University of Galway are seeking to address health misinformation on a website aimed at tackling some of the myths around healthcare claims.
iHealthFacts.ie, a resource where the public can quickly and easily check the reliability of a health claim circulated on social media or word of mouth, aims to help people think critically about health claims and make well-informed choices.
There may not always be definitive answers to the questions asked as good quality studies might not have been conducted on the topic.
However, there may be recommendations from expert groups. The website will be explicit about the quality and certainty of the evidence underpinning all published answers.
The team will describe not only the current state of knowledge on a topic, but also, how sure the public can be about the quality and certainty of that knowledge, empowering them to make well-informed decisions regarding their health, in line with their own values and preferences.
Dr Paula Byrne, lead researcher with iHealthFacts.ie and post-doctoral researcher with Evidence Synthesis Ireland and Cochrane Ireland, said: “Unreliable claims can lead to poorly informed choices, under- or over-use of things we do to improve or maintain health. Unreliable claims can also lead to unnecessary waste and human suffering.
“iHealthFacts.ie offers a platform to help tease out the reliability of health claims. We hope it also helps the public think critically about health claims.”
iHealthFacts.ie is updated regularly in response to the submitted and prioritised claims so members of the public can quickly and easily check the reliability of a health claim circulated by social media.
The researchers hope this information will help people think critically about health claims and make well-informed choices.
