Irrational Beliefs about COVID-19: A Scoping Review

Abstract

Since the emergence of the recent Coronavirus Disease of 2019 (COVID-19) and its spread as a pandemic, there has been a parallel spread of false and misleading information, known as an infodemic. The COVID-19 infodemic has induced distrust in scientific communities, governments, institutions and the population, and a confidence crisis that has led to harmful health behaviours, also impacting on mental health. The aim of this study is to provide a scoping review of the scientific literature about COVID-19-related misinformation and conspiracy theories, focusing on the construction of a conceptual framework which is useful for the interpretation of the conspiracy theory phenomenon surrounding COVID-19, and its consequences. Particular socio-environmental conditions (i.e., low educational level, younger age), psychological processes and attitudes (such as low levels of epistemic trust, the avoidance of uncertainty, extraversion, collective narcissism, and a conspiracy-prone mindset), and contextual factors (e.g., high levels of self-perceived risk and anxiety) seem to underpin the adherence to beliefs that are not solely the domain of paranoids and extremists but a widespread phenomenon that has caused important health, social and political consequences.

Aceptabilidad de la vacuna contra la COVID-19 en alumnos de una universidad pública de Honduras

“…Similar al estudio de Islam y colaboradores, donde encontraron que las principales fuentes de desinformación fueron Facebook y Twitter, generando rumores y teorías de conspiración relacionados con la vacuna. [20][21][22] Al momento de analizar los resultados en base a "la teoría del comportamiento planificado" la cual hace mención que la conducta humana es voluntaria y está determinada por la intencionalidad, se consideró profundizar en los siguientes constructos; actitudes sociales, norma subjetiva y control conductual percibido. 23 Esto con la finalidad de entender mejor la temática de la vacunación contra la enfermedad de la CO-VID-19.…”

The COVID-19 Infodemic: Mechanism, Impact, and Counter-Measures—A Review of Reviews

“…The virus was indeed politicized [14]. Irrational beliefs including prejudice, paranoia, extremism, racism, conspiracy theories, and faith in magical cures played a role [23][24][25]. An example of inappropriate marketing was the direct-to-consumer targeted online advertisement of unproven and unauthorized stem-cell-based interventions in China [26].…”

“…A lack of trust in the government and a lack of scientific knowledge can lead to the increased consumption of misinformation [33]. Magarini et al identified specific socio-environmental conditions, psychological processes and attitudes in addition to contextual factors that can render individuals vulnerable to irrational and adverse beliefs in the infodemic [23]. In particular, these factors included low educational level, younger age, low level of epistemic trust, avoidance of uncertainty, extraversion, collective narcissism, a conspiracy-prone mindset, high level of self-perceived risk, and anxiety [23].…”

“…Magarini et al identified specific socio-environmental conditions, psychological processes and attitudes in addition to contextual factors that can render individuals vulnerable to irrational and adverse beliefs in the infodemic [23]. In particular, these factors included low educational level, younger age, low level of epistemic trust, avoidance of uncertainty, extraversion, collective narcissism, a conspiracy-prone mindset, high level of self-perceived risk, and anxiety [23]. Possible reasons for susceptibility for vaccine hesitancy are mistrust of doctors, health services, the government, the pharmaceutical industry, safety concerns, complacency over low perceived personal risks, misinformation, religious beliefs, dietary restrictions, historical concerns, a particular lifestyle ("natural medicine"), or COVID-19 denial [34].…”

“…Misinformation could induce hazardous behavior; the distrust in scientific and public institutions as well as the confidence crisis triggered by the infodemic resulted in harmful health behavior and also had an impact on mental health. [14,23]. Dubey et al, (2020) suggest that the infodemic increased substance dependence [36].…”