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Review
. 2021 Apr 13;118(15):e1912437117.
doi: 10.1073/pnas.1912437117.

Misinformation and public opinion of science and health: Approaches, findings, and future directions

Michael A Cacciatore  1
Affiliations
Review

Misinformation and public opinion of science and health: Approaches, findings, and future directions

Michael A Cacciatore. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. .

Abstract

A summary of the public opinion research on misinformation in the realm of science/health reveals inconsistencies in how the term has been defined and operationalized. A diverse set of methodologies have been employed to study the phenomenon, with virtually all such work identifying misinformation as a cause for concern. While studies completely eliminating misinformation impacts on public opinion are rare, choices around the packaging and delivery of correcting information have shown promise for lessening misinformation effects. Despite a growing number of studies on the topic, there remain many gaps in the literature and opportunities for future studies.

Keywords: disinformation; literature review; misinformation.

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Conflict of interest statement

The author declares no competing interest.

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