Health Wanted: Misinformation
HEALTH WANTED, a weekly radio show and podcast produced in partnership with WABE, brings need-to-know public health headlines and breaks down the science behind trending topics.
The Episode
The topic: Health misinformation is a growing public health crisis, shaping behaviors, fueling skepticism, and undermining trust in science. Today on Health Wanted, host Laurel Bristow and guest Jessica Malaty Rivera discuss how misinformation starts and spreads, and how we can rebuild trust in science.
The takeaway: Managing the challenges of misinformation is particularly difficult in today's social media world, where emotionally charged content often outcompetes facts. Effectively addressing misinformation requires clear communication from science and health professionals and efforts to encourage the public to think more critically and evaluate their information sources.
- Health misinformation and disinformation are critical public health issues because of their potential to cause harm and spread rapidly. This threat undermines health systems, leads to distrust, and can encourage people to make dangerous decisions about their health based on false claims.
- Social media can amplify misinformation by prioritizing emotionally charged content. By design, content that gets more comments, likes, and other interactions gets promoted, creating an environment where false information can be shared widely and quickly.
- Misinformation has always been a challenge in public health, from rumors of the smallpox vaccine being deadly in Myanmar to the United States government downplaying the prevalence of the 1918 flu pandemic. Historical misinformation has contributed to stigma, mistrust of science and health care, and conspiracy theories that still affect public perceptions today.
- An improved public understanding of scientific processes and knowledge could help to combat misinformation. If people are better equipped to evaluate their sources of information, recognize bias, and question claims they will be better able to think critically and make more informed decisions about their health.
The Interview
The guest: Jessica Malaty Rivera
The key takeaways:
- Public health misinformation is not new; people used to think that the smallpox vaccine would turn them into a cow! This type of misinformation tends to arise after major public health events and can alter public perceptions and health behaviors in lasting ways.
- Misinformation directly impacts health behaviors and can have serious consequences. For example, over 234,000 deaths from COVID-19 after the availability of vaccines have been linked to misinformation discouraging vaccination.
- Rebuilding public trust in science requires scientists and science communicators to listen to community concerns and engage in open conversation. Addressing past errors and acknowledging uncertainties can build trust and transparency.
- To avoid spreading misinformation, be cautious about what you share on social media. It is designed to elicit fast, emotional reactions that can fuel misinformation. Not everything you read online is accurate, and it is important to be thoughtful and critical about what you are see and share.
The Listener Questions
Does GLP-1 come in pill form?
GLP-1 is a hormone that our bodies make. The full name is “glucagon-like peptide.” It’s involved in the regulation of blood sugar, appetite, digestion, and a ton of other things.
There is a class of drugs called GLP-1 agonists, which are drugs that mimic the actions of the hormone GLP-1. This includes drugs like semaglutide, which is also known as Ozempic (which is approved for treating type 2 diabetes) and Wegovy (which is approved for weight management).
There is a semaglutide that exists in oral pill form, but it’s currently only approved for the management of type 2 diabetes, not weight loss. Thus, not only are oral GLP-1s for weight loss not a “new thing,” but they do not exist. The supplements you’re seeing don’t contain any GLP-1 agonists, they’re just using the phrase because they know people are familiar with it.
Instead, the supplements contain ingredients that have “clinically proven” weight loss benefits, some of which have only barely reached statistical significance and may not truly be effective. On top of that, there are no studies that look at these ingredients in combination to prove they do what they claim.
What is the latest on the McDonald’s E. coli outbreak?
The CDC is reporting an E. coli outbreak in 10 states that is connected to McDonald’s quarter pounders. So far it looks like the culprit is the slivered onions that they use on the quarter pounders, so McDonalds has pulled those onions from their stores.
Cases have been reported in 10 states as of October 11 and McDonalds is pulling the quarter pounder from the menu in several states until they can restock with supplies they feel confident are not contaminated.
E. coli is a bacteria that always lives in our guts, but some types of E. coli can make us pretty sick. Most people infected will begin to experience gastrointestinal symptoms three to five days after ingesting the bacteria, but cases usually resolve on their own.
In 5-10% of cases, more serious complications can arise that may require treatment in a hospital. Thus, the CDC is recommending that you seek medical care if you have recently eaten quarter pounders from McDonald's and are experiencing any of the following symptoms: diarrhea for more than three days, bloody diarrhea, a fever higher than 102 degrees Fahrenheit, so much vomiting that you cannot keep liquids down, or signs of dehydration.
Catch all the listener questions and Laurel’s answers on the full episode of Health Wanted by:
- Streaming at WABE.org or the WABE app
- Subscribing on Apple or Spotify
- Watching on WABE's YouTube channel
