Tackling contraceptive misinformation on social media

The involvement of social media in healthcare messaging is becoming increasingly prevalent. The effect on vaccinations is clear.1 But less attention has been given to the role of social media in contraceptive decision making in women and girls and how to tackle this.Over the past 10 years the abortion rate in Scotland has increased from 11 per 1000 women to 16 per 1000 women, with a substantial 19% rise between 2021 and 2022; similar growth has been observed in England.2 The driving factors for this are complex and multifactorial, not dissimilar to vaccine uptake, and include barriers in access to contraception, workforce related variables, and the rollout of medical abortions.345 One key element is social media. The public are turning to social media as a trusted source of health information,67 where they receive factual and inaccurate information on contraceptive methods, side effects, and health benefits. Research shows a rise in…
Read Original Article: Tackling contraceptive misinformation on social media »