The world of communication and information sharing has seen significant advancement, thanks to technology. This improvement has led to easy access and dissemination of information. Online communities —social media platforms and forums— play a significant role in spreading digital messages. With easy access to these online communities, much misleading information has also been disseminated, especially health information.
Misleading medical information is on the rise today, and it can pose a significant danger to human life. They can be posts, articles, or shared resources that contradict current medical knowledge accepted by medical professionals. This information is mainly based on myths, opinions, and beliefs. However, reliable medical information should be established and backed by scientific studies.
Human health is a crucial aspect of life, and getting false information on it, might cause a big problem. During the COVID-19 pandemic, there were restrictions in movement, and people were not allowed to go out. Therefore, most people turned to get information online, which caused much medical misinformation, hurting humans. In this piece, we will discuss the dangers of misleading medical information and ways to avoid them.
Dangers of Misleading Medical Information
The risks of spreading false medical information can’t be overlooked. When the masses share misleading information about a health-related topic, many people tend to believe it regardless of any other fact. However, this false information often creates widespread panic and avoidable fear among the people. And as a result, it makes dastard reactions into the nooks and crannies of society.
Some of the dangers posed by misleading health information include:
- Unnecessary Worry and Confusion: When people hear different information about health issues, they tend to be confused and worried about what to believe. This can further lead to anxiety and depression, which can affect the mental health of some people. Also, excessive worries that are difficult to control can interfere with their day-to-day activities, which can cause forgetfulness and concentration difficulty.
- Wrong Decision Making: As humans, making decisions is just as important to us as daily meals. Some of these decisions may impact our health, especially as it relates to food or drug ingestion. However, due to the misinformation flying around, people find it hard to make the right decision. Even when reliable information is gotten from medical professionals, most people still tend to become adamant and would rather believe whatever their friends and family tell them. By doing so, many have taken the wrong medication, which has complicated their health issues and made some lose their life. For example, when COVID-19 started in the year 2020, some people, due to misinformation, didn’t believe it, so they weren’t following its guidelines. This increased the number of cases seen then and claimed many lives as well.
- Changes in Attitude and Behavior: The kind of health information people hear tells their attitude and behavior towards a disease or illness. A perfect example is an anti-vax movement —a movement coordinated by some people against vaccination. They believe it could lead to autism, developmental delays in children, and certain health risks. Although there has been proof that vaccines and autism do not correlate, many parents across the US still don’t allow their kids to get vaccinated after that movement. Therefore, misinformation on health can affect how we respond to things.
Why People Create or Share Misleading Information
You might be wondering why people create misleading medical information. Here are some of the reasons for the creation of such misinformation.
- To get more website traffic: When site owners want to generate traffic, they look for catchy content, not minding its harmful effect.
- Used for phishing scams: Con-artists use them to get private information from users to defraud people.
- Used to cause panic: They create fear, getting people frightened for no particular reason.
Sometimes people share information with a good intention to help, but it might be misleading.
How to Avoid Misleading Medical Information
Medical misinformation can be difficult to spot, sometimes. There may be a mix of both accurate and inaccurate information, which makes it difficult to decipher. Therefore, before sharing any information, you must be sure that it comes from a reliable source. Some tips should be considered to avoid misleading medical information. They include:
- Question the Source of Information: Before giving your verdict on a piece of medical information, you must know its source and be genuine. Ask questions about where the data was gotten from, and also try to identify the author. Take the lead from medical advisory organizations. For instance, know what the American Heart Association response is about a new heart disease study. Also, has the American Cancer Society said anything on the supposed breakthrough cancer treatment everyone is posting and sharing on social media? This is because the information from organizations like these is always carefully written and reviewed by experts. Hence, they are trustworthy, and their data are accurate.
- Seek other sources of information: Another way to ensure accurate medical information is to seek other reliable sources and compare the former information you got with the new one. Never settle for a source of information. Always base the authenticity of any health information obtained on several other sources. If you can find sustainable information whose pattern, trend, or the number of studies have reached the same conclusion on different platforms, such information is most likely accurate. And make sure the forum you are seeking information from is reliable. With this scrutinization, you can avoid the sharing of misleading medical information.
- Disclaim the Misinformation Regarding Vaccination: Vaccination has always caused controversy over the years, as seen in the current COVID-19 trend. An instance of misleading information on vaccination is the “anti-vax movement” mentioned earlier. Some individuals began spreading misinformation on how vaccination could lead to autism, children’s developmental delays, and other health risks with no proven research. Many already have this mindset about the current COVID-19 immunization, which has made them hell-bent on not getting vaccinated. However, studies have shown that with the vaccine, your chances of contracting COVID-19 are very slim. Therefore, we should all get vaccinated and disclaim every other information against it.
- Visit Medical Content Websites: As we all know, most misleading medical information is disseminated through online web pages for many reasons: to create site traffic. But there are medical content websites you can visit that are experts in the field and passionate about the accuracy of medical information online. This is achieved through freelance medical writers using a freelance platform like Kolabtree—a platform where you meet medical experts who give authentic medical information online. Getting accurate medical information is essential because it allows you to make the right decision without being confused or worried. Human health is very delicate, and any misinformation can lead to loss of life by taking the wrong medication. Thus, accurate health information can help save your life.
- Talk to Your Doctor: Always carry your doctor along by communicating with them whenever you get new medical information. This is because the most credible online news can be useless without medical professionals’ evaluation and diagnosis. Please discuss what you read online with your doctor or email them the article in cases where they are not around. A good doctor will always be willing to assist and help. Also, you can get a second opinion by visiting another doctor on the same information, especially if your doctor’s initial response does not convince you. This will help eradicate your doubt and provide reliable medical information.
- Consider the intent of the information: Please pay close attention to the content of the data to know its motive. Some medical articles are written for financial purposes or an attempt to deceive you. That your research study or an expert claim sounds appealing and suitable doesn’t mean it’s genuine. When a claim sounds too good to be true, engage in proper personal research for authentication. For example, when you see a post like, “Eating a fruit everyday will help cure cancer,” try consulting reliable sources. This is because it’s too good to be true. In addition, if you received a message from someone, you can also talk to the person by highlighting your doubts about the information.
Conclusion
As technology is evolving, many online platforms have been created for easy dissemination of information. This has also led to an increase in the number of people accessing the online platform. Medical data are shared through these platforms. But some medical content may contain misleading information. And this can adversely affect human health. Misinformation on human health can give the wrong advice on how best to manage your health and wellbeing. Hence, false information can mislead you into making bad decisions and cause unnecessary anxiety and confusion. However, the spread of misleading medical information can be stopped and avoided. One very efficient way to achieve this is through freelance medical writers using a freelance platform like Kolabtree.
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Farmer | September 5, 2021
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Jennifer, you’re not taking your own “advice”. There are scores of world renowned medical professionals and researchers who have examined the convid “vaccines” and presented clear, factual evidence that the “vaccines” are not what governments and media claim. In the interests of making an informed decision, it behooves people to look at both sides.
Travelin | September 5, 2021
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Jennifer, stick to architecture, which you are reportedly educated in. Everyone has an opinion, everyone has the right to make their own decision for their life. I respect your opinion for your life, but you need to be as respectful and respect others opinions as well. No one needs to be telling someone else what to do, including in this COVID world. I wonder if all the people who have died from the vaccines or been permanently disabled from the vaccines would agree with you. I highly doubt it. There are many medically educated people who have done significant research on the “vaccines”, about drugs the NIH and CDC refuse to allow be used in this country which other countries have proven to be very effective but would cut into the drug cartels profits, so they are not allowed in this country. And the drugs the NIH and CDC insist be used in this country but at times when they do no good for the patient, and much medical research which has proven the “vaccines” can be every bit as dangerous as they can be good. The difference is each individual persons unique system. When I hear research MD’s reporting and citing studies about the dangers of the “vaccines” I will be far more likely to believe them than your medically uneducated opinion. I’d suggest you do better research. Again, I respect you willingness to choose for yourself, but please have the same respect for others to have their own opinion of what is good for them.
Oldshooter | September 5, 2021
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The problem today is that medical research that doesn’t conform to the government’s current narrative is being actively suppressed by shadow banning, outright banning, and failure to report it in mainstream media and social media. I’ve followed viral research for years, and for at least 20 years now studies have been published regarding the ineffectiveness of face masks in preventing virus sized particle transmission. Suddenly, in the last 2-3 months, most of those studies, including several major empirical studies, which all find no evidence to support public masking against Covid, are unavailable online.
kfilly | September 5, 2021
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My argument is based on research. I am sure I did far more research than you ever did. Everything the CDC and MSM is telling you is a lie. How many stories about jab passport protests have they shown on TV? There have been large protest in France, Australia, and London. Unless, you think all those videos of large crowds burning passports are fake. Australia just launched a tyrannical so. The government will send a random text. People have 15 minutes to reply with face monitoring software from home. Is this about a virus or 100% tyranny? I vote the latter. You can inject whatever you want into your body. That is your choice. My choice is not to take the DNA altering substance. You might not think this modified your DNA. However, it did. You should read the US Supreme Court case brief Association for Molecular Pathology vs Myriad Genetics. According that brief, which serves as a precedent for all other laws in the area, you are now a GMO. You are patented. You also no longer have human rights. That sucks. In that regard, I also do not want to piss off God. If you were a Creator, would you like it if your creation willing altered itself. Do not take my word for it. Read it for yourself.
The CDC’s official VAERS website listed 13k deaths from the jabs. That is more deaths than from all jabs combined given since the year 2000. The only problem with that number is that it is not very accurate. Harvard did a study, and they estimated the VAERS site had about a 1% reporting rate. If that is the case now, the shots have already killed 1.3 million people in the US alone. That number is higher than Covid, and it occurred in way less time. If you support jab mandates, you are no different than the Nazi’s. Forced jabs are against the US Constitution and the Nuremberg laws (created because of Nazi’s). Our government violated those laws with the Tuskegee Experiments, Operation Seaspray, and water flouridation which shows a nefarious track record. If you think being obedient to the state will get your freedom back, you are dumber than a fence post. Tyrants will never give you your freedom back.
kfilly | September 5, 2021
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Those that took the shot are now part of a medical racket. The tax paying chattel are paying to get poisoned, their economy destroyed, and freedoms stripped. The Big Pharma pays the media to promote the pandemic. They also pay the government to pass illegal laws. They are poisoning people to make them sick. Big Pharma loves those life long customers. How many shots does your Gestapo passport have on it? You will roll up your sleeve that many times for booster shots or until you die. You are paying and lining up for your own death. The guy who created MrNA jabs said never to do it on people because all the test animals died. The shot is pushed by Bill Gates who is a known eugenicist. Dr. Laura Wen is a spokeswoman for CNN. She is a former president of Planned Parenthood. She cares about human life so much that she is calling for jab mandates. That is ironic coming from a baby murderer.
leam | September 6, 2021
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One thing is certain. If someone is getting their information from VAERS, they are likely to see that someone has posted “The vaccine turned me into a newt.” Totally unreliable, as anyone can report anything they like. And never, I repeat, Never. get medicaql information from blogs, youtube, or supplement profiteer sites. Nor follow their links to manipulated confirmation bias formats or “documents.” As the article states, go to genuine studies, at the source. Dig into the inter-lab PDF’s, that are being shared, and slip into direct discussions between the lead virologists. If there is one “t” or dot out of place, they will fire up the one making a mistake. (Of cours, much of this will be far too coplex for the average viewer to understand, as most is written in chem and bio scripts) Anything less, and you are NOT being informed. Also, the studies referring to mask inneficiency are based on cloth or simple masks, not N95 … Thar particular detail is often not mentioned. N95 works just fine.
Alan | September 7, 2021
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Jennifer, I am a registered nurse. I worked with covid-19 patients and have studied viruses for about 10 years. I was one of the people chosen for our hospital committee on managing flu season, and then covid-19 outbreaks. I appreciated much of what you were saying, and the calm tone of your message. It would have been more beneficial to most people who might read this if you had remained neutral. Your message of vetting information was spot on. The problem is that many of the trusted sources you referenced are no longer reliable. I will keep my comments simple. So much money has entered the medical arena that it has been significantly corrupted. So much money and influence is now given to people making decisions and providing advice, people who never see a patient, and have no medical background in many cases, that the information no longer trustworthy. Decision makers and law makers, big corporations and others are dictating and controlling information. Many of the organizations you mentioned are politicized, and have become places for people to have careers. This is not to say all information coming from them is unreliable, but covid-19 has been a petrie dish for science and plitics. Doctors, nurses, and hospital administrators had their hands tied as far as treatment options during the recent pandemic. No one was willing to risk a career, their paycheck, or their reputation (many of these people were threatened) by not going along, even when their experience, and science told them something different. The way that “cases” were decided was driven by money and politics. The “tests” were horribly inaccurate, and designed to produce “positives.” Hospitals and care providers were incentivized to treat “cases”, because the government was paying so much more, with no questions asked (remember, hospitals, clinics, etc were mandated to reduce the services and patients hospitalized). There was never any reliable tracing, so a person could test positive multiple times, and each time they were listed as a “case.” The seriousness of the virus was highly overblown, and people were made to be fearful. Drug manufacturers of vaccines are exempt from being sued, so is the Federal government, as far as the average person is concerned. These vaccines were “allowed” to circumvent the normal timelines and process for both efficacy and safety. The effectiveness of vaccines for the flu has been grossly misrepresented over the years, (the public would be shocked) but never more so than with this virus, and these vaccines. The medical community and researchers can’t even get their own information straight on the state of vaccines! The poster child for the pandemic has been masks. It is still misunderstood and lied about to this day. Cloth and other coverings are useless against this virus, and viruses in general. Surgical masks do not stop viruses (and definitely not the covid-19 virus) and the masks that most people have access to are useless against a virus. Most people don’t wear masks correctly. Even N95 masks do not fully protect against the covid-19 virus. The best N95 mask (which the public did not have access to) stops -95% of viruses. The problem, the covid-19 virus is smaller than the N95 was designed for. No reliable study has identified how much virus is needed to create an infection or illness. For more than 96% of the population, a persons own immune system is more effective against the virus. Much more could be said. This information that I have related has been available, is known to the medical community, but is marginalized, and is disappearing. Why? Your post is important. It has never been more important to get information from a variety of resources, and vet that information. It takes a lot of work. It’s not always comfortable. There are so many people who count on the population being lazy and just going along.
Illini Warrior | September 7, 2021
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sorry – but putting aside all the current vax battling >>> the politicizing of the Covid Crisis from the ignition and one side’s control & usage of the mass media – makes the entire subject a skeptical minefield …
one entire source of information should be highly questionable – CDC and WHO for a start and followed by individual pharma researchers and entire pharma companies currently providing Covid drugs >>> How many have now admitted their entire development media releases and even the actual drug releases were all anti-Trump motivated ????