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Review
. 2021 Oct 9:1-10.
doi: 10.1007/s10389-021-01658-z. Online ahead of print.

The impact of fake news on social media and its influence on health during the COVID-19 pandemic: a systematic review

Yasmim Mendes Rocha  1 , Gabriel Acácio de Moura  2 , Gabriel Alves Desidério  3 , Carlos Henrique de Oliveira  3 , Francisco Dantas Lourenço  3 , Larissa Deadame de Figueiredo Nicolete  3
Affiliations
Review

The impact of fake news on social media and its influence on health during the COVID-19 pandemic: a systematic review

Yasmim Mendes Rocha et al. Z Gesundh Wiss. .

Abstract

Purpose: As the new coronavirus disease propagated around the world, the rapid spread of news caused uncertainty in the population. False news has taken over social media, becoming part of life for many people. Thus, this study aimed to evaluate, through a systematic review, the impact of social media on the dissemination of infodemic knowing and its impacts on health.

Methods: A systematic search was performed in the MedLine, Virtual Health Library (VHL), and Scielo databases from January 1, 2020, to May 11, 2021. Studies that addressed the impact of fake news on patients and healthcare professionals around the world were included. It was possible to methodologically assess the quality of the selected studies using the Loney and Newcastle-Ottawa Scales.

Results: Fourteen studies were eligible for inclusion, consisting of six cross-sectional and eight descriptive observational studies. Through questionnaires, five studies included measures of anxiety or psychological distress caused by misinformation; another seven assessed feeling fear, uncertainty, and panic, in addition to attacks on health professionals and people of Asian origin.

Conclusion: By analyzing the phenomenon of fake news in health, it was possible to observe that infodemic knowledge can cause psychological disorders and panic, fear, depression, and fatigue.

Keywords: Covid-19; Fake news; Health; Infodemic knowing.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflict of interestThe authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Search strategy flowchart
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