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Introduction
Exaggeration is when a product mimics as if it has benefits, while in reality, they are not present. While exaggeration may result from an unintentional misinterpretation of research results, some entities intentionally manipulate information to attract customers or attain financial support. Exaggeration can be considered a form of deception as it misleads the public into making uninformed decisions (Trethewey, 2020). Some overstatements may overemphasize the efficacy of a healthcare plan or a product, while others may hide adverse implications.
Misinformation in Healthcare
All people are willing to find a suitable treatment plan, and by targeting such individuals, entities can facilitate the further spread of incorrect information. The intentional dissemination of such data can lead to unfavorable consequences in terms of public health and even severe outcomes such as death. The reason is that it is essential to have reliable data when making decisions related to health (Sumner et al., 2016). Instead of consulting evidence-based resources, most individuals use the internet to find the information they need. Not all data that is found online is based on statistically proven knowledge. Most authors that share health-related posts are not accredited, health providers.
Participants
In some instances, misinformation is intentional, which means that health providers may exaggerate to attain sponsorship or attract patients. Therefore, it is incorrect to claim that information that comes from health providers is 100% trustworthy. It is crucial to conduct an independent assessment to establish the reliability of their claims. Researchers may also use exaggeration to promote their articles. In most cases, scientists provide misleading information regarding the use of their research. By consulting such unfavorable techniques, researchers may be able to achieve public acclaim and attract funding for their projects. Internet users may not pursue such goals, but the lack of knowledge may pose a hindrance to effective communication. Bloggers and other social media personas may unintentionally spread exaggerated information because they lack the qualification to make scientific evaluations. In summary, unreliable data can come from all parties that engage in communication.
Flow of Exaggeration
Once a piece of incorrect information becomes available in the public domain, its distribution speed grows exponentially. For instance, a health provider places an advertisement claiming that some treatment plan is more effective both in terms of cost and efficacy than currently available options. This information is devoured by a person who was looking for such a program. They share this information with their family, relatives, and friends, who, in turn, share it with others. The spread could become uncontrollable and may lead to unfavorable public health outcomes because data can be concerned with surgical procedures and other critical health-related topics (Oxman et al., 2018).
Distribution Means
Social media is the most popular means of sharing information in contemporary society. It is accessible by all strata of the population, and, in most cases, it is entirely free to use. While social media has brought many benefits, its disadvantages include the possibility of it being used by fraudsters or people that intentionally want to mislead people. Peer-reviewed articles may also contain exaggerated information because the quality of data presented in papers is rarely assessed thoroughly. Therefore, it is fallacious to believe that scientific studies can be trusted without evaluating their quality. Personal communication also plays an important role – people often share it with their friends and families. The abundance of communication means makes it challenging to develop interventions against intentional and unintentional exaggeration and the spread of incorrect information.
Impacts of Misinformation
Misinformation may lead to improper usage of drugs and other medication. For instance, functional medicine can be underused, which may lead to ineffective treatment. Useless or harmful drugs may be overused, which may lead to overdose and severe outcomes for human health. There are also financial implications of exaggeration in the healthcare industry. Millions of dollars are wasted annually to buy and use drugs that do not have proven effectiveness. Many people die because of treatment plans that cause no positive effect. Movements that promote anti-vaccine attitudes have contributed to public health issues that are otherwise easily preventable.
Counter-Measures
It is challenging to control the spread of misleading data at the point of its origin. The reason is that all people are given the freedom to share information in contemporary society. Instead, interventions should focus on enabling individuals to identify potentially exaggerated data. In other words, people that perceive should be able to evaluate information adequately and decide and whether or not it is trustworthy. Attaining health education is essential to be able to assess health-related information. Therefore, government and health providers should invest in patient education. The goal is to make people scrutinize before believing anything they read or hear from other individuals.
Physicians are in a favorable position to educate their patients. They have the knowledge to provide patients with the information they seek and the authority to be able to convince individuals. Physicians should take an active role in patient education and teach them the importance of staying skeptical about the information they receive. Physicians should not use social media to disseminate information but tailor data according to the needs of an individual patient. However, when data is formed on evidence-based practices and studies, social media can be applied with no issues.
Role of Scientists
Scientists are people that create knowledge for people to learn. Therefore, researchers mustn’t use their position to manipulate the public. They must deliver accurate information without any exaggeration and alteration. Some researchers intentionally exaggerate the importance of their study in order to receive financial support from the government or other sources. Others, despite sharing only credible information, lack communication skills that are important to convey data to the public effectively (Trethewey, 2020).
Conclusion
There are significant implications of exaggeration of information related to health. In most cases, misleading data may cause severe health outcomes, such as underdose, overdose, and even death. Many parties may intentionally exaggerate the efficacy of a specific treatment plan or product. Health providers may seek new customers, while researchers may pursue public acclaim. Internet users also engage in the spread of incorrect data but often do so due to a lack of knowledge and qualification. Doctors should educate patients so that they make decisions only after evaluating the attained information carefully.
References
Oxman, A. D., Chalmers, I., & Austvoll-Dahlgren, A. (2018). Key concepts for assessing claims about treatment effects and making well-informed treatment choices. F1000Research, 1(3), 1-17. Web.
Sumner, P., Vivian-Griffiths, S., Boivin, J., Williams, A., Bott, L., Adams, R., Venetis, C., Whelan, L., Hughes, B., & Chambers, C. D. (2016). Exaggerations and caveats in press releases and health-related science news. PloS One, 11(12), 1-15. Web.
Trethewey, S. P. (2020). Strategies to combat medical misinformation on social media. Postgraduate Medical Journal, 96(1131), 4-6. Web.
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