Health Misinformation Online: Understanding Susceptibility and Creating Safeguards

Health Misinformation Online: Understanding Susceptibility and Creating Safeguards

Alla Keselman, PhD

Office of Engagement and Training, National Library of Medicine

Catherine Arnott Smith, PhD

Information School, University of Wisconsin-Madison

Amanda Wilson, MSLS
National Library of Medicine 

While health misinformation is an old problem, contemporary health information technology created a new sense of urgency in addressing it, challenging professionals who help the public navigate health information.  This talk will help professionals recognize and communicate health information quality markers. It will also introduce individual and community factors that may affect susceptibility to health misinformation and provide tips on meaningful health information engagement with communities. The factors addressed in the session will include information, science, and health literacies, culture, and ideology. The talk will present insights informed by research studies conducted during the Covid-19 pandemic.

• Identify at least 4 information quality markers
• Explain why individuals may express skepticism about authoritative health information messages
• Describe at least 5 practical recommendations for professionals who promote evidence-based health information and wrangle with misinformation