The impact of medical misinformation | eMedEvents

 Over the course of the past two decades, social media has become one of the most popular ways for internet users to locate and share health information. This presents a unique opportunity to healthcare professionals and organizations where they can broaden their reach when it comes to improving healthcare literacy, self-efficacy, and treatment compliance among patients; therefore, many solo practitioners and institutions alike have incorporated social media into their daily businesses as a means of disseminating medical information regarding topics such as healthy habits and disease prevention.

However, the sheer accessibility of social media has also opened the door for previously-unimaginable social and health issues. While there is a definite value to using these platforms to promote accurate healthcare information, new research suggests that false or misleading information can spread as quickly—if not quicker—than facts. Now, more than ever, healthcare professionals are facing the far-reaching effects of medical misinformation that can, at worst, actively hinder treatment compliance and patient outcomes.

In an effort to combat widespread medical misinformation, it is crucial to know how it spreads and the ways in which it can impact a patient’s behavior and decision-making process. The textbook definition of “medical misinformation” has become increasingly muddied over the years due to the dynamic nature of social media and the wide range of healthcare topics. For the purposes of this article, “medical misinformation” is used as an umbrella term that encompasses any healthcare-related remark or comment that is inaccurate, misleading, not based on any empirical evidence, or has already been debunked by one or more scientific research studies.

One of the many far-reaching consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic has been the widespread dissemination of medical misinformation online, with social media platforms being a major source. It calls to attention the overwhelming need for physician-patient communications that are accurate and substantial, with information presented to the patient in a manner they can easily understand.