{"id":19171,"date":"2022-04-15T08:00:46","date_gmt":"2022-04-15T08:00:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/updates-www.mccdn.io\/vitals\/?p=19171"},"modified":"2024-08-16T22:39:09","modified_gmt":"2024-08-16T22:39:09","slug":"health-information-vs-misinformation-how-to-tell-the-difference","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/updates-www.mccdn.io\/vitals\/health-information-vs-misinformation-how-to-tell-the-difference\/","title":{"rendered":"Health information vs. misinformation: how to tell the difference","gt_translate_keys":[{"key":"rendered","format":"text"}]},"content":{"rendered":"

“They cause infertility.” “They contain microchips.” “They weren\u2019t properly tested” \u2014 these are just some of the dubious claims about COVID-19 vaccines that spread across social media and the internet in 2021. While health misinformation \u2014 information that is misleading, incorrect or false<\/a> \u2014 has flourished during the pandemic, it didn\u2019t begin with the coronavirus or with the vaccines designed to fight it.<\/p>\n

From unproven cures for cancer to misconceptions about the effects of fluoridated water to \u201cmiracle\u201d weight-loss supplements, health misinformation has a long history in the United States, and its prevalence has real-world consequences. Misinformation not only creates disagreement and distrust; it can lead people to make decisions that are bad for their own health and well-being as well as that of the public.<\/p>\n

Believing something that turns out to be health misinformation can happen to any of us \u2014 how can you tell the difference between content that is credible and content that isn\u2019t?<\/p>\n

Think like a librarian<\/h2>\n

Before we spend too much time on the how, it\u2019s important to understand the what: Health misinformation comes in two forms. The main difference between the two lies in the intent.<\/p>\n

\u201cSome information is just plain false \u2014 basically propaganda \u2014 that is spread on purpose to mislead people in support of some agenda,\u201d says Andrea Ball, MLS, MSIM, the research and education librarian at the MultiCare Institute for Research & Innovation<\/a>. \u201cThe second type involves unintentional misinterpretation, and this happens a lot, particularly when a person writing or reporting a health news story doesn\u2019t understand statistics, inflates the impact of something or takes information out of context.\u201d<\/p>\n

Health information comes to us through many different sources and platforms, and it\u2019s not always easy to root out information that\u2019s completely untrue or content that has some element of truth but draws faulty conclusions.<\/p>\n

The following tips can help you think like a librarian \u2014 in other words, apply a critical lens to what you read and hear so you can steer clear of misinformation and make accurate, informed decisions about your health.<\/p>\n

Gauge your response<\/h2>\n

If a piece of health-related content is stirring up feelings of fear or outrage or other strong emotions, then take a step back and consider the author\u2019s intent. Is the goal simply to inform or is it to provoke a reaction?<\/p>\n

\u201cPeople tend to form much faster and stronger opinions based on emotion than fact, and those who are intentionally spreading misinformation, such as anti-vaccine groups, know that,\u201d says Gretchen LaSalle, MD<\/a>, a family medicine physician at MultiCare Rockwood Clinic<\/a> and author of the book \u201cLet\u2019s Talk Vaccines.\u201d<\/a> \u201cThey will often use emotionally charged language, headlines and images in order to trigger an emotional response.\u201d<\/p>\n

The ultimate goal may be to use your emotional response to:<\/p>\n