The infodemics of COVID-19 amongst healthcare professionals in India

BACKGROUND: There is a deluge of information and misinformation about COVID-19. The present survey was conducted to explore the sources of information /misinformation for healthcare professionals from India. METHODS: A cross-sectional online survey using snowballing technique was conducted from 24 Mar to 10 Apr 2020. The questionnaire was pretested and developed using standard techniques. It was circulated among medical students and physicians. Data were analysed using the STATA software. RESULTS: Data of 758 participants were analysed. A total of 255 (33.6%) medical students, 335 (44.2%) nonspecialists and 168 (22.1%) specialists participated. The most common source of formal and informal information was official government websites and online news, respectively. A total of 517 (68.2%) participants accepted receiving misinformation. Social media and family and friends were the most common sources of misinformation. Seventy-two percent of participants agreed that spread of information helped to contain COVID-19, but more than that 75% agreed to having received inaccurate information. Seventy-four percent of respondents felt the need for regulation of information during such times; 26% and 33% felt that information about COVID-19 made them feel uncomfortable and distracts routine decision-making, respectively, and 50% felt it was difficult to differentiate correct from incorrect information about COVID-19. CONCLUSION: The study explored the sources of information and misinformation and found a high prevalence of misinformation, especially from social media. We suggest the need to better manage the flow of information so that it can be an effective weapon against SARS-CoV2. There is a need for doctors to adapt to the changing times of infodemics accompanying pandemics.