HEALTH MISINFORMATION AND DIGITAL BEHAVIOR: EVIDENCE FROM AN EDUCATIONAL INTERVENTION WITH HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS

• DOI: https://doi.org/10.22533/at.ed.51572726240313

• Palavras-chave: Infodemic; Health misinformation; Scientific and digital literacy; Aging population; Energy metabolism.

• Keywords: Infodemic; Health misinformation; Scientific and digital literacy; Aging population; Energy metabolism.

• Abstract:

  The infodemic, or information overload, hinders the ability to discern the veracity of information and can undermine public health strategies. Adults and young people are vulnerable to misinformation, especially on social media. In the context of an aging population, it is urgent to develop chronic disease prevention strategies targeting young people, considering that biochemical changes associated with these diseases can take about 40 years to manifest. This article presents the development and application of a methodology for high school students, focusing on identifying scientific misinformation in health through the simulation of behaviors on social media. The “Can I Share This?” activity utilized videos based on disinformation strategies and biochemistry topics such as energy metabolism, a key factor in the prevention of age-related diseases. It was observed that sharing information on social media is independent of certainty regarding its veracity, contributing to the spread of misinformation, and that interest influences performance. The methodology contributes to scientific and digital literacy, which is fundamental for the critical education and autonomy of young people, in addition to using social media as a tool to combat scientific misinformation in health among this audience.