Tag: health

Hello!

Alyssa FernandezLeave a comment

Image source: Belinda Fewings

Welcome to the Library Hangout! This is the start of a series of posts that will focus on misinformation as it pertains to consumer health librarianship. 

Whether it be via social media, internet searches, that crazy uncle at the family gathering, or, most discouraging, healthcare providers, over 70% of Americans have been exposed to medical misinformation (1). In today’s tech-savvy world, nearly anyone can gain access to information with only a few clicks of the mouse. Unfortunately, most people will find sifting through pages of content to determine which information can be trusted and how to identify false or misleading information a daunting endeavor. According to a National Center for Health Statistics study, 74% of all U.S. adults use the Internet, and 61% have looked for health or medical information online. (2)  Misinformation concerning health has particularly severe consequences with regard to people’s quality of life and even their risk of mortality. (3) This series of posts will help librarians understand the problem and provide suggestions to help address misinformation within their libraries. 

Image source: Breakthrough Action and Research

References

  1. Rodriguez, S. (2022, March 16). Medical misinformation exposure reduces patient health literacy. PatientEngagementHIT. Retrieved June 26, 2022, from https://patientengagementhit.com/news/medical-misinformation-exposure-reduces-patient-health-literacy
  2. Cohen RA, Adams PF. Use of the Internet for health information: United States, 2009. NCHS data brief, no 66. Hyattsville, MD: National Center for Health Statistics. 2011.
  3. Swire-Thompson, B., & Lazer, D. (2019). Public health and online misinformation: Challenges and recommendations. Annual Review of Public Health, 41(1), 433–451. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-publhealth-040119-094127 

Who is Susceptible to Misinformation?

Alyssa FernandezLeave a comment
Image source: ASE

With the advent of the internet and ever-increasing social media platforms for people to connect through, more than ever before, we have copious amounts of information right at our fingertips. As a result, the exposure to medical misinformation—sought out or inadvertent—is likely to reach most people. According to 2009 data by Pew Research, 74% of American adults go online, with 61% looking for health information via the internet. (1) This research also shows that 68% of Americans report asking a friend or a family for health information. In addition, the vast majority (86%) also report asking a health care professional, such as a doctor, for information. With exposure to so much information, we all have the potential to spread misinformation. We are not alone, there have even been reported instances of doctors falling victim to the effects of misinformation! (2)

Although risk factors may vary, one study shows that there are three factors that contribute to the acceptance of health misinformation: health-related anxiety, pre-existing misinformation beliefs, and repeated exposure to the misinformation. (3) The infographic below also describes three factors that contribute to people’s tendency to believe false information.

Image source: Thinking is Power

Resources

  1. Pew Research. (2009, June 11). Use of the internet for health information: United States, 2009. Pew Research Center. Retrieved June 28, 2022, from https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/databriefs/db66.pdf 
  2. Rubin, R. (2022). When physicians spread unscientific information about covid-19. JAMA, 327(10), 904. https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.2022.1083 
  3. Pan, W., Liu, D., & Fang, J. (2021). An examination of factors contributing to the acceptance of online health misinformation. Frontiers in Psychology, 12. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.630268

The Role of Health Literacy in Misinformation

Alyssa FernandezLeave a comment
Image source: Romina Marazzato Sparano

In “Healthy People 2010” (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2010), Health literacy is defined as the degree to which individuals have the capacity to obtain, process, and understand basic health information and services needed to make appropriate health decisions. (1) Studies show that more than one-third of American adults have only basic or below basic health literacy skills. (2) Strong health literacy skills allow individuals to make informed decisions about their health, about public and private health-related policies, and how to navigate complicated healthcare systems. (3) With more than 70 percent of Americans having been exposed to medical misinformation and nearly half unable to distinguish accurate information from false, a lack of patient health literacy is evident. (4) The CDC describes the following ways that librarians and information professionals can help provide users with resources that support their health literacy skills:

  • Providing Internet access and showing people how to find reliable online information
  • Conducting literature searches
  • Printing resources
  • Referring people to local health services
  • Distributing and posting information (5)

Many definitions of health literacy exist but the definition is changing to include more complex abilities, including access to information and the understanding, appraisal and application of knowledge (6). Click here to see how various organizations around the world define health literacy.

Image source: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) provides a great resource for librarians to help support health literacy in their libraries.

Image source: Public Library Association

References

  1. Spatz, M., Dickenson, N., Huddleston, C., Johnson, J., Kumagai, J., & Lopez , E. (2014). Chapter 7. In The Medical Library Association Guide to providing consumer and patient health information (pp. 111–112). essay, Rowman & Littlefield Inc.
  2. Kline, J. “J. (2018, February 7). Health literacy 101: Your key to making informed decisions. The Des Moines Register. Retrieved June 28, 2022, from https://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/news/health/2018/01/04/health-literacy-101-your-key-making-informed-decisions/1003670001/
  3. Health Literacy Solutions Center. (2022). What is health literacy: Definition of Health Literacy. Health Literacy Solutions Center. Retrieved June 28, 2022, from https://www.healthliteracysolutions.org/learning-lab/what-is-health-literacy/what-is-health-literacy#:~:text=%E2%80%9CHealth%20literacy%20allows%20the%20public,order%20to%20live%20healthier%20lives.
  4. Rodriguez, S. (2022, March 16). Medical misinformation exposure reduces patient health literacy. PatientEngagementHIT. Retrieved June 26, 2022, from https://patientengagementhit.com/news/medical-misinformation-exposure-reduces-patient-health-literacy
  5. Libraries as Partners in Health Literacy. (2022, November 1). Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/healthliteracy/education-support/libraries.html#:~:text=Librarians%20advance%20health%20literacy%20in,Printing%20resources
  6. Sørensen, K., Van Den Broucke, S., Fullam, J., Doyle, G., Pelikan, J., Slonska, Z., & Brand, H. R. (2012). Health literacy and public health: A systematic review and integration of definitions and models. BMC Public Health, 12(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2458-12-80