11.N. Skills building seminar: How can local public health services manage infodemics and fight misinformation?

Abstract Although misinformation has been an issue in previous public health emergencies such as black plague or spanish flu, COVID-19 pandemic highlighted its importance. Nowadays, information about health is produced so quickly that it becomes complicated to manage it efficiently. Not only scientific evidence production increased exponentially, other sources of non-validated information also emerged through websites, blogs and social media. Public health professionals must be aware of such relevant concepts, the cognitive theories that support them and what the main threats to population's health are - such as vaccine hesitancy, non compliance with public health measures and use of ineffective treatments. Due to their proximity to, and knowledge of communities, public health professionals are extremely important in infodemic management but should not neglect their online presence (particularly on social media) and the potential of partnerships with local organizations. The aim of this workshop is to provide an overview of public health services approach to infodemic management, including practical examples that can be applied by participants according to available resources.Infodemic management can be complex to handle at first, but particular areas should always be targeted in public health strategies. Social listening is a key step to understand communities' concerns and identify sources of misinformation. It provides an efficient approach to detecting rumours and eases...
Source: The European Journal of Public Health - Category: General Medicine Source Type: research