How Health Disinformation Hijacks Health Narratives to Make Profit, Erode Trust, and Score Political Points, and What to Do About It
摘要
Addressing health disinformation effectively requires a health system viewpoint. This chapter is written from the perspective of public health professionals explaining the essential characteristics of health information seeking and decision-making that make health disinformation not just an acute threat but also a longer-term impact on population health if not mitigated and addressed. This chapter will detail how and why health disinformation can affect population health, how it influences individuals, communities, health systems, and society, and what to do about it from the health perspective. There are several motivations for health disinformation to be developed and shared, including for profit, for agenda-setting, and for interference and destabilization of opponents. The health sector has a long history of tackling deceptive marketing but is struggling to adapt to challenges of the modern information environment. Partnerships need to be built to improve strategies, coordination, and emergency preparedness to protect health.