College
College of Health Professions
Date of Last Revision
2023-05-05 10:01:40
Major
Nursing
Honors Course
8200:435
Number of Credits
4
Degree Name
Bachelor of Science in Nursing
Date of Expected Graduation
Spring 2023
Abstract
Health misinformation is more prevalent than ever in the modern age and poses serious risks for those who believe it. Medical fallacies can become especially harmful during periods of widespread disease when the misinformed respond in ways that increase threats to public health. The purpose of this systematic review is to describe and critically appraise the evidence about how health misinformation during endemics and pandemics can influence behaviors and responses, as well as the implications of interventions affecting these behaviors. A systematic search of the literature with inclusion/exclusion criteria using CINAHL Plus with Full Text, MEDLINE, and PsychINFO resulted in an analysis of twenty primary sources. In general, researchers have found that health misinformation has been prevalent during the COVID-19 pandemic and endemic outbreaks of Ebola, Zika, and measles. A significant proportion of individuals believe misinformation, and evidence supports that the tendency to believe misinformation is related to predictive factors such as the propensity for conspiracy thinking, decreased literacy skills, increased social media usage, younger age, and fear. Implications of findings for interventions include using social media to promote accurate information, building public trust in the government and healthcare system, and ensuring the public has access to accurate information.
Research Sponsor
Dr. Laura Distelhorst
First Reader
Jodi Wentz
Second Reader
Dr. Lisa Hart
Honors Faculty Advisor
Dr. Christine Graor
Proprietary and/or Confidential Information
No
Recommended Citation
Stefan, Bethany; Emich, Alexis L.; and Lamp, Katrina R., "Health Misinformation During Epidemiological Crises" (2023). Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects. 1680.
https://ideaexchange.uakron.edu/honors_research_projects/1680
Included in
Community Health and Preventive Medicine Commons, Emergency and Disaster Management Commons, Epidemiology Commons, Health Policy Commons, International Public Health Commons, Patient Safety Commons, Public Health and Community Nursing Commons, Public Health Education and Promotion Commons