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. 2020 Jun 9;28(1):34.
doi: 10.1186/s12998-020-00319-4.

Misinformation about spinal manipulation and boosting immunity: an analysis of Twitter activity during the COVID-19 crisis

Greg Kawchuk  1 , Jan Hartvigsen  2   3 , Steen Harsted  2 , Casper Glissmann Nim  4   5 , Luana Nyirö  6
Affiliations

Misinformation about spinal manipulation and boosting immunity: an analysis of Twitter activity during the COVID-19 crisis

Greg Kawchuk et al. Chiropr Man Therap. .

Abstract

Background: Social media has become an increasingly important tool in monitoring the onset and spread of infectious diseases globally as well monitoring the spread of information about those diseases. This includes the spread of misinformation, which has been documented within the context of the emerging COVID-19 crisis. Understanding the creation, spread and uptake of social media misinformation is of critical importance to public safety. In this descriptive study, we detail Twitter activity regarding spinal manipulative therapy (SMT) and claims it increases, or "boosts", immunity. Spinal manipulation is a common intervention used by many health professions, most commonly by chiropractors. There is no clinical evidence that SMT improves human immunity.

Methods: Social media searching software (Talkwalker Quick Search) was used to describe Twitter activity regarding SMT and improving or boosting immunity. Searches were performed for the 3 months and 12 months before March 31, 2020 using terms related to 1) SMT, 2) the professions that most often provide SMT and 3) immunity. From these searches, we determined the magnitude and time course of Twitter activity then coded this activity into content that promoted or refuted a SMT/immunity link. Content themes, high-influence users and user demographics were then stratified as either promoting or refuting this linkage.

Results: Twitter misinformation regarding a SMT/immunity link increased dramatically during the onset of the COVID crisis. Activity levels (number of tweets) and engagement scores (likes + retweets) were roughly equal between content promoting or refuting a SMT/immunity link, however, the potential reach (audience) of tweets refuting a SMT/immunity link was 3 times higher than those promoting a link. Users with the greatest influence on Twitter, as either promoters or refuters, were individuals, not institutions or organizations. The majority of tweets promoting a SMT/immunity link were generated in the USA while the majority of refuting tweets originated from Canada.

Conclusion: Twitter activity about SMT and immunity increased during the COVID-19 crisis. Results from this work have the potential to help policy makers and others understand the impact of SMT misinformation and devise strategies to mitigate its impact.

Keywords: Chiropractic; Immunity; Misinformation; Social media; Spinal manipulation; Twitter.

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Conflict of interest statement

GK reports active research grants unrelated to this work from The Natural Sciences and Engineering Research, The National Institutes of Health, The Alberta Spine Foundation, The American Orthotic and Prosthetic Association, The New Frontiers in Research Fund and the Canadian Chiropractic Research Foundation. Travel expenditures unrelated to this work in the past year include Kiropraktik i Sverige Live, Et liv i bevegelse” (ELIB), the Nordic Institute of Chiropractic and Clinical Biomechanics, The American Chiropractic Association, The National Institutes of Health, The British Columbia Chiropractic Association, and The World Federation of Chiropractic. He is the Chair of the World Federation of Chiropractic Research Council. Fees for medical-legal expertise unrelated to this work from the Canadian Chiropractic Protective Association. JH reports that he holds multiple research grants from Danish and international funding agencies and charities. He has received coverage of travel expenditures from multiple sources internationally in connection with speaking engagements. Within the past year he has received speaking fees from Parker Seminars and Novartis. He is a member of the World Federation of Chiropractic Research Council. SH has no declarations. CN has no declarations. LN has no declarations.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Total mentions for the 3 months before March 31, 2020 in total and segregated by procedure and profession (search #1–3 results). Procedures are terms related to SMT where health professions include chiropractic, physiotherapy, naturopathy, osteopathy and naprapthy
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Total mentions for procedure terms in relation to each health professions and immunity for the 3 months before March 31, 2020 (search #4–8 results). Procedures are terms related to SMT where health professions include chiropractic, physiotherapy, naturopathy, osteopathy and naprapthy
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Total mentions for health professions in relation to immunity for the 3 months before March 31, 2020 (search #9–1 results). Procedures are terms related to SMT where health professions include chiropractic, physiotherapy, naturopathy, osteopathy and naprapthy
Fig. 4
Fig. 4
Baseline Twitter activity over the 12 months before March 31, 2020 (search #14 results). Procedures are terms related to SMT where health professions include chiropractic, physiotherapy, naturopathy, osteopathy and naprapthy
Fig. 5
Fig. 5
Global heat map of tweet location stratified by those promoting or refuting a message of boosting immunity
Fig. 6
Fig. 6
Global tweet location stratified by those promoting or refuting a message of boosting immunity
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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