A negative move on Facebook could lead people to misunderstand the COVID-19 vaccine

Human papillomavirus, or HPV, is the most common sexually transmitted infection in the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. HPV is linked to health problems including brain tumors and cancers, but a vaccine has been available since 2006 to stop the virus.

The CDC reports that more than 12 years of data support the safe and effective HPV vaccine, but HPV vaccine levels across the U.S. remain low.

Social media has a history of being a popular place for sexual health conversations, and the HPV vaccine is one of the most debated vaccines on the internet. Monique Luisi, an assistant professor at the University of Missouri School of Journalism, has surveyed more than 6,500 vaccine-related public posts on Facebook from 2006 to 2016.

In a previous study, Luisi used these Facebook posts to identify a negative trend on Facebook related to how people view the HPV vaccine.

Now, she suggests that this negative move on Facebook could cause people to misunderstand the health risk of the vaccine.

After looking at the percentage of posts that made the vaccine look more dangerous, more or less dangerous, Luisi found nearly 40% of Facebook posts about the HPV vaccine increasing the risk of being vaccinated. sees, and the data show that these positions were moving over time.

We should not accept that only the disease is seen as a threat, but when research supports it, medical treatments and interventions may unfortunately be seen as risks. “

Monique Luisi, Associate Professor, University of Missouri School of Journalism

“People are more likely to see things on social media, especially on Facebook, that are not only negative about the HPV vaccine but also suggest that the HPV vaccine may It increases the fear that people may have about the vaccine, and we are seeing that posts that increase fear are more likely to move than those that are not. “

Luisi suggests that the spread of this negative information could lead people to misunderstand the vaccine, so people should talk to their doctor or health care provider before making an informed decision.

“Facebook remains a popular social media platform for adult audiences, who need action to address HPV vaccine risk messages,” she said. “People are going to see what they’re up to. going on social media, so it ‘s important to not only take what you see on social media but also talk to a doctor or healthcare provider. Just because it’s moving doesn’t mean it’s real. “

Luisi notes that research needs to continue to address the notion of vaccine safety where the vaccine is seen as a greater health risk than the virus or disease it prevents , and her study could tell officials to roll out and roll out the ongoing COVID-19 vaccine.

“With the release of the COVID-19 vaccine, it is likely that people will see a lot of negative information, and that the trends on social media will be negative,” she said. The public can expect this negative information, it will be interesting to see if that makes them so aware of the perceived risk of the vaccine. “

“From Worst to Worse II: Increasing Risk of the HPV Vaccine on Facebook,” was published in Vaccination.