“The vaccine for measles, mumps and rubella causes autism.” “The threat of taking a statin outweighs its advantage as a highly effective tool to avoid heart attacks.” “The flu shot triggered me to get the flu.”
These are just a handful of examples of points that have been scientifically disproven, but the spread of healthcare misinformation nevertheless poses a genuine threat to folks and communities. In truth, we know the spread of misinformation in common – and healthcare misinformation in unique – continues to be on the rise.
Much more than 70% of men and women have been exposed to healthcare or wellness-associated misinformation in 2022, according to a study from GoodRx. Of these exposed, practically half are not confident in their potential to discriminate among accurate wellness info and misinformation. In addition, social media was cited as the most popular supply of misinformation.
Hospitals and wellness systems can play an essential part in guaranteeing individuals have trustworthy, correct and scientifically sound info to assist them make the very best wellness care choices for themselves and their loved ones.
Combatting misinformation and arming hospitals and wellness systems with sources to do so is an essential priority for the AHA.
One particular of the methods we are performing this is by way of our participation in the Coalition for Trust in Well being & Science. Launched final month, the coalition, which contains 50 national organizations, seeks to combat misinformation and assist Americans make science-primarily based wellness choices for themselves, their households and communities.
This broad alliance represents hospitals, physicians, nurses, psychologists, bioethicists and numerous other sorts of wellness care pros. We have joined forces to push back against a popular enemy, an “infodemic” that has genuine-planet wellness impacts.
We hope the coalition’s perform will be a force multiplier for actions AHA has led for some time to counteract the dangers of misinformation and deliver folks medically and scientifically sound info to inform their wellness care choices.
For instance, final month, we collaborated with the American Healthcare Association and American Nurses Association on a new public service announcement encouraging folks to get vaccinated and boosted against COVID-19 when eligible to shield themselves, their households and communities from significant illness and death.
The PSA continues a 3-year collaboration by the associations to curb the spread of COVID-19 and shield individuals, communities and wellness care pros by spreading the message that the updated boosters and other COVID-19 vaccines are protected, powerful and advisable for every person aged six months and older.
Our caregivers are amongst the world’s very best at repairing bodies and restoring individuals to wellness. Restoring trust is just as essential. And caregivers are amongst the most trusted voices, according to public customer polls.
The AHA is committed to collaborating with our partners to shine the truth on hazardous public wellness misinformation of any sort, and replace it with details and scientific expertise that can save lives and advance wellness for all.