Keywords
Health literacy
Public health
Health communication
How to Cite
Copyright © | All rights reserved.
The journal holds the exclusive copyright for the publication of this article under the terms of Brazilian law 9610/98.
Partial reproduction
The use of parts of the texts, figures and questionnaire of the article is free, being mandatory the citation of the authors and journal.
Total reproduction
It is expressly prohibited and must be authorized by the journal.
Abstract
Objective: To map the state of knowledge regarding misinformation and health literacy, identifying key perspectives for public health. Literature review: Health misinformation is a global threat. This phenomenon, characterized by the deliberate circulation of false or distorted content, influences individual behavior, weakens trust in institutions, and compromises health care. At the same time, health literacy, understood as the ability to access, understand, and apply health information, emerges as a strategy to mitigate the impacts of misinformation. Evidence shows that insufficient levels of literacy are associated with greater exposure to fake news, vaccine hesitancy, inappropriate use of services, and poorer adherence to treatments, thereby widening social and health inequalities. Final considerations: The findings reinforce that addressing misinformation requires intersectoral actions and continuous public policies, focusing on the promotion of health literacy and on strengthening evidence-based communication. Reliable information is essential to qualify population decision-making and to improve outcomes in public health.
References
ALANZI TM. Public Perceptions Towards Online Health Information: A Mixed-Method Study in Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia. J Healthc Leadersh, 2023; 15: 259–272.
BRASIL. Tribunal Superior Eleitoral. Programa Permanente De Enfrentamento À Desinformação No Âmbito Da Justiça Eleitoral Plano Estratégico Eleições 2022. Disponível em: https://www.tse.jus.br/o-tse/catalogo-de-publicacoes/lista-do-catalogo-de-publicacoes. Acessado em: 22 de fevereiro de 2026.
CISSÉ B. Exploring vaccination literacy and vaccine hesitancy in seven European countries: results from the HLS19 population survey. Vaccine X, 2025; 25: 1-9.
CONFEDERAÇÃO NACIONAL DE MUNICÍPIOS. Estudo Técnico: Retrocesso Cobertura Vacinal Covid19. Confederação Nacional de Municípios (CNM), 2022. Disponível em: https://cnm.org.br/biblioteca/exibe/5049 Acessado em: 15 de março de 2026.
GAYSYNSKY A. Perceptions of Health Misinformation on Social Media: Cross-Sectional Survey Study. JMIR Infodemiology 2024; 23 (1): 1-17.
GREEN BN. Writing narrative literature reviews for peer-reviewed journals: secrets of the trade. J Chiropr Med, 2006; 5(3): 101–117.
HART PS, et al. Politicization and Polarization in COVID-19 News Coverage. Sci Commun, 2020; 42: 679–697.
KRISHNA A, THOMPSON TL. Misinformation about health: A review of health communication and misinformation scholarship. American Behavioral Scientist, 2021; 65(2), 316–332.
LE BRUN M, et al. La littératie en santé: définition, outils d’évaluation, état des lieux en Europe, conséquences pour la santé et moyens disponibles pour l’améliorer. Rev Med Interne 2025; 46 (1): 32–39.
LOOMBA S, et al. Measuring the impact of COVID-19 vaccine misinformation on vaccination intent in the UK and USA. Nat Hum Behav, 2021; 5(3): 337–348.
MALTA M, et al. The brazilian tragedy: Where patients living at the ‘Earth’s lungs’ die of asphyxia, and the fallacy of herd immunity is killing people. EClinicalMedicine, 2021; 32:1-2.
MENDONÇA AVM, SOUSA MF. Desafios contemporâneos para a Saúde Digital: letramento, educação midiática e prevenção à desinformação. Rev Panam Salud Publica, 2025; 49: 1-5.
MIALHE FL, et al. Propriedades psicométricas do instrumento adaptado European Health Literacy Survey Questionnaire short-short form. Revista Latino-Americana de Enfermagem, 2021; v. 29, p. e3436.
NUTBEAM D, LLOYD JE. Understanding and Responding to Health Literacy as a Social Determinant of Health. Annu Rev Public Health, 2021; 42: 159–173.
NUTBEAM D. Health Promotion Glossary. Health Promot Int 1998; 13: 349–364.
ORGANIZAÇÃO PAN-AMERICANA DA SAÚDE. 2020. Entenda a Infodemia e a Desinformação Na Luta Contra a COVID-19. Kit de ferramentas de transformação digital. Disponível em: https://iris.paho.org/handle/10665.2/52054 . Acessado em: 10 de março de 2026.
PERES F. A perspectiva emancipatória da literacia em saúde no Brasil: aportes do pensamento freiriano para a translação de saberes em torno de um conceito global. Cad Saude Publica, 2025; 40 (11): 1-13.
PIMENTEL VRM, et al. Comunicação em saúde e promoção da saúde: contribuições e desafios, sob o olhar dos profissionais da Estratégia Saúde da Família. Physis, 2022; 32(3): 1-21.
PINTO PA e CARVALHO EM. O enfrentamento à desinformação sobre saúde pública no Brasil: registros entre 2020 e 2022. Revista Eco-Pós, 2023; 26: 140–167.
PORTUGAL. Ministério da Saúde. Plano De Ação Para A Literacia Em Saúde 2019-2021. 2018. Disponível em: https://splsportugal.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/2019-2021-PLANO-ACAO-PARA-A-LITERACIA-EM-SAUDE-DGS.pdf. Acessado em: 03 de março de 2026.
ROQUE E LIMA JO, et al. Low Vaccine Coverage and Factors Associated with Incomplete Childhood Immunization in Racial/Ethnic Minorities and Rural Groups, Central Brazil. Vaccines (Basel) 2023; 11(4): 1-12.
SAAVEDRA-DAHM O, et al. La Heterogeneidad del Alfabetismo en Salud y el Consentimiento Informado en Chile. Terapia psicológica 2012; 30(3): 127–131.
SANTOS-D'AMORIM KI, MIRANDA MKFO. Informação incorreta, desinformação e má informação: Esclarecendo definições e exemplos em tempos de desinfodemia. Encontros Bibli: revista eletrônica de biblioteconomia e ciência da informação 2021; 26: 01–23.
SARDINHA TB, et al. Características linguísticas da pseudociência: um estudo contrastivo de artigos acadêmicos que apoiam tratamentos controversos contra a COVID-19. Revista Brasileira de Linguística Aplicada, 2025; v. 25, n. 4, p. e49895.
SIDDIQUI E, et al. “Polio resurgence in Pakistan: unraveling the causes and addressing the consequences”. Infect Ecol Epidemiol 2025; 15(1): 1 – 3.
SIMONDS SK. Health Education as Social Policy. Health Educ Monogr 1974; 2: 1–10.
SUAREZ-LLEDO V, ALVAREZ-GALVEZ J. Prevalence of Health Misinformation on Social Media: Systematic Review. J Med Internet Res 2021; 23 (1): 1-17.
VIDAL G, et al. Desinformação em Saúde nas Redes Sociais: Desafios para a Saúde Coletiva. Interference: A Journal of Audio Culture 2025; 11(2): 2119–2129.
WARDLE C. Understanding Information disorder. First Draft, 22 set. 2020. Disponível em: https://firstdraftnews.org/long-form-article/understanding-information-disorder/. Acessado em: 13 de março de 2026.
WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION. COVID-19 pandemic fuels largest continued backslide in vaccinations in three decades. World Health Organization, 15 jul. 2022. Disponível em: https://www.who.int/news/item/15-07-2022-covid-19-pandemic-fuels-largest-continued-backslide-in-vaccinations-in-three-decades . Acessado em: 23 de março de 2026.
WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION. Disinformation and public health. 2024a. Disponível em: https://www.who.int/news-room/questions-and-answers/item/disinformation-and-public-health. Acessado em: 09 de março de 2026.
WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION. Vaccines and immunization. 2024b. Disponível em: https://www.who.int/health-topics/vaccines-and-immunization#tab=tab_1. Acessado em: 07 de março de 2026.