International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health

Research

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20 pages, 580 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Health Misinformation Detection in the Social Web: An Overview and a Data Science Approach

by Stefano Di Sotto and Marco Viviani

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(4), 2173; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19042173 - 15 Feb 2022

Cited by 34 | Viewed by 5991

Abstract

The increasing availability of online content these days raises several questions about effective access to information. In particular, the possibility for almost everyone to generate content with no traditional intermediary, if on the one hand led to a process of “information democratization”, on [...] Read more.

The increasing availability of online content these days raises several questions about effective access to information. In particular, the possibility for almost everyone to generate content with no traditional intermediary, if on the one hand led to a process of “information democratization”, on the other hand, has negatively affected the genuineness of the information disseminated. This issue is particularly relevant when accessing health information, which impacts both the individual and societal level. Often, laypersons do not have sufficient health literacy when faced with the decision to rely or not rely on this information, and expert users cannot cope with such a large amount of content. For these reasons, there is a need to develop automated solutions that can assist both experts and non-experts in discerning between genuine and non-genuine health information. To make a contribution in this area, in this paper we proceed to the study and analysis of distinct groups of features and machine learning techniques that can be effective to assess misinformation in online health-related content, whether in the form of Web pages or social media content. To this aim, and for evaluation purposes, we consider several publicly available datasets that have only recently been generated for the assessment of health misinformation under different perspectives. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Health Misinformation on Social Media)

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11 pages, 357 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Misinformation, Fears and Adherence to Preventive Measures during the Early Phase of COVID-19 Pandemic: A Cross-Sectional Study in Poland

by Bartosz M. Nowak, Cezary Miedziarek, Szymon Pełczyński and Piotr Rzymski

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(22), 12266; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph182212266 - 22 Nov 2021

Cited by 17 | Viewed by 4954

Abstract

The response to the pandemic requires access to accurate information and public understanding and adherence to preventive measures. This online cross-sectional study of adult Poles (n = 1337) assessed the frequency of COVID-19 preventive behaviors, fears related to the COVID-19 pandemic, and [...] Read more.

The response to the pandemic requires access to accurate information and public understanding and adherence to preventive measures. This online cross-sectional study of adult Poles (n = 1337) assessed the frequency of COVID-19 preventive behaviors, fears related to the COVID-19 pandemic, and beliefs in COVID-19-related conspiracy theories during the early phase of the COVID-19 pandemic when the nationwide lockdown was imposed (April 2020). As shown, 22% of surveyed admitted not to wash their hands frequently, while 12% did not use disinfectants. These two behaviors were also less frequent in individuals with medical education. The highest levels of pandemic-related fears were associated with health loss in relatives, pandemic-induced economic crisis, and government using a pandemic to control citizens by the state. A significant share of surveyed individuals believed that the pandemic was intentional action to weaken non-Chinese economies (32%) or was deliberately induced for profits from selling vaccines (27%). Men, individuals with no children, and subjects with lower education were significantly less likely to adhere to sanitary measures (handwashing, disinfection, avoiding face touching, changes in greeting etiquette, face-covering when coughing or sneezing), and were less concerned over self and relatives’ health. At the same time, men were less prone than women to the conspiracy theories related to the COVID-19 pandemic. The results indicate that adherence to sanitary measures during the pandemic can be a challenge also in developed countries, while misinformation campaigns (also concerning vaccines) have already affected the general public during the early phase of the epidemiological outbreak. The study provides observations that may be useful in the management of the public response to future epidemics. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Health Misinformation on Social Media)

15 pages, 1501 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Spanish-Language News Consumption and Latino Reactions to COVID-19

by Barbara Gomez-Aguinaga, Ana L. Oaxaca, Matt A. Barreto and Gabriel R. Sanchez

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(18), 9629; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18189629 - 13 Sep 2021

Cited by 16 | Viewed by 4003

Abstract

While the literature on infectious disease outbreaks has examined the extent to which communication inequalities during public health emergencies exacerbate negative outcomes among disadvantaged individuals, the implications of ethnic media consumption among minority groups during these crises are underexplored. Making use of the [...] Read more.

While the literature on infectious disease outbreaks has examined the extent to which communication inequalities during public health emergencies exacerbate negative outcomes among disadvantaged individuals, the implications of ethnic media consumption among minority groups during these crises are underexplored. Making use of the first nationally representative survey of US Latinos (N = 1200) on the impact and reactions to COVID-19, this study examines the implications of Spanish-language news media consumption on source credibility and attitude formation during the COVID-19 pandemic among Latinos and immigrants from Latin America. Through a series of statistical analyses, this study finds that ethnic news consumption is strongly associated with trust in Spanish-language journalists, whereas mainstream media consumption is not associated with trust in English-language journalists. More importantly, this study finds that source credibility, particularly in Spanish-language journalists, matters for Latinos as it is associated with more positive assessments of state and local officials providing adequate information about COVID-19. This study illuminates the importance of non-traditional media among racial minorities, who account for almost 40% of the US population, and highlights the importance of shared backgrounds in source credibility among linguistically diverse groups in the United States during a public health crisis. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Health Misinformation on Social Media)

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15 pages, 623 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Presumed Influence of COVID-19 Misinformation on Social Media: Survey Research from Two Countries in the Global Health Crisis

by Yunjuan Luo and Yang Cheng

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(11), 5505; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18115505 - 21 May 2021

Cited by 13 | Viewed by 10665

Abstract

While the coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is spreading all over the world, misinformation, without prudent journalistic judgments of media content online, has begun circulating rapidly and influencing public opinion on social media. This quantitative study intends to advance the previous misinformation research by [...] Read more.

While the coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is spreading all over the world, misinformation, without prudent journalistic judgments of media content online, has begun circulating rapidly and influencing public opinion on social media. This quantitative study intends to advance the previous misinformation research by proposing and examining a theoretical model following an “influence of presumed influence” perspective. Two survey studies were conducted on participants located in the United States (N = 1793) and China (N = 504), respectively, to test the applicability of the influence of presumed influence theory. Results indicated that anger and anxiety significantly predicted perceived influence of misinformation on others; presumed influence on others positively affected public support in corrective and restrictive actions in both U.S. and China. Further, anger toward misinformation led to public willingness to self-correct in the U.S. and China. In contrast, anxiety only took effects in facilitating public support for restrictive actions in the U.S. This study conducted survey research in China and the U.S. to expand the influence of presumed influence (IPI) hypothesis to digital misinformation in both Western and non-Western contexts. This research provides implications for social media companies and policy makers to combat misinformation online. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Health Misinformation on Social Media)

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10 pages, 889 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Does Science Literacy Guarantee Resistance to Health Rumors? The Moderating Effect of Self-Efficacy of Science Literacy in the Relationship between Science Literacy and Rumor Belief

by Lingnan He, Yue Chen, Xiling Xiong, Xiqian Zou and Kaisheng Lai

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(5), 2243; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18052243 - 24 Feb 2021

Cited by 18 | Viewed by 4773

Abstract

Health rumors not only incite unnecessary fears and skepticism, but may also cause individuals to refuse effective remedy and thus delay their treatment. Studies have found that health literacy may help the public identify the falsity of health rumors and avoid their negative [...] Read more.

Health rumors not only incite unnecessary fears and skepticism, but may also cause individuals to refuse effective remedy and thus delay their treatment. Studies have found that health literacy may help the public identify the falsity of health rumors and avoid their negative impact. However, whether other types of literacy work in helping people disbelieve health rumors is still unknown. With a national survey in China (N = 1646), our study examined the effect of science literacy on rumor belief and further analyzed the moderating role of self-efficacy of science literacy in their relationship. Hierarchical regression analysis showed that science literacy significantly decreased the likelihood of people believing in health rumors, and moderator analysis showed that self-efficacy of science literacy plays a moderating role in this relationship; such that the relationship between science literacy and health rumor belief would be weakened if one′s self-efficacy of science literacy was low. This finding reveals that during campaigns to combat health rumors, improving and enhancing the self-efficacy of people′s science literacy is an effective way to prevent them from believing in health rumors. Our study highlights the benefits of science education in public health and the improvement of public science literacy. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Health Misinformation on Social Media)

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13 pages, 717 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Sources of COVID-19-Related Information in People with Various Levels of Risk Perception and Preventive Behaviors in Taiwan: A Latent Profile Analysis

by Peng-Wei Wang, Yi-Lung Chen, Yu-Ping Chang, Chia-Fen Wu, Wei-Hsin Lu and Cheng-Fang Yen

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(4), 2091; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18042091 - 21 Feb 2021

Cited by 24 | Viewed by 3907

Abstract

The present study aimed to identify the distinct levels of risk perception and preventive behaviors during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak among people in Taiwan and to examine the roles of information sources in various levels of risk perception and preventive behavior. [...] Read more.

The present study aimed to identify the distinct levels of risk perception and preventive behaviors during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak among people in Taiwan and to examine the roles of information sources in various levels of risk perception and preventive behavior. The online survey recruited 1984 participants through a Facebook advertisement. Their self-reported risk perception, adopted preventive behaviors and COVID-19-related information were collected. We analyzed individuals’ risk perception and adopted preventive behaviors by using latent profile analysis and conducted multinomial logistic regression of latent class membership on COVID-19-related information sources. Four latent classes were identified, including the risk neutrals with high preventive behaviors, the risk exaggerators with high preventive behaviors, the risk deniers with moderate preventive behaviors, and the risk deniers with low preventive behaviors. Compared with the risk neutrals, the risk exaggerators with high preventive behaviors were more likely to obtain COVID-19 information from multiple sources, whereas the risk deniers with moderate preventive behaviors and risk deniers with low preventive behaviors were less likely to obtain COVID-19 information compared with the risk neutrals. Governments and health professions should take the variety of risk perception and adopted preventive behaviors into consideration when disseminating information on COVID-19 to the general public. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Health Misinformation on Social Media)

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19 pages, 426 KiB

Open AccessArticle

How COVID-19 Changed the Information Needs of Italian Citizens

by Rino Falcone and Alessandro Sapienza

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2020, 17(19), 6988; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17196988 - 24 Sep 2020

Cited by 31 | Viewed by 4535

Abstract

Italy was the first European country to be affected by COVID-19, facing an unprecedented situation. The reaction required drastic solutions and highly restrictive measures, which severely tested the trust of the Italian people. Nevertheless, the effectiveness of the introduced measures was not only [...] Read more.

Italy was the first European country to be affected by COVID-19, facing an unprecedented situation. The reaction required drastic solutions and highly restrictive measures, which severely tested the trust of the Italian people. Nevertheless, the effectiveness of the introduced measures was not only linked to political decisions, but also to the choice of the Italian people to trust and rely on institutions, accepting such necessary measures. In this context, the role of information sources was fundamental, since they strongly influence public opinion. The central focus of this research was to assess the information seeking behavior (ISB) of the Italian citizens, to understand how they related to information and how their specific use of information influenced public opinion. By making use of a survey addressed to 4260 Italian citizens, we identified extraordinarily virtuous behavior in the population: people strongly modified their ISB in order to address the most reliable sources. In particular, we found a very high reliance on scientists, which is particularly striking, if compared to the past. Moreover, starting from the survey results, we used social simulation to estimate the evolution of public opinion. Comparing the ISB during and before COVID-19, we discovered that the shift in the ISB, during the pandemic, may have actually positively influenced public opinion, facilitating the acceptance of the costly restrictions introduced. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Health Misinformation on Social Media)

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Review

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33 pages, 1557 KiB

Open AccessReview

Health Misinformation about Toxic-Site Harm: The Case for Independent-Party Testing to Confirm Safety

by Kristin Shrader-Frechette and Andrew M. Biondo

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(8), 3882; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18083882 - 7 Apr 2021

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 3321 | Correction

Abstract

Health misinformation can cause harm if regulators or private remediators falsely claim that a hazardous facility is safe. This misinformation especially threatens the health of children, minorities, and poor people, disproportionate numbers of whom live near toxic facilities. Yet, perhaps because of financial [...] Read more.

Health misinformation can cause harm if regulators or private remediators falsely claim that a hazardous facility is safe. This misinformation especially threatens the health of children, minorities, and poor people, disproportionate numbers of whom live near toxic facilities. Yet, perhaps because of financial incentives, private remediators may use safety misinformation to justify reduced cleanup. Such incentives exist in nations like the United States, where most toxic-site testing/remediation is semi-privatized or voluntary, conducted by private parties, commercial redevelopers, who can increase profits by underestimating health harm, thus decreasing required testing/remediation. Our objective is to begin to determine whether or not interested parties misrepresent health harm (at hazardous facilities that they test/remediate/redevelop) when they use traditional and social media to claim that these sites are safe. Our hypothesis is that, contrary to the safety claims of the world’s largest commercial developer, Coldwell Banker Real Estate/Trammell Crow (CBRE/TCC), the authors’ screening assessment, especially its lab-certified, toxic-site, indoor-air tests, show violations of all three prominent government, cancer-safety benchmarks. If so, these facilities require additional testing/remediation, likely put site renters at risk, and may reveal problems with privatized hazardous cleanup. To our knowledge, we provide the first independent tests of privatized, toxic-site assessments before cancer reports occur. Our screening assessment of this hypothesis tests indoor air in rental units on a prominent former weapons-testing site (the US Naval Ordnance Testing Station, Pasadena, California (NOTSPA) that is subject to carcinogenic vapor intrusion by volatile organic compounds, VOCs), then compares test results to the redeveloper’s site-safety claims, made to government officials and citizens through traditional and social media. Although NOTSPA toxic soil-gas concentrations are up to nearly a million times above allowed levels, and indoor air was never tested until now, both the regulator and the remediator (CBRE/TCC) have repeatedly claimed on social media that “the site is safe at this time.” We used mainly Method TO-17 and two-week sampling with passive, sorbent tubes to assess indoor-air VOCs. Our results show that VOC levels at every location sampled—all in occupied site-rental units—violate all three government-mandated safety benchmarks: environmental screening levels (ESLs), No Significant Risk Levels (NSRLs), and inhalation risks based on the Inhalation Unit Risk (IUR); some violations are two orders of magnitude above multiple safety benchmarks. These results support our hypothesis and suggest a need for independent assessment of privatized cleanups and media-enhanced safety claims about them. If our results can be replicated at other sites, then preventing health misinformation and toxic-facility safety threats may require new strategies, one of which we outline. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Health Misinformation on Social Media)

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Other

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2 pages, 230 KiB

Open AccessCorrection

Correction: Shrader-Frechette, K.; Biondo, A.M. Health Misinformation about Toxic-Site Harm: The Case for Independent-Party Testing to Confirm Safety. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18, 3882

by Kristin Shrader-Frechette and Andrew M. Biondo

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(18), 9796; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18189796 - 17 Sep 2021

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1665

Abstract

Because part of the text was unintentionally omitted, the first paragraph under Section 2.2.4.3. on p. 13 was jumbled and incomplete when it was published [...] Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Health Misinformation on Social Media)

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