A Co-Created Tool to Help Counter Health Misinformation for Spanish-Speaking Communities in the San Francisco Bay Area

Lucía Abascal Miguel (), Andres Maiorana, Gustavo Santa Roza Saggese, Chadwick K. Campbell, Beth Bourdeau and Emily A. Arnold
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Lucía Abascal Miguel: Institute for Global Health Sciences, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
Andres Maiorana: Division of Prevention Science, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
Gustavo Santa Roza Saggese: Santa Casa School of Medical Sciences, São Paulo 01221-020, Brazil
Chadwick K. Campbell: Herbert Wertheim School of Public Health & Human Longevity Science, University of California, San Diego, CA 92093, USA
Beth Bourdeau: Division of Prevention Science, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
Emily A. Arnold: Division of Prevention Science, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA

IJERPH, 2024, vol. 21, issue 3, 1-10

Abstract: Background: Health misinformation, which was particularly prevalent during the COVID-19 pandemic, hampers public health initiatives. Spanish-speaking communities in the San Francisco Bay Area may be especially affected due to low digital health literacy and skepticism towards science and healthcare experts. Our study aims to develop a checklist to counter misinformation, grounded in community insights. Methods: We adopted a multistage approach to understanding barriers to COVID-19 vaccine uptake in Spanish-speaking populations in Alameda and San Francisco counties. Initial work included key informant and community interviews. Partnering with a community-based organization (CBO), we organized co-design workshops in July 2022 to develop a practical tool for identifying misinformation. Template analysis identified key themes for actionable steps, such as source evaluation and content assessment. From this, we developed a Spanish-language checklist. Findings: During formative interviews, misinformation was identified as a major obstacle to vaccine uptake. Three co-design workshops with 15 Spanish-speaking women resulted in a 10-step checklist for tackling health misinformation. Participants highlighted the need for scrutinizing sources and assessing messenger credibility, and cues in visual content that could instill fear. The checklist offers a pragmatic approach to source verification and information assessment, supplemented by resources from local CBOs. Conclusion: We have co-created a targeted checklist for Spanish-speaking communities to identify and counter health misinformation. Such specialized tools are essential for populations that are more susceptible to misinformation, enabling them to differentiate between credible and non-credible information.

Keywords: health misinformation; Spanish-speaking communities; COVID-19 vaccine; digital health literacy; community-based organization (CBO); co-design workshops (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
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