Effective responses to vaccine-related misinformation

Abstract

Razai and colleagues (1) present a useful overview of covid-19 vaccine hesitancy and its serious implications for pandemic control. Of particular importance is their recognition that the problem is complex, arises from multiple factors across different cultures, and that interventions are still being developed and evaluated. Several key facets of the problem remain to be addressed.

Information disorder and the related construct of information pollution describe a prominent downside of our digital world, and help to explain how human beings are both connected and polarised as never before (2). Although its implications for public health are yet to be fully appraised, information disorder undoubtedly feeds both a general loss of confidence in scientific authority as well as the more particular and rapid spread of misinformation regarding covid-19, the so-called ‘infodemic.’

The sheer volume and distribution of vaccine-related misinformation driven by social media means that effective but individually-focused interventions, such as motivational interviewing, are costly and virtually impossible to scale adequately (3). Structural and organisational interventions, by contrast, can be applied to populations, but are ethically fraught, politically contentious, and are likely to be less effective among marginalised and disadvantaged communities (4). The fact that covid-related misinformation disproportionately affects these communities, and exacerbates pre-existing health inequalities, presents an urgent challenge to public health at global, national, and regional levels.

One solution could include surveillance technology for early detection of misinformation, together with measures to prevent, reverse, or mitigate its harmful impacts. Without careful assessment and cultural understanding of affected communities, such efforts may fail, even backfire (5). Intervention effectiveness will depend on recognition that vaccine hesitancy is often a symptom of the larger problem of information disorder; a focus on promoting trust in public health authorities and information they provide will be essential.

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