On July 15, 2021, the U.S. Surgeon Normal issued an pressing plea for all Individuals to participate in slowing a critical menace to public well being. He wasn’t speaking in regards to the COVID-19 pandemic however quite the dangerous results on private and public well being brought on by the infodemic – the creation and unfold of an extreme quantity of unreliable and false well being info.
An article from the College of Pennsylvania Faculty of Nursing (Penn Nursing) simply revealed on-line within the American Nurse Journal explains how misinformation was accelerated throughout the pandemic and the way social media platforms (SMPs) amplified the issue. The article “Stopping the Unfold of Misinformation – A Position for All Nurses” shares the vital position nurses play in decreasing well being misinformation hurt and serving to sufferers, households, and communities entry credible, trusted sources. It additionally additional elaborates on how nurses can determine credible info when interacting with SMPs.
Nurses and customers should develop abilities to judge info critically. A examine inspecting the influence of belief in science discovered that folks with excessive belief in science had been extra prone to consider and disseminate misinformation about COVID-19 and genetically modified organisms within the presence of a scientific reference in comparison with false claims with out scientific references. These findings underscore the significance of critically evaluating info, even from trusted sources.”
Antonia M. Villarruel, PhD, RN, FAAN, Article Lead Creator, Professor and Margaret Bond Simon Dean of Nursing at Penn Nursing
“Misinformation has accelerated throughout the pandemic, leading to what the World Well being Group (WHO) calls an infodemic. The consequences embrace confusion and help for behaviors that may hurt well being, result in distrust in science, and finally undermine the general public well being response to the pandemic,” says Richard James, MSLIS, nursing liaison librarian at Penn Nursing and coauthor of the article.
The article relies on a views paper Villarruel coauthored for the Nationwide Academy of Drugs titled “Figuring out Credible Sources of Well being Data in Social Media: Rules and Attributes.” It additionally makes use of analysis from Dolores Albarracín, Ph.D., Alexandra Heyman Nash Penn Integrates
Data College Professor. Her analysis was revealed in an article titled “Misplaced Belief: When Belief in Science Fosters Perception in Pseudoscience and the Advantages of Important Analysis” within the Journal of Experimental Social Psychology.
Prioritizing science communication and public engagement
Sufferers and households belief nurses to determine, suggest, and affirm credible sources of data. Nurses should make sure that sufferers have entry to credible info, which could be outlined merely as that which is per the perfect scientific proof obtainable on the time.
To fight misinformation, nurses have to create an setting of belief by demonstrating empathy and curiosity, which inspires sufferers and households to share issues and ask questions. The article recommends these steps:
- Proactively have interaction with sufferers and the general public about well being info. Acknowledge how troublesome it’s to know what info is reliable. Ask sufferers the place they get their info and why they belief that supply. Present alternate and correct sources of data. When correcting misinformation, be non-judgmental.
- Use expertise and media platforms to share correct well being info with the general public. Present broadly accessible info by way of varied platforms. Take into account when and how one can greatest use your voice to advertise credible, evidence-based well being info.
- Associate with group teams and native organizations to forestall and deal with well being misinformation. Use alternatives to accomplice together with your group religion organizations, college, work, and social circles to offer and make clear details about COVID-19. Use and share the nationwide and native assets obtainable from the NIH Neighborhood Engagement Alliance at covid19community.nih.gov.
COVID-19 has demonstrated the necessity to prioritize science communication and public engagement at each stage of society. Nurses perceive that facilitating schooling and public entry to well being info supplies pre-exposure prophylaxis towards misinformation.
“As everyone knows, prevention is healthier than treatment. Treating folks for the harms of the infodemic is each troublesome and unsure, however nurses have entry to a wealth of instruments, rules, and approaches for making certain that sufferers and communities obtain evidence-based, up-to-date, and credible well being info,” says Villarruel. “The COVID-19 pandemic and associated infodemic are calling us all to behave in our skilled and private lives. How will you reply the decision?”
Supply:
College of Pennsylvania Faculty of Nursing
