Social Media Main Source of COVID Info for Many Around the Globe

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Social media platforms are key sources of COVID-19 information in some migrant and ethnic minority populations globally, a study of data from six countries shows.

The research was released Wednesday in a special early publication in advance of the European Congress of Clinical Microbiology & Infectious Diseases (ECCMID 2022, Lisbon, Portugal, April 23-26). It also was posted to the preprint server medRxiv. The research has not yet been peer-reviewed.

Understanding where patients are getting their information on COVID and why can help improve communication with patients in the pandemic, the authors say.

Lucy P. Goldsmith, PhD, and Sally Hargreaves, PhD, co-first authors, with the Institute for Infection and Immunity at St. George’s University of London in England, led a team in reviewing data from 21 studies in six countries: China, Jordan, Qatar, Turkey, the United Kingdom, and the United States. The studies included screening 1849 unique records.

The team systematically reviewed research listed in the World Health Organization (WHO) Global Research on COVID-19 database for papers reporting social media use by migrants and ethnic minorities globally.

“Populations experiencing barriers to robust public health information, including migrants and ethnic minority groups, may be disproportionately impacted by misinformation circulating via social media, including on social media platforms (Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram), yet this has not been well evaluated to date,” the authors write.

Examples of findings include that social media was the preferred source of information about COVID for international migrants in China (WeChat was used by 94.5% of respondents for such information).

Additionally, “Among 389 Syrian refugee mothers in Jordan, Facebook and WhatsApp were the main sources of COVID-19 information for 87% and 69% of respondents respectively,” the authors add.

Info in a Person’s Native Language

In many cases, the authors say, relying on social media posts for vaccine information may result from little information being available in a person’s native language from more conventional trusted sources.

While agencies such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) translate information into several languages, many immigrants in the US and globally won’t find key information translated into their native language, at least not in a timely manner, Tasleem Padamsee, PhD, a medical sociologist in the Division of Health Services Management & Policy, College of Public Health, Ohio State University in Columbus, told Medscape Medical News.

She said while general, consistent messaging from the WHO and the CDC is important in the pandemic, this study points out that “we know that many groups benefit — not just in the pandemic — from health information delivered by trusted members of their own communities.”

Padamsee said the study also highlights the need for correct information to be posted when incorrect information multiplies across platforms.

“It can’t just be that public health authorities and doctors and healthcare systems deliver information through clinic and public service announcements and newspapers. They need to be thinking about where people are getting their information. If people are getting information from social media outlets, we need to put information in those outlets, too,” she said.

Goldsmith told Medscape Medical News the findings may help clinicians and health systems with messaging and better communication with patients.

The results show a need to promote targeted and tailored health information to marginalized populations who have poor access to health and vaccination systems, she said.

She also advises against promoting one-way communication of “more accurate” information.

Healthcare providers and public health organizations should seek to understand why some population groups are turning to social media and understand what’s driving belief in misinformation, “including genuine knowledge void, access barriers, and health literacy,” Goldsmith said.

Mixed Info From Social Media

The researchers found both negative and positive effects in getting information from social media.

Some posts showed the positive advantages of social media such as personalizing information and tailoring health information to different cultures.

An example of a negative experience was found in a UK qualitative study of undocumented migrants. It found that among 23 participants who were hesitant about getting a COVID vaccine, “some participants described fears around theories based on misinformation, often originating from social media or word of mouth, with many describing feeling conflicted about which information sources to trust.”

Goldsmith said they decided to release the data early because, “It’s really important to respond to healthcare needs, including knowledge and information needs, in accessible ways. We’re pleased to release this study early, in advance of the conference, to help people get through the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.”

The study authors and Padamsee have disclosed no relevant financial relationships.

medRxiv. Published online February 7, 2022. Abstract

Marcia Frellick is a freelance journalist based in Chicago. She has previously written for the Chicago Tribune, Science News, and Nurse.com, and was an editor at the Chicago Sun-Times, the Cincinnati Enquirer, and the St. Cloud (Minnesota) Times. Follow her on Twitter at @mfrellick.

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