Infodemia: Amplifying the pandemic

What is an infodemic and why does it matter to the life sciences industry and policymakers?

The amplification of misinformation and fake news – especially related to COVID-19, and particularly on social media – has a profound social and psychological impact.¹ An overabundance of any information (whether true or false) leads to confusion among the public and, consequently, poor reception of policies, which affects constituent support, compromises policy effectiveness, and jeopardizes the possibility of curtailing the pandemic.²

Infodemic is the conjunction of “epidemic” and “information”. It refers to excessive information about a topic that can make it difficult for the ‘receiver’ to determine reliable sources and follow evidence-based guidance. In the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, it has been challenging for many people to discern genuine scientific and technical information from incorrect data, rumors, or false news.³ Thus, the public health community is desperate to end the infodemic and mitigate its consequences.⁴

The situation is critical, considering that 4.48 billion people (nearly 67% of the global population!) use social media, and the internet is a primary source of information about COVID-19.⁵ Most lay people do not have any knowledge of epidemiology or scientific methods, in fact, most healthcare professionals have not received specialized training in these areas, either. Nevertheless, social media influencers and even healthcare professionals, have publicly discredited and significantly undermined simple but effective public health measures, such as the use of masks, the safety and efficacy of vaccines, and the need for vaccine uptake.

The constant stream of new information from the scientific community has often been misinterpreted by the public as ‘inconsistency’ in findings and recommendations, overlooking the important fact that ‘the scientific method’ lies in the generation of hypotheses and their verification.

This constant stream, and the tangential debates and conspiracy theories that take place contemporaneously around it, detract from the great strides that have been made in developing effective responses to the virus and undermine their uptake and effectiveness at population level.

The consequences of infodemia are also felt at the individual level. The constant bombardment of information across all platforms can manifest in anxiety, depression, insomnia, work and social dysfunction, and interpersonal conflicts. It has also shifted ‘vaccine acceptors’ towards anti-vaccination sentiment, due to repeated exposure to incorrect information about COVID-19 and the vaccines.⁶

How can policy efforts and the life sciences industry help address the infodemic?

In July 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) held its first scientific conference on infodemia. During the meeting, 110 specialists concluded that the nature of an epidemic of misinformation requires a multidisciplinary response that includes evidence-based tools and interventions. The experts defined four mainstays for infodemic management:⁷

WHO has since highlighted the importance of scientists and scientific journals communicating in a way the general public can understand. Providing clear, accurate, and timely information is a transcendental strategy for containing the pandemic.⁸ 

It is vital to generate strategies that educate the population on critically appraising the validity of information to mitigate infodemia. Some social networks, such as Instagram and Facebook, have introduced mechanisms to reduce the impact of misinformation by adding alerts to posts or videos with information about COVID-19, or hyperlinks to official reputable sources, like the WHO or the CDC. WhatsApp’s new measures mean that any message already forwarded by five or more people can only be sent to a single person or group.

For these reasons, it is critical to raise awareness of the very real impact that poor digital health literacy has on individual and population level health, and to achieve greater constituent cooperation with public health interventions. 

Therefore, decision-makers must implement different policy response options to counteract the effects of infodemia.

According to WHO, the ten key points to consider for successful communication are: 

Without trust in scientific experts, there is no cooperation with preventive and contingency measures. Historically, public health has been perceived as a national issue, but the current pandemic is blurring the boundaries between public health and global health. This change requires governments to shift from surveillance and seemingly punitive measures to strategies that educate the public to critically appraise the validity of information. Empowering people to develop critical appraisal skills and strengthening digital health literacy might be the most effective way to address the pandemic and the infodemic.⁹ 

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• Expertly helps our clients to translate knowledge into effective policy responses, by helping to define smart, strategic responses to this rapidly evolving landscape.
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How can Policy Wisdom support these efforts?

We are perfectly positioned as a neutral bridge to connect industry, government, civil society and patient groups. We help all sides to listen better, respond more effectively, and act in the best interests of public health.

We are passionate public health experts who specialize in communications and policy. We can help you tell your side of the story in a way that different stakeholders will understand and respect.

We are results-oriented and can help you shift from wanting to be a better partner in public health to being a true partner in public health.

References:
1 Odintsova, O.V., Moreeva, E.V. (2021). Problems of communication management in the context of the spread of the COVID-19 infodemia. Probl Sotsialnoi Gig Zdravookhranenniiai Istor Med, 29(Special Issue):689-693. doi: 10.32687/0869-866X-2021-29-s1-689-693
2 Secosan. I., Virga, D., Crainiceanu, Z.P., Bratu, L.M., Bratu, T. (2020). Infodemia: Another Enemy for Romanian Frontline Healthcare Workers to Fight during the COVID-19 Outbreak. Medicina (Kaunas) 56(12):679. doi: 10.3390/medicina56120679
3 Garcia, L.P., Duarte E. (2020). Infodemic: excess quantity to the detriment of quality of information about COVID-19. Epidemiol Serv Saude. 29(4):e2020186. doi: 10.1590/S1679-49742020000400019
4 García-Saisó, S., Marti, M., Brooks, I., Curioso, W., González, D., Malek, V., Medina, F.M., Radix, C., Otzoy, D., Zacarías, S., Dos Santos, E.P., D’Agostino, M. (2021). Infodemia en tiempos de COVID-19. Rev Panam Salud Publica, 45:e89. doi: 10.26633/RPSP.2021.89
5 Kemp, S., (2021). Half a Billion Users Joined Social in the Last Year (And Other Facts). HootSuite. Retrieved 25 August, from: https://blog.hootsuite.com/simon-kemp-social-media/
6 Secosan. I., Virga, D., Crainiceanu, Z.P., Bratu, L.M., Bratu, T. (2020). Infodemia: Another Enemy for Romanian Frontline Healthcare Workers to Fight during the COVID-19 Outbreak. Medicina (Kaunas) 56(12):679. doi: 10.3390/medicina56120679 
7 Eysenbach, G. (2020). How to Fight an Infodemic: The Four Pillars of Infodemic Management. J Med Internet Res, 22(6):e21820. doi: 10.2196/21820 
8 Cevallos-Robalino, D., Reyes-Morales, N., Rubio-Neira, M. (2021). Evolución e impacto de la infodemia en la población infantil en tiempos de COVID-19. Rev Panam Salud Pública, 45:e38. doi: 10.26633/RPSP.2021.38
9 Jakovljevic, M., Bjedov, S., Jaksic, N., Jakovljevic, I. (2020). COVID-19 pandemia and public and global mental health from the perspective of global health security. Psychiatria Danubina, 32(1):6-14. doi:10.24869/psyd.2020.6