The Impact of Misinformation and Health Literacy on HIV Prevention and Service Usage
The Impact of Misinformation and Health Literacy on HIV Prevention and Service Usage
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DOI：
10.1097/jnc.0000000000000298
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发表时间：
2022-01-01
影响因子：
2
通讯作者：
Young, Sean D.
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Garett, Renee;Young, Sean D.
There is a constantly growing rate of information being shared online as a result of new technologies, social media, and the way the public interacts with these tools. According to the Pew Research Center, one consequence of the increased sharing of online information is the propagation and spread of misinformation, ranging from COVID-19 to politics to many other aspects of life and work (Mitchell et al., 2020). The rise of social media in disseminating information has led to curated content that may not have the same journalistic standard as traditional media and therefore can spread inaccurate, false, malicious information, or propaganda. According to UNESCO (2018), misinformation is information that is misleading but not created with mal intent. This differs from disinformation, which is false information created to purposefully create harm (UNESCO, 2018). Misinformation regarding COVID-19 has been prevalent and appeared in various forms of media (Brennen et al., 2020). The majority of misinformation about COVID-19 appeared on social media (88%), followed by television (9%), news outlets (8%), and other websites (7%). Often times, facts were misconstrued (59%) instead of fabricated (38%). Exposure to COVID-19–related misinformation has reduced people’s willingness to seek additional (often counter) information and ability to process it (Kim et al., 2020). Only about 30% of Americans have expressed confidence in their ability to check the accuracy of information regarding COVID-19 (Gottfried, 2020). Misinformation regarding the US presidential election was similarly widespread.Misinformation may have consequences beyond COVID-19 and elections, affecting areas such as HIV. This commentary will focus on the impact of misinformation on the use of HIV services, including misinformation related to the safety, efficacy, and use of preexposure prophylaxis (PrEP); use of supplements; and HIV-related stigma. Those at risk for or living with HIV may be susceptible to misinformation for a variety of reasons. For instance, one study examined the perception of individuals living with HIV with limited income resources and history of substance use about their health seeking behavior online (Nokes et al., 2018). Findings showed that study participants had low electronic health literacy and, although they were interested in seeking information online, low confidence in their ability to distinguish a credible source, with some preferring to speak with health providers instead. Misinformation and stigma continue to marginalize vulnerable populations, such as African American men who have sex with men (further negatively affecting their health outcomes; Nokes et al., 2018). For example, among African American men who have sex with men, perceived stigma and medical mistrust about medication side effects were barriers to PrEP uptake (Cahill et al., 2017). A survey of millennials and Generation Z found that stigma surrounding HIV affected the emotional, mental, and sexual health among those living with HIV (Salman et al., 2016). Misinformation about treatment adherence was also high among this group, with approximately one third of participants believing that they could stop taking medications if they felt better.
