Infodemia, salud mental, personas mayores: su caracterización en tiempos de pandemia covid-19 / Infodemia, mental health, older people: its characterization in times of the covid-19 pandemic / Infodemia, saúde mental, idosos: sua caracterização em tempos de pandemia da covid-19

Introducción: "Infodemia" define a aquella información que se divulga rápidamente y sin mayor evidencia, ocasionando desinformación y malos hábitos sanitarios. Objetivo: Caracterizar a las personas mayores con respecto a salud mental e infodemia. Materiales y métodos: estudio cuantitativo, descriptivo, transversal. Muestra no probabilística, conformada por 195 personas mayores, quienes respondieron cuestionario telefónico u online para: Infodemia, Escala de Estrés Percibido, Escala de Depresión Geriátrica Yesavage e Inventario de Ansiedad Generalizada. Previa aceptación de consentimiento informado. Estudio fue aprobado por Comité ético acreditado. Resultados: 58% fueron mujeres, 90% se encontraban jubilados y/o pensionados. El 65% percibía un sueldo igual o menor a US 300. El promedio de horas destinado a información por Covid-19 fue de 5±2,5. La mayoría se sintió afectado/a física y psicológicamente por las noticias. Casi el 30% de los encuestados refirió miedo y ansiedad frente al número de muertos e infectados. 65% se sintió estresado, 9% presentó depresión grave y 20% mostró ansiedad generalizada en este periodo. Discusión: la población mundial está envejeciendo y durante la pandemia fueron los más vulnerables a Covid-19. Este grupo se sintió afectado física y psicológicamente por la información recibida y por ello se requiere romper el ciclo de la desinformación, siendo los profesionales de enfermería los más idóneos para ello. Conclusiones: Las personas mayores se sintieron afectadas por la Infodemia. Se requiere del trabajo multidisciplinario para hacer frente a esta problemática, reforzando la alfabetización para la salud, como estrategia para que las personas mayores logren discriminar la exorbitante información de salud circulante.

Introduction: "Infodemic" defines information that is disseminated quickly and without further evidence, causing misinformation and bad health habits. Objective: Characterize older people with respect to mental health and infodemic. Materials and methods: quantitative, descriptive, cross-sectional study. Non-probabilistic sample, made up of 195 older people, who answered a telephone or online questionnaire for: Infodemic, Perceived Stress Scale, Yesavage Geriatric Depression Scale and Generalized Anxiety Inventory. Prior acceptance of informed consent. Study was approved by an accredited ethical committee. Results: 58% were women, 90% were retired and/or pensioners. 65% received a salary equal to or less than US 300. The average number of hours allocated to Covid-19 information was 5±2.5. The majority felt physically and psychologically affected by the news. Almost 30% of those surveyed reported fear and anxiety regarding the number of deaths and infections. 65% felt stressed, 9% presented severe depression and 20% showed generalized anxiety in this period. Discussion: The world's population is aging and during the pandemic they were the most vulnerable to Covid-19. This group felt physically and psychologically affected by the information received and therefore it is necessary to break the cycle of misinformation, with nursing professionals being the most suitable for this. Conclusions: Older people felt affected by the Infodemic. Multidisciplinary work is required to address this problem, reinforcing health literacy, as a strategy for older people to be able to discriminate the exorbitant circulating health information.

Introdução: "Infodemia" define informações que são divulgadas rapidamente e sem maiores evidências, causando desinformação e maus hábitos de saúde. Os idosos foram os mais vulneráveis aos efeitos da Covid-19, pouco se sabe sobre a sua saúde mental e a infodemia neste período. Objetivo: Caracterizar os idosos quanto à saúde mental e à infodemia. Materiais e métodos: estudo quantitativo, descritivo, transversal. Amostra não probabilística, composta por 195 idosos, que responderam a questionário telefônico ou online de: Infodemia, Escala de Estresse Percebido, Escala de Depressão Geriátrica de Yesavage e Inventário de Ansiedade Generalizada. Aceitação prévia do consentimento informado. O estudo foi aprovado por um comitê de ética credenciado. Resultados: 58% eram mulheres, 90% eram aposentadas e/ou pensionistas. 65% recebiam um salário igual ou inferior a US$ 300. O número médio de horas destinadas à informação sobre a Covid-19 foi de 5±2,5. A maioria sentiu-se física e psicologicamente afetada pela notícia. Quase 30% dos entrevistados relataram medo e ansiedade em relação ao número de mortes e infecções. 65% sentiram-se estressados, 9% apresentaram depressão grave e 20% apresentaram ansiedade generalizada neste período. Discussão: A população mundial está envelhecendo edurante a pandemia eles eram os mais vulneráveis à Covid-19. Este grupo sentiu-se afetado física e psicologicamente pelas informações recebidas e por isso é necessário quebrar o ciclo de desinformação, sendo os profissionais de enfermagem os mais indicados para isso. Conclusões: Os idosos sentiram-se afetados pela Infodemia. É necessário um trabalho multidisciplinar para resolver este problema, reforçando a literacia em saúde, como estratégia para que os idosos consigam discriminar a exorbitante informação de saúde que circula.

#VACINAPARATODOS: sentidos atribuídos por brasileiros à primeira dose da imunização contra a covid-19 no Instagram / #VACINAPARATODOS: meanings attributed by Brazilians to the first dose of immunization against covid-19 on Instagram / #VACINAPARATODOS: significados atribuidos por brasileños a la primera dosis de inmunización contra covid-19 en InstagramAutor

Este artigo se baseia em uma pesquisa que teve como objetivoapreender os sentidos atribuídos por brasileiros à primeira dose da imunização contra a covid-19. Trata-se de uma análise netnográfica. Os dados foram coletados em 2021 por meio da hashtag VACINAPARATODOS no Instagram. Os métodos utilizados para análise de dados foram: análise de similitude, com auxílio do software IRAMUTEQ e da análise do Discourse of the collective subject (discurso do sujeito coletivo), de Lefevre. Os resultados apontaram como ideias centrais: a emoção positiva e o sentimento de gratidão; a emoção negativa e o sentimento atribuído às vidas perdidas e ao negacionismo; o significado da primeira dose e o sentimento de esperança; a imunização e o exercício da cidadania: ato de consciência, responsabilidade e respeito. Os sentidos atrelados à oportunidade de acesso à vacina mostraram a dualidade de sentimentos que vão desde sensações positivas de reconhecimento e valorização até sentimentos negativos, de revolta e indignação, diante da hesitação vacinal e dos discursos antivacina.

This article bases on a research that aimed to understand the meanings attributed by Brazilians to the first dose of immunization against covid-19. A netnographic analysis was carried out. The data was collected in 2021 using the hashtag VACINAPARATODOS on Instagram. The methods used analyse the data were: similarity analysis, with the aid of the IRAMUTEQ software and of the analysis of Discourse of the collective subject, developed by Lefevre. The results pointed out the following central ideas: positive emotion and a feeling of gratitude; the negative emotion and a feeling attributed to lost lives and to denialism; the meaning of the first dose and the feeling of hope; the immunization and the exercise of citizenship: an act of conscience, responsibility and respect. The meanings linked to the opportunity to access the vaccine showed a duality of feelings ranging from positive feelings of recognition and appreciation to negative feelings of revolt and indignation, in the face of vaccine hesitancy and of the anti-vaccine discourses.

Este artículo se basa en una investigación que tuvo como objetivo comprender los significados atribuidos por los brasileños a la primera dosis de inmunización contra la covid-19. Se realizó un análisis netnográfico. Los datos fueron recogidos en 2021 a través del hashtag VACINAPARATODOS en Instagram. Los métodos utilizados para el análisis de los datos fueron: análisis de similitud, con ayuda del softwareIRAMUTEQ y del análisis del Discourse of collective subject (Discurso del sujeto colectivo), de Lefevre. Los resultados evidenciaron como ideas centrales: la emoción positiva y el sentimiento de gratitud; la emoción negativa y el sentimiento atribuido a las vidas perdidas y al negacionismo; el significado de la primera dosis y el sentimiento de esperanza; la inmunización y el ejercicio de la ciudadanía: un acto de conciencia, responsabilidad y respeto. Los significados vinculados a la oportunidad de acceder a la vacuna mostraron la dualidad de sentimientos que van desde sentimientos positivos de reconocimiento y aprecio hasta sentimientos negativos de revuelta y indignación, frente a las dudas sobre las vacunas y los discursos antivacunas.

Moderating Effect of Coping Strategies on the Association Between the Infodemic-Driven Overuse of Health Care Services and Cyberchondria and Anxiety: Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling Study.

BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic has led to a substantial increase in health information, which has, in turn, caused a significant rise in cyberchondria and anxiety among individuals who search for web-based medical information. To cope with this information overload and safeguard their mental well-being, individuals may adopt various strategies. However, the effectiveness of these strategies in mitigating the negative effects of information overload and promoting overall well-being remains uncertain. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to investigate the moderating effect of coping strategies on the relationship between the infodemic-driven misuse of health care and depression and cyberchondria. The findings could add a new dimension to our understanding of the psychological impacts of the infodemic, especially in the context of a global health crisis, and the moderating effect of different coping strategies on the relationship between the overuse of health care and cyberchondria and anxiety. METHODS: The data used in this study were obtained from a cross-sectional web-based survey. A professional survey company was contracted to collect the data using its web-based panel. The survey was completed by Chinese individuals aged 18 years or older without cognitive problems. Model parameters of the relationships between infodemic-driven overuse of health care, cyberchondria, and anxiety were analyzed using bootstrapped partial least squares structural equation modeling. Additionally, the moderating effects of coping strategies on the aforementioned relationships were also examined. RESULTS: A total of 986 respondents completed the web-based survey. The mean scores of the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 and Cyberchondria Severity Scale-12 were 8.4 (SD 3.8) and 39.7 (SD 7.5), respectively. The mean score of problem-focused coping was higher than those of emotion- and avoidant-focused coping. There was a significantly positive relationship between a high level of infodemic and increased overuse of health care (bootstrapped mean 0.21, SD 0.03; 95% CI 0.1581-0.271). The overuse of health care resulted in more severe cyberchondria (bootstrapped mean 0.107, SD 0.032) and higher anxiety levels (bootstrapped mean 0.282, SD 0.032) in all the models. Emotion (bootstrapped mean 0.02, SD 0.008 and 0.037, SD 0.015)- and avoidant (bootstrapped mean 0.026, SD 0.009 and 0.049, SD 0.016)-focused coping strategies significantly moderated the relationship between the overuse of health care and cyberchondria and that between the overuse of health care and anxiety, respectively. Regarding the problem-based model, the moderating effect was significant for the relationship between the overuse of health care and anxiety (bootstrapped mean 0.007, SD 0.011; 95% CI 0.005-0.027). CONCLUSIONS: This study provides empirical evidence about the impact of coping strategies on the relationship between infodemic-related overuse of health care services and cyberchondria and anxiety. Future research can build on the findings of this study to further explore these relationships and develop and test interventions aimed at mitigating the negative impact of the infodemic on mental health.

Characteristics of X (Formerly Twitter) Community Notes Addressing COVID-19 Vaccine Misinformation.

This study evaluated the topics, accuracy, and credibility of X (formerly Twitter) Community Notes addressing COVID-19 vaccination.

Management of infodemics in outbreaks or health crises: a systematic review.

Introduction: The World Health Organization (WHO) defined an infodemic as an overabundance of information, accurate or not, in the digital and physical space, accompanying an acute health event such as an outbreak or epidemic. It can impact people's risk perceptions, trust, and confidence in the health system, and health workers. As an immediate response, the WHO developed the infodemic management (IM) frameworks, research agenda, intervention frameworks, competencies, and processes for reference by health authorities. Objective: This systematic review explored the response to and during acute health events by health authorities and other organizations operating in health. It also assessed the effectiveness of the current interventions. Methods: On 26 June 2023, an online database search included Medline (Ovid), Embase, Cochrane Library, Scopus, Epistemonikos, and the WHO website. It included English-only, peer-reviewed studies or reports covering IM processes applied by health organizations that reported their effectiveness. There was no restriction on publication dates. Two independent reviewers conducted all screening, inclusion, and quality assessments, and a third reviewer arbitrated any disagreement between the two reviewers. Results: Reviewers identified 945 records. After a final assessment, 29 studies were included in the review and were published between 2021 and 2023. Some countries (Pakistan, Yemen, Spain, Italy, Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, United Kingdom, United States, New Zealand, Finland, South Korea, and Russia) applied different methods of IM to people's behaviors. These included but were not limited to launching media and TV conservations, using web and scientific database searches, posting science-based COVID-19 information, implementing online surveys, and creating an innovative ecosystem of digital tools, and an Early AI-supported response with Social Listening (EARS) platform. Most of the interventions were effective in containing the harmful effects of COVID-19 infodemic. However, the quality of the evidence was not robust. Discussion: Most of the infodemic interventions applied during COVID-19 fall within the recommended actions of the WHO IM ecosystem. As a result, the study suggests that more research is needed into the challenges facing health systems in different operational environments and country contexts in relation to designing, implementing, and evaluating IM interventions, strategies, policies, and systems.

Expressions of pandemic fatigue on digital platforms: a thematic analysis of sentiment and narratives for infodemic insights.

BACKGROUND: The infodemic accompanying the COVID-19 pandemic has led to an overwhelming amount of information, including questions, concerns and misinformation. Pandemic fatigue has been identified as a concern from early in the pandemic. With new and ongoing health emergencies in 2022, it is important to understand how pandemic fatigue is being discussed and expressed by users on digital channels. This study aims to explore and report on key narrative themes associated with expressions of pandemic fatigue by users on digital platforms. METHODS: This paper describes the collection of publicly available data over a 3-month period from multiple online sources using the Meltwater and CrowdTangle platforms to source data from Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, Pinterest, Product Reviews, Twitch, blogs & forums. A comprehensive search strategy was developed and tested. A total of 1,484,042 social media posts were identified during the time-period that included the defined search terms for pandemic fatigue. These data were initially sorted by highest levels of engagement and from this dataset, analysts reviewed the identified posts to isolate and remove irrelevant content and identify dominant narratives. A thematic analysis was carried out on these narratives to identify themes related to expression of pandemic fatigue. Two researchers reviewed the data and themes. RESULTS: The thematic analysis of narratives identified six main themes relating to expression of pandemic fatigue, and one theme of counter narratives against pandemic fatigue. Data volume increased concurrent with the time of the mpox emergency announcement. Emergent themes showed the different ways users expressed pandemic fatigue and how it was interlaced with issues of trust, preventative measure acceptance and uptake, misinformation, and being overwhelmed with multiple or sustained emergencies. CONCLUSIONS: This paper has identified the different ways users express pandemic fatigue on digital channels over a 3-month period. Better understanding the implications of the information environment on user's perceptions, questions, and concerns regarding pandemic and more broadly emergency fatigue is vital in identifying relevant interventions and, in the longer term, strengthening the global architecture for health emergency preparedness, prevention, readiness and resilience, as evidenced in this paper. There are clear pathways for further research, including incorporating additional languages and reviewing these themes over longer time periods.

Critical perspective on infodemic and infodemic management in previous Ebola outbreaks in Uganda.

This research investigates the complex dynamics of Uganda's recent Ebola outbreaks, emphasizing the interplay between disease spread, misinformation, and existing societal vulnerabilities. Highlighting poverty as a core element, it delves into how socioeconomic factors exacerbate health crises. The study scrutinizes the role of political economy, medical pluralism, health systems, and informal networks in spreading misinformation, further complicating response efforts. Through a comprehensive analysis, this study aims to shed light on the multifaceted challenges faced in combating epidemics in resource-limited settings. It calls for integrated strategies that address not only the biological aspects of the disease but also the socioeconomic and informational ecosystems that influence public health outcomes. This perspective research contributes to a better understanding of how poverty, medical pluralism, political economy, misinformation, and health emergencies intersect, offering insights for future preparedness and response initiatives.

What is the impact of artificial intelligence-based chatbots on infodemic management?

Artificial intelligence (AI) chatbots have the potential to revolutionize online health information-seeking behavior by delivering up-to-date information on a wide range of health topics. They generate personalized responses to user queries through their ability to process extensive amounts of text, analyze trends, and generate natural language responses. Chatbots can manage infodemic by debunking online health misinformation on a large scale. Nevertheless, system accuracy remains technically challenging. Chatbots require training on diverse and representative datasets, security to protect against malicious actors, and updates to keep up-to-date on scientific progress. Therefore, although AI chatbots hold significant potential in assisting infodemic management, it is essential to approach their outputs with caution due to their current limitations.

The Impact of Social and Broadcast Media on Public Health Initiatives: Study of the COVID-19 Infodemics.

The COVID-19 outbreak, declared a pandemic in March 2020, lacked specific treatments until vaccine development. Medication misinformation via media caused panic, self-prescription, and drug resistance. False propaganda led to shortages. This study analyzes Google Trends for hydroxychloroquine (HCQ), azithromycin, and BCG vaccine searches across six countries. US, Brazil, and India showed interest in HCQ, while Taiwan, Japan, and South Korea focused on BCG vaccine. This article aims to raise awareness of adverse drug reactions, cautioning against self-prescription, political assumptions, and social media during future emergencies.

Digital Literacy: A Counteractive Measure to Thwart the Fallacies of Infodemic.

Education and literacy provided through the recent media have been abundantly flowing information on the digital platforms. However, the so-called digital channels have been a source of misinformation, myths, misconceptions, creating chaos, and panic in the world. The same platforms can be utilised to counter the effects of infodemic through the multiple strategies like stagnating and filtrating the misinformation, eliminating the stigmatic beliefs of the people through the use of social media and education. Scientific research and psychological help can be the strategies to cope with mental pressure and help in mentoring the traumatised individuals through the digital education.   Key Words: Infodemic, Digital literacy, Education.

Report of the inaugural meeting of the Technical Advisory Group on risk communication, community engagement and infodemic management in the WHO European Region: Copenhagen, Denmark, 26–27 April 2023

The inaugural meeting of the Technical Advisory Group (TAG) on risk communication, community engagement and infodemic management (RCCE-IM) in WHO European Region took place in Copenhagen, Denmark on 26–27 April 2023 in the presence of Dr Hans Kluge, the WHO Regional Director for Europe. TAG members gave advice on ongoing and planned WHO strategies and actions on RCCE-IM in line with TAG’s terms of reference as well as methods and priorities for future work.

Борьба с ложной информацией при чрезвычайных ситуациях в области здравоохранения: практический инструментарий

В настоящем инструментарии описываются процедуры выявления и нейтрализации ложной информации в рамках следующих пяти этапов: выявление информационных сигналов, их проверка, оценка рисков, разработка мер реагирования и информационная работа с населением. Инструментарий можно рассматривать в качестве ценного источника информации для органов власти и других заинтересованных сторон; он помогает активно бороться с инфодемией и содействует распространению достоверных сведений и принятию обоснованных решений в области общественного здравоохранения.

Managing false information in health emergencies: an operational toolkit

The proposed toolkit provides procedures for the detection and handling of false information, following a five-step process involving signal detection, verification, risk assessment, response design and outreach. A valuable resource for authorities and other stakeholders, this toolkit helps facilitate active infodemic management, promoting accurate information dissemination and informed public health decisions.

Inefficacious drugs against covid-19: analysis of sales, tweets, and search engines / Medicamentos ineficazes contra covid-19: análise de vendas, tweets e mecanismos de busca

ABSTRACT OBJECTIVE Assess the correlation between the sales of two drugs with no proven efficacy against covid-19, ivermectin and chloroquine, and other relevant variables, such as Google® searches, number of tweets related to these drugs, number of cases and deaths resulting from covid-19. METHODS The methodology adopted in this study has four stages: data collection, data processing, exploratory data analysis, and correlation analysis. Spearman's method was used to obtain cross-correlations between each pair of variables. RESULTS The results show similar behaviors between variables. Peaks occurred in the same or near periods. The exploratory data analysis showed shortage of chloroquine in the period corresponding to the beginning of advertising for the application of these drugs against covid-19. Both drugs showed a high and statistically significant correlation with the other variables. Also, some of them showed a higher correlation with drug sales when we employed a one-month lag. In the case of chloroquine, this was observed for the number of deaths. In the case of ivermectin, this was observed for the number of tweets, cases, and deaths. CONCLUSIONS The results contribute to decision making in crisis management by governments, industries, and stores. In times of crisis, as observed during the covid-19 pandemic, some variables can help sales forecasting, especially Google® and tweets, which provide a real-time analysis of the situation. Monitoring social media platforms and search engines would allow the determination of drug use by the population and better prediction of potential peaks in the demand for these drugs.

RESUMO OBJETIVO Investigar a correlação entre as vendas de dois medicamentos sem eficácia comprovada no tratamento de covid-19, ivermectina e cloroquina, e outras variáveis relevantes: pesquisas no Google®, número de tweets relacionados aos medicamentos, casos e óbitos decorrentes da covid-19. MÉTODOS A metodologia adotada neste estudo se divide em quatro partes: coleta de dados; processamento dos dados; análise exploratória; e análise de correlação. Foi utilizado o método de Spearman para obter as correlações cruzadas entre cada par de variáveis. RESULTADOS Os resultados mostram similaridade entre os comportamentos das variáveis. Os picos ocorreram em períodos iguais ou próximos. A análise exploratória dos dados apontou que houve falta de cloroquina no período correspondente ao início das divulgações sobre a aplicação desses medicamentos para o tratamento da covid-19. Ambos os medicamentos apresentaram correlação alta e estatisticamente significativa com as demais variáveis analisadas. Também foi observado que algumas delas apresentaram maior correlação com as vendas de medicamentos quando assumiram defasagem temporal de um mês. No caso da cloroquina, isso ocorreu com a variável óbitos. No caso da ivermectina, ocorreu com as variáveis número de tweets, casos e óbitos. CONCLUSÕES Os resultados observados contribuem para a tomada de decisão durante a gestão de crises por parte de governo, indústrias e comércios. Em momentos de crises, como observado durante a pandemia, as variáveis mostraram que são capazes de auxiliar na previsão de vendas, em especial o Google® e os tweets, que proporcionam uma análise em tempo real da situação. Acompanhar as redes sociais e mecanismos de busca permitiria detecção de uso pela população e melhor previsão de potenciais picos de demanda desses medicamentos.

Борьба с инфодемиями: защита людей от вредоносной информации о здоровье во время чрезвычайных ситуаций

Настоящий документ, в котором описываются результаты и влияние борьбы с инфодемиями (БИ), проводившейся Европейским региональным бюро во время пандемии COVID-19, украинского кризиса и чрезвычайной ситуации в области общественного здравоохранения в связи со вспышкой оспы обезьян в Европейском регионе, наглядно демонстрирует необходимость наращивания инвестиций в мероприятия по БИ и развития сотрудничества в целях дальнейшего раскрытия потенциала этого нового направления работы, представляющего собой неотъемлемую часть цикла чрезвычайных ситуаций.

Report of the second plenary meeting of the Technical Advisory Group on risk communication, community engagement and infodemic management in the WHO European Region: virtual meeting 26–27 October 2023

The second plenary meeting of the Technical Advisory Group (TAG) on risk communication, community engagement and infodemic management (RCCE-IM) in the WHO European Region took place online on 26–27 October 2023. TAG members received findings and conclusions from the working groups established following its inaugural meeting; created an additional working group; endorsed a research agenda; and gave advice on ongoing and planned WHO strategies and actions on RCCE-IM.

Commercial Determinants of Noncommunicable Diseases in the WHO European Region

This report highlights the substantial impact of commercial determinants on noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) in the WHO European Region. Nearly 7500 deaths per day in the Region are attributed to commercial determinants, such as tobacco, alcohol,processed food, fossil fuels and occupational practices. These commercial products and practices contribute to 25% of all deaths in the Region. The report’s chapters systematically explore various facets of how commercial interests exacerbate NCDs and key strategies used by commercial actors to negatively influence NCD-related policies at the national and international level. The reportalso provides selected case studies from the Region to illustrate key strategies and outcomes of industry influence on health policies.The report then calls for urgent and coordinated action to address the commercial determinants of NCDs. It advocates for building coalitions based on the values of equity, sustainability, and resilience. Public health actors are urged to develop competencies in economic and legal frameworks, enforce transparency, and manage conflicts of interest effectively. The report underscores the need for robust financial reforms and strict regulation to curb industry power and protect public health. By implementing these strategies, the Region can accelerate progress towards global NCD targets and Sustainable Development Goals by 2030.