The Health Implications of Misinformation

The cost of misinformation in the health sector is one of the most tangible examples of its harmful effects. During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, misinformation about the virus’s origins, treatments, and vaccines created confusion and fear. GeoPoll report from African countries like Nigeria and South Africa showed that significant portions of the population believed in unverified treatments, leading many to avoid seeking proper medical care.

During health crises, it is crucial for the global health agencies non-governmental organizations, governments, and national health bodies to play a vital role in combating misinformation. To enhance these efforts, they should prioritize proactive communication and utilize data intelligently.

Proactive, Transparent Communication

To effectively combat misinformation, it’s crucial to communicate clearly, consistently, and in a timely manner. Health organizations should provide the public with reliable and easily understandable information through various channels, such as social media, SMS alerts, and local and national media outlets.

GeoPoll data revealed that many people in sub-Saharan Africa turned to social media for news updates, but often encountered conflicting or false information. To address this, global health agencies should use social media platforms alongside other media outlets to flag or remove harmful content and amplify verified information.

Leveraging Data for Targeted Interventions

Health organizations can customize their messaging by examining data to target particular worries or misunderstandings within vulnerable populations or the public in general.

GeoPoll’s insights from mobile surveys and real-time data collection can be instrumental in identifying misinformation trends and understanding public sentiment in specific regions.

For example, in sub-Saharan Africa, GeoPoll found that communities with lower access to healthcare or education were more likely to believe in rumors about COVID-19 vaccines. The study showed that less than half the respondents (48%) believe they have been provided enough trustworthy information about the COVID-19 vaccine. Persistent rumors around the vaccine have clearly degraded peoples’ confidence in the information available to them and demonstrate the importance of stakeholders battling misinformation around vaccines.

Track Misinformation

Identifying the spread of misinformation in healthcare is essential for health organizations and policymakers. It allows them to monitor the sources of false information, track the exposure of the audience, and adjust their communication strategies accordingly.

GeoPoll Audience Measurement is an effective solution for monitoring media consumption habits and gaining insights into the dissemination of information across different channels. Through the use of real-time data collection, GeoPoll offers valuable understanding of audience behavior, media reach, and content interaction.

Future Approaches to Health Misinformation

In order to combat misinformation effectively, it is essential to make ongoing investments in technology and local expertise. GeoPoll’s mobile survey tools and real-time data collection provide valuable resources for monitoring public opinion and misinformation trends in developing regions. By integrating these tools with the health decision makers, extensive global health knowledge, organizations can enhance their ability to respond to health crises with accuracy and cultural awareness.

The cost of misinformation in the health sector is far too high to ignore, and only through collaborative efforts can we ensure that accurate information prevails during future health crises.

GeoPoll’s contribution to Health care and information

GeoPoll has made significant contributions to healthcare and information dissemination, particularly in emerging markets. By leveraging mobile technology, GeoPoll conducts large-scale surveys that provide real-time data on health trends, disease outbreaks, and public health behaviors. This information helps governments, NGOs, and healthcare organizations make informed decisions and implement targeted interventions.

Examples of GeoPoll’s Health Related Survey and report include

• GeoPoll conducted a remote study in 12 countries in sub-Saharan Africa to understand the effects of COVID-19 on the region, revealing broad-reaching implications across all sectors. The study assessed how people were protecting themselves against the virus, including measures such as social distancing, handwashing, and respiratory hygiene. Less than half the respondents (48%) believe they have been provided enough trustworthy information about the COVID-19 vaccine. Persistent rumors around the vaccine have clearly degraded peoples’ confidence in the information available to them and demonstrate the importance of stakeholders battling misinformation around vaccines.

• Mpox Outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo: GeoPoll conducted a nationwide survey in the DRC to assess public awareness and concern about the mpox outbreak. Respondents’ primary sources of information about the mpox outbreak include social media (65%), TV (45%), radio (36%), and word of mouth (32%). Social media remains the most used source across gender and age groups. The most trusted source for information about mpox, however, is healthcare workers (52%). TV (37%), Radio (30%), and newspapers (24%) are also considered more trustworthy as a source than social media (23%).
• Zambia Cholera Outbreak: To assess public awareness and concern about the cholera outbreak, GeoPoll conducted a nationwide survey in Zambia using its proprietary Computer Assisted Telephone Interviewing (CATI) application. The survey findings revealed that less than a quarter of respondents have heard about cholera cases in their community or neighborhood (22%). That proportion increases to 43% in Lusaka where the outbreak was first reported and that remains the most-affected province. Conversely, only 5% of respondents from Muchinga say they have heard about cholera cases in their community.
• Parent Perceptions of the Malaria Vaccine in sub-Saharan Africa: To explore parents’ perceptions of the new and potentially revolutionary malaria vaccine, GeoPoll conducted an SMS mobile phone-based survey in February 2022 in several high-burden malaria countries: three from the original vaccine trial (Ghana, Kenya, and Malawi), as well as Nigeria, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Uganda, and Mozambique. Although more than 30 million African children under the age of five suffer from vaccine-preventable diseases every year, and half a million die, only 81% of parents in our study “strongly agree” with the statement that vaccines benefit their child’s health. That number drops down to 75% in Malawi and 67% in Ghana. Parents in Mozambique are the most likely to strongly agree with the statement at 91%.

• Ebola in DRC: As international aid organizations enacted plans to slow the spread of Ebola in DRC and mitigate its long-term effects, GeoPoll released the results of an SMS survey conducted with 483 people on-the-ground in the North Kivu province, including over 300 individuals in the city of Goma. The study showed that public places are seen as the highest risk areas for exposure to Ebola, with 41% stating public transport posed the biggest risk to exposure and 39% stating general public places were the biggest risk. 86% reported that they knew how to prevent themselves from contracting Ebola.

Contact us to learn more about how GeoPoll collects real-time health information to help governments, communities, donors, and implementing partners identify critical issues in health crises and health service delivery, strengthen health systems, refine social and behavior change (SBC) messaging, and respond to global health security threats.