front Psychol 2023; 14:1121180. [PMID: 37519375 PMCID: PMC10382205 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1121180] [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: 12/11/2022] [Accepted: 06/07/2023] [Indexed: 08/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Based on social cognitive theory (SCT), the purpose of this study is to examine the role of music attitude and its essential precursors in stimulating the psychological wellbeing of immigrants in isolation (quarantine) during the COVID pandemic. This study employed quantitative methodology; an online survey was administered to collect sufficient data from 300 immigrants who traveled to China during the pandemic. Data were collected from five centralized quarantine centers situated in different cities in China. Additionally, the valid data set was analyzed using structural equation modeling (SEM) via AMOS 24 and SPSS 24. The results indicate that potential predictors such as cognitive - music experience (MEX), environmental - social media peer influence (SPI), and cultural factors such as native music (NM) have a direct, significant, and positive effect on music attitude (MA), which further influences immigrants' psychological wellbeing (PW) during their quarantine period. Moreover, in the presence of the mediator (MA), the mediating relationships between MEX and PW, and NM and PW, are positive, significant, and regarded as partial mediation. However, the moderated mediation effects of music type (MT) on MEX-MA-PW and NM-MA-PW were found to be statistically not significant and unsupported. This study contributes to the literature on the effectiveness of individuals' music attitude and its associated outcomes, focusing on mental health care in lonely situations such as quarantine during the COVID pandemic. More importantly, this study has raised awareness about music, music attitude, and their beneficial outcomes, such as mental calmness and peacefulness for the general public, particularly during social distancing, isolation, and quarantine in the COVID pandemic situation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaokang Wang
- College of Music and Dance, Guizhou Minzu University, Guiyang, Guizhou, China
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Zhang X, Wang L. Factors Contributing to Citizens' Participation in COVID-19 Prevention and Control in China: An Integrated Model Based on Theory of Planned Behavior, Norm Activation Model, and Political Opportunity Structure Theory. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:15794. [PMID: 36497869 PMCID: PMC9739160 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph192315794] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2022] [Revised: 11/16/2022] [Accepted: 11/24/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Chinese citizens' participation in COVID-19 prevention and control has made great contributions to the successful fight against the pandemic. The factors that have impacted citizens' participation have rarely been reported based on both social-psychological and political environmental theories. This paper presented a study to explore the determinants of Chinese citizens' participation in COVID-19 prevention and control based on a combined model of the theory of planned behavior, the norm activation model, and political opportunity structure theory. A dataset involving 463 respondents from Harbin in northeast China was acquired and analyzed. The results showed that the comprehensive model explained 62.9% of the total variance in citizens' participation behavior. The openness to public participation not only significantly directly influenced citizens' participation but also indirectly affected participation behaviors through attitude and perceived behavioral control, both of which were important mediators and had the greatest overall impacts. The awareness of consequences and subjective norms were crucial antecedents to the activation of other influencing factors. Personal norms indirectly affected participation behavior through the mediation of attitude. The empirical results showed the comprehensiveness, effectiveness, and high explanatory power of the postulated model. The study also provides both new theoretical perspectives for explaining public participation and useful practical implications for future policy development in promoting citizens' participation in public health emergency management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaojie Zhang
- Department of Public Administration, School of Humanities & Law, Northeastern University, Shenyang 110169, China
| | - Lili Wang
- Party School of Weihai Municipal Committee of Communist Party of China, Weihai 264213, China
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Bas-Sarmiento P, Lamas-Toranzo MJ, Fernández-Gutiérrez M, Poza-Méndez M. Health Literacy, Misinformation, Self-Perceived Risk and Fear, and Preventive Measures Related to COVID-19 in Spanish University Students. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:15370. [PMID: 36430094 PMCID: PMC9690779 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph192215370] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2022] [Revised: 11/10/2022] [Accepted: 11/17/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
The "infodemic" is one of the main obstacles in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. In order to face it, health literacy (HL) is essential since it allows for knowledge about COVID-19 and the practice of preventive measures to be fostered. This is especially relevant in university students due to their idiosyncrasy. This study aims to evaluate the level of HL related to COVID-19 (HLC), risk perception, misinformation, and the attitudes and behaviors adopted to prevent the spread of coronavirus in Spanish university students. An online questionnaire was administered to 499 Spanish university students. The HLC index presented a mean of 33.89 out of 50; a total of 63.8% had an inadequate level of HLC. They practiced a mean of 7.54 out of 9 preventive behaviors, and the mean knowledge score was 10.40 out of 13. The HLC showed significantly different scores for the degree, the practice of preventive measures, and some sources of information. The level of HL correlates with the adoption of preventive measures. The higher the severity and perceived susceptibility, the more preventive measures are taken by the students. Therefore, there is a need to strengthen the HL skills of university students and address the dissemination of misinformation. Although caution should be taken when generalizing these results due to the limitations inherent within a cross-sectional study and the convenience sampling, our results can guide the establishment of health education strategies and policies for the management of the infodemic in pandemic situations, according to this target population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pilar Bas-Sarmiento
- Department of Nursing and Physiotherapy, University of Cadiz, University Institute of Research in Social Sustainable Development (INDESS), Institute of Research and Innovation in Biomedical Sciences of the Province of Cadiz, INiBICA, 11009 Cadiz, Spain
| | | | - Martina Fernández-Gutiérrez
- Department of Nursing and Physiotherapy, University of Cadiz, University Institute of Research in Social Sustainable Development (INDESS), Institute of Research and Innovation in Biomedical Sciences of the Province of Cadiz, INiBICA, 11009 Cadiz, Spain
| | - Miriam Poza-Méndez
- Department of Nursing and Physiotherapy, University of Cadiz, University Institute of Research in Social Sustainable Development (INDESS), 11009 Cadiz, Spain
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Busch IM, Savazzi S, Bertini G, Cesari P, Guaraldo O, Nosè M, Barbui C, Rimondini M. A Practical Framework for Academics to Implement Public Engagement Interventions and Measure Their Impact. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:13357. [PMID: 36293939 PMCID: PMC9602633 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph192013357] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2022] [Revised: 10/06/2022] [Accepted: 10/13/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Academic institutions have shown an increased interest in the so-called third mission to offer an impactful contribution to society. Indeed, public engagement programs ensure knowledge transfer and help to inspire positive public discourse. We aimed to propose a comprehensive framework for academic institutions planning to implement a public engagement intervention and to suggest potential indicators to measure its impact. To inform the framework development, we searched the literature on public engagement, the third mission, and design theory in electronic databases and additional sources (e.g., academic recommendations) and partnered with a communication agency offering non-academic advice. In line with this framework, we designed a public engagement intervention to foster scientific literacy in Italian youth, actively involving them in the development of the intervention. Our framework is composed of four phases (planning/design, implementation, immediate impact assessment, and medium- and long-term assessment). Impact indicators were subdivided into outcome variables that were immediately describable (e.g., changed understanding and awareness of the target population) and measurable only in the medium or long run (e.g., adoption of the intervention by other institutions). The framework is expected to maximize the impact of public engagement interventions and ultimately lead to better reciprocal listening and mutual understanding between academia and the public.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isolde Martina Busch
- Section of Clinical Psychology, Department of Neuroscience, Biomedicine and Movement Sciences, University of Verona, 37134 Verona, Italy
| | - Silvia Savazzi
- Perception and Awareness Laboratory, Department of Neuroscience, Biomedicine and Movement Sciences, University of Verona, 37134 Verona, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Bertini
- Section of Anatomy and Histology, Department of Neurosciences, Biomedicine, and Movement Science, University of Verona, 37134 Verona, Italy
| | - Paola Cesari
- Section of Movement Sciences, Department of Neuroscience, Biomedicine and Movement Sciences, University of Verona, 37134 Verona, Italy
| | - Olivia Guaraldo
- Department of Human Sciences, University of Verona, 37129 Verona, Italy
| | - Michela Nosè
- Section of Psychiatry, WHO Collaborating Centre for Research and Training in Mental Health and Service Evaluation, Department of Neuroscience, Biomedicine and Movement Sciences, University of Verona, 37134 Verona, Italy
| | - Corrado Barbui
- Section of Psychiatry, WHO Collaborating Centre for Research and Training in Mental Health and Service Evaluation, Department of Neuroscience, Biomedicine and Movement Sciences, University of Verona, 37134 Verona, Italy
| | - Michela Rimondini
- Section of Clinical Psychology, Department of Neuroscience, Biomedicine and Movement Sciences, University of Verona, 37134 Verona, Italy
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