Addressing the spread of health-related misinformation on social networks: an opinion article

Maria Polyzou; David Kiefer; Xenofon Baraliakos; Philipp Sewerin

doi:10.3389/fmed.2023.1167033

Addressing the spread of health-related misinformation on social networks: an opinion article

Front Med (Lausanne). 2023 May 2:10:1167033. doi: 10.3389/fmed.2023.1167033. eCollection 2023.

Authors

Maria Polyzou¹, David Kiefer¹, Xenofon Baraliakos¹, Philipp Sewerin^{1

2}

Affiliations

¹ Ruhr-University Bochum, Rheumazentrum Ruhrgebiet, Herne, Germany.
² Department of Rheumatology & Hiller Research Unit, University Hospital Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany.

Abstract

This article deals with the spread of misinformation in a general context and specifically in the health sector. It presents a theoretical view of the problem and analyzes its characteristics with a focus on medicine and mainly rheumatology. Finally, conclusions from the previous analysis are formulated as well as suggestions for reducing the dimensions of the problem in the health sector.

Keywords: COVID-19; health sector; misinformation; rheumatology; social networks.

Publication types

Review